Finally remembered to post some cuteness, hope you enjoy!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
First bee sting, hopefully LAST bee sting
Poor Silvia. While playing outside at my mom's house yesterday, she decided she wanted to go back in and we headed up the steps to the side porch. What I didn't realize was that the porch was full of bees that were not happy to have us walk right into their new territory.
They angrily swarmed right at my head level, several tangling in my hair. I eeked and jumped back, hitting at my hair- and, like a total idiot, left my baby standing right under the buzzing cloud. As I headed quickly back to grab her, they descended and several settled on her head, one stinging her right on her ear.
She shrieked and grabbed at it just as I swept her off the porch and swiped the other bees away from her. We ran from the furious swirling mass, quickly moving away and inside using the BACK door. We had come out that way and I felt like a moron for trying get back in another way. Ah, maternal guilt, how well I know thee.
Silvia's ear doubled and tripled in size in just a few moments, throbbing a painful red as she wailed and squirmed. Thankfully, she didn't show any signs of an allergic reaction, though we gave her some Benadryl just in case. She calmed down after a bit sucking her thumb and then asking for some chips.
God bless Frito's.
They angrily swarmed right at my head level, several tangling in my hair. I eeked and jumped back, hitting at my hair- and, like a total idiot, left my baby standing right under the buzzing cloud. As I headed quickly back to grab her, they descended and several settled on her head, one stinging her right on her ear.
She shrieked and grabbed at it just as I swept her off the porch and swiped the other bees away from her. We ran from the furious swirling mass, quickly moving away and inside using the BACK door. We had come out that way and I felt like a moron for trying get back in another way. Ah, maternal guilt, how well I know thee.
Silvia's ear doubled and tripled in size in just a few moments, throbbing a painful red as she wailed and squirmed. Thankfully, she didn't show any signs of an allergic reaction, though we gave her some Benadryl just in case. She calmed down after a bit sucking her thumb and then asking for some chips.
God bless Frito's.
Locked in or trapped out?
Anna knows how to open doors. She knows how to close doors. And as of this week, she knows how to lock doors. The trick here is that she hasn't figured out how to unlock them. Following several spectacular and Oscar-worthy tantrums one day, I sent her to her room to cool down. Silvia and I settled in the front yard to wait, playing with rocks and barking back at the neighbor's dog. You know, the usual. After the allotted time, I scooped up my littlest and headed back up the porch to reclaim her impressive sister.
The sister who we found looking in the window next to the door, face pressed to the glass, Joey the Bunny clasped tightly in her hands, serious expression on her face. "Come in, Mama," she said through the glass. I clasped the door knob, exasperation sinking in my stomach. The door refused to cooperate.
"Anna, were you playing with the lock? Turn the lock, honey. Go put it back like it was. Turn the lock, ok?" Her serious expression turning to grief, she fumbled at the door and the burst into hysterics, falling down on the carpet and gasping between cries, "Come IN, mama!"
Oh, dear. Instantly sympathetic, I tried to calm her down through the glass while Silvia watched, waving cheerily at her sister and repeating her favorite words, "Anna sad. Anna sad, mama."
Thinking quickly, (or actually, thinking without a clue), I called Anna over to the back door windows, which were open. Here we could touch hands through the screen, which I discovered where very sturdily installed. This would have been a comfort to learn at another time, but had me cursing under my breath at that moment. After I had her calmed down, I told her to wait for me at the window and ran across the street, knocking on doors for a phone.
Thankfully, one neighbor works from home. I quickly called the Bearer of the Spare Key, who headed over with this magical object. Running back to Anna, all this time with Silvia in tow, I kept her entertained at the window.
Briefly calm, she smiled and announced, "Mama, I'll let you in! Let me get Silvia's keys!". She picked up the plastic rainbow keys and desperately hit them at the front lock. I was trying not to laugh but then she burst into another bout of hysterics when her scheme failed.
And then, Murphy's Law in full swing, she fell and hurt herself as I watched helplessly, calling out comfort as well as I could. Poor baby. Eventually, I talked her in to waiting on the couch. After that, Anna declined to meet me at the window anymore, instead reading her workbook, cuddled into the couch pillows, a bookworm in her element.
After the door was finally opened by Terry, Anna calmly told me not to trap myself outside again, with an air of responsibility-free condescension. Note to self: give spare key to neighbor.
The sister who we found looking in the window next to the door, face pressed to the glass, Joey the Bunny clasped tightly in her hands, serious expression on her face. "Come in, Mama," she said through the glass. I clasped the door knob, exasperation sinking in my stomach. The door refused to cooperate.
"Anna, were you playing with the lock? Turn the lock, honey. Go put it back like it was. Turn the lock, ok?" Her serious expression turning to grief, she fumbled at the door and the burst into hysterics, falling down on the carpet and gasping between cries, "Come IN, mama!"
Oh, dear. Instantly sympathetic, I tried to calm her down through the glass while Silvia watched, waving cheerily at her sister and repeating her favorite words, "Anna sad. Anna sad, mama."
Thinking quickly, (or actually, thinking without a clue), I called Anna over to the back door windows, which were open. Here we could touch hands through the screen, which I discovered where very sturdily installed. This would have been a comfort to learn at another time, but had me cursing under my breath at that moment. After I had her calmed down, I told her to wait for me at the window and ran across the street, knocking on doors for a phone.
Thankfully, one neighbor works from home. I quickly called the Bearer of the Spare Key, who headed over with this magical object. Running back to Anna, all this time with Silvia in tow, I kept her entertained at the window.
Briefly calm, she smiled and announced, "Mama, I'll let you in! Let me get Silvia's keys!". She picked up the plastic rainbow keys and desperately hit them at the front lock. I was trying not to laugh but then she burst into another bout of hysterics when her scheme failed.
