Happy Halloween!

That's Tinkerbell dressed up like Little Mermaid, and Little Mermaid dressed up like Tinkerbell. Emma's naptime creation a few days ago.


And we've got festive feet today!

Rain Rain Go Away

You are ruining my plans and it's making me cranky. First, tomorrow is Halloween, and I'm not one to go trick or treating with an umbrella. Second, Saturday Hubs and I have tickets to a college football game I've been looking forward to all season. Having not gone to a college with a football team, I love going to these. But I don't love going in the rain. And the rain will make my nachos soggy.

Emma's First Play

Emma and I and my mom (at Emma's invitation, not my suggestion at all) went to see Annie Jr. on Saturday night. The theatre company putting on the play is for children only, so all the parts were played by kids 7th grade and younger. Thus the Jr. in the title. Hubs has a friend at work whose son was in the play, and it turns out my mom has a co-worker whose daughter was in it. It's always more fun to see a play if you know one of the cast members!

It was awesome. Emma looked so grown up marching into the theater with her purse slung over her shoulder, marching down the aisle like she knew what she was doing. We had talked in advanced about the seats and the stage and the lights going down, and as soon as she was seated she was ready for things to get started. She scooted back in her seat, squealed her chair was pinching her (it was folding up because she didn't weigh enough) and then situated herself on my mom's lap. The lights went down, and Emma was ready.

She was mesmerized by the singing and dancing, by the actors marching across the stage, by their costumes.

She asked questions throughout the first half, but they were totally apporpriate questions. She was clearly trying to make sense of what she was seeing and hearing, trying to understand how the sets worked and who the characters were. At one point my mom and I had to stifle our giggles when Emma asked why all the orphans were sleeping outside. They weren't, she just hadn't figured out the set yet.

So here is it Monday night, and she still hasn't stopped talking about Annie. And Daddy Warbucks, and Sandy the dog. And she hasn't stopped singing.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're only a daaaaaaaay aaaaaawaaaayyyyyyy!"

Look what I won!

I have a few blogs that I read almost daily. One of them is written by bonbon mama, and she recently had a bloggy giveaway to celebrate her one year blogging anniversary. And I won! The goodies came in the mail today and they rock:

She made all of it (well except the book, of course) - a cute little bag that she embroidered, a kleenex holder with kleenex inside, cherry magnets, and a credit card wallet with a key chain. Love it!

Check out her etsy store too - Bee Happy!

Happy Birthday Grant!

Two years ago we went from a family of three to a family of four when Grant entered the world. Neither Hubs nor I realized how badly we wanted a son until we had one! He's been our chill little bug from the beginning, easy going and simple to please. He's a mama's boy, always ready with a bear hug and smoochy kiss for his mom. He loves to run and jump, but always ends up in my lap at the end of the day.

We're having ribs and mashed potatoes for dinner tonight, the two foods Grant is guaranteed to chow down on. And Emma and I are baking an apple pie after resting time for dessert. Hubs and I got him three big ROARRRRRRS (dinosaurs) that are waiting to be wrapped up. He's going to love them!

Happy Birthday little bug, my sweet sweet boy!

First Field Trip

Emma went on her first field trip yesterday, and I had the pleasure of being a chaperone. It was so much fun, very dusty, and totally exhausting, but fun fun fun. The pumpkin patch we went to was great - the hay ride was just the right length, the corn maze was impossible to get lost in, the haystack slide was fun, and there were plenty of pumpkins to chose from. They even had flush toilets - hallejulah!

My back seat was packed with three giggling 4 year olds who chatted each other up on the way there, and swapped pumpkins on the way home. They chatted about Halloween costumes, the music they listen to in the car with THEIR moms, if they had been to a pumpkin patch before, and they shared not funny in the least jokes that had them all cracking up.

Emma had a great time, and is still talking about it. It was so great to be able to see the pumpkin patch through her eyes, while at the same time getting the opportunity to see her interact with her classmates.

And I learned that 4 year olds aren't anywhere close to being big enough to ride in boosters that buckle the child in with the seat belt. While they made it possible to fit two other children in my back seat with Emma, it is ridiculdous how UNsafe those two children were. I felt like I needed a sign attached to my car warning other cars to drive super safe around me. Sort of like when you're driving home from the hospital with your newborn and someone gets a little too close and you want to roll your window down and yell that you have a newborn in the car. Although the look of horror on my friend's face as I buckled those two children in with only the shoulder belt was pretty priceless. Her daughter is still in a Britax Marathon too.

