The job of mommying

Mother's Day with my
three bosses/sweeties. I call it, Study in
Pink.

When you work at a "real" job, you hear things like this all day:
"What a great idea!"
"Can I get your opinion on something?"
"What do you think about this plan?"
"You sound miserable, why don't you take a sick day?"
"Anything I can do to help?"
"We really appreciate your expertise."

When you "don't work," you hear this:
"You're the worst mommy ever in the whole world."
"Can we do a craft?"
"This is the worst day ever," (after meaningful activities and the children's museum, followed by a delicious lunch and stories)
"I don't want to."
"No, that wouldn't work."
"I haven't gotten to play all day long!"
"Gross." (in reference to dinner)
"Can you please sew me a barn?"

Elise "mowing" the grass
she planted at preschool.

And, my personal least favorite, complete silence when what you were really hoping for was for a couple little people to jump into action, or at least answer your question. Or acknowledge your presence, even. Anything. Is this thing on? Hello? Hello???

 Or, maybe worse, when they answer every question with the word, "tooty," which isn't quite a bad word but sure sounds close to several, so you can only respond with a frowning laugh because you don't want to condone something you shouldn't, but you also don't want to be a complete-stick-in-the-mud for something that really could turn out to be no big deal. Plus, you're pretty sure that if you respond at all, it'll only make it a bigger deal than it is. Which is what will also happen if you completely ignore it. There's kind of no right answer here. But it's not actually a bad word, right?

At any rate, there are times when it seems that despite Mommy's best efforts, she and her endless loads of laundry and dishes really only get in the way of the amazing things that could be happening at our house. Or, the other variation, when Mommy's hidden agenda of civilizing her children get in the way of perfectly good playtime. Just ask my children.

Take Naomi, for instance: a child who will most definitely be good at puzzles someday, and probably would be now if it weren't for the fact that she's still working on her pincer grasp. She actually demonstrated her comprehension of the concept the other day by putting a circular object back into the circular hole it'd come out of. Or trying to, anyway. Darn underdeveloped pincer grasp.

The baby would be fully on track for a Nobel Prize in Chemistry (or something), except for the fact that Mommy simply cannot hold her up by her torso and walk her around the whole day, as Baby clearly needs (wants? It depends on her decibel level) in order to develop at the rate she'd prefer (light speed). But since I am unable to support Naomi, literally, as my back and wrists are shot, I'm completely failing my youngest, who no doubt will  have to consent to progress at age-grade level throughout most of her schooling career. I'm really holding her back, and pretty soon it'll show.

In fact, we have the following disagreement daily, if not hourly. Minutely?:
Me: Isn't the third child supposed to be mellow?
Naomi: I am supposed to explore! Learn! Discover! On my feet! Now!

Nature studies with Daddy.

Let's just say we actually did run the house completely on Naomi's terms (as opposed to about 75%, which is what we do now). Here's how a day would go:
5:30 a.m. Awake! Nature study on a long stroller walk around the neighborhood with Daddy.
7:00. First breakfast.
7:20. Inter-relational studies with the big sisters.
7:30. Object lessons, to be conducted from a standing or walking position.
8:00. Second breakfast. But only for about five minutes before I scream and shriek and want OUT of the chair. NOW!
8:15. I'm tired and nothing will make me happy except exploring sound theories by banging or tapping one or more objects together, from a standing or walking position. Never mind the breakfast dishes (or Mommy's soggy, ignored bowl of cereal).
8:45/9:00-ish. Fine, I'll sleep.
10:15. Morning snack.
10:30 until 12:00. Intensive texture observations, to be conducted from a standing or walking position.
12:00. First lunch. Same routine as second breakfast.
12:10-1:15. I'm tired and annoyed at seeing the same four walls, day after day. Gross motor skill studies, from a standing or walking position.
1:15: Second lunch.
1:25 to 2:00: Gravity experiments, to be conducted from a standing or walking position.

The injustice! Mommy won't let me
learn! Sometimes you just have to
laugh and snap the picture, because
you can't change it. The feet were
kicking, too, presumably to add
drama.

And so on. Now, replace anything unreasonable in the baby's directives with "crying pitifully because Mommy won't let me learn and makes me lie here on the floor surrounded by a wide variety of colorful rattles like a baby," and you have our actual routine. Lately, the big girls have been noticing that Mommy's grumpy a lot.

When we're all at our best, it's rather adorable to see Naomi charging around the house supported by a parent--and it happens many times a day. She talks as she walks, delighted, never mind the fact that a mere five seconds ago she was howling at the indignity of being placed on the floor on her tummy and surrounded by baby toys. The injustice! Placed upright and allowed to wander, however, Naomi is all sunshine, cooing and hooting at her new freedom and vantage point, no doubt already composing research papers in her mind on Surface Texture Comparisons or Noises Trash Cans Make When You Thump Them. Just look at all the learning she can do! What do shoes taste like? What would happen if I pulled over the trash can? Why is this slippery? What do these buttons do? Can I put my sister's favorite teddy bear in my mouth?

See, she knows how to be happy!

Surface Texture Comparisons, by Naomi
The House is composed of three main surface types, with several surface texture subsets. The major types are, listed in order of quantity: soft; brown; and cool stone. The "soft" surface texture type varies in color from beige to dull blue with shades of brown accent colors. The beige surface texture is the softest and thickest, but the singular beige color is easily forgettable. Dull blue with shades of brown accents is the most interesting aesthetically, and in the middle for softness, being not as thick as the beige, but still pleasant to the touch. Another "soft" texture is ridged, unlike the other two, and rather hard, although it is nicely striped in shades of cream, beige, blue and black. Rather interesting toys/objects can be found near this surface, although it is often out of sight of the Mommy figure, so it is undesirable unless she is immediately present. Brown texture types have two subsets: smooth and super-smooth. These are both hard and uninteresting, but can occasionally be good for sliding on feet or tummy, if one is in the mood. Cool stone has rarely been examined. It should be noted that a wide variety of surface texture types can be found outside the House, and will be investigated further at another time.