And then, Murphy's Law in full swing, she fell and hurt herself as I watched helplessly, calling out comfort as well as I could. Poor baby. Eventually, I talked her in to waiting on the couch. After that, Anna declined to meet me at the window anymore, instead reading her workbook, cuddled into the couch pillows, a bookworm in her element.
After the door was finally opened by Terry, Anna calmly told me not to trap myself outside again, with an air of responsibility-free condescension. Note to self: give spare key to neighbor.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Anna is a velociraptor
Remember that scene from Jurassic Park? The one where the raptors are in their cage, throwing themselves at the electric fence in search of weakness?
That's Anna right now. I kid you not. That child is testing her boundaries like nobody's business. Back-talk, rudeness, defiance, tantrums, pushing/tackling Silvia while pretending she's just "playing". Heaven help me, I'm about to lock her up. Or even better, lock myself up- with a good book and cup of hot cocoa. And earplugs.
Kurt and I are seriously struggling to keep our tempers in check, trying to either simply ignore the obnoxious attitude or respond calmly and promptly to the rude behavior. We know she responds better, and calms down quicker, when we are calm.
But calm is a distant place, a happy island of sunshine and clear blue water. A place far, far from our living room and perpetually OUT OF REACH. I spend much of the day fighting the urge to scream my head off. Which I can report from personal experience, doesn't work at all.
We love that little angel, but if she gives me any more diva-tude this week, I'm going to lose my mind. And my cool. And probably all my hair.
That's Anna right now. I kid you not. That child is testing her boundaries like nobody's business. Back-talk, rudeness, defiance, tantrums, pushing/tackling Silvia while pretending she's just "playing". Heaven help me, I'm about to lock her up. Or even better, lock myself up- with a good book and cup of hot cocoa. And earplugs.
Kurt and I are seriously struggling to keep our tempers in check, trying to either simply ignore the obnoxious attitude or respond calmly and promptly to the rude behavior. We know she responds better, and calms down quicker, when we are calm.
But calm is a distant place, a happy island of sunshine and clear blue water. A place far, far from our living room and perpetually OUT OF REACH. I spend much of the day fighting the urge to scream my head off. Which I can report from personal experience, doesn't work at all.
We love that little angel, but if she gives me any more diva-tude this week, I'm going to lose my mind. And my cool. And probably all my hair.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Rite of Passage- Again
As soon as you open the door to your child's room, you know. I mean, you really KNOW. It's the smell. Waking up to a baby (and crib, stuffed animals, mattress, walls, etc) covered in, well... POOP is one of the least fun rites of passage for any parent.
The bad news, as if that wasn't bad enough, is that it renews for EACH CHILD.
This morning, I found Silvia standing in her crib, hands raised in the classic, "Uh-oh" gesture, looking at me. "Poo-poo?", she asked, clearly a bit puzzled. Then, with a wide grin, so utterly charming except for the yuck all over her, "Uh-oh, mess." Ha. That's for damn sure.
I plopped her in the tub, which now has to be scrubbed with bleach during precious nap time hours. Holding my breath the entire time, I sent Anna down to raid the pantry while I cleaned... and soaped... and scrubbed. As I combed out her hair while trying not to actually look, I was visited by a vivid and nearly identical memory: the morning thrill of discovery with Anna in that very same crib and state of quizzical filth.
I know everyone says their babyhood passes too quickly, but these moments are ones I am happy to (hopefully) leave behind. No put intended.
The bad news, as if that wasn't bad enough, is that it renews for EACH CHILD.
This morning, I found Silvia standing in her crib, hands raised in the classic, "Uh-oh" gesture, looking at me. "Poo-poo?", she asked, clearly a bit puzzled. Then, with a wide grin, so utterly charming except for the yuck all over her, "Uh-oh, mess." Ha. That's for damn sure.
I plopped her in the tub, which now has to be scrubbed with bleach during precious nap time hours. Holding my breath the entire time, I sent Anna down to raid the pantry while I cleaned... and soaped... and scrubbed. As I combed out her hair while trying not to actually look, I was visited by a vivid and nearly identical memory: the morning thrill of discovery with Anna in that very same crib and state of quizzical filth.
I know everyone says their babyhood passes too quickly, but these moments are ones I am happy to (hopefully) leave behind. No put intended.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
What day is it?
"Mama, is it Tuesday? Daddy stays home on Saturday and Sunday, is it Saturday and Sunday? It's Wednesday, Mama! I go to school on Wednesday with my sister!"
The days of the week are Very Important around here right now. I've been working to set up a more consistent routine and, boy howdy, has Anna latched on to it like a drowning cat. She LOVES her routine. She loves knowing, as the first light of day touches her face, what today will be.
All throughout the day, too, she reminds me of her expectations. As we walk out of her classroom at school, she says, "Today is Monday, Mom. Now we go home and Cici takes a nap and we read a story and have a snack!"
Never before have I appreciated the full importance of a routine. Sure, I read the parenting tips, I listened to all the media mumbo-jumbo about creating a safe and certain daily path for your child to follow. Whatever. What about free spirit? What about creative boredom and adventure and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants and leave the house without sippy cups or snacks or diapers?
Turns out, fancy-free is for people without kids. Routine is the way to go, my friends. Happy children and calm days are ALL ABOUT routine.
The days of the week are Very Important around here right now. I've been working to set up a more consistent routine and, boy howdy, has Anna latched on to it like a drowning cat. She LOVES her routine. She loves knowing, as the first light of day touches her face, what today will be.
All throughout the day, too, she reminds me of her expectations. As we walk out of her classroom at school, she says, "Today is Monday, Mom. Now we go home and Cici takes a nap and we read a story and have a snack!"
