Snow-tastic

 

On the phone, discussing the snowfall with Grammy and Grampy.

I am so glad that the weather gods decided to dump snow on my weekend off of work.  Don't get me wrong, I don't love the snow.  The kids love the snow.  And I like it just fine, in moderation.  I like visiting snow.  I like how it crunches under my feet.  I like how it makes everything quiet and soft.  I like how it can add up to inches and inches even when you didn't even hear it fall.  I like how it makes even dark nights seem bright.  Here are some pics of our snow days ~so far~ I'm sure there's more to come...

Thank you Romulo

 

Thank you Romulo, for making my girls favorite birthday
present.

Today is my baby's birthday.  She's 4 now.  Sophisticated and what not.  A few weeks ago she asked if we could open our last can of Cougar Gold on her birthday "because it's my favorite."  Of course, I said yes, which generated a whispered "YESSSSSS!"  We have often been teased by family and friends for having the meat drawer of our fridge filled with pounds of various cheeses.  But what can I say, it's delicious.  And Tula knows it.  She got to open some presents this morning and we had her party last weekend, but I think my favorite birthday moment with her this year has to be opening that silly can of beautiful cheese.  She was so excited.  Makes me proud to be a coug, uh, I mean a mom.

Share and Share Alike

Me: walking out of the girls' room at bedtime.
Gwen: "Mom, I need a drink of water."
Me: "K, just a sec." (I remember doing this to my mother nightly... mental note to thank her next time I see her...)
Moments later...
Me: Handing Gwen a water bottle, which I (stupid mother) know is Tula's, but don't care, because it's bedtime and I am therefor, almost off duty...
Tula: Shrieking from the top bunk: "NOOOOOOO!! That's MIIIIIIINE!!"
Me: "Tula, really! Can you please just share?"
Tula: "NOOOOOOOO! I HAAATE Sharing!! I don't EVER want to share!" Sobbing...
Gwen: Finishing her drink of Tula's water, satisfied and smirking.  Knowing full well that I had, this time, been the one to make Tula absolutely belligerent.
Me: Handing Tula her water bottle.
Tula: Taking a drink... Pause... WAILING... "It tastes like my sister's BREATH!!!" Angry sobbing...
Me: Dumping out water bottle.  Refilling water bottle.  Returning to belligerent child.  "Is that better?"
Tula: Blotchy, tearstained... "Yes." Sniff.

Just the Beginning

Gwen's big Christmas box did not contain a bicycle like her sister.  Her box contained two gifts.  The two things at the very top of her Christmas list; a talking baby doll, and an iPod.  Wrapped separately and then placed in the giant box so as to not be out gifted by her sister.  The choice of these two things to be at the top of her list seemed curious to me.  At once, both little kid and big kid... knowing that she can't go wrong asking for another baby and knowing that getting a baby for Christmas probably doesn't have the same wow factor as an iPod.

Gwen's at an interesting age right now; very aware of equality and fairness, very in tune to what her friends are doing and saying.  She's alternating at every second, between tantrum throwing toddler and hormonal teen, intermixed with a cool headed kid helping me pick out shoes at the mall...It's a crazy age and it's difficult as a parent, to witness all of this and pick the right battles.  Explaining that "life isn't always fair" feels ridiculous, because I still want it to be fair.  But I know she has to know that.  She has to know that she won't always win.  Other kids will have different skills than she will and she won't always do everything best.  These are things that I still struggle with myself, which is probably also something important for her to know... Someday.  All the while, we're trying to encourage her strength and her independence among her many other talents.  It's exhausting.


My sister-in-law stumbled upon this article the other day.  And just when I needed it most, I got to read about middle childhood.  Like a night out with a bunch of fellow mothers; reassurance. They're learning how, they're taking mental notes, they'll be grown in a blink.  She's stuck in the middle; trying on the grown up words, reading her chapter books with her iPod on, and still wanting to play dolls with Tula.  I can't wait to see who she becomes.

All of us have moments in our childhood where we come alive for the first time. And we go back to those moments and think, This is when I became myself.  

-Rita Dove

Tiny Two Wheeler

Look out world!  There's a new rider out there.  Proudly announcing the newest two wheeled pedal bike rider on the block.  Super-T got a new bike for Christmas.  She's pretty excited to be mastering such a grown-up skill, and before her 4th birthday even!  And we, being good parents, haven't even reminded Gwen that she didn't start riding a two wheeler until she was 6... not that I'm comparing my children or anything... Really, Gwen had much farther to fall than Tula; I can understand her hesitation.  So, girlie's on the go... and having a blast.  Congratulations Tula!

Gwen's box did not contain a bike... more on that later.

Tula had to retrieve the bike wrench.

Ready... Set... GO!

SANTA!!

Alas! How dreary would be the world if there was no Santa Claus!... There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. -Francis P. Church

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Fairies

Life has been crazy.  I've been fighting the urge to post several sentimental, time is short, hug your loved-ones posts.  I can't promise they won't be coming... However, this is not one of them.  I'm ever so grateful to have two snickering, witty, ankle- biters to make me laugh on a daily basis.  They picked me up from work last night and this was the conversation that ensued:

Gwen: "GAHHH! Why do you keep saying that? I'm trying to push that button, you dumb fairy!" Directed at her Tinkerbell Leapster game.

Matt: "Wow Gwen, you should really talk nicer to Tinkerbell"


Gwen: Complete with lip-sneer and teen-esque eyebrow raise, "It doesn't matter, fairies aren't real."


Tula: Look of shock and 'I can't believe you just said that' on her face. "UM YEAH, they ARE, HELLLLLLO, the TOOTH FAIRY?"


Gwen: Silence. Solemn eyebrows. Tonguing of the four loose teeth she currently has in her head. 


Tula: Big eyes. Look of disbelief. Slight shaking of the head.


I love this life.