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All About the Weekend

This weekend actually seemed longer than normal – in a good way. Talking, we think what did it was the fact that my parents had the kids on Friday night (they typically take them on Sat night). I got lots of stuff done Friday and Saturday too so that we had almost all day Sunday to just be. It was very very nice.

Friday was my day off and I volunteered at Tabby’s school and mostly just did housework … other than the 3 or 4 hours I spent on a work project. It is hard for me to get away right now. After Matt got off work, we dropped the kids off at my parents’ house and grabbed some food at Qdoba and brought it home to eat with margaritas while we played video games. We’ve gotten really into an old school Final Fantasy (SNES) that we downloaded on the Wii and we had a great time playing that.

Saturday morning we went for a run and then got some errands done – we had to pick up white shirts for a photo shoot and buy a birthday gift and of course, groceries. By the time we went to get the kids from my parents’ house, it was after 12 and we too them right home for a quick lunch and a nap. We headed out right after nap to a friend’s 40th birthday party. The house was packed with people of all ages. We had a great time chatting with our friends and the kids went mad in the basement with Legos and games and eventually had a dance party with glowsticks in the darkened living room.

The kids were exhausted when we got home after 9 and no one complained even a little when we put them right to bed. Unfortunately, the night was not over since Ben woke up at midnight to puke all over his bed. After a shower, we moved him into the little toddler bed we still have in his room and he woke only once more, though happily no more puking.

He was pretty subdued all day Sunday and didn’t eat much. That worked out well because we didn’t do much all day. We had breakfast, cleaned up the house a little, lounged on the couch and played video games and watched TV. The kids had naps and in the late afternoon we ran an errand. Around 4:45 I started making dinner and it err … didn’t go well. See I tried a new recipe, Butternut Squash Gnocchi, and completely missed the step where you cook out excess moisture. So I  kept adding flour and kept adding and adding and could barely get it into dough and when I did, it tasted awful, like pure flour (pretty much was). We ended up calling for a pizza.

After dinner we suited the kids up in their costumes and headed to the community center down the street for the kids’ Halloween party. It wasn’t too well attended, but we had a nice time. Our favorite neighbor was there painting faces and she did a glittery blushy lipsticky job on our little butterfly that looked awesome. Tabby is going to go back over and have her do a repeat on the big night.

By the time we got home it was bedtime for the kids and back to the kitchen for me. I made 20 ghost-shaped rice krispie treat pops for the kids in T’s class. It was a delicate balance between melting and freezing. Sticks had to go in when soft. Candy coating had to go on when frozen. Had to be refrozen for wrapping, etc. etc. Matt helped me a while and then took off to meet the neighborhood guys for the Bronco’s game. I finished up in plenty of time, but ignored my OCD ways and left cleanup for another day.

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The Color Red

Two stories involving the color red:

Story #1 – Tabby: So I lay out an outfit for Tabby almost every night. Last night it was her red Harajuku Mini top and a pair of yoga-style capris. I also laid out socks and underwear, but not shoes. So she got dressed this AM and I encouraged her to wear some tennis shoes since Thursday is running club day. But she, of course, wanted to wear the sparkly shoes that my mom got her. They’re pretty good school shoes with rubbery bottoms and all, but they’re not great for running. But if Tabby makes a stand anywhere, it’s on footwear. She loves shoes and tennies aren’t really her idea of high fashion. Suddenly, I remembered the red sparkle cons I’d bought her when she was around 2 yrs old. I loved them, but the only size they had them in was 13 (she was probably a 7 or 8 at the time). They were on sale, so I bought them anyhow and kept them until her foot hit the magic number. Unfortunately, that was late last spring. Not a lot of call for red sparkle cons in the summer months (4th of July primarily). But luckily her feet do not grow like they once did and so she donned the shoes this AM and couldn’t have looked cuter. She informed me that they are her new favorites since they are sparkly AND red (her favorite color).

