Abby Lost a Tooth!

Lifesavers and other Homophones

I'll just come out and say it:  Adam is still potty training.  He will go on the toilet or not; it's all the same to him.  We have tried Skittles, superhero underwear, the promise of Chuck E. Cheese's...nothing has done the trick.  Our latest bribe has been a bag of gummy Lifesavers.

Last night in the kitchen I was looking through our pantry closet and saw the half-empty bag (Pessimist!  You caught me!).  I told Adam, who was deep in play with his "Star Wars guys" that I would give him a Lifesaver if he went potty right then all by himself.

He drew himself and his eyebrows up and gasped in delight.  "Mommy, you -  you give me a LIGHT SABER?"

I could hear Eric laughing from the garage where he was replacing our headlight that got us pulled over.  That experience made both sets of Abby and Adam's eyebrows go up, come to think of it...

Future Plans

Today Abby asked me what a minute is, how a baby comes out of a tummy, and how you get a job.  Those questions were spaced over the course of a day, by the way - they were not related.

Anyway, she's narrowed her career choices:  "I want to be, Mama, a paleontologist or a - a teacher - or, or a vet, Mama.  That's what I want to be.  Cause - cause I either want to study bones or study papers, Mama."

"Or study animals?"

"Yes.  Like - like - how to make them better."

"Okay."

Tonight I was thinking that over and playing some worship music while I mopped the kitchen.  Our floor is always sticky.  Always.  While I was thinking, Adam came out and put his little palms up and explained earnestly, "You have to - to turn off the muskik [music], Mommy, 'cause we - we are trying to sweep [sleep], you know.  And we can't sweep with muskik."

Guess I'll go and study some papers instead.  Good night!

Thankful

Adam and I are working on thank you notes for his birthday gifts!  Until we get them out, I'm going to post a video of him thanking Gram Louise for his bday money.  Thank you, Gram Louise!  We love you!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday, Adam!

Thirty O'Clock

This morning Adam got up at 5:15 and came to find me.  I usually sleep with my cell phone right by my head (my clock and my alarm), but because it was Sunday morning I was just planning to sleep until awakened by one of two small human alarm clocks that rarely go past 6:00 AM.

"What time is it, Baby?" I asked him, not expecting an accurate response but asking it anyway.

"It's - it's THIRTY o'clock, Mommy."

"Oh!  Okay.  Are you sure?"

"It's - it's time, Mommy, for - for PANCAKES!"

We walked to the kitchen together whereupon I saw the real time, and we reconsidered.  He watched a pirates movie and I read The Scarlet Letter.  That junior English teacher is so demanding.  I mean, when are we SUPPOSED to have time to read except at thirty o'clock?

My Naughty Superhero

Today we went out to eat after church with Eric's parents.  The burger joint was busy with what appeared to be only one person taking orders at the front.  The honey mustard we ordered was forgotten, so I went to stand in line to ask for it.  I'm just not one of those people who can nonchalantly cut in at the front to ask for what was forgotten.  So I stood there...and stood there...and a group of rowdy college students in front of me started giving the employee a hard time, harassing him about why there was no DirectTV and why he wasn't wearing a logo on his shirt and why he was so slow at taking orders.

My father-in-law got his honey mustard for himself by nonchalantly cutting in ahead of the bullies, so I went to sit down, fuming at the treatment of the employee.  I told what I'd witnessed, and the kids asked for it to be repeated about six times.  At that point, Adam finally misunderstood, set down his chicken nugget, and declared:

"Mommy, mommy, if - if they be mean to you I - I will be naughty to them - until, until, they be nice to - to you, Mommy."

I touched my hand to my heart at his sweet pledge. "Thank you!"

"You welcome, Mommy," my superhero returned without hesitation.  And he picked his chicken nugget back up.

What You DO Know...

So we picked up Taco John's tonight after an hour meeting at the school that was not about supper planning.  I chose a salad even though I was starving; then I hoped that Adam would leave half his softshell so I could eat it.  He polished it off.