Never before have I appreciated the full importance of a routine. Sure, I read the parenting tips, I listened to all the media mumbo-jumbo about creating a safe and certain daily path for your child to follow. Whatever. What about free spirit? What about creative boredom and adventure and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants and leave the house without sippy cups or snacks or diapers?
Turns out, fancy-free is for people without kids. Routine is the way to go, my friends. Happy children and calm days are ALL ABOUT routine.
It's Monday. Monday, we Hula!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
"What's that sound? Is it growling?"
Black squirrels. Bears. Fluffy white house cats. Cougars. Groundhogs. Porcupines. Terriers.
What do all these things have in common? Anna is now terrified of them.
This weekend, we went up to the Florrisant Fossil beds for a family adventure. The trails are relatively flat and well-kept, so it's easy for the kids to run amok. As we set off on one loop of the trail, Kurt says, (because he's all sensitive to three-year-old imaginations), "Okay, Anna! Watch out for bears!"
Anna stops. Frozen, wide-eyed, legs still bent in the step forward she was about to take.
"Bears? There are bears. Do you hear that growling, Mama? I see the bear!"
I promptly kick my husband in the butt and then tell Anna that kicking isn't nice, Mommy and Daddy are just playing. Riiiiiight.
"No, honey, Daddy is teasing, he's so silly! There are NO BEARS. It's fine, I promise."
After considering this for a moment, while I continue to reassure her as to her safety, Anna begins to slowly walk on the trail. Just as she finally starts moving again, we come across an educational photo stand that has a huge blown up picture of a black squirrel on it.
"Ooooh, Anna, look, I cute squirrel picture!", I say, trying to distract her a bit.
"NONONononono. Where is the squirrel, I don't like the squirrel! Squirrels are so big, do you hear that growling? Is it the bear?"
Oh, dear. As we made our way along the path that day, there was from knee-height an ongoing monologue of, "There aren't any bears, Mama. I'm not scared. There aren't any bears with the squirrels and I don't see any squirrels. There's just trees. I'm not scared of trees because there aren't any bears and you would tell me if there was a squirrel, okay? What is that sound? Is it growling?".
Anna has also generalized this fear to a large array of animals, big and small. At the zoo she is fascinated by the apes, the giraffes, the lions, the jaguars, the meerkats and the monkeys. She will not go near the wallabies, the birds, the cougars, the Pallas cats, or the grizzly bears. But the black bears are okay.
And Sappho? Grandma's cat of long adoration? Yeah. She was reduced to tears last time they came in close contact and needed help and support to walk around the living room where Sappho was lounging center stage.
While, most likely, this is just one of those stages kids go through (I recall being deeply terrified of our house cat as a child), I am going to take this opportunity to place all the blame on Kurt.
Okay, Anna! Watch out for bears!"
Seriously, honey?!
What do all these things have in common? Anna is now terrified of them.
This weekend, we went up to the Florrisant Fossil beds for a family adventure. The trails are relatively flat and well-kept, so it's easy for the kids to run amok. As we set off on one loop of the trail, Kurt says, (because he's all sensitive to three-year-old imaginations), "Okay, Anna! Watch out for bears!"
Anna stops. Frozen, wide-eyed, legs still bent in the step forward she was about to take.
"Bears? There are bears. Do you hear that growling, Mama? I see the bear!"
I promptly kick my husband in the butt and then tell Anna that kicking isn't nice, Mommy and Daddy are just playing. Riiiiiight.
"No, honey, Daddy is teasing, he's so silly! There are NO BEARS. It's fine, I promise."
After considering this for a moment, while I continue to reassure her as to her safety, Anna begins to slowly walk on the trail. Just as she finally starts moving again, we come across an educational photo stand that has a huge blown up picture of a black squirrel on it.
"Ooooh, Anna, look, I cute squirrel picture!", I say, trying to distract her a bit.
"NONONononono. Where is the squirrel, I don't like the squirrel! Squirrels are so big, do you hear that growling? Is it the bear?"
Oh, dear. As we made our way along the path that day, there was from knee-height an ongoing monologue of, "There aren't any bears, Mama. I'm not scared. There aren't any bears with the squirrels and I don't see any squirrels. There's just trees. I'm not scared of trees because there aren't any bears and you would tell me if there was a squirrel, okay? What is that sound? Is it growling?".
Anna has also generalized this fear to a large array of animals, big and small. At the zoo she is fascinated by the apes, the giraffes, the lions, the jaguars, the meerkats and the monkeys. She will not go near the wallabies, the birds, the cougars, the Pallas cats, or the grizzly bears. But the black bears are okay.
And Sappho? Grandma's cat of long adoration? Yeah. She was reduced to tears last time they came in close contact and needed help and support to walk around the living room where Sappho was lounging center stage.
While, most likely, this is just one of those stages kids go through (I recall being deeply terrified of our house cat as a child), I am going to take this opportunity to place all the blame on Kurt.
Okay, Anna! Watch out for bears!"
Seriously, honey?!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Bumps, bruises, and "I will turn this car around!"
Here's the tally for the week:
Road rash on nose, upper lip, mouth, chin and corner of the eye. Second chipped tooth in the front, both scraped knees and elbows. Freshly grated shin on concrete corner. Sore butt.
And that's just Anna. Silvia has a slightly black eye from I don't know what, pinched fingers from a door, bruises on each of her chins and two deep scratches on her face, one on each cheek.
I swear to you all that I am not responsible! These girls are so accident-prone I've started lunging to catch or pull them back before they even take a step. All my shirts are slightly stained on the front shoulders from cuddling the weepy, bloody and runny-nosed injured. My gratitude is enormous that, so far, there have been no broken bones.
I wait with joyful anticipation for a sense of internal balance to develop. Doesn't that gawky, awkward phase settle down in the late teens? Tell me there is hope.
