Diva Eva

This little Eva

is quite the small diva

She demands doting

grandmas

and organic bananas

She throws her toys

and makes too much

noise

But babies are famed

for having their

families trained

So when the

big sisters decree

they can't hear the TV

A mysterious snack arrives...

After 6 Years...

Spurred on by my last post, I got to thinking about how my approach to parenting has relaxed over the years.  Poor Eva.  At this point I see nothing wrong with corraling the small child in a  laundry basket full of toys while I blog work on school stuff.  And when she gets fussy....

I see nothing wrong with letting her big sister drag her around the bedroom in the basket.  Sudden stops, wheelies and all.  After all, she's already crying...

After 6 years of being "Mom", I feel confident enough to just hand her the whole darn banana instead of cutting it up into little bite size pieces.

When Ali was a  baby, babysitters had to have a resume...

Now I employ 6 year olds as babysitters while taking showers, phone calls, etc. 

Funny how things change!

IndyAnna Jones

I was a little concerned yesterday when I saw this.

My girls were using a garden hose as a wild vine to play IndyAnna Jones in the backyard.

My brain was screaming, "Accidental hanging!  Broken arm!  Fractured vertebrae...!"

But they were playing so nicely that we decided

that with close supervision,

the vine could remain.

A little imagination -

It's good for 'em!

Then I saw this.

Two plastic toddler seats perched precariously on top on the wagon.

The rope around the handle was used to harness the contraption to

Ali IndyAnna.

Again, "Rope burn! Cracked noggins!  Strangulation....!"

But they were playing so well that we struck an agreement with Indy -

No rope harnesses, and wagon to remain over grass and not concrete patio -

And we let them play.

It's good for 'em!

Amelia

Mia is definately my quirky kid.  She is an odd-ball, unique, marches to her own beat.  Mia keeps it real. 

This morning Mia woke up and put on a black hair band and proclaimed herself "dressed".  So here we are at 1:42 pm in a footed sleeper with a black hair band, her little feet shoved into multi-colored tennis shoes.  She requested goldfish crackers and chocolate milk for breakfast.  She accidentally gouged out a piece of her forehead on a broken plastic bowl, so she's wearing a bandaid like a unibrow across her forehead. 

I've been pretending not to hear her ask if she can paint as she follows me around with Tempura paints all morning.  She fought with her baby sister over "Bath Tub Baby Doll" because Eva kept trying to chew on Baby's foot.  Then she got a tissue and wiped Eva's nose after she made her cry over the baby doll. 

She said, "You are the cutest baby in this town, Eva.  I just love you, little hooty-head!  Num, num, num!" 

She wanted peanut butter and Nutella on a hamburger bun for lunch.  While she ate, she told me a story about a witch named "Mommy".  ("Mommy" the witch turned out to be a nice girl, though.)

She can't sleep at nap time unless I sit next to her and work on the computer or lay with her and hold her hand. At least she still naps.

She wanted to talk about MLK again and asked me why someone would want to shoot a man with good ideas.  Then she told me I could tell her if I ever have a good idea, but I shouldn't go where mean people are.  Then we both promised to take care of each other forever. 

Okay, maybe that last part is a little sickly sweet, and I certainly didn't mean to make you gag - I'm just trying to illustrate a personality here!  My Meatball rounds out our family perfectly! 

Being 6

Being 6 years old is tough, let me tell you... I hear about it on a daily basis. Nagging moms, bratty little sisters, pesky 1st grade boys, and spelling tests. Yesterday was particularly trying as Ali's teacher informed me after school. It seems my child is quite sensitive with a flair for the dramatic. My child? Sensitive and dramatic? Can you imagine?
To help us develope a "thick skin", the Cuties and I practiced insulting each other so we could then take turns dealing with the comments maturely and rationally. Without crying. A bit unconventional? Perhaps, but it worked. Today was a much better day at elementary school and we learned valuable lessons about the "golden rule".
I am so lucky to have such a sweet and responsible oldest daughter! I found these photos taken by Ali this evening and they made me laugh...


















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Eva

Likes:  Milk, Momma, big sisters (when they are quiet and gentle),

splashing in the tub, watching football on the floor with Daddy,

swinging at the park on warmish days,

BANANAS

VTech blender toy,

other babies and bedtime.

Dislikes:  naptime, empty bottles,

big sisters (when disregarding the concept of personal space)

loud noises, excersaucers,

the sight of Momma walking away

Sorry!

We, in the great state of Texas,

would like to appologize

for the fabulous 55 degree,

sunshiny day

we enjoyed at the park yesterday.

Squeek of the Week

Mia:  "Mom!"
Mom:  "Yes, Mia?"
Mia:  "Everybody has germs.  That's why we don't share straws."
Mom:  "That is correct."
Mia:  "I have 3 little germs and 1 big one."
Mom:  "Okay, well, just keep them to yourself.  That big one, especially." 


Ali to Dad:  "Daddy?  You are the best snuggler.  I think you are the comfy-est man in the world!"
I think that may be the best compliment he's ever received. 

The Resurrection

Well, not THE Resurection. I have great faith in my ability to amuse and inspire, but I take my humble place behind the Lord.

Anyway, I need to convey to you a pattern before I get to the resurrection.

Years ago, a charming, attractive, young mother was driving home from a long shift at the hospital in one of those infamous Nebraska blizzards. The kind of blizzard that would make those Texans who drive in a 1/2 inch of wet snow at 5 mph with their flashers on suffer a massive anxiety attack and fall over dead. This poor mother endured not one, not two, but three complete spin-outs in her little Ford Focus before arriving nearly hysterical at home and vowing never to drive again. That year for Christmas, her hero got her a four-wheel drive SUV.
Another time, this charming, attractive, young mother and her hero decided to purchase their first home. After months of looking, they found the perfect house! And were promptly outbid... But then, after resolving to place an offer on another place, her hero produced a contract on the dreamhouse. Surprise!
On another occasion the charming, attractive, young mother burned her arm pulling muffins out of the oven. It was a bad burn. It didn't even hurt, it was that bad. Several days later, a cute blue oven mitt with red lady bugs was purchased by her hero to spare her arms further trauma.
Yet another time this very same charming, attractive, young mother accidentally drowned her new iPhone. You may have heard... After her hero's face returned to its normal color and after about 12 hours of controlled silence on the subject, her hero spent almost an entire Saturday lying through his teeth to procure for her a new iPhone. He succeeded.  And Katie's iPhone has been resurrected!  (Which is good because even after only one week with the thing, I couldn't get my life back without it.) 
Despite the difficulty, this hero puts forth great effort in trying to make the life of a certain charming, attractive, young mother easier. Your efforts are not unnoticed dear hero.