Story #2 – Ben: Last night, everyone went to bed without much incident. They kids were tired and we got home way late. Ben has had a little cold and he has been waking up occasionally when he coughs a bunch. Usually he either goes back to sleep on his own or he just needs a pat on his back. But last night all hell broke loose over a red blanky. Ben has quite a few beloved blankies. None of them is red. Yet last night, after I stumbled half awake into his room, he repeatedly requested his “red blanky.” I offered up every blanky at hand (quite a few: brown, blue, Buzz, little Buzz, Buzz sheet) and after the Buzz sheet was offered, he seemed happy enough. So I started back to bed. I’d just gotten comfortable when he started screaming again. I went back in and he made the same red blanky request. I wondered if he meant the large blanket we keep in the popup. It’s never on his bed, but it is on ours and he comes to snuggle with us sometimes, so I suggested this and he vehemently insisted that it was HIS red blanky, not some other popup blanky. Finally, I turned on the light and asked him to point to something red. He pointed to the nearest GREEN thing and my mystery was solved. He has a very much beloved GREEN blanky which I quickly found for him and derailed BenCON 5. The whole thing is puzzling though because he definitely knows his colors. I can only assume he was in as much of a stupor as I was.

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Carnival!

Friday was the carnival at Tabby’s School.

 

 

The event kicks off with the fun run, just a 1 mile jog through the ‘hood. The fun run kicks off the school’s mileage club, a club where they run laps on lunch recess two days a week and they earn charms for various achievements. The fun run earned them their first charm and the necklace to put them on. Continue reading “Carnival!”

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Yogurt Cake

I think I might’ve mentioned that a couple of weeks ago, I read a book called Bringing Up Bebe, a comparison of French and American parenting. I really liked the book and enjoyed reading it and I was definitely intrigued by a passage in the book where a French woman was letting her 3 year old bake cupcakes … unassisted. And it hit me that Tabby can really do more than I let her. Granted, I let her do more in the kitchen than most other five-year-olds we know, but she is capable of more. It’s just because I’m a bit afraid of the mess. I’m the mom that makes the kids do playdough outside because I have no interest in cleaning all of those little bits up.

Anyhow, the book goes on to mention that most French children start out making yogurt cake when they’re around three. It is a neat idea because you use yogurt as part of the cake and then measure most of the rest of the ingredients with the empty yogurt containers. So I endeavored to be a bit less crazy and let Tabby and Ben have at it tonight.

Continue reading “Yogurt Cake”

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Ben Starts Preschool

This morning, with nary a glance backward, my baby headed off to preschool. He stashed his nap mat in his cubby, hung his backpack up haphazardly and went to sit on the rug with a bunch of other little boys who were assembling a giant puzzle. He asked to join and was soon working with them to put it all together.

Matt and I filled out some paperwork and deposited his lunch in the proper bins in the kitchen and took a few photos. Finally as we were ready to leave, he showed a bit of hesitancy, giving us extra hugs and kisses. Then it was waves and smiles and he was back to the classroom with all of its interesting things.

When I picked him up, he was happily playing outside. From all accounts he’d had a good day. Activities participated in, nap taken (50  min), food eaten. He was glad to see me and Tabby and we got big big hugs and rave reviews of his day away. By the time we got home it was clear he was exhausted. EXHAUSTED. He was acting out big time, getting into loads of trouble and couldn’t handle anything. Within seconds of us putting him to bed (early) he was out.

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Weekly Bits and Pieces

Last night while Tabby was at rock climbing class, I got to spend a bit of time home alone with Ben. He absolutely revels in having time alone with us and last night was no exception. We built a Brio train track all around the first floor of our house (kitchen, dining room, living room and family room go in one big circle). He kept telling me things like, “Dis is gonna be so awesome!” and “Dis an awesome twain twack!” and “Fank you fo building wif me, Mama.” Love that kid.

It’s getting alarmingly close, this back to school nonsense. Supplies have been purchased (and pilfered from around the house). Fees have been paid. Every time we pass it, Ben delights in reminding us, “There’s mah new school! Mah BIG BOY school!” I am truly very excited for them, but I am alarmed at how fast they’re growing up.