Road rash on nose, upper lip, mouth, chin and corner of the eye. Second chipped tooth in the front, both scraped knees and elbows. Freshly grated shin on concrete corner. Sore butt.
And that's just Anna. Silvia has a slightly black eye from I don't know what, pinched fingers from a door, bruises on each of her chins and two deep scratches on her face, one on each cheek.
I swear to you all that I am not responsible! These girls are so accident-prone I've started lunging to catch or pull them back before they even take a step. All my shirts are slightly stained on the front shoulders from cuddling the weepy, bloody and runny-nosed injured. My gratitude is enormous that, so far, there have been no broken bones.
I wait with joyful anticipation for a sense of internal balance to develop. Doesn't that gawky, awkward phase settle down in the late teens? Tell me there is hope.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
4th of July
We went down to Memorial Park last night, like we do every year, to enjoy the orchestra and fireworks for the holiday. It was a lovely show and Anna was absolutely enthralled by it all, running, jumping and shrieking with joy the whole time. Silvia was a little less thrilled. As soon as the fireworks started, she went over to the stroller and started patting her seat. Kurt popped her and gave her a blanket and then she started waving and saying, "Bye-bye! All done! Bye-Bye!". That kid was ready to go! She toughed it out for the rest of the show and didn't seem to really mind all the noise, but it wasn't exactly her favorite thing, either.
On a side note, as we were walking back to the car, Kurt realized his phone had fallen off at some point in the huge field full of thousands of people. We pretty much gave it up for lost, which was disappointing since it was his fancy birthday present phone from only a few months ago. On a last ditch effort, he got up early and went back to the park to take a look. He got there to find a handful of men searching the field with metal detectors for lost change and whatnot. He asked the guy closest to where we were sitting if he'd found a phone and he handed it over! That was a nice surprise to start the day right and give us a little hope, too, for an honest humanity.
Here's some pictures from our family night.
On a side note, as we were walking back to the car, Kurt realized his phone had fallen off at some point in the huge field full of thousands of people. We pretty much gave it up for lost, which was disappointing since it was his fancy birthday present phone from only a few months ago. On a last ditch effort, he got up early and went back to the park to take a look. He got there to find a handful of men searching the field with metal detectors for lost change and whatnot. He asked the guy closest to where we were sitting if he'd found a phone and he handed it over! That was a nice surprise to start the day right and give us a little hope, too, for an honest humanity.
Here's some pictures from our family night.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
"Why?"
Oh, man. We've reached that stage, the stage I've always laughed about with other parents, but dreaded for myself. The "Why?" stage.
Anna: "Mommy? Where are we going?"
Me: "To the grocery store."
Anna: "Why?"
Me: "Because we need milk and bread."
Anna: "Why?"
Me: "Because we ate it all up and now we need more or we'll be hungry.
Anna: "I'm not hungry. Are you hungry, mommy?"
Me: "Not right now, but I will be later."
Anna: "Why?"
It goes on and on and on and eventually I can't answer the "why's" anymore. Then she gets mad, like I've denied her some precious gift. Then it turns into, "WHYYYYYYYYY????"
Times like these, I chant the Serenity Prayer in my head until it, hopefully, starts to drown out the questions. Poor Anna. It must be hard to live with a mommy who doesn't know all the answers to all the questions in the universe.
Maybe she should try asking DADDY.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Happy Father's Day
We had a great time this weekend for Father's Day, celebrating everything that Kurt does for this family. He is, in the plainest and simplest of terms, absolutely essential to all three of the girls for whom he so diligently cares.
Saturday we relaxed at the house, got caught up on chores and projects and had a fun evening with the kids. Sunday, we headed up to the Denver Botanic Gardens, a very beautiful place absolutely packed with fun little paths and garden nooks for the girls to run around in. The weather was probably the hottest it's been this year yet, but we had a great time despite the heavenly rays. Pictures will be, of course, forth-coming (once I snag them off Kurt's camera, which will be after I snag Kurt's camera in the first place.)
Happy Father's Day to all daddy's everywhere!
Saturday we relaxed at the house, got caught up on chores and projects and had a fun evening with the kids. Sunday, we headed up to the Denver Botanic Gardens, a very beautiful place absolutely packed with fun little paths and garden nooks for the girls to run around in. The weather was probably the hottest it's been this year yet, but we had a great time despite the heavenly rays. Pictures will be, of course, forth-coming (once I snag them off Kurt's camera, which will be after I snag Kurt's camera in the first place.)
Happy Father's Day to all daddy's everywhere!
Queen of the One-liner's
One afternoon, when I had just arrived home from a busy weekend morning, Anna was crawling all over me while Kurt played with Silvia on our bed. Finally, I gave Kurt the look and he said, "Ok, girls, let's go downstairs and play, Mommy needs to take a shower."
Anna, looking me up and down: "You're going to take a shower, mama?"
Me: "Yes, sweetie, I won't be very long, I'll be downstairs in just a little bit."
Anna: "Okay, mama. Take off all your clothes and have a nice time!"
Oh, boy. I'm so not looking forward to the high school years.
Anna, looking me up and down: "You're going to take a shower, mama?"
Me: "Yes, sweetie, I won't be very long, I'll be downstairs in just a little bit."
Anna: "Okay, mama. Take off all your clothes and have a nice time!"
Oh, boy. I'm so not looking forward to the high school years.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
In memory of breastfeeding
http://www.weirdasianews.com/2008/04/19/fake-food-a-babys-perspective/
This had me rolling on the floor. Man, that poor kid looks so hopeful! My breastfeeding days are over, but this still tugs at the heart (and pokes hard at the funny bone).
This had me rolling on the floor. Man, that poor kid looks so hopeful! My breastfeeding days are over, but this still tugs at the heart (and pokes hard at the funny bone).