Anyway, this is what I learned about 4 year olds. If there is dirt, they will throw it. Boys hang with boys, girls hang with girls, but if you're the only boy in the car, you'll be okay. Climbing hay bales is fun, but sitting for a class picture isn't. Other kids freak out at driving in someone elses car just like Emma would have (thus the reason I chaperoned). All 4 year olds love juice boxes and lie about having to go potty if they don't want to stop digging in dirt.

I can't wait for next years trip!

New House Guests

Nebulizer and Humidifier have made their yearly appearance in our house. More specifically, into Grant's life. Leaves falling off the trees and these house guests of ours mean it's getting cold.

So Pulmicort again (I had so much left from last year I didn't even have to turn in the prescription) twice a day for a month, and Zoponex as needed. The Dr. hinted we might have to do it all winter. That'll make for a long winter, that's for sure.

Breathing treatments are the expected nightmare, although this morning's was a bit more successful than last nights because Grant was all over holding it himself in his mouth. And he's stoked because he gets to watch TV while he's doing it.

Pockets

Grant has recently discovered his pockets. And he's obsessed. When he notices his pants have pockets, he'll spend most of his standing up time trying to shove his little hands into his pockets. When he's successful, he'll walk around to make sure everyone sees him and his hands in his pockets. And then he'll stand there, just hanging out, with his hands in his pockets.

Today, while at the park for a birthday party, he realized he could put other things in his pockets. Like "treasures" he discovers at the park.

Before we got in the car to leave, I extracted from his pockets:
two full acorns
three acorn caps
one 3" long stick
one leaf
a handful of bark

And then found one more acorn rolling around in the washing machine this evening after doing the load of laundry said pants were in.

Target Temptations

I got these at Target today. They were 30% off and I haven't bought any shoes in forever and they are super cute so I think it was justified, right?

If I was rich, I would have gotten these blue ones too. They were on clearance also!

And let's be real, I would have gotten the tan ones too.

If anyone wants to get a jump on their Christmas shopping, I wear a size 8.

My grief PSA

It seems like I'm surrounded by grieving people right now - my own family missing Granny , my friends who have lost a child or a pregnancy, friends who have lost jobs, or moved across the country.

Anyway, I'm bringing this up because a few weeks ago Emma's preschool teacher from last year stopped me and handed me a book. She told me that she had gotten this great book on grief and she had thought of me after she had read it. Now this woman was rock solid for me and for Emma when Granny died. She gave me advice on talking with Emma, loaned me books to read to Emma, she empathized with the situations since her mom had died just a few years ago and she had helped her children and grandchildren through it. Because of all of this, she has quite a special place in my hear. So she hands me the book "Tear Soup" and asks me to return it in a few days. She promises it will be wonderful, that I'll cry, but I won't be sad.

It was awesome. Hubs was gone one evening so I made some tea and had a date with the book. She was right, I cried but I wasn't sad. The book tells all about a woman who has suffered a loss in her life so she gets to work making herself some Tear Soup. She works at flavoring it just right, and then eats bowl after bowl until she fills filled up. Then she can turn to her friends and share her tear soup. It was a simple quick read, but it gave permission to grieve and to grieve for a long time. It gave permission to grieve differently than your husband or family. It gave permission to hold off friends, and then lean heavily on them. Or to lean on them from the beginning. In the back it has all sorts of resources if it is a child grieving, or if you are grieving the loss of a child, or a stillborn child, or a pregnancy. Resources for if you are grieving a suicide, or if the person you are grieving died in a violent crime.

I gave it back to her that next week, and it was so wonderful for her and I to relate to how we have moments of grief in unexpected places and times even though it has been years or months since our loss. For her it comes when she sees a reflection of her mom in her grandchildren. Or at the holidays. For me it comes when we sing a certain praise song in church, or when I open Granny's bible to the verse the sermon is on and realize it is the one I read to her the night she died. Even a funeral procession has me pulling over out of respect and because my eyes are filling with tears.

Tear Soup is never actually completed. There just reaches a time where you have it well seasoned and on a low simmer. When you just need a quick spoonful of it instead of heaping bowl after heaping bowl.

If you are grieving anything, get the book, make some special alone time for yourself, and read it.

Random thoughts from the week

I've had several things going on with the kids this week that I've wanted to blog about, mainly so I could remember them, especially since I've failed completely at filling out their baby books.