Ironically, the only thing the baby doesn't want to learn is how to crawl. Crawling is, apparently, for babies.

Yes, clearly I've been doing a terrible job with my littlest, who is destined to fall short of her true potential due to Mommy exhaustion. Now, let's talk about how Kalina can read because Mommy forced her to. Totally unrelated.

I love knee socks! Isn't she
tall?? Even without the stool?

Kalina can read! Really read! Big-girl books! ("Emergent Reader" big-girl books, anyway.) While her personal favorite is one that she's had memorized for almost a year, she is able to legitimately sound out several of Naomi's and a few easy readers we've brought home from the library. (Side note: if you're trying to convince a 5-year-old to learn to read, just bring home a baby and get out the old baby books. I won't say it's easier than the traditional method, but it works!) She's cleverly begun to notice that reading is everywhere! Cereal boxes! Signs! Preschool! You name it!

Elise, by the way, would want you to know that she can "read," too. She would also love for you to nod and smile as she triumphantly makes her way through "That's Not My Dolly" and a few others she has under her belt, or thinks she does, anyway. Yay, Elise! (She can legitimately sight-read her own name, too.)

I maintain that Kalina could've been reading much earlier, except she just didn't want to. Why? Aside from the inherent challenge ("But I don't really like challenges, Mommy"), it could be that she's afraid I won't read to her anymore, which I've assured her is not the case.

This hasn't stopped me from pushing reading. Or, more accurately, nudging it. Or sometimes cramming it down her throat, poor girl. My theory is this: if you live in a nice house with plenty of food, clothing, toys and medicine, with two loving parents and loving extended family, high-quality friends, a yard to play in and, in short, absolutely everything a child could need to feel safe, secure, confident and happy, you can work on reading, even if you don't particularly want to. We all have to have some hardship in our lives, right?

Kalina's preschool "musical!" So
sweet. She's in the back row and even
wore a dress to "fancy up!"

We've used flashcards, easy readers, alphabet magnets, puzzles, white boards, Bingo, computers, books and virtually every other resource I could (reasonably) think of to gain understanding of the English language. We've worked for years, although taking months off at a time to allow for more natural development And with the exception of sight word Bingo, Kalina has resisted it almost every step of the way. Despite all of my hard work (or perhaps because of it?) Kalina's preschool teachers have at times been more likely to see the fruit of her labor than I have, until now.

But eventually she learned the alphabet, then the sounds and then the fact that you can put the sounds together to make words. She learned cat, hat, mat and all the rest. Bingo taught us the, this, were, its and lots of other helpful words. Tiny flashcards (what 5-year-old doesn't like tiny things?) taught us blends. An alphabet on the wall reinforced sight words and sounds. Preschool teachers helped out with writing along the way, as nothing I could do would make the girl form even her own name for the longest time, and then anything but her name. And after 2+ years of off-and-on work, Kalina was taught to read (and write, too, although I can't take any credit for that)! And the whole experience taught me that I probably need to lighten up a bit.

If only Naomi would let me.

Nevertheless, I couldn't be prouder of my oldest, as she painstakingly makes her way through easy readers--still gently prodded, and rarely completely voluntary, although now that the hardest work is done (as I've assured her), she's a bit more open to the idea and sometimes even reads of her own accord. I know she's proud of herself, too. Likely for putting up with her mommy's "nudging" as well as for her accomplishments.

I also couldn't be prouder of my youngest, for demanding more out of life than a series of primitive baby toys. They are rather mindless, aren't they? The big sisters always got bored with them, too, and one of them is reading at five. And, um, another at three...right.

A chilly preschool field trip to get
ice cream!

And I couldn't be prouder of my middle for dozens of different things--as it seems you've read about lately in a couple different blogs.

In short, I do believe and expect the best of my kids. Which is why I expected my five-year-old to at least be working on reading,  and my nearly nine-month-old to at least be working on waiting patiently, horizontally, on the rug for five minutes while I saute onions on the stove. I truly believe both can rise to the challenge, although my nine-month-old would have me believe that tummy time nowadays is akin to making the five-year-old read Dickens.

Regardless, I don't think I'm doing a bad job. No matter what my three bosses sometimes tell me.
___________________________
Pediatrician Visit!

Naomi turns nine months in a few days! And so it was time to see the doctor. The baby weighs 15 lbs. exactly, and is 27 inches long, putting her in about the 6 1/2 percentile for weight and the 29th for height. Although cheerful on the way in, she was not happy about being laid down on the table, either because she associated it with a diaper change (which are all mini-nightmares nowadays, with crying from both of us because one wants to roll and the other wants to fasten the diaper on. Ironic, isn't it? that the only time the baby wants to be on her tummy is when it really makes things difficult?) or her shots from her last visit.

The baby is doing great, and even has a series of teeth coming in. She has three, and there might be as many more working their way out through her gums. Which the doctor confirmed could be the reason she went from "only" waking up twice at night to now waking up 3+ times, and she was kind enough to advise Advil. I also wonder if maybe Naomi's just working on her next paper entitled Gravity: True Every Time? in her head. You know how that is, right? When you just can't stop thinking about something so it keeps you up at night. Except usually with me, it's my grocery list or summer planning or a missing toy that's really bugging me. Poor Naomi, though, I can totally relate.

She received only one shot, and it wasn't too bad--the baby was possibly more cheerful after her appointment than before. She even consented to practice crawling a bit, but possibly only because I had the TV on in the background, which probably dumbed her down to a more age-appropriate level. Poor Naomi. I'm totally wrecking her chances with a prestigious career in science. Bad Mommy. But Dinosaur Train is science, right??

Triple firsts

Nummy bananas. Naomi
can't get enough, so she
figured she'd help.