Monday, May 19, 2008
Words to live by
This weekend, we had dinner over at a friend's house. They have a two children about the same age as Anna and Silvia. Their oldest, Ella, is reknowned in Anna's heart as the Keeper of the Fabulous Dress-Up Closet. Whenever we get together, that's Anna's first goal, to dive in and dress like a princess.
Anna had been babbling in the back of the car for 20 minutes about how excited she was to see Ella and dress up and what exactly she was going to wear. As we pulled into the drive way, she could see Ella waiting for us at the front door, waving.
Anna's excitement bubbled over and she bounced in her seat with glee and yelled, "First, we say hello! THEN we take out clothes off!"
Anna had been babbling in the back of the car for 20 minutes about how excited she was to see Ella and dress up and what exactly she was going to wear. As we pulled into the drive way, she could see Ella waiting for us at the front door, waving.
Anna's excitement bubbled over and she bounced in her seat with glee and yelled, "First, we say hello! THEN we take out clothes off!"
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.”
-Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh-
Instead of a day off, a day of relaxation, pampering and indulgence, today I have a new definition of this moment of celebration. Today I get to enjoy my girls, delight in their need of me and revel in my undeniable necessity to this family. Regardless of any darkness in between, I am still the mommy, I am loved and essential. That is my real Mother's Day gift. Thanks!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Oh my pretty Anna
This little clip is from last summer, but I was just browsing through and thought it was too darn cute not to share. Enjoy!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
We'll miss you, Uncle Dick
Love and hugs to Aunt Juanita, Vicki, Cari, Liz, Cathy and all the kids. Wish we could be there with you right now.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Silvia's First School Day
Isn't it funny that we call daycare "school" now? Not even preschool, either. Just school, as if my one year old is going to be returned to me with a bag of homework and spouting algebra. Ah, well. It's a euphemism that makes me feel better about sending her into someone else's care for a bit. So I'll take it.
As of this week, we've got both girls enrolled at a local Lutheran preschool and childcare center every weekday morning. It's only half-day, but for me... It's a whole half day! Woohoo! I've been a bit stressed out lately so Kurt and I decided that a bit of a break was in order to keep the family in harmony.
Silvia did great for her first day. She gets dropped off in the same room as Anna, so the two of them were happily playing with no tears at the moment of parental departure. I called to check on her once that morning and they said she had been crying on and off but in between seemed to be pretty happy and having fun with all the new toys and entertainment. Oh, finger painting, how we love thee! (And how I love thine mess that is NOT in my house!)
Today is Day Two, so we'll see if she's caught on yet, but as my mom says, one week is a lifetime to a baby her age. Hopefully by next Monday she'll be totally acclimated to the new thrilling routine. The best part for me, while the free time is nice, is that I get to really enjoy being with my kids again in the afternoon. There's nothing like getting a chance to MISS them for a bit. Plus, Silvia comes home wiped out from all the playing, so she takes a nap right away. While she sleeps, I get one-on-one time with Anna, then vise versa with Silvia while Anna naps later on.
It's a breath of fresh air to start the summer off right, and I'm thankful that we are able to take such care with out kids. And with their mommy.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Just heard...
Anna: Daddy, you need to do me a favor.
Mom: Daddy's busy, what do you need?
Anna: Umm... no. I think Daddy needs to do me a favor!
Dad: What favor can I do for you, sweetie?
Anna: Clean up!
*raucous parental laughter*
Dad, (gasping): Hmm... what do you need me to clean up? Your face? Your fingers?
Anna: No! (pointing to living room full of toys) Clean up that room!
Oh, my... we tried to explain the meaning of "favor", but I think we were laughing to hard to make any sense.
Mom: Daddy's busy, what do you need?
Anna: Umm... no. I think Daddy needs to do me a favor!
Dad: What favor can I do for you, sweetie?
Anna: Clean up!
*raucous parental laughter*
Dad, (gasping): Hmm... what do you need me to clean up? Your face? Your fingers?
Anna: No! (pointing to living room full of toys) Clean up that room!
Oh, my... we tried to explain the meaning of "favor", but I think we were laughing to hard to make any sense.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
New pictures up!
http://picasaweb.google.com/schwartzmeg/Spring08
I've finally gotten around to posting some pictures, more stories and updates to come. Wanna hear about the black-eye and the chipped tooth? heheeee... These poor kids, strangers are starting to look at them sympathetically...
I've finally gotten around to posting some pictures, more stories and updates to come. Wanna hear about the black-eye and the chipped tooth? heheeee... These poor kids, strangers are starting to look at them sympathetically...
Monday, March 17, 2008
What they don't know
I don't know how it happened, but somehow I have become the mother of two little girls who do not eat; not with any definable regularity, that is. If pickiness were a kingdom, they would be the reigning princesses. Anna's favorite new phrase at dinner time is, "No, Mama, I can't really try it. I just can't."
So, I've had to get sneaky in my attempts to get any kind of food and/or nutrition into my offspring. Either that, or dive into a new hobby of counting the girls' ribs.
One surefire trick I've discovered? Breakfast. For some reason, I have the most luck feeding the Picky Twins at their first meal. I've learned to take advantage of this phenomenon, while it lasts. Since they'll almost always eat oatmeal, I have started cooking 4-6 egg whites into their morning bowl (I just buy the big carton of pasteurized whites), then serving it topped with berries, bananas or raisins and a dash of brown sugar. I'm also prone to sprinkling teaspoons of ground flax seed onto just about everything for a little boost of Omega-3.
(I know, Mom, it sounds gross. I can see your face from here. But it's actually very tasty, doesn't ruin the oatmeal, and, unbeknownst to my victims... err, I mean children, adds gobs of protein to keep them from wasting away.)
