fun.

Yesterday we were a little more spontaneous.  Waking up to blue skies can do that, I suppose.  Turns out, an awesome day with my family is as simple as wandering Half Price Books for an hour before heading to the zoo.

Okay, I need to elaborate on the zoo.  I don't think I've ever had more fun at the zoo than I did yesterday.  Maybe it was the slightly chilly weather or the fact that people were probably still either post-Thanksgiving shopping or still in that post-turkey stupor, but the zoo parking lot was only half filled.  The animals were more energetic than I've ever seen them.  There were three giraffe following a keeper about as she tried to get their food placed properly.  One little gorilla girl was really trying to assert her bigness.  She was leaping all about, pounding her chest, teasing her older sister, throwing hay, and generally acting like a moody teenager.  She startled Hazel too.  The kids were all against the glass when the gorilla turned and stared straight at Hazel, who screeched before running over to me and Hans.  The hippos happily crunched on pumpkins while swimming, the elephant scootched closer to her keeper for a scratch, and the jaguar skulked along the glass, glancing occasionally at onlookers.  Hans even held an elephant tusk!  Pip said she loves the zoo so much she just couldn't stop running.

After the zoo, Hans even treated us to Seattle's Spaghetti Factory for dinner.  Hazel was so wiped, she was sound asleep by 6 on the drive home.

My Girls' Hard Day

Today was a little hard on my girls.  The littlest one is sick.  She's had a fever of 102 and lots of coughing, even throwing up at one point.  She woke at 1:30 AM and had a pretty miserable night in our room.  I am not feeling all that great either, so I wasn't sleeping.  She spent all day on the sofa, napped a couple of times, and is resting again now after finally eating something more substantial than soda crackers.  It's hard to see my lively littlest girl as such a noodle.  Normally she never stops talking and now she complains that everything is too noisy and just wants to snuggle with me on the sofa.  She doesn't know, but she's going to have to miss Bike Day tomorrow because of the "no return to school until 24 hours fever-free" rule.

Abby forgot her lunch today and I didn't notice until about an hour before her lunchtime at school.  (I know this because I called the school to see if I could put money on an account for her.)  A panicky call to Hans revealed he'd given her $20 for lunch.  Well, she's my girl after all.  I got to talk to her on her drive home and it turns out, she tried waiting in line in the cafeteria to get food and got almost to the front before she got too nervous and just sat back with her friends.  Her friends shared a cheese stick and something else inconsequential.  Certainly not too much on the nutritious side.  At least she's fed now.  I feel terrible since I had enough time to race her lunch to her, but Hans reassured me he'd taken care of things.  Guess we forgot to make sure she'd be able to follow through with it.

Eli's at soccer practice now.  Pip is falling asleep on the sofa, refusing suggestions of readying for bed.  Abby is outside collecting potato bugs with her father for his classes tomorrow.  Sounds normal. :)

2012-13 School Year Has Begun!

I love the start of school.  I get so excited for all the things the kids will learn and how their brains will process all the new information and finding out what they think is interesting.  Eli started 3rd grade two days ago.  Most of his friends are in the other class with the wonderfully sweet teacher he had in Kindergarten, but he thinks his teacher is just fine.  He is a model student in the classroom, according to teachers.

Abby started 6th grade yesterday.  Hans and Abby left the house around 6:40 AM, which is a little late for Hans.  I had given him a gazillion instructions about how I wanted him to do her first day (basically I wanted him to do all the things I couldn't do exactly how I would have done them).  He walked her in and waited with her briefly for her new schedule...and then he left.  Darn his responsible nature making him try to be on time to work!  She did absolutely fine though, not needing me and assuring me I haven't caused damage by not being their myself to walk her through things.  I'm sure she was relieved I wasn't doing first day pictures by her locker, by her classroom door, by her school sign or any other place that would most likely embarrass her.  Her only hiccup seems to be combination locks, which she will eventually get comfortable using.  She claims to have made friends, although has no idea any names.  She's always, always been this way.  Even in preschool, she'd point out her friends, but have no idea what their names were, despite all of them calling their hellos to her by name.  Such a funny girl.  Eli is actually the same way.  Hazel, on the other hand, knows everyone's name, but is not always friends with everyone.

I had to attend a parent meeting for preschool last night.  It's the first one I've gone to for any of the children. I went because Hazel's preschool classes are being held in a different church due to the fire where her school is located.  Although her preschool itself wasn't damaged, all the construction creates havoc for little ones who need routine.  Hopefully the building will be repaired enough for the children to return by Christmastime, or we will likely have a year completely different than my other two had.  Little miss starts school on the 12th.