What is up with the peaches this year? They have been truly outstanding. I’ve been having them sliced over cottage cheese (my constant bid to eat more protein) every morning lately and I never get tired of them. Both kids have been having one daily at least as a snack and unlike a whole apple which they often leave half of on the counter, they eat their peaches to the pit. I’ve made peach crumb bars twice and if it weren’t for the carby/calorie-laden nature of them, I might eat them at every meal. YUM.

Saturday is my birthday and I am heading to the mountain with some girlfriends for the weekend. Honestly, this is not the way I’d choose to spend my birthday – nothing against a good girls’ weekend – I love them! – but I really enjoy my family and I hate the idea of being without them on my birthday. It will be the first time I’ve spent a birthday away from my kids since they were born and it bums me out a bit. I also hate the idea of being the spotlight when we’re on our trip – it is not something I ever like, let alone seek. But this was the weekend that worked and I wanted to go, so I made my choice. I know I’ll be glad I went.

I just finished reading American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. It is one of those books I wasn’t sure I wanted to read – it’s loosely based on the life of Laura Bush and I wasn’t sure I liked that angle or hook or whatever. But after reading it, I’m convinced, the author wasn’t trying to use the Laura Bush thing as an angle to intrigue or sell books, I think she saw in Laura Bush’s life the framework of a potentially great story and she ran with it. She is a really good writer – I really enjoyed another of her books, Prep, though I think this one is a more mature work – and the story is engaging and has a nice comfortable feel to it, somehow, despite the backdrops of grandeur. It is long, but well-edited and when I’m done I have the new Mary Kay Andrews and Susan Elizabeth Phillips books for some nice light reading.

We are incredibly behind on Olympics watching – just finally got through the Women’s Gymnastics finals last night and that was because I FFed through practically everything, including the irritating announcers. Our Women were AMAZING! They really nailed everything. I was sad for our men – their start was so promising! – but I did love seeing the Brit Blokes get a medal on home turf even if it wasn’t silver. Well deserved. Also, could Missy Franklin be cuter? She’s very poised for 17. She seems far older than the gymnasts near her age – maybe it’s the little girl voices?

A group of us are offering babysitting services and bringing meals to our friend who has breast cancer. It is a scary thing, though I know what amazing medical technology is available to her, all of us. In the meantime, what we can do is make things a bit easier on our friend and her family. Hopefully it will really help relieve their considerable burden and it helps us feel like we are doing something. I’m due next Wednesday and I have got to figure out what to bring. I want to bring a freezable main dish and some muffins for breakfasts and snacks, also freezable.

This morning we did a workout called “Pick Your Poision” where you select one exercise and do n of that exercise each minute. So the first minute you do 1, the second minute 2 and so on until you can’t do that many within the minute. I picked pushups and made it to 25 minutes. Now I can barely lift my arms. Washing my hair was painful. For those of you doing the math, yes, that is 325 pushups. Clearly I’m insane.

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Doodles and Such

While we were on vacation, Tabby and I spent some time doodling – in the Oodles of Doodles book to be exact. Doodle Books, in case you’re not familiar with the concept, are quite similar to coloring books but quite a bit more open-ended. Instead of a full picture for you to color, they provide a backdrop or a start to a picture and you fill it in with your own artwork. She is still very much in the learning-to-draw portion of things, but she and I were able to have a very good time filling up a few pages in the book. I plan to take it along again this weekend while we’re camping.

Yes, camping. Again. I am a bit exhausted just thinking about it, but we hadn’t taken Loki out in a while and we had the camper out to have it serviced, so it just made sense to go. No one was available to join us which was kind of a bummer, but also kind of good. It keeps things simpler and will give us time as a family. I’ve been downloading some books to read aloud to the kids and stuff like that.

I also have a few word games I’m planning to take with us. There’s a great site called Playdough to Plato (love that name!) that’s dedicated to fun learn-to-read games. Tabby is well on her way with the reading and can stumble through a lot of the early readers, but she’s been so into the whole thing that I want to help her make more progress. They’re also great because they can be adapted to the level Ben is at, recognizing letters. Most of them also only require some paper or notecards and some markers.

