Tonight’s Dinner Conversation

Emily: Knock knock

Everyone: Who’s there?

Emily: Banana

Everyone: Banana who?

Emily: Banana W(insert lastname here)

(Smothered giggles from Mom and Dad)

Emily: Knock Knock

Everyone: Who’s there?

Emily: Orange

Everyone: Orange who?

Emily (thinks a moment, places her finger on her chin and looks rather puzzled, then says in a whisper): I don’t know

Dorothy (in a loud conspicuous whisper in Emily’s ear): Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?

Emily (with a big grin on her face, nods her head and says): Uh-huh!

Finger Food

We have been working tirelessly on teaching the kids better table manners, namely not using your fingers in place of spoons and forks. Dot seems to be the one taking the longest to get the concept into her head that fingers are taboo unless eating finger food. She then takes her fingers, ignores the napkins, and wipes them down her front, on her pants, or across the tableclothe.

Last night in a moment of sheer frustration Paul asked her exasperatedly, ” Which part of ‘don’t use your fingers’ are you not understanding?”

Dorothy tips her head to the side her big brown eyes thoughful, then looks at Daddy and says, “Probably all of it.”

I almost snorted the water I was drinking and then nearly fell off my chair trying to recover quickly.

Cah-Razy

That is what things around here have been like lately! 🙂 Paul left early Thursday morning for Woodbadge (Scout leader training) and got home 9:30 in the evening on Saturday, so for another three days I wrassled the awesome foursome solo. It wasn’t to bad, but by Sat. night we had all hit burnout level, and I am afraid that he was greeted by a very grouchy wife rather than a chipper one. 🙂 Thank goodness he only has one 3 more day training in Sept. and then he should be done. And at least two of the days he is gone kids will be in school. 😉

I finally quit procrastinating yesterday and attempted to get the kids school shopping done. I guess I wasn’t really procrastinating as Paul has been gone. I decided to suck it up and just take everyone with me, how bad could it be?

I should have known just from the parking lot that the only Wal-mart in 30 miles would be inundated, but after driving all the way there, I wasn’t going to waste the trip. Thankfully there was a super-cart available where I could strap both Emily and Jacob in, but near impossible to manouver around the packed isles of supplies and sardines, err . . people. The school isle was fairly uncrowded, but it seemed the minute I set one timid foot across the line a silent alarm went off and I was in a human landslide being carried down the isle grabbing at things as I sailed by. Houdini boy decided that nothing was going to keep him strapped in, so while I was grasping depserately at the dissapearing school supplies I was trying to wrangle in the toddler as he climbed up my shirt and over my back, with Emily yanking on his leg trying to keep him from escaping. With a mad shriek he began missile fire with his sandals narrowly missing a few unsuspecting targets. Finally an hour (or at least it felt like it) and a quarter of supply list later I slowly limped to the check out stand, having been trampled by two minuture elephants when we finally found the rulers. Most of the supplies had long since been snatched up. Back to school shopping at Wal-Mart is not for the faint-hearted or procrastinator.

When I got home I pulled in the driveway at the same time as Paul and tossed him the children and zipped over to Fred Meyers. I wasn’t going to let the last of the supply lists escape me any further, and was filled with childish glee as I saw rows and rows of nearly untouched supplies. Each item was checked off quickly without any one being dive-bombed by children or sandals.

Now, I just need to track down a few clothing items and we’re done (but, hey, I figure they can start school with what they’ve got if I can’t find what I’m looking for). 🙂

Blue

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My little Blue Eyes feeling blue (Emily at 8 months or so)

Toddler Days

Jacob is 17 months becoming quite the character. I love his little ducky toddler walk and his babbling as he tries so hard to make words like the rest of us do. The kid is fearless. We were at the park the other day and he was climbing all over the place, just having a grand ol’ time. We have no stairs in our home but somewhere along the line he has learned how to go down them safely (backwards). It sure is a hoot to see him climb up to a slide than turn around and scoot backwards feet first to slide down the slide on his tummy, doing it the *safe* way. 🙂 He blows kisses to everyone he sees, loves stealing our hats, playing peek-a-boo, singing, directing music, and dancing (he turns circles on the floor until he is so dizzy he falls over) heh. He also is learning the mechanics of the telivision set and the stereo. He knows right where the power button is, and if he can’t hear it, he aims right for the volume button. None of my girls ever figured out which button does what, maybe it is a boy thing, because he also turns on the stereo and turns the volume up there too if he thinks it is too soft. Of course we are trying to thwart the incessant turning on of the tv, but he is a mighty determined little guy.

Sunday he ignored the warning of his nursery teacher about patting his freshly made craft and burnt his little fingers on hotglue. Poor little tyke had blisters on his fingers, and was not at all happy when mommy had to go poking around to get the fluid off, but I think he learned what hot means at least.