Naomi is happy to announce that she likes bananas! And avocados! And oatmeal! But applesauce is a bit tart, and barley is just weird (not to mention an unhelpful texture that might work better at a later time). That's right: this week, Naomi officially sampled her first, although I had let her suck on not-too-ripe banana and washed lettuce stems, at her particular request, a bit earlier. She likes food, and in fact, has started to get annoyed if she's not offered any--especially lettuce, which is just so green and neat-looking.

We began on Wednesday, with mashed banana, a cute bib, a pink spoon and a camera. The big sisters, who had been eager for the baby to eat "mushed-up food" for a good year now, made for an enthusiastic and even helpful audience. Having sucked on a banana before, Naomi took to the taste immediately, even though it was mixed with a bit of formula. She sucked on the spoon and even managed to swallow quite a bit, adeptly spitting out any chunks I hadn't mashed quite as well.

The baby ate most of what I had to offer, letting me know she was done by screaming to get out of her chair (fortunately, at our second encounter with food she simply turned away). Loud and clear.

With each new food she's tried, the first few bites, at least, garnered a face that suspiciously said, "What in the world is going into my mouth?!?" Meh. Meh. And I'd wonder if bananas would be it for a while, But as long as the texture was super-watery, she'd keep going after the initial adjustment.

Naomi seems to want to eat more, so we'll be adding a second daily meal sooner rather than later. Any guesses on whether it'll help her sleep better at night, as the old wives say? I think no.
____

Build-A-Bear and Build-A-Pup! Elise
wore her puppy outfit to match.

I fully realize that "First Build-A-Bear" should most definitely not be a milestone. And it won't go in the baby book. But it was still a pretty big experience for Elise.

You may remember that we last experienced Build-A-Bear three years ago, as a Big Sister thing for Kalina. I'm not quite sure how we avoided making another animal in the meantime (unless you count the one for Aunt Nancy...), seeing how it's directly up our alley, but we did. Now that I mention it, that might be one of my proudest parenting accomplishments!

Kalina was more than happy to introduce Elise to the wonders of Build-A-Bear. I announced our plan the day before, and Kalina dug out her old B.A.B. cat and got her freshened up to meet a new friend.

Upon entering the store, Elise immediately became overwhelmed. So many people, so much glitter, and so many choices! Such expensive taste. I somehow managed to steer her past the My Little Ponies and Disney cats to the section of affordable animals. I'd prepped them for this a dozen different ways: "Now, what happens if the one you love costs $25?" "We can't get it." "Are you okay with any animal they have, or do you have to have a kitten?" "Okay with anything," they both assured me. That's the challenge of B.A.B.--getting out of there with all four limbs, and with no major arguments in the meantime. ("No, you may not get the stuffed car. [Don't be ridiculous, are you out of your mind?!?]")

Kalina, to her credit, contentedly bypassed the adorable multicolor bears she was initially attracted to. "We can't get these, Elise, they're too expensive," she said, not me. I could've bought her one then and there for her super attitude, but she happily settled on a more reasonable soft, pink bear with a heart for a nose. Elise wanted a puppy, but the Reasonably Priced Puppy was "too dark." I couldn't blame her--I wished they'd lightened it a shade. Finally we agreed on a lighter one that was super fuzzy, and probably a bit pricier than I'd planned. B.A.B: 1, Me: 1.

The three girls in the same rocking
chair their mommy was rocked in.

The girls grabbed at outfits with both paws as we waited in line to stuff the bears. And then it was our turn! Elise was assertive enough to answer all the questions herself, spell her own name, and even mention to the associate that she wanted her puppy to be "softer." (So was Kalina.) Soon, both animals were stuffed to perfection, and we turned our attention to outfits in earnest.

Elise liked anything with sparkles, and we found a sweet, glittery dress with a lollipop accessory and lollipop-shaped wings. We dressed her puppy, and then Elise stood clutching Pink Bear and the pup and taking in the scene. While Elise makes up her mind quickly and sticks her landing, Kalina likes to hem and haw. Fortunately, her mommy does, too--to a point. Kalina wanted a winter outfit that matched Gray's, but there were none to be had in the store. We found a cute substitute.

I considered letting them pick out cute bows as accessories. I then mentally nixed the idea: we have hair do-dads at home. And then they received free little bows at the register, along with the famous, bulky box homes! Fabulous! I forgave B.A.B. for at least one arm that they'd charged me. Then we created birth certificates. Elise's creation was named Licky Lick Lick, possibly changed to the Poky Little Puppy after she noticed some resemblance today during storytime later in the day. Kalina named her bear Rebecca.

Back at home, Elise has happily dressed and undressed her puppy several times already; fed her carrots with cinnamon on top in the play high chair for one meal and crocheted pizza, milk and banana for another;  provided birthday cake (it is, after all, the dog's birthday); and put her into and out of her house a dozen times. Kalina's armful of stuffed animals has happily expanded as she works her hardest to make sure Rebecca feels welcome, quietly talking to her about what to expect as a stuffed animal of the household. Thank you, Build-A-Bear! And Daddy...
______

Little girl at a big piano.

Kalina performed in her first piano recital! Held at her teacher's house, it was the perfect mix of casual and "real," and enjoyable for all, except, possibly, Elise, who caught wind of the treat table right behind her seat and couldn't wait for the music to be over. Naomi, for her part, didn't make a peep in the mei tai.

Kalina has been working hard since June and has been described by her teacher as quite talented. Her attention span, coordination, good attitude (even when she wanted to quit) and mental capacity have helped her breeze through various challenges, surprising us all. And with that, I'll be done bragging. She no longer wants to quit, by the way.

She chose her own program based on a theme: horse, and horse-like animals, and those who ride them. She practiced her pieces, Cowboy Joe, Rodeo and Donkeys Like Carrots, daily, and couldn't claim to be more than a little bit nervous as the day approached. The performers all sat cross-legged on the floor for lack of chairs, and volunteered to play when they were ready. Kalina, the youngest by two years, managed to be the very last.