Hazel does not seem to be enjoying our days without her siblings.  She claims there is nothing for her to do.  I may just have to have more playdates for her.  Spoiled little twit.

Today is Mr. Eli's 9th birthday.  I can hardly believe I have had that boy so many years already.  He is a fantastic person and is growing into such an interesting individual.  He's requested an angel food cake this year and (surprise!) tortellini for dinner.  I best get cooking!

Beds

I found a trundle bed on craigslist a little bit ago and today's the day we're putting it in the girls' room.  Hans carried out the toddler bed--the one he made for the convertible crib/toddler bed for baby Abby all those years ago--and now I want to cry.  No more little beds in my house.

Really thought I was ready for this.

Pip's Comments

I feel sorry for Abby and Eli at times.  Pip's view of the world is still only four and a half years old and her comments are all the funnier for that reason.

A couple days ago, we walked into Walgreen's.  She spies a Minnie Mouse doll and comments, "Mom!  That Minnie is my Minnie's doppelganger!  She's just wearing different clothes!"

I just got back home from running birthday errands with my Abby and am greeted by my Pip with "Do you know why Springy is outside?"  No, I reply, why is Springy outside?  (Springy is a stuffed dog.)  "Because he puked all over my invisible carpet again."  Her expression is one of great exasperation and distress.  Oh my.

Presents

Pip:  Eli!  I have a present for you!
Eli:  What is it?
Pip:  It's something you like...and it makes a burrow...
Eli:  My meerkat!

Pip:  Abby!  I have a present for you!  Guess what it is!
Abby:  Is it my unicorn?
Pip:  But what's it's name?
Abby:  Lilac
Pip:  But what color is it?

Pip:  Mama!  I have a present for you!  Guess what it is.
Me:  I have no idea.
Pip:  It's something you can read books on.
Me:  My Kindle?
Pip:  Correct!

Boat

I love imagination.

Costco boxed my groceries for me today in a nice, sturdy melon box.  It is now a boat.  Pip has sailed from the living room, down the hallway, to her room.  Her boat is full of her "treasures."  She even sailed from her bedroom door to the bathroom door.  I've been on a bridge.  However, Abby has been in danger of "sinking in the water" if she doesn't hurry back to her bedroom.

Wish I could find my camera.

Catching Up

Star Wars/Cinco de Mayo Fete:
So I thought Hans was a rather extreme Star Wars geek.  I have never been more wrong.  Even checking out one of those Comic conventions did not prepare me for the geek fest decor last night (granted, much more upscale and high-brow than those conventions).  We were greeted upon walking up by the Star Wars cantina music.  The "bar" was set up with the movie projecting onto the wall, various books/magazines/comics/action figures relating to the Star Wars franchise, and another movie screen playing the movie at a completely different point.  Hans chose "clever" shirts instead of costumes (praise God!).

My shirt

Hans's shirt

I know you are looking at the shirts with intense longing.  You wish you were as cool as my hubs and me.

The kitchen is coming along well.  We'll be ready for painting in the next few weekends.  Whether we paint then remains to be seen.  We're getting into our crazy, fast-paced, nicer weather months.  It makes it so much harder to do work on the house.  I think we're planned into July now.  Let's see...Mother's Day is next weekend, the weekend after is the Girl Scout Fundraiser garage sale for Special Olympics (and for another potential Olympian if I can swing it), then comes Memorial Day weekend followed by Abby's Spring Encamporee with Girl Scouts.  The theme for this year's camp is "Let's Luau" and Abby's patch design won the vote.  She's pretty proud of that.  Meta's coming to photograph camp and we're so excited about it.  Especially since my camera is still among the missing.  Okay, second weekend of June will probably be Abby's birthday celebration, the week after being Father's Day.  Then school gets out and Abby heads to Colorado.  She'll be home for three days before she and I leave for Juneau for a week.  The morning after our return, Abby starts Skagit Twilight Camp for the week.  *Breathe*

Wow, got overwhelmed.  I'll have to try for a Part II of this tomorrow.