Last night he graduated from his high chair to a booster seat so he can sit right at the table with us. Everyone was very excited including him, he was clapping and yaying along with the best of them. Of course as a mom I grabbed the camera to snap a few shots.

I took a couple and then Paul started to tickle him under the table to get a big smile. Just as I went to snap the photo Jacob scrunched up his eyes and his hands flew to his face. His expression was so funny, and I looked at Paul, “what was that face?” I asked laughing. Then realization dawned and Paul exclaimed, “He was anticipating the flash!”

I have never had any of my kids react to the flash before other than the wide-eyed surprise of being blinded. But Jacob, he’s not one to be taken in easily, he knows what’s coming. When (if ever) I get my film developed I’ll be sure to post the picture, it sure looked hillarious through the view finder.

(edit: The picture is posted, I sure got the squint, but it looks like I missed his hands, heh) 🙂

Sounds in the Night

Deb wrote a really cool story (as she usually does) and asked what our scariest or funniest memory from our childhood was. I’ve written a lot of them already, so it was a bit challenging, but there was this time when . . .

I didn’t need horror flicks to spur my imagination, or put a face on my fears that lurked in shadow. I just needed an empty old farmhouse in the dark.

I was ten, maybe eleven, when I flipped the lock on the door behind my father as they headed out. I turned around and scanned the ranch style farmhouse. It was all one level with stairs leading down to the basement, where my bedroom was housed. I snagged my book from off the table and flicked on the basement/stair light. I looked down the stairs and into the darkness beyond, my imagination starting to tug at my spine. Taking a deep breath turned off the warm, safe kitchen light and started down the stairs. Thump *thump* Thump *thump* Thump *thump*. I froze midway and spun around expecting to see someone behind me. No one was there. I continued a little further. After every slap of my bare feet against wood I swore I heard another. Someone, something, was following me down those stairs. I spun around again, my heart beating so hard I thought I could see my chest moving with its force. Again, there was nothing. I quickly descended the remaining stairs, diving for the light at the bottom. Just as the basement sprung into brilliance I saw a tall shadow out of the corner of my eye. Looming, and then, I thought, it moved!

All intellectual thought fled from my brain as my terrified heart seized my body and drove me into my room. Slamming the door behind me I leaned up against it my panting the only sound in the awesome stillness. *Creek* “It’s just the house. It’s just the house,” I chanted to myself. *Creek* *shuffle shuffle* I squeezed my eyes shut. *Scrape Scrape* “It’s just the house. It’s just the house,” I prayed. I walked over to my desk and fumbling with the switch on my radio I turned it on and then cranked the volume high enough to drown out all other sounds. I grabbed the flashlight hidden in my desk drawer and turned on my lamp. After looking in my closet and under my bed, I crept into the safety of my bed and drew the covers over my head. My hand snuck out for just a moment, seizing my book and drawing it in. I flicked on my light and began to read.

That was how Dad found me when he got home. Basement light, stair light, and every light in my room on. Radio blasting, and me cowering under my covers, fast asleep with a dead flashlight in my hand, and a book laying half open beside me. He asked why I left all the lights on when I went to bed the next morning. I just mumbled something about, “footsteps on the stairs.”

Moose or Mousse?

I survived! Though I came this close – – to being tied up in a closet. 🙂 heh. The week actually calmed down a bit and we managed to avoid any more injuries. The dinner that we did Wednesday night at the hospital for ICU and longterm rehabilitation parents went really well and I met some amazing and wonderful people.

I also go t my hair cut- short that afternoon. I hadn’t expected it to be quite so short. I had described to her what I wanted (similar to the last time) and then talked to her about trimming up Emily’s hair (I’ve gotten to where I love her short little pixie cut). There-in lies my fault. I think she thought that I was also describing what I wanted. So a snip-snip and a huge pile of hair later I was left with an awesome hair cut that I had no idea what to do with. I haven’t had short hair since I was about 8 and everyone thought I was a boy. I had to go to volunteer with the dinner that night and I hadn’t the foggiest of how to style my hair.

Thank goodness for girly friends. After attacking with mousse (at first I spelled it like the animal, but I knew that couldn’t be right, heh), root-lifter (I didn’t even know there was such a thing), somthing called pomade, a curling iron, and half a bottle of hairspray I was set to go. Loading up my hair with stuff is an all-knew thing for me. I never have put mousse in my hair before, just a touch of hairspray from time to time (and a perm, but I learned my lesson on that one). So I am now the proud owner of a whole bunch of hair products and a smashing new do (which I really like by the way, I just had to get used to it).

My friend insisted on take pictures – front and back even. 🙂

Youth

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My hubby and two oldest daughters (ages 2 and 1 at the time of the photo)

I couldn’t leave out the other two kids now could I? Here is the crew, taken in 2005

Anything But Boring

Last week it was Emily, this week was Elizabeth’s turn. Sunday night I had just kissed them all goodnight, tucked them in and sank into my comfy chair relishing the silence and missing my hubby when a scream eminated from the girls room. Grumbling I dragged myself to the back of the house.