She confidently answered her teacher's questions for the audience, and sat down to play. Her pieces couldn't have gone better, and since she's only five and hasn't quite moved on to Beethoven, her performance was quickly over. Soon, she was happily savoring a lemon bar while Elise devoured as many treats as she could grab.

_______

Naomi enjoying the soft puppy her
sisters picked for her before she was
born.

Naomi also had her 6-month checkup! She's growing at a consistent rate: she's 13 lbs. 8 oz. (in the 7.41%), and 25.5 inches long (34%). Apparently, she allotted most of her milk to height these past two months. She received her shots, but was smiling again by the time we checked out, having been more concerned about the fact that total strangers were poking and prodding her.

I bemoaned her horrible, awful sleep (I keep saying it can't get worse, and it always does--so I will not say that anymore), and the doctor reassured me that a bit of cry-it-out will not only help, but not hurt.

Big sisters, under strict instructions to wait patiently and not mess around, actually waited patiently and didn't mess around. Plus, they made a new friend in the waiting room who was a little too fond of Naomi for someone who'd been wheezing (according to her grandma). Aaargh! Fortunately, I was able to whisk Naomi to safety, my height being an advantage over the 4-year-old's.

On the way home, I remembered that Naomi could now have ibuprofen! With a cheerful, mellow baby, two well-behaving big girls and a husband who wanted pizza ingredients if I happened to be out, I decided that it'd be worth it to risk a trip to Target. My efforts paid off--not only did no one cry, but Naomi was fussy the rest of the day and night and the next day, so I was grateful for our infant Advil.

For the record, no, I can't believe she's halfway to 1. The part of me that's not utterly spent wants her to slow down!

Cute things

Elise and Woolly

One of the worst possible things that can happen if you're a caterpillar is to be found by a young child who is, in fact, interested in caterpillars. Especially if you're fuzzy or, woolly, in the case of a certain woolly bear caterpillar that used to live in our yard, but now lives in a small bug cage that gets carried place to place by a toddler. And given rides.

Poor Woolly, as we call him! Elise is beyond delighted with her new pet, found for her one evening by Daddy. She loves to hold him and does so as often as possible, either taking him out of his cage inside the house when she forgets that it's against the rules (no holding bugs in the house!) or frequently asking to be taken outside so she can hold him and watch him inch up her arm or on her shirt. She's surprisingly gentle when she has to pull him off to drop him back in the cage, although we usually let Kalina do the task, just in case.

And we use "him" loosely--for a while, it was a girl caterpillar until Elise realized we didn't really know for sure. He's been to the park, as well as for multiple rides in the van, our toy grocery cart and our toy car. He's been down slides, and he's been spun in circles many times. We gather fresh food for Woolly daily, and Elise is aware that at some point we'll have to release him. Hopefully he will survive long enough for that reward, as he's been quite the trooper.

The big girls were fighting
over who got to hug the
baby. The baby won.

Elise to Kalina: "If I saw a kitten I would run outside...I would ask a grownup, then run outside and bring in the kitten as quickly as possible."
Kalina to Elise: "If I saw a kitten, I would bring it inside and paint it rainbow colors. Then I would go over it with some shiny stuff so it shines."


Naomi has found her hands and her voice! She also smiles on request if you ask nicely and she's in a good mood. So now her pastimes are: staring at the world around her, very contemplatively; sucking on her fists and cooing out adorable little conversations.

She visited the pediatrician last Monday (the 21st) for her two-month appointment and weighed 9 lbs. 7 ounces, and was 21.5 inches long. She's tiny! The baby did not mind the examination, despite the fact that she'd finally fallen asleep mere seconds before the nurse asked me to undress her and get her ready to be weighed. She did mind the shots, very much. So much that I actually called a friend to pick up some infant Tylenol for me, which she very kindly did. What kind of mother of three doesn't have infant Tylenol?!?

Aunt Debbie gets to hold
Naomi!

We traveled to my cousin's wedding! In a different state! Five hours away! And survived to tell about it! It was hard, but not as hard as it could've been. In short, the baby slept through most of it!

The big girls loved the trip, and especially the hotel stay. Matt and Elise decided to sleep in Grandpa Tom's room, which Elise turned into a mini-sleepover. Long after the light had been turned off, she was still chattering away about how sleepy she wasn't, and had both the guys cracking up every time she opened her mouth.

Kalina, on the other hand, was happy to turn out the light and go to sleep--she takes after her mommy!

What does Elise do when
faced with a table full of
Hershey's kisses? Eat
them as quickly as possible,
and raid neighboring tables
for more.

The wedding was lovely--Elise's favorite part (and probably Kalina's, even though she's less vocal about it) was the endless supply of Hershey's kisses on the tables at the reception. They also liked the desserts, potato chips and punch. What's not to like? Naomi did not like the wedding--it was too loud and there was no place for her to relax. She was thrilled to be back in our somewhat quiet hotel room, and even happier to be back on her playtime blanket at home.


The big girls and I have a shaky, unofficial agreement. They can visit each other in their rooms at downtime as long as I don't "know" about it. That means even if they get into a fight, achieve minor injuries (and believe me, our injuries are usually quite minor) or spill caterpillar excrement on Kalina's carpet. I need to figure out what to do about this, but I'm buying time by pretending I don't know about it.


And that is all for now. Happy Halloween! Pics to come!

Aw!

Happy 3 to Elise!!

Birthday morning!

Cute little 2 1/2-year-old Elise. We all just loved her--although she would be quick to correct you if you called her that. "No, I'm big!"

Yes, Sweetie, you are big.

Bigger than her years. Elise will confidently strike up meaningful conversations with anyone--not letting her small stature deter her from speaking as an equal, and asking real questions. She understands patience and sharing better than most kindergarteners. Her sense of humor keeps us laughing with her, not at her. Elise keeps up with the big neighbor girls and Kalina's friends, completely clueless that she's kind of too young to really be able to do that very well.

"Happy birthday to me!"