Emma is READING. Seriously, read.ing. I find myself breaking out into a smile every time it happens because I'm just so amazed and so proud of her all at the same time. Her reading is like my being pregnant - I didn't really do anything except read to her a lot and answer her questions, and poof! she starts reading. Same way I feel like as when I was pregnant - I just drank a bunch of water and ate some food and poof! this perfect little baby arrived. Incredible. I'm in such astonishment because I've had a hard time figuring out whether she had things memorized or whether she was reading. She read a few store front signs on the way to school Monday, but we drive down the same stinkin road 5 days a week to get to school/ church so I couldn't tell if it was reading or memorizing. And she busted out with the first line of The Cat in the Hat comes back the other day, and while it had been ages since we'd read that book, her memory is freakishly good. But then Monday night at dinner we opened the Conversation Starters jar I had made at MOPS and the girlfriend read her card - How will you know when you are grown-up? She needed help with 'know' and 'grown'. I just sat there beaming at her. It was awesome. She is awesome.

Grant is talking! Lately he's been saying wa-0 for water instead of signing it. He's calling people by name - nin-ney (Sydney, a high school girl who works in the nursery), Mon-ny (Maddy), Icah (Micah, a friend from church). Yesterday he kept saying "oh no" over and over and over and over after he heard Emma say it. Yesterday he told Hubs "ub ew" (love you) when he left for work. Today he touched my new shirt and said "oft" (soft). His little voice is so precious.

I had this brilliant idea to get some exercise walking around the neighborhood and give Emma some time on her big girl bike all at the same time. My reasoning was that I'd be able to walk at a good pace because her bike is so much bigger she should be able to go faster. I didn't factor in her newness on the bike and our bumpy street. We hit a rough patch going down the driveway curb at a snail's pace which led to her almost falling off her bike and Grant in the stroller 4 wheelin it onto the grass to keep him out of traffic. Once we got that worked out, we took off at a pretty good pace. Emma was smiling, having fun, lavishing in the glory of her big girl bike, I was basking in my brillance of getting a walk in and Emma getting to ride her bike. Then we came to the corner, and all went awry. She bailed going around the corner, the bike fell on her foot, hysterical screaming and crying ensued. Grant sat quietly in his stroller, looking around at the birds. Thank goodness for that calm child. I convinced her to get back on, she finally did, took a few pedals, hit a rough spot, freaked, started to fall again, I grabbed the bike with one hand, shot the stroller onto the grass with the other, heard her say "thanks for catching me mom", and then turned to see her splat off the bike while I still held onto it. Good times. Again I got her on the bike, with much convincing, and had her ride in the middle of the road, which was considerably smoother. We did great for the rest of the (slow) walk, until we were almost to our house and our neighbor called my name. Emma turned her head, thus turning her handle bars, and plowed right onto their yard, and, you guessed it, tumbled off. At least onto the grass this time. She walked the last few houses home.

Grant has this hilarious way of getting around now that he's started jumping with his feet off the ground. He sort of jumps skips his way around - down the hallway, through the school parking lot, into Emma's classroom, you know, wherever he's going. He does it holding my hand, he does it without holding my hand, it's his general form of transportation now.

Ouch!

steroid inhaler + huge cup of coffee = mascara wand in my eye from jittery hands

Conversations with Emma & Hubs

While Emma is crying over nothing this afternoon.....

Emma: I'm crying because I'm thinking about my shark dream.
Hubs: Oh, was it a scary dream?
Emma: Yes, that's why I'm crying twice.
Hubs: Was it like the shark chasing Ariel in The Little Mermaid?
Emma: Yes, it was.
Hubs: You realize that the shark in the movie wasn't real? That it can't really get you? That's all pretend.
Emma: Why is real Ariel in a pretend story then?

It was clear as day

It's the thing that every parent dreads. They know it is coming, they know it can't be avoided, they know every kid does it, but that doesn't make it any easier. They read about it in the baby books, hear about it from their friends, they anticipate it and when it will rear it's ugly head in their child's life.

As it gets closer and closer every parent starts to wonder how long it will stay around, will it be forceful or timid at first? Will I know it happened or will I just wonder if that's what just occurred? Will I laugh or frown when it happens? It might even be worse with the second child because they have already lived through it once before and know the force it has.

It's a small thing, but it can bring huge drama, huge frustration, creative bargaining you never knew you had in you. It can bring you to your knees in the middle of Target, this small but powerful thing.