Tantrums Galore

Today is the third day in a row the little Pip has thrown an hysterical tantrum.  Monday night, she lost it because she didn't want to go to the bathroom herself and we told her that my going meant I would take her pillow pet for the night.  It went downhill from there with her screaming, pushing me, crying and fighting both me and Hans over her pillow pet (I ended up making the decision for her because she obviously needed to pee and would not go without me) and then over listening to Hans talk to her.  After more than a half hour of this, with her screaming my name from time out over and over again, she finally settled down and Hans got her back to bed.  I went to hug her and the little twit, who even worked herself into hyperventilating, said she still wanted her Christmas lights on because she wanted to read.

Yesterday's tantrum was because I began to put her hair in a ponytail.  I was brushing her hair and had started putting in the holder when she came unglued.  She hadn't even noticed until I was almost finished and then screamed, cried and stomped her feet as she pulled away from my and tried pulling at her hair.  That was another ten minutes or more.  I put her in her room, telling her the behavior unacceptable.

This morning is Lunchbox Day at preschool.  Abby kindly gave her some Valentine hearts candy to put in her lunchbox for school.  I put her peanut butter bread in and some carrots.  Little miss decided she didn't want anything but the candy and lost it when I disagreed.  More hysterics.  Argh.

She is so STUBBORN.  However, she has seemed less inclined to require I accompany her to the toilet...

What Color?

After climbing onto her father's lap, Pip looks at him and asks, "Papa, what color am I?"  Hans doesn't know what to say, so she asks again, louder, "Papa!  What color am I?"  Hans fumbles for a response, but still doesn't say anything.  Exasperated, she looks at him and says, "You are green, I am pink, and Abby is purple."

Why I Shake My Head

Hans and the children are watching Merlin.  Pip is especially excited about this show which is based on the stories of Arthur and Merlin and Camelot.  While watching the other night, Pip gets involved in her imagination.

Pip: I have a 'tending jar of gummy hammers.  Eli!  Do you want a gummy hammer?  I have a 'tending jar.  Rainbow ones.  Do you want to try a 'tending rainbow gummy hammer, Mama?  A 'tending one.  Rainbow one.

She earnestly repeats this to her father, who says he wants two of them and teases her when she only puts her hand to his one time because she didn't really have two in her hand for him just one even though she said she had two.

This is a normal evening.

Most days I play Candyland and Feed the Kitty with Pip.  These are her games.  She cheats.  With Candyland, she's no longer stacking the deck with a candy card on top just for her, but she does sometimes forget that she's already gone and goes again.  With Feed the Kitty, she's started sneaking mice from the kitty bowl to give to me instead of giving me hers when she is supposed to.  I even saw her hiding some mice under her dress while she was playing.  She is a good sport when she loses, although we often have to continue to play until she wins.

Her drawings have matured from happy balloons and happy potatoes to rock people with smiling faces and arms and legs.  She said she drew glasses on one yesterday, but it had to go in her save box and that's why she couldn't let me see it because it was for "save."

I've signed all the children up for indoor soccer.  Abby and Eli both have games on Saturdays, nowhere near the same time, for the next 6 weeks or so.  Pip just has soccer on Tuesday eves for the month of February.  It's going to be fun watching them, especially the little one running on the turf in the sports center with other 3-5 year-olds.

Snow Days

We just got the phone call from Arlington to say that school is closed tomorrow too.  That'll be the third snow day.  I'm sure I won't find out about the kids until about 5AM.  One snow day is fun.  The kids spend most of the time outside playing, sledding, making snowmen and snow angels, and freezing their fannies.  The second snow day is okay.  Kids are still excited to miss school, still excited to play outside, but they mysteriously get colder faster than the day before.  What am I going to do with another snow day?  Our house is little and the hubs likes it quiet for reading.  I'm annoying since I sing-narrate what I'm doing with Pip...

Hans took the older kids to the park for sledding again today.  Pip didn't get to go because she needed a nap.  She feel asleep in Hans's arms last night at 7 and slept 12 hours.  She sobbed and sobbed about having to take a nap, finally falling asleep clinging to me in my bed.  Hans is now on a date with Pip to get ice cream at Dairy Queen.  She was so excited to have her special time with him to the "milkshake store."  Can't wait to hear her report when she gets home.

I'm a Terrible Mother

That's what my oldest said.  Why?  Because I insisted she change her nice boots for her snow boots and put on snow pants, even though she had already dressed and was about to head outside.  Pip is mad at me too for similar reasons.  She does not want to wear two pairs of pants, especially if one is her snow pants.

I don't care if she thinks I'm a terrible mother.  I know that someday she'll do the same thing to her daughter that I'm doing to her.  Warm and dry is better than cold and wet or frozen.  I know she'll remember me the same way I remember Mom.  Frustratingly right.