Since lunch and dinner are almost always no-go meals for these two, I have heaped up the snacks with whatever extras I can manage. Anna's favorite, and one that she thinks is a fabulous treat, is apple sandwiches with peanut butter. That's just thinly sliced apples instead of crackers, friends. All you have to do is give her a spreading knife and she'll go to town, just loving the idea that she "did it by herself".
Rainbow sprinkles are also magic in our kitchen, a trick shown to me by cousin Lizzie. Anna won't eat her yogurt? How about some sprinkles, sweetie? Heck, we've even added sprinkles to her spaghetti, come to think of it. Whatever works.
Speaking of spaghetti, I also do my best to make this staple food a little bit more nutritionally viable. By using pureed veggies, a la Deceptively Delicious, and whole grain pasta, I feel a little bit better about the quality of their general diet.
And when all else fails? Chocolate milk with Ovaltine has never been turned down. Sometimes it's the only thing Anna or Silvia consumes all day, it seems. Ovaltine, how I love thee.
So, I've had to get sneaky in my attempts to get any kind of food and/or nutrition into my offspring. Either that, or dive into a new hobby of counting the girls' ribs.
One surefire trick I've discovered? Breakfast. For some reason, I have the most luck feeding the Picky Twins at their first meal. I've learned to take advantage of this phenomenon, while it lasts. Since they'll almost always eat oatmeal, I have started cooking 4-6 egg whites into their morning bowl (I just buy the big carton of pasteurized whites), then serving it topped with berries, bananas or raisins and a dash of brown sugar. I'm also prone to sprinkling teaspoons of ground flax seed onto just about everything for a little boost of Omega-3.
(I know, Mom, it sounds gross. I can see your face from here. But it's actually very tasty, doesn't ruin the oatmeal, and, unbeknownst to my victims... err, I mean children, adds gobs of protein to keep them from wasting away.)
Since lunch and dinner are almost always no-go meals for these two, I have heaped up the snacks with whatever extras I can manage. Anna's favorite, and one that she thinks is a fabulous treat, is apple sandwiches with peanut butter. That's just thinly sliced apples instead of crackers, friends. All you have to do is give her a spreading knife and she'll go to town, just loving the idea that she "did it by herself".
Rainbow sprinkles are also magic in our kitchen, a trick shown to me by cousin Lizzie. Anna won't eat her yogurt? How about some sprinkles, sweetie? Heck, we've even added sprinkles to her spaghetti, come to think of it. Whatever works.
Speaking of spaghetti, I also do my best to make this staple food a little bit more nutritionally viable. By using pureed veggies, a la Deceptively Delicious, and whole grain pasta, I feel a little bit better about the quality of their general diet.
And when all else fails? Chocolate milk with Ovaltine has never been turned down. Sometimes it's the only thing Anna or Silvia consumes all day, it seems. Ovaltine, how I love thee.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Kids Understand Each Other
At a playdate a few weeks ago, I overheard this conversation between Anna and her friend Elijah. Anna had just gotten over a big of a stomach bug. The two kids were standing side-by-side on top of the toy box, preparing to jump off together.
Elijah, patting her arm: "I'm sorry you were sick, Anna."
Anna, nodding: "Yeah, but I won't barf on you, Elijah."
Elijah: "Okay."
Having settled matters, they grinned, held hands and ... JUMPED!
Elijah, patting her arm: "I'm sorry you were sick, Anna."
Anna, nodding: "Yeah, but I won't barf on you, Elijah."
Elijah: "Okay."
Having settled matters, they grinned, held hands and ... JUMPED!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
13 months
This is the month for Silvia, I can tell. It seems like right around every baby's first year there's one month in particular where they suddenly stop being an infant and become... something else. A big baby? A small toddler? A... *gulp*... child?
As of today, Silvia can walk, talk, sleep through the night, express her desires, use at least 3 ASL signs, kiss, hug and change her own diapers.
Okay, maybe not that last one. But everything else is right on the ball.
She started fully walking after Christmas and never crawls anymore. She runs about, sometimes falls, let's out a big, "Uh-oh!", and gets right back up again.
The talking started more recently, probably around her birthday. So far, she clearly and correctly says: Hi, Dada, Mama, Anna, cat, shoes, toes, juice, more, "all done", up, down and "what's that?". Silvia also points to her own nose, eyes, ears, toes and belly button when asked, which is cuter than you can even imagine such antics could be.
What amazes me more than any of her new tricks, really, is her understanding. She just seems to have comprehension all of a sudden that is so clear and accurate. When I tell her to eat, or to hand me something, or ask what she wants to drink, or to put something down, she understands and reacts. She points at pictures in books and and knows when it's a cat or a dog or a baby... or a shoe. (all the important things in life, right?) At night, I tell her it's bed time and she waves bye-bye, grabs her juice or a toy and heads upstairs, all on her own.
I blinked, I must have blinked. Because I swear, last time I really looked, wasn't she just an itty bitty little thing, rolling around on the floor and drooling on her toes?
As of today, Silvia can walk, talk, sleep through the night, express her desires, use at least 3 ASL signs, kiss, hug and change her own diapers.
Okay, maybe not that last one. But everything else is right on the ball.
She started fully walking after Christmas and never crawls anymore. She runs about, sometimes falls, let's out a big, "Uh-oh!", and gets right back up again.
The talking started more recently, probably around her birthday. So far, she clearly and correctly says: Hi, Dada, Mama, Anna, cat, shoes, toes, juice, more, "all done", up, down and "what's that?". Silvia also points to her own nose, eyes, ears, toes and belly button when asked, which is cuter than you can even imagine such antics could be.
What amazes me more than any of her new tricks, really, is her understanding. She just seems to have comprehension all of a sudden that is so clear and accurate. When I tell her to eat, or to hand me something, or ask what she wants to drink, or to put something down, she understands and reacts. She points at pictures in books and and knows when it's a cat or a dog or a baby... or a shoe. (all the important things in life, right?) At night, I tell her it's bed time and she waves bye-bye, grabs her juice or a toy and heads upstairs, all on her own.
