Apr
23
A is for Abstinence
by Leslie
Check this out.
You just stepped into the desert.
Julia’s desert diorama!
Oh, arts and crafts. What a wonderful way to unlock your child’s creativity! They’re a gateway to discussion and a vehicle for exploration. These kind of projects require thought, vision, and problem solving skills to navigate the step by step process of transforming materials into a desired result. They provide an incredible learning opportunity for your child! And they teach parents like me about relinquishing control.
Sure, I provided some guidance during construction.
“Julia, why is there a horse in here?”
“I’m pretending it’s a camel.”
“Well, the whole thing is pretending to be the desert. The horse pretending to be a camel on top of that is a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?”
I told her she could keep it if she told her teacher the horse had no name, la la laa laaaaaa la la la la, la la la laaaaa la! She looked at me like I was old.
So, she lost the “camel.” Otherwise, I mostly gave advice that she ignored.
Me: “You could use construction paper to…”
Her: “No, I’m going to use paint.”
Me: “I have this craft wire that we could use to…”
Her: “That’s okay, I’m doing it like this.”
As she should. It’s HER assignment. I’m not even sure why it’s so hard to let her do it her way. But I did let her. I think that means I passed. So, it’s kinda like I got an A. Yes. Let’s just say that. I got an A!
Apr
18
From Three to Four
by Leslie
Lucy spent the final day of her third year at the zoo with our family and friends. Here she is at the penguin photo op stop.
“Lucy, look at Mommy!”
The kid will not look at the camera. (She gets that from my dad.)
Here’s my Bear with some bears.
“Smile for me, Luc!”
See what I mean?
We had such a fantastic day! I worried a little that the next day, her actual birthday, might seem sort of ho-hum in comparison. We had done the big invite-all-your-friends-one-hundred-balloon-three-tiered-fondant-cake birthday blowout for her Three! party. And while it makes sense to me and my budget that the kids rotate who gets the big party each year, I wasn’t sure if it was making sense to Lucy. I reminded her many times that this was her laid-back birthday year and she seemed cool with that. Then I remembered my birthday and how each year, from age eleven to sixteen, my mom warned me that it wasn’t going to be this crazy, over-the-top coming of age gala event like Natalie’s dad threw for her in Girls Just Want to Have Fun and I convinced myself she was only saying that to cover up the GIANT SURPRISE PARTY she was planning. (There was never a surprise party.) But my worries melted along with my heart as Lucy and I walked hand-in-hand through the store and to the bike department to choose her birthday gift and she said, “When it’s just me and you, that’s like a birthday present.”
Sometimes life is so much simpler than my brain tries to make it.
She rode her bike until dark.
Again with the not looking at me!
Aha! “Stick your tongue out at me” works.
Then we ate cake that I ordered and bought and did not make. (And that’s okay!) She chose Lightning McQueen because, “I go fast, too!”
Oh, my heart, yes, you do.
Apr
9
Back to life…back to reality.
by Leslie
Oh, the Monday after Spring break. I needed a cappuccino just to face it. But McDonald’s has stopped making cappuccino for me and instead, for twenty additional calories, gave me a less tasty and only moderately satisfying latte. But you get what you get and you don’t get upset when you limit your hot caffeinated beverage options to that which can be supplied via a drive-through within ten miles of home. So, a lackluster latte. Spring Break was spectacular, however, and I will give you some reasons why.
1. No alarm clock. We only slept about half an hour later than our normal wake up time, but wow, what a difference that half hour made. Also, the not having to immediately rush to be on time felt pretty good, too. Leisure! I’m in love with it. My countdown to summer officially begins now.
2. Lunch and an afternoon of play at Lake Park. We used to go to Lake Park all the time when Julia was in preschool. It was where Dave and I ran our first 5K. We love Lake Park! I had forgotten just how much.
3. A play date with new friends who are warm and friendly and fun and inspiring. Sidenote: It seems all it takes to make me cry is a two month old baby in my house. Because my girls were two month old babies once. And I may never have a two month old baby again. But I do have some chocolate cheese in my refrigerator.
4. An Easter egg hunt with old friends – the most gorgeous women I’ve ever seen close up and their children. I have no idea how they look so good all the time. I am definitely the “one of these things” in that Not Like The Others song with that group. But I enjoy being with them too much to let it keep me away.
5. Becoming the Just Dance house champion. I totally mean to brag when I tell you no one NO ONE under my roof can beat me.
6. A day at the Akron Zoo.
7. Getting to watch some random movie that just happened to be on, from start to finish, simply because I had the time and no will to move from the couch. It was called I’m With Lucy starring Elliott from E.T. and Monica Potter, who I am pretty sure is actually Julia Roberts either cloned or perhaps time traveling from the future.
8. Making dandelion crowns and jewelry.
9. Letting Julia stay up past her bedtime to eat ice cream sandwiches and watch Toddlers and Tiaras with me.
10. Coloring Easter eggs.
I cannot explain why, but this is my favorite picture of Dave, ever.
Apr
3
Flashdancer
by Leslie
I can’t keep that kid’s arm in her shirt. This is the way she likes to wear it. And Phoebe? Well, she does what she likes. Go ahead and try to make her stop. YOU CANNOT. She’s stubborn tenacious and persistent.
She doesn’t know she’s little.
I feel lucky that all three of my daughters are pretty self-assured. I hope they stay that way. But Phoebe seems to be pulling it from an almost supernatural source, like she’s on a mission from God to climb to the top of the playset, ride toys beyond her developmental stage and refuse to wear a diaper, and she will not be dissuaded. Where my older daughters would feign rigor mortis or go boneless when they didn’t want to get in their car seat, Phoebe will climb over the seat, hop in the back and buckle herself in to a regular seat with a seatbelt. Buckle herself in with a seatbelt. Sometimes I struggle to buckle myself in with a seatbelt.
We’ve been battling a lot lately. About getting cleaned up, getting dry, getting dressed, wearing shoes, wearing clothes, combing her hair, sitting in her highchair, coming inside after a day of play, not climbing up on the top bunk, not using mommy’s grown-up toothpaste or cold cream or make up or hair spray or body spray or deodorant or, well, you get the idea. But it’s easy to forgive her for her disobedience.
She’s just so damn cute.
Apr
2
A Diamond is Forever
by Leslie
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who love Neil Diamond and those who are afraid to admit they love Neil Diamond.
Last month, on our wedding anniversary, Dave revealed to me the kind of person he is when he handed me this…
…which led me to find this…
…and these.
And after a wild goose chase all over the house, I ended up with all of these…
…and this.
And that means…
…Dave loves Neil Diamond, too.
Best. Anniversary gift. Ever.
Stuff I Do
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Stuff You Should Do
You know, Stuff.