I went into our bedroom to print some documents for Eric's church meeting, and Abby said she was going to make me a special treat.  She returned with a peanut butter sandwich cut in half.  I ate it all and said thanks.  It topped off the salad really well.

I went out to the kitchen, then, to clean it, and right near the oven I stepped in something sticky - a lot of something sticky.  It got all over my foot, in fact.  "What in the world--" I mumbled.

"Oh," said Abby.  "That's peanut butter.  I dropped the sandwich on the floor while I was making it."

Striking a Pose

It's been a week of adjusting to two drop-offs every morning, one for my preschooler and one for my kindergartener.  Abby has been really tired at night, which turns into weepy sensitivity and sorrow.  She has told me several times already that "kindergarten is just so hard, you know, Mama--it's just so HARD."  Tonight she took it one step further:  "It's like, Mama, like...like Cinderella and how she - she has to work so hard for her mean sisters, Mama.  I feel like, like that, you know, and I jis - I jis want to stop kindergarten."

A Broken Plate

This weekend we enjoyed a visit from Grandma Sandra!  We are so glad you came!  Come again soon!

This evening I was making spaghetti while Eric hung our new light over our kitchen island.  Abby hopped up on the counter to brown the hamburger for me while I snapped noodles for faster cooking.  Not to be outdone, Adam reached into the clean dishwasher and began taking out plates.  "I - I - I will set dese on - on the table, Mommy."  My heart melted.

I wasn't paying much attention to his labor until I saw him trying to balance three plates against his tummy--too late.  One slipped and shattered across the floor.

"Adam!"  we both yelled, as in, "Are you okay!?"  He looked shocked and started shuffling, still cradling the other two plates.  "Back up," Eric said, as in "Back away from the shards."  He did.

I scooped him up and placed him smack on the chair that Eric had setting out to use for hanging the light.  We looked him over to see how he was feeling.  He grinned.  "Am I - am I goin' a get a haircut?"

Abby is in Kindergarten!

A Summer of Patience

This has been a summer of learning patience.  We have been practicing how to wait on paperwork, on appraisals, on signatures, on box availability at the grocery store, on harvest, on flooring, on appliances, on estimates, on back orders, on drying paint, on the price of wheat, on potty training, on new desks for my classroom, on rain, on internet service, on tub spraying.  Wait.  Trust.  Don't worry.

Though we haven't moved in to our new house yet, because we're waiting on a bathroom to use, my internet is, as of five minutes ago, up and running in a corner of a room in which we're...you've guessed it...waiting for carpet!

This morning while I was hooking up the various cables that make a computer useful, Adam came to hover nearby and inquire about a spider that had just escaped the business end of my surge protector.  He placed his little hand on my shoulder so sweetly that it inspired from me a barrage of, "You are handsome!  And you are brave!  And you are kind!  And you are my son!"  [I think this is coming from the book The Help!]

To each charge he nodded assent and said, "Huh" in a definite tone, as if to say, "Check."  To the last one, though, he amended, "I - I - am Daddy son, too."

"Yes," I agreed.  "You are all of those things."

He looked back at my full eyes and said, "You are sthings too, Mama."

"Thank you."

"You welcome."  And he walked away to play pirates.

Dressing in Red, White, and Blue

Happy 4th of July!  Today is our annual celebration with Eric's family out at Darlene's farm - swimming, water slide, volleyball, games, food, you name it!  It's a much-anticipated day, complete with new RW&B outfits from Nana.

I was removing sticky popsicle and lemonade spills from the kitchen floor this morning, mopping in my volleyball knee pads (it works SO WELL!), when I heard a ruckus.  Abby was trying to dress Adam in his party outfit, and he was having none of it.  He started by declining politely, "No, thank you, Abby," but it didn't hold water with a persistent sister, wielding a flag shirt and cajoling.  It turned into, "No!  No! I don't want you - do it, Abby," upon which, I imagine, though I couldn't see for sure, followed a shoulder slump and head hang on the way back to her bedroom.