No, in fact, Elise seems to have no idea that for many people, 2 1/2 means tantrums, whining, making giant messes and breaking stuff. Not that she's not capable--she simply has many better things to do. Most of the time, anyway.

And now she's three! For us, that's meant three years of pure sunshine in our house. Elise is about as pleasant a little person as one can be--sweet, sincere, easygoing and pretty much hilarious.

The ever-helpful big sister. 

And what else? Elise's jumping skills are unmatched, as is her arm strength, as is her smile. She can count to 18, as long as she skips anything after 12. She takes singing and dancing very seriously, often solemnly making up words to songs about upstairs and downstairs, puppies, and more, as well as performing "ballet." She "reads," "writes" and draws pictures using much more imagination than realism, but the realism is certainly on its way. Elise loves to participate in any project or activity--but she also knows when to ask for help, including from God Himself. She knows how to follow rules, but also thinks it's pretty entertaining to break them--even if Mommy doesn't. She loves people, and is comfortable with kids and grownups of any age, except, possibly, pre-verbal toddlers, who she likes to chase relentlessly (we're working on that). But she's equally happy playing on her own--or, more likely, with her animals or her favorite little doll, Ellie. And she'll listen to stories for more time than I usually have to sit down and read them.

Were you wondering what was in the
dog-shaped package in the first picture?
It's Hoppy Bunny!

Elise loves a little bit of adventure, but not too much. Some of her best adventures happen in her mind with Pink Bear--they duo is often known to catch a family of snakes, deer, bears, etc. on their way home from work and put them in cages. Or drive to a hotel for a vacation. Or fly to the moon.

In fact, as you'll find if you ever have a conversation with her, Elise and Pink Bear have lifetimes worth of experiences and adventures spanning every possible topic. She'll confidently tell you stories to match and surpass anything you've ever done. So if you rode in a hot air balloon, she probably did too. And ate ice cream while on board, and talked to a bird, and then it turned into a boat and they went under water and saw a shark. And Pink Bear was scared, so they hid, and then threw purple rocks at the shark. And so on.

Kalina took this picture of me
and my birthday girl!

She's happiest when pretending to be a baby animal--usually a kitten, bear or penguin, and can spend entire days "in character," happily indulged by her big sister.

And, in fact, Elise is very often happy! She always has been, and I hope she always will be.

Elise at three often lives in two worlds--the "big kid" world and the "little kid" one, which often involves stretching back into babyhood on soft pink blankie, holding soft pink bear and recharging. Aw!

As you can see, we've so much to celebrate in little Elise!

A tea party with the new tea set!

And it was quite the celebration. Marked by Grandma and Grandpa's arrival in town the night before, the morning launched us into a flurry of activity as we opened a present (a "Hoppy Bunny" Elise can bounce on), welcomed Grandma and Grandpa, and got Kalina out the door for preschool. And for a few hours, Elise had Grandma and Grandpa all to herself. The weather not being particularly friendly, Elise decided she wanted to take them to the mall play area, where she showed off all manner of tricks, particularly her amazing jumping skills.

A low-key afternoon of playtime and purple-frosted graham crackers led into evening, when Daddy's return home from work kicked off the big celebration. And what are the top two things on any 3-year-old's mind when it's her birthday? Presents! Cake! She dug into both with little restraint and few manners, which I probably hadn't done a good enough job preparing her for. There's always next year--or Christmas--right?

We all enjoyed sitting back and watching her, except good-natured, ever-helpful big sister Kalina, who easily forgets that Elise really is big enough to help herself to her gifts. Not that I can blame Kalina--after all, the gifts were every big as exciting to a 5-year-old as to a 3-year-old. Elise weathered the "help" in stride, as did Kalina weather the gentle admonitions of, "It's Elise's birthday, Sweetie!"

And fortunately, when you share a house with your favorite playmate, you know that you'll get to share in the spoils when it's all over. My favorite comment of the evening: "Kalina, we got some Little People!" Because isn't everything more fun with a sister?

The fun could've lasted all night, but we weren't about to let it, knowing we had several big grandparent-filled days ahead--and a rainbow kitten pony party with a couple little friends!

Elise and friends at her party

Nothing says 3 like rainbows, kittens and ponies--not, at least, according to Elise. We'd planned her party for Saturday morning and invited two sets of sister, all roughly near Elise's age (actually, one is almost Kalina's age but gets along great with Elise). The night before, the younger of each set had to bow out due to illness. With enough distraction, however, Elise was still excited.

Now, why would I be crazy enough to let my 3-year-old have a themed birthday party with friends despite the fact that there's a newborn in the house? I'm not sure of any reason other than that I probably am a little crazy. Besides, it's not really any harder to plan a tri-themed party than a single theme, and lots of the supplies and activities (and even the playlist) could be reused from Kalina's.

Not sure I've ever seen him prouder.

In fact, Elise has been planning her party ever since Kalina started planning hers, a fact that not only pretty much forced me to give her a party (because how could you tell a 3-year-old who thinks she's 5 that she can't have a birthday party even though her sister did three months ago?), but ensured the rainbow paper chains and extra party hats didn't get tossed. I began stocking up on pony napkins, kitten plates, and more, making sure each theme was well represented. Easy-peasy.

We'd filled treat bags and made lemon cupcakes, and pretty soon we were welcoming guests. Our first activity was to fill pony necklaces with layers of rainbow-colored sand. Rainbows and ponies. Check and check.

Pinning the tail on Rainbow Dash,
and winning!

Then we moved on to Pin the Tail On Rainbow Dash (a favorite My Little Pony pony). Daddy provided the stunning artwork for this activity, a feat he was as proud of as his thesis. And rightly so! The only mistake, according to Elise, is that Rainbow Dash wasn't purple like she'd wanted. Because Rainbow Dash isn't, in fact, purple. And then we did the Rainbow Walk--back by popular request.

After some pizza, we pulled out the cupcakes. The kids' cupcakes were topped with My Little Ponies, courtesy of ebay. And the uproar began. Each child singled out a pony they wanted, and while there were no arguments, the sugar-filled treats' desirability rose exponentially.