I blinked, I must have blinked. Because I swear, last time I really looked, wasn't she just an itty bitty little thing, rolling around on the floor and drooling on her toes?
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
See something similar?
Sometimes I can't see it at all, but really, these girls do look a lot alike. That's Anna in the top picture, on her 1st birthday and Silvia in the next, on hers. Or maybe the similarity is just from the cupcakes obscuring half their faces?
Friday, February 22, 2008
Big Day for Anna
Today, Anna grew up in one huge leap: she willingly gave away her last pacifier.
Anna has had a pacifier obsession that started when she was just a few days old. I remember that, at the time, as a new and naive mom I was determined not to allow her to have a pacifier. I had heard all this horrible stuff about them, how they could confuse a breastfed baby and create an oral fixation and ruin your child's teeth.
And then I brought home Anna from the hospital and she cried. And cried. And then, there was more crying. She slept fitfully at night, waking constantly and nursing until I was raw. And crying, crying, crying.
The second night home, at about 2 o'clock in the morning, I sat and cried with her at the side of my bed. Then I sent Kurt to dig through the bag of leftover stuff from the baby shower and find the package of pacifiers that I had meant to return, (Thank you so much, Renee!!!).
We popped it in, and she fell asleep. It was true love. I slept more easily that night, my hand lightly propped against her mouth to hold the peacemaker, the pacifier, in. Oddly enough, it turns out that most babies have oral fixations anyway and I figured she'd grow a new set of teeth when she was 5 anyway, right? And we already knew she was an avid nursling, so... Hurrah! I was an instant convert to the paci-supporters.
That was more than three years ago. Since then, Anna has weaned down to just using her pacifier (her "binky") at nap and bed times. She used to always have two or three in bed, so she could hold one and suck at one at the same time, but in the last year she has only had one.
For several weeks now I've been telling Anna that it's about time to say bye to the binky. We decided that she could mail her pacifiers to the Binky Fairy. I had heard this idea from several sources and it seemed to have a high success rate, so it's what we went with. I suppose I could have just taken it from her outright and told her to deal with it. But why not try and make it a positive experience for her, just as having her binky these few years was positive, too?
So today she, all by herself, put all her old binkies that we could find, from under chairs and behind books, into an envelope and closed it with tape. We walked it out to the mail box to send the package to the Binky Fairy. As she put it in the mailbox, she said, "Bye bye, binkies! No more binkies for sleeping now, it's just a mouth." She was cheerful and relaxed about it, which made me feel better about taking away her special comfort. She went to bed easily and is now peacefully asleep, with "just a mouth".
In the morning, we'll go out and see what the Binky Fairy, much like her cousin the Tooth Fairy, left behind for Anna when she took away the package of pacifiers to give to some lucky baby that needs it, now that this big girl is done.
Good job, Anna! I'm so proud of you!!!
Anna has had a pacifier obsession that started when she was just a few days old. I remember that, at the time, as a new and naive mom I was determined not to allow her to have a pacifier. I had heard all this horrible stuff about them, how they could confuse a breastfed baby and create an oral fixation and ruin your child's teeth.
And then I brought home Anna from the hospital and she cried. And cried. And then, there was more crying. She slept fitfully at night, waking constantly and nursing until I was raw. And crying, crying, crying.
The second night home, at about 2 o'clock in the morning, I sat and cried with her at the side of my bed. Then I sent Kurt to dig through the bag of leftover stuff from the baby shower and find the package of pacifiers that I had meant to return, (Thank you so much, Renee!!!).
We popped it in, and she fell asleep. It was true love. I slept more easily that night, my hand lightly propped against her mouth to hold the peacemaker, the pacifier, in. Oddly enough, it turns out that most babies have oral fixations anyway and I figured she'd grow a new set of teeth when she was 5 anyway, right? And we already knew she was an avid nursling, so... Hurrah! I was an instant convert to the paci-supporters.
That was more than three years ago. Since then, Anna has weaned down to just using her pacifier (her "binky") at nap and bed times. She used to always have two or three in bed, so she could hold one and suck at one at the same time, but in the last year she has only had one.
For several weeks now I've been telling Anna that it's about time to say bye to the binky. We decided that she could mail her pacifiers to the Binky Fairy. I had heard this idea from several sources and it seemed to have a high success rate, so it's what we went with. I suppose I could have just taken it from her outright and told her to deal with it. But why not try and make it a positive experience for her, just as having her binky these few years was positive, too?
So today she, all by herself, put all her old binkies that we could find, from under chairs and behind books, into an envelope and closed it with tape. We walked it out to the mail box to send the package to the Binky Fairy. As she put it in the mailbox, she said, "Bye bye, binkies! No more binkies for sleeping now, it's just a mouth." She was cheerful and relaxed about it, which made me feel better about taking away her special comfort. She went to bed easily and is now peacefully asleep, with "just a mouth".
In the morning, we'll go out and see what the Binky Fairy, much like her cousin the Tooth Fairy, left behind for Anna when she took away the package of pacifiers to give to some lucky baby that needs it, now that this big girl is done.
Good job, Anna! I'm so proud of you!!!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
TV Makes Her Crazy
A friend asked us how the no TV situation with Anna was working out, so I thought I'd revisit that topic a bit with some surprising conclusions.
TV makes Anna bonkers. Nutso. Cuckoo.
Since turning off Little Einsteins, Wonder Pets, Backyardigans and so forth, Anna's behavior has improved dramatically. She is less whiny, she's actually listens when spoken to, she thinks about things when you ask her questions. She has also gone back to playing by herself in little imaginative scenarios with her toys; flying and swimming and rescuing and adventuring all within worlds of her own creation. She's reading more, too, rediscovering books that were getting a bit dusty and lonely in her absence.