Adam got a rag and knelt down beside me.  We mopped together for awhile, and then he said, "I sink Abby - Abby is sad."

"Yes," I said.  "I think she really wanted to get you ready for the party."

"Uh-huh."  Mop.  Mop.  "I don't want Abby - Abby change my diaper."

"I know, Baby, it's okay.  That's your choice."  Mop.  Pause.

I looked up and my sweet little boy had the rag in one hand and his other index finger on his chin.  He was on his haunches.  "Hmm," he said.  "Abby won't be sad - any more."  With that decision he marched off to Abby's room where I heard, "Abby, you - you can change my diaper!"

The Caterpillars

Aunt Barb, Uncle Lee, and Kyleigh sent Abby a caterpillar-to-butterfly gift for her birthday.  We ordered the four live caterpillars online when we were ready and waited impatiently for their arrival.  Abby lettered a sign for her door to pass the time:  "I want the caterpillars to come."  I thought she was having me spell out "I want a pet" until she asked how to spell "the."  They came!  [Thank you for such a hit of a gift!]

We followed all of the instructions. We moved them to a netted hatching house and waited for the grand transformation.  Three of the butterflies hatched, and one tried but didn't make it out of its cocoon.  Something was wrong with its wings from the first.  At one point I said, "Poor little guy," and then Adam took up the chorus of "poor little guy" for the next day or so.  Abby conducted a funeral last night for the "poor little guy" in the front flowerbed attended by her brother and our dear babysitter Jenna while we were at our home inspection for our new-to-us home.

We Are Moving!

We have been enjoying the company of friends this summer!  Visits, pretend campfires, backyard ball, park dates, a parade ... it has been so fun!  It has also made us realize that we need just a little bit more room in our house to HAVE company, now that we are all adding children - I mean HAVE ADDED children, in my case.  :)

SO...[deep breath, big announcement] we are in the process of moving to a slightly larger home only a few blocks from our current one!  The rest of the summer promises to be an exciting blur of paperwork, packing, paint colors, and carpet choices.  OH - and a larger dining room table for next time all of you come!

Backseat Thoughts from a Five-Year-Old

[on why Kindergarten Camp is not fun] "Mama, you know - I think I'm not really a letter kid, you know?  I think I'm more of an - an art kid."

[on parenting] "So - so, Mama, at - at the big school, do they teach you - teach you how to be a parent?"

[me] "Nope, that's all trial and error, Baby."

[Abby] big eyes, no comment

Abby on Friendship

"So, so - Adam talks to strangers sometimes, you know?  In the grocery store he does, you know, Mama?"

"Well, it's all right if I'm next to you.  If I'm there, it's okay."

"Well, well - when we go to put the cart away, Mama, then he does.  Then he talks to strangers.  And - and - Mama, I always tell them he's my brother because...because I don't want them to think he's my friend."

Favorite Lines from Adam

"It was an - an - ack-kih-dent."  This is an extremely useful phrase to know and use!  I still remember the time I did bodily damage to my brother and was placed on the couch for trial.  My parents asked if it had been on purpose or an accident.  I didn't know what either meant, so I picked the first one.  I learned the difference really fast!  Seriously, my brother is almost five years older than I am.  It had to have been an accident!  The memory leading up to the moment of trial is mysteriously missing, though...

"Those eggs - are - are chock-laht."  We are getting a share of locally grown produce from a grower near Valley City, and he threw in a dozen eggs this week with some that were brown, or "chocolate."

"Mama, you make me sad."  This is in response to being told "no" - to anything.

Birthday Girl

We had a family party at Chuck-E-Cheese's - my first time there.  Everything went well except the photos with Chuck-E-Cheese.  Note:  This is the last picture of Abby taken without pierced ears, as we stopped at the mall directly afterward to make good on Nana's present.

This Ticket Blaster at Chuck-E-Cheese is only for the birthday star!  After you pay $10.99 for a minimum of six children, the birthday star gets to catch tickets redeemable for ... a two-inch plastic rubber dinosaur!