We could barely convince the girl that we needed to put candles on her cupcake, light them, sing to her, and have her blow them out before she could begin the process of choosing her cupcake, plucking off the pony and licking the frosting off. (Appropriately, this is how each girl claimed her pony. She licked it.) How do you convince the birthday girl to wait through all the once-fun-now-tedious traditions before claiming her prize? Certainly not with a timeout. We barely managed. And the house didn't burn down, either. Elise sang Happy Birthday the loudest of everyone there before digging in.

Order of operations: 1. blow
out candles. 2. take
cupcake.

After a few presents and some final playtime, it was time to say goodbye. Another great year, and another great party!

Special thanks to Grandma for holding the baby in a dark, quiet room the ENTIRE time so that Mommy could join in Elise's ENTIRE special party--and Naomi would survive it germ-free! We saved her a pony.

Special thanks, also, to Kalina, who patiently watched as Elise received all the attention, most of the gifts and the first turn for everything, and who mostly politely allowed other people to choose various goodies she'd earmarked, and who through it all, once I believe choking back disappointed tears, managed to smile graciously and help her little sister enjoy a lovely third birthday.

Does Elise feel 3 yet? She does not. "I still feel like I'm 2 1/2." Elise mentions every so often that she's still growing into 3.

I suppose when 2 1/2 is so much fun, there's no hurry to be 3! I'm not in a hurry, either.

Happy birthday Elise, love you!

World's Cutest Baby version 3.0
1 month old!

Pediatrician visit!

Naomi had her 1-month appointment! (1 month of sweet newbornhood--gone. 1 month of new baby smell--gone. 1 month of sleep deprivation--gone. You win some, you lose some.)

I've learned that Naomi does not like the car after all. Not even a little bit, as Elise would say. Naomi is happiest (read: the only time when she is not crying) when she is swaddled and held while the holder is actively walking around and possibly bouncing; or eating, or asleep. She also doesn't mind the five minutes after a diaper change. Unfortunately, these conditions describe a car ride not at all, unless she happens to be asleep, which she finds mighty tricky unless she's swaddled.

As we'd been to preschool twice and Target once already before the appointment, Naomi had had a stressful morning (as had I).

She didn't mind the scale, and she didn't mind the exam table too much. The rest of the trip, except for the brief amount of time I was able to get her to sleep in the waiting room, she minded very much.

Especially the shot, as everyone in the entire office and waiting room soon found out. A sympathetic stranger helped carry the carseat while I tried to console my littlest and wrangle my middle away from rolling around on the germy floor or hurting my oldest. Success eluded me. This was not a shining moment, but it was a very long one.

All the misery aside, Naomi now weighs an even eight pounds and is 21 inches long. Growing like a champ, but still in newborn clothes (cute!). Her mean diaper rash has finally found a solution. The doctor wondered if she'd smiled, yet, and I think she has--a couple days ago I noticed a grin that I couldn't quite attribute to just gas. Or maybe it was just because I really, really needed it to not just be gas.

After her shot, Naomi took a giant nap or two, and was finally back to her usual self by evening, when I held her for five hours straight (minus diaper changes) to keep her happy. And when Naomi's happy, we're all happy!

Elise's first preschool! And so much more...

Elise the preschooler!

About a month ago, we bought Elise a backpack. It's just her size and looks like a puppy. She (reluctantly) takes it off to bathe and sleep, and also to pack and repack several times a day. And last Tuesday, for the first time, she wore it to preschool!

Elise's teacher had requested that a parent accompany each student on the first day, and it almost killed me not to be the one to attend. Considering, though, that the germs in a 3-year-old classroom could do quite a number on the newborn, it wouldn't have been responsible. So Daddy got to go to preschool instead!

Here's the official report:

No, I did not bribe them.

Elise's version: "We had cookies for snack! With sprinkles!" It took a lot of prying to get anything more out of her since all other activities paled in comparison, but I did learn that she made a friend (Margot), and they did circle time, went outside and read stories about cookies. They did not do a craft.

Matt's version: "I have no idea how the teacher will be able to wrangle all those kids by herself."

Elise, for her part, was a step ahead in that she already knew how to stand in line without wandering away. This is a learned skill; it comes instinctively to very few toddlers, apparently. Matt couldn't blame her when she saw the other kids dashing off and considered, for a moment, joining them. I am already imagining the other bad habits she will have the opportunity to pick up.

Three sisters! Two smiles.

Elise has been yearning for the preschool playground ever since we first dropped Kalina off a year ago. As an official student herself, she finally got to play! She loved the tire swing, and had no interest in the sandbox for whatever reason.

Later in the week, I learned that the kids actually did do a craft--they'd glued paper chocolate chips onto a paper cookie. It fell out of her backpack, and that's the only reason I know.

Happy and awake at the same time?!?
Another one of those little-celebrated
milestones.

The girl can't wait to go back, and nearly cried when she learned she couldn't until the next Tuesday. ("Mommy preschool," which included baking cookies with m&ms and chocolate chips, however, proved to be an excellent diversion--and Naomi miraculously managed to sleep through the entire project). I'm not sure she knew, though, that Daddy won't be coming with her every time, and this revelation rendered her, in her words, "scared."

Elise's initial preschool success wasn't completely out of the blue. After all, she had a big sister to reassure her ("We can wave to each other if we see each other, and I'll play with you on the playground, Elise!"), and we'd played "circle time" at home, complete with backpacks and cubbies. (Playing preschool will be convenient, as I can already tell, since they let me be the teacher and they do whatever their
"teacher" tells them. "Now, class, it's cleanup time!" and, "Now it's teacher naptime!" I'm imagining the possibilities.) We've been taking turns and waiting patiently since birth. And really, what more do you need to know when you're not even three years old?
_______________________________

First day of pre-K for Kalina:

No tears. No tears!!! NO TEARS!!! Need I say more?