Still, the biggest thing is that she has not been having tantrums on a regular basis like she used to, and when she does start to get upset, I am able to communicate with her through the tantrum and help her to diffuse her stress. It's an amazing change.
I wasn't sure if it was really the TV shows or just a fluke of toddlerhood, so a couple weeks ago I recorded and let her watch a Little Einsteins as a treat. Know what happened?
She was a whiny brat all day and cried the second I turned it off and argued with me and threw mini-fits all day, asking for me to turn her show back on. That pretty much decided it for me.
She still watches Baby Einstein videos a few times a week, though not every day, but those don't over-stimulate her at all. She seems to simply enjoys them the same way she enjoys listening to her music class CD's, and they are all very low-key educational in much the same way.
While Kurt was so sick I know she was watching some TV and that didn't seem to cause any problems. And while she herself was sick, I let her watch The Goodnight Show for a bit and there were also no problems there. However, I really think that something about regularly viewing of those targeted toddler shows was really scratching away at her sensitivities, leaving her raw and irritable and unable to easily process the rest of her daily life.
So, in short (ha!), TV is still out for our kids. There's occasional mild DVD viewing in the evening and certain shows as very special treats, but in general, it's just not something that was helpful to our family. I miss the easy "babysitter" sometimes, but I'm happy to trade that for a more temperate and giggling little girl.
(Now let's hope I haven't gone and just jinxed the whole phenomenon by speaking the words out loud!)
TV makes Anna bonkers. Nutso. Cuckoo.
Since turning off Little Einsteins, Wonder Pets, Backyardigans and so forth, Anna's behavior has improved dramatically. She is less whiny, she's actually listens when spoken to, she thinks about things when you ask her questions. She has also gone back to playing by herself in little imaginative scenarios with her toys; flying and swimming and rescuing and adventuring all within worlds of her own creation. She's reading more, too, rediscovering books that were getting a bit dusty and lonely in her absence.
Still, the biggest thing is that she has not been having tantrums on a regular basis like she used to, and when she does start to get upset, I am able to communicate with her through the tantrum and help her to diffuse her stress. It's an amazing change.
I wasn't sure if it was really the TV shows or just a fluke of toddlerhood, so a couple weeks ago I recorded and let her watch a Little Einsteins as a treat. Know what happened?
She was a whiny brat all day and cried the second I turned it off and argued with me and threw mini-fits all day, asking for me to turn her show back on. That pretty much decided it for me.
She still watches Baby Einstein videos a few times a week, though not every day, but those don't over-stimulate her at all. She seems to simply enjoys them the same way she enjoys listening to her music class CD's, and they are all very low-key educational in much the same way.
While Kurt was so sick I know she was watching some TV and that didn't seem to cause any problems. And while she herself was sick, I let her watch The Goodnight Show for a bit and there were also no problems there. However, I really think that something about regularly viewing of those targeted toddler shows was really scratching away at her sensitivities, leaving her raw and irritable and unable to easily process the rest of her daily life.
So, in short (ha!), TV is still out for our kids. There's occasional mild DVD viewing in the evening and certain shows as very special treats, but in general, it's just not something that was helpful to our family. I miss the easy "babysitter" sometimes, but I'm happy to trade that for a more temperate and giggling little girl.
(Now let's hope I haven't gone and just jinxed the whole phenomenon by speaking the words out loud!)
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
What a week!
As a family, we never do anything halfway, it seems. Nope, if we're going to get sick, then we realllllly get sick, no beating around the bush with the sniffles.
Last Monday Kurt came down with a bad case of salmonella poisoning, followed a few days later by pneumonia. We spent Friday in the ER after am ambulance came for him since he was too weak and feverish to get to the car himself. They released him late that evening, and then after a feverish and horrible night, his doctor had him re-admitted Saturday morning, at which point he was ALSO diagnosed with influenza. Poor Kurt!
Then on Sunday, Anna, who had been running a fever for a few days, spiked up to 105.5 degrees and we had to rush her in to the ER, too. I took her to the same hospital that Kurt was at, I figured it was best to have all my loved ones consolidated, you know? Turns out she was in the early stages of pneumonia, too, and had a raging double ear infection. They dosed her up with super-powered antibiotics and sent her home when the fever broke.
And now it's Wednesday, and everything is starting to get back to normal. Anna has been totally fine since we started the antibiotics and Kurt came home from the hospital Monday evening. He's still on oxygen since his poor lungs have just been thrashed about and need time to recover. But today he woke up and showered and put on real clothes and is working a bit from home and generally starting to get his energy back.
On top of all that, my sister-in-law, Monica has been battling a bad case of the flu, too, all while worrying about Kurt and Anna and taking all my panicky phone calls and keeping me steady. As of yesterday, she's lost her voice but is starting to feel much better, too.
And not to be forgotten in all the hubbub, Silvia had her 1st birthday yesterday!! She's 1! We had a small cake for her and she devoured her slice like a real connoisseur and tried to grab her candle with both hands. We'll do more of a celebration when everyone is feeling better.
And me? How's the momma? Better, definitely better. Anna is at preschool today and I'm catching up on the piles of laundry and e-mail and, thank goodness, our WONDERFUL house cleaner will be coming tomorrow to help me get everything back on track. And my friends, my friends, my friends. There are none better, I have to say. They totally jumped up, moved in and took care of everything so that I could focus on my family. Thank you! Mom and Terry, of course of course, have been amazing. Terry is going to watch Anna tomorrow, which happens to be Kurt's birthday, so hopefully I'll be able to throw together a low-key celebration.
I am so glad that everyone is getting better! We are going to aspire to no more trips to the ER for the rest of the year.
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