The next day, on her "REAL BIRTHDAY," Abby had some friends over for a girls-only Barbie tea party.  I was the server, face washer, Barbie-headband-finder, and intermittent vacuum-upper.  I was also the naysayer to a number of things I can't recall off-hand.

Little caped brother woke up halfway through to join the fun ... Ladies?

I Don't Understand.

Adam slept from 11:34 to 5:39 and was up at least three times in between.  He's kept a similar schedule for the last month.  I don't understand why he doesn't need any sleep, and I feel like crying.  I am on the interview committee at school for five hour-long interviews today and have my National Board test day tomorrow.  I just want to cry.  Thanks.  Had to tell someone.

Make That a Love Square

On the way to the park tonight after a drawn-out goodbye to the neighbors' grandchildren (boys ages 5 and 6), Abby mused:

"Mama?  I guess two boys want to marry me.  And I guess Quince wants to marry me, like, he really means it, so I'll probably marry him.  Michael will have to marry someone else."

Stay tuned for the update on Monday after she breaks the news at daycare.

Love Triangle

So we were driving back from the farm tonight, one boy with a pink eye; one girl with a Kool-Aid mustache; and I.  Thank you, Jean, for watching the boy with the pink eye all day long.

Abby said, "Mama?  Michael - little Michael Reeves, you know, at daycare?  He-he-he and I are going to get married, you know."

[Silence; I couldn't think of what to say.]

"We - we - we decided that we'll get married.  He wants to marry me.  Yeah."

[Silence; I still couldn't think of what to say.]

"What about Jovi at daycare?  Does he want to marry her?"

"He - he - he was going to marry her first, but then she said naughty things to him, so - so now he's going to marry me."

"Oh.  I guess that makes sense."

The Cape

I'm becoming known around the community as the mother of the boy who wears a Superman cape.  Softball game?  Cape.  Band concert?  Cape.  Burger King?  Cape and crown.

Last night Adam was up with nightmares.  I was able to gather what he was scared about from his emerging descriptions:  Someone was at his window, looking in, trying to...you guessed it!  Steal his cape.

Abby's Bedtime Prayer...Every Night

"Dear Lord, help me not to think about Scooby Doo or dream about Scooby Doo or think about army or dream about army or think about other scary things or dream about other scary things.  And help me not to think about witches or dream about witches and to get a good rest and a good sleep. Amen."

The other night I told her that she should be open to praying new prayers, about things that have just happened during the day.

"I can't do that, Mama," she said.  "I have to say that one so I'm not scared when I sleep."

"Let's Build Some-ping"

Eric and Abby went to Fargo today after church, and I seized TWO HOURS of catching up on paperwork, bills, and grading while Adam napped.  I finally decided I'd better wake the little guy, so I went into his room.  His eyes were already open.

"Good morning, Mommy," he said.

Knowing how rare it is to have time with just one child at a time, I threw caution and selfishness to the wind.  "Let's read," I said.  "Or we could play a game.  Do you want to play a game?  Anything you'd like.  Let's go to Abby's room and pick something to do."  Memory, I thought.  Or maybe some alphabet flash cards?  Candyland is always a hit.  I mentally ran through all the things Abby and I have spent afternoons doing together.

"No," said my little boy.  "Let's build some-ping."

Abby on Dish Drying

Abby can dry the dishes now after we eat dinner.  We only had one broken Pyrex dish tonight.  Here was our conversation before and after sweeping up the pieces:

Abby:  "I'm ninety percent bored."

Me:  "[!] Where did you hear that?"

Abby:  "It's on Chipmunks."

Me:  [silent reflection]

Abby:  "Mama, why do I always dry the dishes?"

Me:  "Because you are part of this family, and you need to help out."  [Wow, that was really automatic.]

Abby:  "I think it's because you don't like to."

Happy Easter!

Favorite lines from this Easter holiday:

Abby:  "Adam [in a suit] looks like a pastor."

Adam:  "'Jis calm down, Mama."

It was so nice to spend so much time with family!  It's hard to go back to school tomorrow.

Kindergarten is Coming!