What is it?

"No". Uttered appropriately and as clear as day.

Name That Tune

This is what I woke up to this morning:

Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collections complete?
Looking around here you think sure she's got everything.
I've got gadgets and gizmos a plenty, I've got whosits and whatsits galore,
You want thingamabobs? I got 20.
But who caaaaaaaaares, no big deeeeeeeeeal,
I want MORE!

I want to be where the people are, I want to see, want to see them dancing,
strolling along down those, what'sthatwordagain? STREEEEEEET

Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they play all day in the suuuuuun.
Wondering free, wish I could be, part of that woooooooooorld.

Flippin your fin you don't too far, legs are required for jumping dancing,
Walking around on those, what'sthatwordagain? FEEEEEET

Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they play all day in the suuuuuun.
Wondering free, wish I could be, part of that woooooooooorld.

Conversations with Emma

But first, some background. We are sort of redoing Emma's room, piece by piece. So this weekend we took down the horrible wooden slat closet doors and hung bright pink polka dot curtains (Hubs about died when we saw them. They were clearly Emma's pick, I was lobbying for the teal sheer ones.) We also bought some flower and butterfly decals to decorate her main bare wall.

Emma: I don't ever want to take these flowers off.
Me: We'll decide as you get older.
Emma: Even when I'm an adult and sleeping in this room I still want the flowers up.
Me: Hm.

But what I didn't say was - Girlfriend, you better not still be sleeping here when you're an adult. Your lease runs out when you leave for college.

Forgot to add

I forgot to add how much I adore switching from my summer purse to my favorite fall purse. Which I just did. While sipping my delicious pumpkin pie spice coffee.

Look for this post all over again in the spring when I'm totally over the cold weather and eagerly anticipating sunny warm spring days.

Fall favorites

It rained last night and I wore long sleeves most of the day yesterday so I'm deeming it fall.

I love fall. I love the crisp mornings and cool evenings. I love the break from the hot hot summer, the ability to take a walk in the afternoon without sweating buckets, and being able to take the kids outside in the afternoon. I love the color changes - the bright reds and yellows and crispy browns of the leaves in our neighborhood.

I love trips to the pumpkin patch, scarecrow decorations, carving pumpkins with the kids. I love roasting pumpkin seeds and deciding on Halloween costumes. I love pumpkin spice muffins (something I learned when I was pregnant with Grant), and this year I learned I love pumpkin pie spice cream in my coffee. Even Emma loves how my coffee smells with the fancy cream.

I love lounging in my pajama pants without getting too hot. I love re-falling in love with my favorite jeans, my favorite closed toe shoes, my favorite long sleeved shirt. I love sliding my feet into my slippers for the first time each fall.

I'm already anticipating sipping my coffee in the morning while hanging out in my super soft lounge pants. Wonderful fallness.

Translator needed

When Emma was a new talker, my friends and I joked about how they always needed their "Emma to English" dictionary. Aka me.

Well now that Grant is finally starting to kind of talk, I find I'm needing a "Grant to English" dictionary. Aka Emma.

The funny thing about all of that is that I have clear memories of doing the same thing for my brother. Those lucky boys, having such a doting big sister! And I'm totally sure that "lucky" is the word my brother would use to describe himself. Or that "doting" will be the word Grant uses to describe Emma. "Overbearing" is probably a better word for Grant to use.

It's the Sahara in here

Sand, not heat. Although it is hot today.

It seems like every 3rd step I take is into a layer of sand. It's everywhere and I keep vacuuming and vacuuming and sweeping and sweeping. It's a sure sign Emma is in preschool and she's having a good time outside. It's in her shoes, her socks, her hair, the cuffs of her capris. My car, her bed, outside, inside. Everywhere.

There's a little glitter mixed in too since my mother in law introduced dollar store fairy wings to the household last week. Apparently dollar store wings are decorated with glitter held on by dollar store glue, which is a fancy way to say the glitter doesn't stay on the wings at all. You just look at the wings and glitter falls off. Add into that Grant rubbing the wings on his head, then holding them as he ran through the house, Emma wearing them and leaning against the couch, and you have glitter embedded into the sofa, embedded into Grant's hair, and a trail of glitter on the floor wherever Grant ran with them. We are still finding glitter on our faces and clothes, and the wings have been taking a break in a high place for 4 days now. Hubs still has certain parts of the couch he won't sit on because of the glitter explosion.

Good times.