(Yes, I do need to say more: Kalina has a lovely teacher, and has had lovely projects already--like finding a nature item and writing clues about it, and getting every family member to trace their hand on a piece of posterboard. She's starting Spanish after school, and will continue piano lessons after school, too. Fortunately, school only lasts 2 1/2 hours three times a week, so we're not overdoing it.)

_______________________________

Tummy time on a blanket made by
a friend.

Second day of preschool/pre-K:

I knew I'd have my work cut out for me today. Not only would it be my first day completely solo, but I'd have to get Kalina to preschool, pick her up, rush the girls home for a quick lunch, rush out to the pediatrician's office, and return home in time for a late "downtime." All while dodging germs with a newborn. And letting the 2-year-old "help" carry the carseat through crowded hallways.

Yup, it was too much. We were early for Kalina's drop-off (yes, you read that right--early!), although we had forgotten her backpack and the favorite book she was supposed to bring. The book that she had remembered to pack all by herself. We were right on time to pick her up--with one exception. Spanish had already started! I wasn't the only parent who didn't realize they'd be starting Spanish on the second day of school when we'd only signed her up the day before. It threw me for a loop, I won't deny. Nevertheless, I was glad they were already digging in, and I reasoned we could still make it home in time for me to fix a proper "car lunch" of cheese, cracker and apple. Kalina was happy to see us, and we accompanied her to the Spanish classroom.

Naomi's first bath! The big sisters
helped make sure she had a few toys.

Naomi was hungry! No matter, Kalina's sweet piano teacher (who works at her preschool) whisked us into her classroom and let us hang out there. Elise spotted the large blue rug the kids sit on for music class, and immediately became a baby duckling. She swam and splashed quite happily while I threw her food (mostly Goldfish crackers and cake), and didn't want to leave when it was time to go get the diapering supplies from the car.

Clean diaper in place and dirty cloth one stashed safely away, we waited for Kalina's class to end. And waited. And waited. Don't get me wrong--I'm glad she's getting plenty of Spanish education. But by the time we'd returned to our van, we had exactly enough time for me to dash into the house, grab some crackers to toss at the big girls and refill my water bottle, and dash back.

Thank goodness Naomi loves to nap in the car, is all I can say.

By the time we returned home from the pediatrician, we were all ready for a good long nap. No one, of course, took one (except the baby, who was by now so stressed out from all her adventures that she spent the next day and a half sleeping, nights excluded.).
___________________________________

Does it look like Naomi's
smiling while Elise pets
her soft head?

Pediatrician visit for Naomi!

Naomi is growing cuter by the day (which is saying a lot--she started out pretty adorable!), and growing bigger, too! At her 2-week appointment, she weighed 6 lbs., 7 ounces (well over her birth weight!) and had grown an inch, to be 19 inches long. It's astounding to me how a baby can grow an inch in two weeks.

After we verified that Naomi does not like the scale any more than her Mommy does (or her big sisters at that age), we discussed the fact that Naomi was cosleeping because she won't sleep alone in her crib at night (and only on occasion during the day). The doctor frowned a bit and we discussed other options, but wouldn't she have frowned more if I'd told her the baby was crying by herself in the crib all night? Any veteran parent knows that the crib is where you put a baby to wake her up for feedings! Nevertheless, we're certainly making an effort, as Noami is no longer the quiet, peaceful sleeper she was last week.

We learned that the cute but sometimes alarming squeaky wheezy noises she makes are simply her vocal cords adjusting. Better get them primed and ready, Baby, because you'll have two big sister chatterboxes to keep up with!

And that was all! We'll see the doctor again in a couple weeks for the 1-month visit.

At home, we've learned that Naomi might be a bit sensitive, but (new this week!) is content to calmly scope out her surroundings for a good five to ten minutes when her needs are met. She's starting to like lights, and loves being swaddled and riding in the car. She makes the cutest little almost purring/cooing noises when she feels the need to make noise, but not unhappy noise. The baby also seems to enjoy tummy time, which has been known to calm her down more than once. I believe she'd like to sleep on her tummy, but the mean doctor (who we actually really like) says she can't. She actually does not like pacifiers, however, so that might change up our sleep journey a bit, for better or worse. Stay tuned, because you know I'll keep you posted.

Naomi can also recognize the word milk. Twice now, I've mentioned the word to her and she's stopped mid-cry. She smiles in her sleep, and laughed in her sleep for the first time today.

As for sleep, she's getting better at sleeping in her crib during the day, but either she's scared of the dark or we're simply not patient enough to give her a good chance to sleep there on her own at night. Occasionally she has lots of trouble settling down to sleep, and will be awake and fussy for hours, but often when she does she'll sleep for a healthy amount of time and even settle herself a bit. Except when she doesn't. And other than dealing with pacifiers, I anticipate exactly the same ups and downs we've had with the previous two, despite the fact that we really are working to instill good habits from an early age.

Big sisters are still in love with her. What do they love most? Seeing the contents of her diaper. But they also enjoy keeping her company during tummy time, singing her little songs, and climbing on her crib and handing her toys while helping me put her down for her nap.
___________________________________

Nothing is ever quiet at our house! But it is very, very cute.

Sweet spring (and pediatrician visit!)

We had an informal photo shoot!

We recently endured Elise's 18-month pediatrician appointment, but I forgot to bring home her information sheet and it was mostly a normal visit, so after a brief run-down, we'll talk about how much fun it is to have a toddler (and a 3 1/2-year-old) in the springtime.

It's funny how despite the fact that there were no shots at Elise's appointment, because the doctor recognizes that kids start to develop a memory at this age, the child managed to hate it anyway. I don't think there's any getting around the fact that doctors are scary, and nurses are sometimes worse. Kalina will learn this anew at her 4-year-old checkup, where she'll be tested unnecessarily for tuberculosis ("But it's not a shot!" the doctor will insist, to no avail.). *sigh*

Elise's first fishing trip! She got
distracted by the playground and
caught nothing.