One of my favorite places to be is at school...any school, really...it shelters me from the real world.  Tonight Abby and I had a girls' night out going to her kindergarten screening at her school-to-be.  She got to go around and acquire stickers for demonstrating skill in cutting, writing, and problem-solving; meanwhile, I got to sit and acquire information on paying for busing, milk break, and lunch.

All together, we had a nice night out, planning for the future.  Busing, milk break, and lunch for the entire year equates to daycare for one month.  That's not bad!

Then we stopped by the grocery store for her new favorite thing:  Nutella.

Snow Lady Weather

Winter Show Morning

We had fun meeting dear friends at the Winter Show this morning!  It was crowded, warm, and familiar - here are some pics:

Cowboy Hat Obsession

Adam loves his cowboy hat because Woody wears one on Toy Story; but it's Winter Show weekend here and the obsession has reached problematic heights.

First, the Winter Show booths do not open until ten and we get up here at six.  That's a long wait.  I tried to explain to Adam around eight  why we couldn't go yet.

"I uhna see amals [I want to see animals]!"

"Yes!  We will go when it opens."

"I uhna - wear - uh - cowbohy [hat]!"

"Yes, you can wear it around the house until ten, and then you can wear it to the Winter Show."

"I uhna - go now!"

"It's locked right now."

[pause] "We neeha [need a] - key!"

"I don't have a key."

"We - neeha [need to] - wook [look] fohr one!  We fine it!"

"Um, baby, they just haven't given me a key to even look for."

"We - neeha - wook in you puhrse [purse]!"

Ten minutes later there was a major meltdown because the cowboy hat wouldn't fit over the stocking hat to go outside and play.

Teddy's Birthday

Today is Teddy's birthday.  We are making decorations for the party. Adam is napping.  Eric is ice fishing.  Note:  Teddy may actually come to the party in Velveteen Rabbit-style.

Toy Story 24/7

Big...Baby...Big Baby?

Last Saturday Jeanne, I, and the kids went to Fargo before the first storm hit.  I took Adam into JCPenney to get his hair cut, despite his protests, "I d'n wanna haircut!  I d'n wanna haircut!"  He wore a cowboy hat around Fargo all day, which I thought was adorable, but I wore it during the haircut and read Toystory from a coloring book to him and the other clients who, I'm sure, appreciated the drama.

As the stylist finished up, she looked into the mirror with him and said, "Well, aren't you cute!"  Adam looked back at her through the mirror, jabbed at his chest as best he could under the apron, and pronounced, "I BIG."

Fine.

However, the next day we were all snowed in together and tensions ran high.  Sometimes I put the kids in the bathtub with water balloons, just to pass time.  I did this, but there was too much time to pass, and Adam started digging his fingernails into Abby's back to test cause and effect.  A screech brought me in to ref, and I told Adam he was not to do it again.  Obediently, he opened his palm and gave her two echoing smacks instead.  I said, "That's it, mister, you're in trouble now."  After dousing his new little buzz cut, I bundled him into a towel and transported him to his bedroom for discipline.  As I recapped his crime, he interrupted to plead his defense, palms upward, "I 'uh baby!  I 'uh baby, Mama!"

Adam In Charge

Those of you who have been around for the day-to-day stuff lately know we've been comparing Adam's speech development to Abby's and thinking he's a little behind.  However, here's what I've heard in the last half an hour since he came inside from playing in the snow.

"I come in, Mama.  I 'uhnt chocolate."

"Chocolate milk?"

"Cocoa."

"Oh, okay.  Do you need help with your coat and snowpants?"

[Jabs finger at self] "I do'ed it."

"Okay."

"I 'uhnt cocoa."

"I know, babe.  It's not instant."

Then he proceeded to slurp his hot chocolate and pick all of the vegetables out of the stir fry so he could eat them first.

"Wow, you're eating really well, Adam."

"I big."

He then remembered that he left his plastic Diego out in the snow.  He proclaimed, "Oh!  Diego outsihde" then delegated to Abby, "You geddit."