Gritting my teeth and trying to keep my voice as pleasant as possible (bedtime had not gone well) I asked, “what’s the problem?”

In between sobs Elizabeth managed to spit out that Emily had hit her with a toy. “You gonna live?” I asked her (such a loving parent, I know). She answered to the affirmative and I told her to get in bed and go to sleep. Emily was sent to sleep in the bathtub (I moved her back to her room after she was zonkered.) The next morning Elizabeth had a black eye with two little scratches beside it.

Yesterday we walked to the park. I have found the park to be a lot more fun than usual. I take along my little writer’s notebook (just a small spiral notebook that will fit in my purse and I can take notes in) and I perch on the bench while the children play. In between playing with them I people watch, writing down descritions, hypothesis about jobs and hobbies, and personalities as I go to tuck ideas away for future writing projects. I jot down phrases and try to capture facial expressions in words. It is a lot of fun (as long as no one notices you staring, can get a little awkward then) heh :). On our way home Elizabeth tripped and scratched her knee and elbow a bit. Nothing to bad though.

An hour later we had finished lunch and were at our next door neighbor’s house (one of my best friend’s from highschool mom) and were blowing bubbles with her grandson and chatting. It was time to go and Elizabeth went up the stair to the front door to tell her thankyou. As she turned to leave I think she twisted her ankle a bit (one of my classy goofy moves) and crashed down the cement stairs, really bashing her knee good and giving her a nice long scrape down the other leg. Her knee was gushing and got bandaged with coveted Dora the Explorer bandaids from our neighbors first aid drawer. Poor kids also scraped her ankle up in our back yard the same day.

Jacob took a tumble down those stairs too, landing on his head, but he didn’t even get a lasting bump on his noggin. Dorothy fell on her way too the park and scraped her hand a bit, and Emily fell at the park barely scraping her knee (no blood). Amazingly enough I was able to keep aright on my feet!

At least we are keeping things exciting while Paul is gone. Oh, and Dorothy lost her first tooth last night! Though the tooth fairy fell asleep before making the switch – oops! I’m being hassled really good for that one. As of yet I have not been threatened with mutiny, but lets just say its a really good thing I scheduled a baby sitter for tonight . . . I am slowly going crazy, slowly crazy going I am, crazy going am slowly I, going i crazy am slowly, am crazy slowly i going, I going am slowly crazy, (at this point my eyes begin to roll and am drooling manically) heh 🙂 (and if the tooth fairy doesn’t make it tonight I am DOOMED I tell ya, DOOMED!)

“Smile! Your on Candid Camera!”

Emily stretched tall onto the ten tips of her tiny two-year old toes. Her chubby little hands pressed against the bar of the water fountain. She eyed the water eagerly as it bubbled up into a perfect arc. Slowly she leaned forward opening her lips in anticipation of the cool liquid. She stretched further and further, craning her neck. Just as her tongue began to lick at the stream of water her hands slipped, leaving her lapping at the air.

Her forehead wrinkled in confusion and she tried again, this time going a little more slowly and watching in exasperation as the stream of water dwindle gradually as she got closer. She walked away for a moment eyeing the fountain for the traitor it was.

Two minutes later she was back again her feet planted firmly shoulder width apart as she shoved her hands forcefully onto the bar. The water exploded into and arc of icy cold freshness and she lunged her face for it, hoping to take it by surprise, but to no avail, the traitor had hidden it’s ugly head, evading her once again.

She crouched down, her clear blue eyes peering just over the edge of the basin. Once again she pushed at the bar and watched it. She didn’t move, she just watched it. Then like a tiger lying in the grass stalking its prey she began to slowly creep her way forward. Her pink tongue came out as far as it could just a fraction of an inch away from the water where it teased tantalizingly. She surged in for the kill and found that her prey had escaped her once more.

She stuck her feet out behind her forcing her full weight into the bar, maybe extra pressure would make the water stream last longer. In one swift motion she lunged forward jumping at the water her mouth gaping, but again was left gulping nothing but air.

Again and again she tried. Press the bar, water, lean forward, no water, press the bar water, lean forward, no water. She was beginning to tire from her battle with the fountain, but sheer determination wouldn’t let her give up, she was going to get a drink one way or another. She looked around, spotted a little boy and asked him to hold the button. The gallant gentlemen leaned onto the button with all his might as Emily hoisted herself up and sucked in mouthfuls of refreshment.

Paul and I were giggling far too much to be of any assistance, and we were curious to see what tactic she would use next the get that water. The only regret we had was that we didn’t have our video camera. I felt like I was watching a live episode of “Candid Camera”, except that nothing was rigged! 🙂