Anyway, Elise hated being weighed and measured, hated having her tummy prodded, but didn't mind too much having her heartbeat checked. Everything was fine: she's in the 75th percentile for height, and up to the 25th for weight, which the doctor congratulated me on. Her head circumference is in the 50th.

Despite two blood draws and comments about Elise's glowing health, the doctor wants to extract some more to keep testing her iron. Her levels were low, and hadn't improved into the middle of the normal category, only the lower end of it. Matt's theory: the doctor is seeing her as a pincushion that can pad her wallet. My theory: leukemia. Why are we always at such extremes? Elise is fine.

The doctor was duly astonished that Elise seems to be recognizing some colors, and that she'd invented her own sign language and was pairing words and ideas with it. For instance, every morning at breakfast:

The neighbor girl helped Kalina
strip the bush almost clean of blooms.
Then, Kalina brought them inside
to be my pets. I was required to water
them every day.

Elise points to a finger-painted picture behind her. "Uh!"
Me: Who made that picture?
Elise: "Deh!" (Proudly pointing at herself.) Then she holds up one finger.
Me: With your finger?
Elise: Smiles and nods. Then pats her tray.
Me: Sitting at your high chair?
Elise: More proud smiles and nods.

She's used the same techniques to regale me with stories about riding the trike (with a helmet!) and how much she misses Daddy while he's at work.

In short, Elise is healthy and bright. She's also enjoying spring, as is Kalina, as is Matt, as am I. Here's how:

When you're 18 months old, life is magical. You wave "bye-bye" to merry-go-rounds, garbage cans and delivery trucks. You can make some amazing sounds with your mouth, and jump quite well and are learning to gallop. Your cheeks are delightfully chubby, and you can fit into any shoes on the rug. Add to this the magic of spring, and life has never been better.


The weather has been so glorious lately that the house is a mess and dinner is always late: we never stay in long enough to take care of our mundane tasks. How can we, when there are flowering bushes to strip free of their blooms (thank goodness we left town for a couple days or else the poor thing wouldn't have a chance at pollination), and yards to run across just for the sake of running, and swings to actually swing in.

That's right: both girls swing now, for just about the first time ever. However, there are rules: don't push Kalina more than a fraction of an inch, and don't imagine that Elise would prefer a baby swing to a big-girl version. As Matt figured out without me around one day to disallow him from doing so, Elise sits nicely all by herself in a real swing, even with some mild pushes, even from her big sister as she patiently waits for her own turn. In fact, she loves it. So much that it's a problem we only have one swing. Who would've guessed?


Kalina has joined the ranks of kids who could swing all day, albeit her feet hardly leave the ground. She's learned a fairly effective type of kick-pump, and sings made-up songs about swinging and shadows and rainbows, and usually clutches a kitten or two, and often wears dresses, and once pigtails, and is humanity's zenith of cuteness with the exception, of course, of a certain 18-month-old learning to gallop.

Look! Pigtails! And real
bubbles!

Every time we venture outside, whether to throw out the garbage or head to Target or play, Elise heads for the bubble bucket, hauls it out, and begins blowing. Lots of practice has rendered her only one or two mouthfuls of bubble fluid (every child has to ingest a certain amount before they figure it out), but lots of successful bubbles. We've discovered that they stick around longer on the grass than the pavement, and that they're marvelously fun to pop with the touch of a finger. Kalina has known this a while, but as I couldn't find bubble fluid last fall, this is Elise's first real bubble season.

Elise insists on a hat even for
indoor gardening. And wearing
her sister's shorts over her own.

We've also been gardening, both for real and pretend. As Matt helped the girls plant seeds, water them, and all that (Kalina knows better than I do), I initiated an indoor craft garden effort that was almost as well received. Now, the girls can dig, water and extract flowers and vegetables indoors and out, all of which we do on a regular basis. Both are working on blowing the seeds off dandelions, with Elise using a vigorous wave as her best strategy, and Kalina honing her force and her aim, and the force of her aim.

Easter egg hunting!

Beyond that, we've been enjoying the neighbors and their kids and their yards. We're so fortunate as to have half a dozen girls roughly Kalina's age living within a few stones' throws of our front door--and a couple even next door. She's now old enough to be thrilled with all of her playmates--even if she's not quite caught on to the idea of actually playing together. Springtime has brought everyone out of doors, which means lots of running back and forth between yards (for Kalina, that must means to our next-door neighbor's) and impromptu games of tag. And then I brought out a wagonful of Easter eggs (a week and a half early), and half the neighborhood, it seemed, joined in to hide and hunt. While Elise loves watching the kids (and finding an Easter egg or two of her own) and covets the neighbor's swingset, she hasn't yet joined in the fray. 

The little line on Kalina's hand
is her caterpillar.

And finally, yesterday afternoon we welcomed into the family two new pets: Hungry and Pet the caterpillars. (Actually, these are our second set of caterpillars: the first Hungry and Pet were squished nearly beyond recognition as Kalina toured them around the yard.) She caught them herself, expertly, as her daddy had taught her. But as he was not yet home from work, it fell to met to agree she could keep them, find a jar and help her outfit it with items from their natural environment to help them feel more at home, despite the fact that they will never again escape the lingering smell of spaghetti sauce. It was also my job to locate and sneak two new, live caterpillars into the jar, while attempting to discard the carcasses of the first two, while sending Kalina off to look for "more leaves, we need more leaves."

For the rest of the evening, Kalina paraded her caterpillars around: they joined us at dinner and slept on her nightstand. She held one while Daddy carefully poked holes in the lid, and carried it all around the yard while they enjoyed some pre-bedtime playtime. 

I have no idea what will become of the caterpillars in the next few days and weeks, I can only hope there's a rather endless supply of them near the swingset where we found the first four, as I have a feeling we may need them.

I will admit that I could use a rainy day or two to catch up on housework, errands, and all the rest. But until then, I'll simply enjoy our beautiful spring days with my two beautiful springy girls.