Here they are if you’re interested.

1. Climb to the top – kids roll a dice (made with a cube block and some sticky labels) with sight words or letters on each face and see which one of the six sides gets to the top of the chart first.

2. Same or different – a card is divided down the center with a line and then on each side of the line two letter or number combinations are written. The child then has to decide if they’re the same or different. This helps them to train themselves to visually differentiate between common words that are close to one another.

3. Showdown – you make two sets of cards with the same letters, numbers or words on them, varying in quantity and complexity based on the age of the child. You pick a card from your deck and read it. The child then has a few moments to shuffle through their pile and find the corresponding word/letter/number. Once he’s found it you say “1-2-3 SHOWDOWN!” and you both turn over your cards. If they match … YAY and if not, the child can go through their pile to find the matching one.

I also found this cute math game for addition. We regularly practice addition in the car with Tabby so I think she can handle it. Wonder if I have enough dice.

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Change? We fear change.

We have some huge changes coming up here pretty soon at Casa de Nichols. I am referring of course to the retirement of our long-term (5.5 yrs!!) sitter and the kids moving into official full-day schools. As a type-A control freak, I am not very big on change. But over the years I’ve both developed coping mechanisms for dealing with change, namely planning! I get to make lists and time tables and label things and suddenly even though I can’t control what else the change is going to do to us, I feel better because backpacks are labeled and the calendar is updated and I have a chart for making sack lunches.

So I am slowly but determinedly getting everything ready for the big shift. I have a countdown sort of going in my mind, not like 52 days, 51 days, 50 days … but practically every time I look at the calendar, I do a gut check of “Wow. Just a month until our sitter’s last day,” or “Wow, just 3 weeks until we do Kindergarten registration.” I’ve ordered Ben a nap mat – it arrived yesterday and let’s just say he hasn’t been this excited for naps in a loooong time – and some personalized stickers to label clothes and lunch containers. In all seriousness, I do have a file of links to lunch ideas. I’ve also been filling out mounds of paperwork and making sure all the things we need to do before school starts (immunizations, dentist appointments, shopping trips) are handled. And I am planning a small “thank you” dinner for our sitter.

Winston Churchill said, “There is nothing wrong with change as long as it is in the right direction.” I’m sure he was right. But I also like my change well orchestrated.

 

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My Baby

This morning as I was leaving for work (a little bit late … ahem). I heard a little voice calling out to me. He wandered down the stairs in his jim-jams, an adorably mismatched combo of old PJ bottoms that are too small for him and a Toy Story t’shirt still much too big for him, hair sweetly rumpled, dragging his blanky Linus-style.

It was a rare moment when he still looked a bit like the baby I brought home from the hospital over three years ago. The moments are rarer and rarer.

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Big Week

While I’ve been off working on the parties for our company’s 50th Anniversary (a big deal unto itself – more details tomorrow, hopefully), my kids have been having a banner week. Monday Ben started preschool at the same charming little school Tabby’s been attending for two and a half years.

It is only a 6 wk summer camp and he starts “real” preschool in the fall, but he is having a great time. He brought back glowing reports of his big day and the crafts he did and his one disappointment (he didn’t get to have a pony ride during recess because he didn’t know to get in line in time). He and Tabby are in the same class and she is loving showing him the ropes.

Tabby herself is having quite a big week. After making amazing progress last weekend while camping with her bike sensei, Uncle Mikey, she has been eager to ride again. They rode bikes on Tuesday night and she was doing well, but last night while they were at Uncle Mikey’s house while we were at the party, she went from 2 week balance bike to fully riding a “two wheeler WITH pedals” as she’ll proudly tell you.

This amazing transformation is wholly on Uncle Mikey helping her out and her absolutely amazing determination. I’m proud to say Matt and I had nothing to do with it! It is really cool to watch your kids just take flight on something completely separate from you.