Abby obligingly redressed in her gear and went out for the rescue.  Adam sipped some more cocoa and directed from the window, apparently unaware that his voice did not travel through the pane.  "It - over - there, Abby.  By huh cassel [castle]!  Over there, Abby!  Over there!  By huh san-box, Abby."  I opened the door so he would feel more useful.

Happy President's Day, everyone!  It was really, really nice to have a day off today.  All of my National Board materials are due the end of March.  I made some progress today, and that feels really nice.

If There Are Cupcakes...

We are getting ready for a gymnastics birthday party for four-year-old twins.  As we wrapped up the presents this morning in Christmas princess paper (hey, it's pink, and you can only tell it's Christmas by the "Merry Christmas"es written on it), I asked Abby if she knew if today was actually the birthday or just the day they were celebrating.

She answered with certainty, "Well, Mama, we'll just have to wait and see.  If there are jis' puckakes, we'll know it's not the real day."

You know, I think she's probably right.

Some Baby Time

Last night we got to babysit for my friend Beth's one-year-old while she had her hair done.  Abby and Adam got down on the floor and entertained her the whole time; it was so easy for me!  I just made dinner.  From the next room I could hear, alternately -

"Ook at muh cah, Awee!" [Look at my car, Alli]

"Here, Alli, do you want this?  Do you want that?  Do you want your fireman toy?"

"Ook at!  Vroom!"

"Alli!  Alli!  Oh, you want that?"

So then I called them all to a spaghetti supper and just marveled at how far we've come.  Abby buttered her own noodles and ate them, spinning them neatly on her fork.  Adam agreeably stuffed noodles into his mouth with his hands, catching any errant ones and re-stuffing.  And Alli...well, she dropped the noodles off her highchair one by one and then sent my Corel plate bouncing across the hardwood.

Abby remarked, "It sure is nice of Bef to give us some baby time."

Yes, indeed.  And when her hair appointment ended, so did baby time.  Perfect-o.

Valentine Treats from Nana

Snow, Tumbleweeds, and Hot Chocolate

Scooby Doo Camp Scare

I take full responsibility for letting Abby rent Scooby Doo Camp Scare last night.

After the first five minutes of viewing, Abby and Adam were glued to the screen.

I said, "I don't like this.  It has dark figures running around with axes."

Eric said, "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!  I grew up on Scooby Doo!"

Abby said, "It's okay, Mom.  In Scooby Doo the bad guy - he - he - is just somebody dressed up in - in - a costume."

Adam said, "I-unt chocolate milk, Mama."

Total number of nightmares with screaming last night:  four.  Total number of family members affected:  two.    (Eric and I didn't have any.)  Total number of bed switches:  three.

Interview with Adam

Just Life

January has been non-stop action.  We are all hanging in there and enjoying small things along the way!  Tonight Abby and Adam came with me to address senior parents regarding yearbook grad ads at the start of a financial aid meeting.  As we three walked away hand-in-hand, I had this melancholy realization that I'd just asked parents for toddler pictures - the stage of life I'm living right now.  Every week or so, a kind passer-by or relative or friend says, "Enjoy every minute.  It goes fast."

And it is getting fun now.  Adam is becoming capable of so many more things, like clambering into his car seat unaided (if I have the patience in the current weather conditions) and getting most of his food directly into his mouth.  You know, some meals don't even require washcloths anymore!?  And Abby - well, Abby can pop microwave popcorn, make toast, run the blender, start a movie, and talk on the phone.  I think she's ready for college!

The only not-fun part right now is that Adam doesn't seem to need sleep.  His nights have been 10:00 to 6:00 with several trips into our room in between.  That's just not cutting it!  We're - I'm - exhausted (Eric sleeps through the pats on the arm and "Chock-laht milk, Mama.  Chock-laht milk.  And Too-stury [Toystory]" at 2 AM, 4AM, and 5:30 AM).  At daycare they've cut his nap for me, but he still seems invincible at times.

Maybe tonight.  Maybe tonight I'll sleep through the night.