Documenting the Love

Children of mine, sometimes your mom is pretty dense. After all kinds of (strong) hints, I finally realized that when you ask if I've "blogged anything lately?" you're not just asking what's on this website, but essentially, if I love you enough to want to document and share our family's life with the people we love. Duh.

So, I am resolved to do some catching up - and more importantly - some keeping up! Let's start with Valentine's Day...

E and I had fun coming up with this outfit for the occasion (after I explained what it meant to be dressing for the occasion). She was a little disappointed that she seemed to be the only first grader in her class to dress thematically for the holiday, but she sure enjoyed the compliments!

(And yes, this is our front porch. Can you tell how much the girls love to tromp around outside? We're prepared for just about any outdoor adventure that involves water, mud, sticks, rocks, and/or shells...along w/a healthy dose of imagination!)

M chose to go a more subtle red w/sparkly heart route. As a cool 5th grader, can't say that I blame her. And look at that hair! I must've forgotten to tame it w/some product that morning. Remind you of anyone in the '80's or early '90's? ;)

Now this just cracks me up! I said, "How 'bout a kiss for the camera?!" thinking one of them would smack the other on the cheek...you gotta be careful what you ask for with these two!

Thrilled to be Average

If there's one thing I can point to as evidence of my good mothering, it's that my family has never eaten dinner around the television. Yes, I'll let the girls "picnic" there for lunch sometimes, but dinner? Out of the question.

As we were heading out to pick up our pizza tonight (c'mon, give me a break...I worked two whole days in a row, and besides, it's on sale) I said, "When we get home, let's get some soda out of the garage. And then I just want to sit down." E chimed in, "And watch tv?!" And I said, "Sure. Happy Friday."

The girls immediately started clapping, shrieking, and jumping up and down. M exclaimed, "Are you serious?! You mean you're telling me we're going to eat pizza and drink pop and watch tv just like an average American family?!?"

I laughed and laughed at that girl. And it felt almost as good as sitting down did...

For My Age

I promise I will stop posting things people say about my age, getting older, etc etc. But this one...

I was visiting outside our home with our church's young missionaries yesterday afternoon. Our neighbor girl came out to walk her dog & I introduced them. After she left, they asked, "How old is she?" I said, "A freshman - 14 or 15, I guess." The newest Elder said, "Oh, wow. For a second there I thought you meant a freshman in college. High school just seems like such a long time ago."

I couldn't help but laugh. I mean, really? A whole year, maybe two, has gone by since you graduated?! I said, "Oh yeah. Tell me about it. I bet you were born the year I graduated from high school." And yeah, pretty much, they were. This same Elder looks at me, squints his eyes and says, "How old are you?!" "36." "36?! Wow! I would have never guessed that! You hide your age really well!"

What. The. Heck?! I couldn't do anything but laugh and make a joke about how I just act immature so I seem younger. But really? Just how old & decrepit am I supposed to look at 36? I wasn't offended - it was just funny how your perspective changes as we age. I remember being younger and hearing someone died at 65 and thinking, "Well, at least they had a long, good life." Now, I gasp - that's way too young to die! So I get where he's at in his head...but it still made me laugh!

Pretty

This morning, M gave me a big hug and said, "Mom, you must've been a really pretty teenager." Laughing, I responded, "Oh, and I'm not pretty now?" (And in that moment, in my pj's and glasses, not so much).

"Well, yeah, you are, for an old lady, that is."

That stinker. :)

See, Mom, It Worked!

E was devastated tonight when she went looking in her wallet for the Sacajawea dollar that the Tooth Fairy left her a few weeks ago, and only found quarters, nickles, dimes, and pennies. Great big sobs about how she lost it, would never find it, etc etc. All the while, I'm saying, "Sweetheart, I know you're upset, but do you really think that crying is going to help here? Is it really going to suddenly appear just b/c you're crying?"

She continues boohooing as she looks through her most-frequently-used purses (as opposed to those in a bin under her bed), so I've got to give her props for continuing to at least look through those teary eyes. I finally tell her to go get ready for bed, and that I am SURE it will turn up. We will just keep our eyes open for it, and suddenly, it will just be there & we'll be so excited. And, I reitterated, crying will not help it show up any sooner!

She flops on her bed, wailing as I toss her pj's to her, and help her out of her sweatshirt. I then leave her to her own drama. Suddenly, I hear a "MOM!" and I met her in the hall, triumphantly hoisting her precious gold Sacajawea dollar in the air. "I found it! I found it!"

"Where was it?" I asked. She pointed to a place on her dresser, tucked back a little ways, where she probably had a better view of it once she flung herself on the bed.

She got a big ol' grin and slyly said, "See, Mom? I TOLD you crying would help!"

At which point I tackled her on her bed, ticklin' & kissin' her & telling her in my most growly mock-annoyed voice, "Noooooo. Crying never helps!"

But, apparently, it does...

Parenting by ESP

Our Miss M did not have the best Monday ever at school yesterday. I think that's just what happens sometimes, following a break, you know? Anyway, we were sitting at the YMCA, watching E's dance class & waiting for M's to start while she was giving me the (dramatic) blow by blow of her day. I listened, tried to empathize, and tried to gently suggest that perhaps she might have been overreacting just a smidge?

She glowered at me and said, "UGH! Why do I even tell you this stuff! You sound exactly like Dad!" (Which, I took as a good sign that P & I are pretty much on the same page with this parenting stuff).

We decided to go burn off some of her anger energy by walking/running on the track upstairs. P was up there in one of the weight rooms, and as we cruised by, he popped out to say howdy. I said, "M just told me about her day (he had picked them up from school, not me, and we all met up at the gym) and she said I sounded just like you did when she told you."

He said, "What?! She never told me anything about her bad day! She just said she wanted to wait and talk to you!" We looked at M, who sheepishly said, "Well, you sounded just like what I knew he would have said if I had talked to him about it!"

P said, "Wow, I'm a pretty good parent! I don't even have to talk! Great having that discussion with you, M!" And then we laughed. And laughed. And that was probably the best cure for a bad day, anyway!

Finally - a Bona Fide 1st Grader!

Poor E had the auspicious distinction of being the only kid in her kindergarten class last year who didn't lose a single tooth. There are one or two others in her first grade class that also share that honor, and today, she was thrilled to leave that exclusive club behind!

Her bottom teeth have been wiggly for a long time now, but she hasn't been brave enough to really encourage them much. Yesterday, Grandma took the girls to the candy store on our way out of town for a treat to get them home (yes, that phrase about "a kid in a candy store" is giddily true). Both girls chose the same treat: a big sucker on a stick (not a circle shape, kind of a spiral). As my dentist brothers cringe, let me assure them that they brushed and flossed really, really extra well last night.

Anyway, those suckers took them about an hour to eat, and biting on it did just the trick to really loosen things up. She was a little traumatized going to bed last night b/c her big sis told her she'd probably swallow it in her sleep (gee, thanks, M). She made it through the night, only waking up once, and was highly distracted by it all morning. About halfway through Sunday School, I saw her little head peek thru the door, and I stepped out to see my very triumphant six year old, holding her tooth in her hand & jumping up & down. We went into the bathroom so she could see in the mirror for her very own self just how great she looked...like a real first grader! What's even better is that she twisted it out all on her own - P & I do NOT pull teeth - ick!

I know the Tooth Fairy has a lot on her mind. I hope she remembers to come by tonight!!!