I was reading Katrina a book tonight about The Gingerbread Man, and she pointed to a drawing of an old couple sitting on a bench. "What's THAT?!" she shouted, putting her finger on the old lady. It wasn't the best drawing.
"A lady," I answered.
"No!" she said with authority. "Issa WOMAN!"
Thursday, December 18, 2008
12/18/08 The Apple of my....what?!
This evening when the kids got home, Gabriel inexplicably opened his lunch bag, and started eating his leftover lunch. Normally I don't allow any snacks before dinner, even fruit, but he got a hold of it before I saw, and it wasn't worth the fight.
And then it started another one. Katrina saw Gabriel's apple and started one of her usual insistent fits. Nothing else would do. She had to have an apple.
Well, the boys might be old enough to relax that no-snack rule, but Katrina's too young to enforce it, so I gave her a small apple, just to calm her. I wasn't about to take on apple fights with both my fighters!
I've never handed her a solid piece of fruit before, so I was surprised when she tackled the apple with aplomb. She applied her laser-focus and tiny baby teeth and buzzed through it like a caterpillar on a leaf.
A few minutes later, I was shocked to see her hold up -- a stem. A stem! That's all that was left! I've never seen anyone do such a job on an apple before!
I guess I'm done cutting up fruit.
12/18/08
And then it started another one. Katrina saw Gabriel's apple and started one of her usual insistent fits. Nothing else would do. She had to have an apple.
Well, the boys might be old enough to relax that no-snack rule, but Katrina's too young to enforce it, so I gave her a small apple, just to calm her. I wasn't about to take on apple fights with both my fighters!
I've never handed her a solid piece of fruit before, so I was surprised when she tackled the apple with aplomb. She applied her laser-focus and tiny baby teeth and buzzed through it like a caterpillar on a leaf.
A few minutes later, I was shocked to see her hold up -- a stem. A stem! That's all that was left! I've never seen anyone do such a job on an apple before!
I guess I'm done cutting up fruit.
12/18/08
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
12/17/08 Gabriel-proofing
Whoever invented the wetness alarm had kids like Gabriel in mind. Some alarms have different sounds or buzz frequencies, intended the kids don't get used to them and sleep through. They're not easy to shut off, and aren't that easy to take off.
But that didn't stop Gabriel last night from turning off the alarm, removing it, changing his pajamas, and getting right back into bed (with a wet sheet, ick). I went into the boys' room to take them to the bathroom around 1am, but I was 10 minutes too late. He'd already put his wet pajamas in the laundry basket and ditched the alarm onto the floor. One thing about Gabriel, he'll tell you to the minute when he woke up. After he wet the bed, that is.
Spending half my day dealing with remodeling issues is becoming the new norm. Yesterday I left work to meet with a Corian fabricator, answer numerous questions from the carpenter, painter and tilesetter. Before I left work, I was on the phone several times (not good). Today I had to drive to Redwood City to get Corian samples (the guy yesterday forgot to bring them, arrgh), then ended up leaving work again to bring beadboard and cap samples to the carpenter, and spent a good half hour working with him on how high and where to put things. The details are coming fast and furious.
The tile has been the biggest time-sink and source of angst and countless decisions and problems. Many times I've asked myself: why I can't point to a tile pattern in 5 minutes? Why can't I use one size in the whole bathroom? Why can't I use the same tile in all the bathrooms? Why didn't we do a one-piece pre-fab shower and skip the tile altogether? Why can't I just be normal?
I had my answer today looking at the nearly-done bathrooms: because that would take all the fun out of it!
Bath 1. This onyx border is beautiful; varied and full of life. Natural stone is my favorite.
Bath 2. It's great when someone else pulls you out of your comfort zone. Some of my favorite things I'd never have thought to choose myself. Ceramic? Glass? I love it. This floor is perhaps my favorite in the whole house.
Bath 3. This glass border is great -- I was nervous at first; colored glass against faux-stone porcelain is punchy and trendy, but I love it now. This bathroom is filled with strange angles and transitions; the tile guys did a LOT of cutting. This will be where the vast majority of child and smelly-teenager bathing will occur, so I wanted low-maintenance porcelain 12x12s in here. It has a shower now, which it didn't before.
That vanity -- and the order sheet -- is cherry with a glaze, can you tell? I see "espresso." I never wanted it that dark. One of thousands of things I have to get over.
A huge bright spot in childrearing has just flooded our house, like the sun pushing through after a powerful thunderstorm blowing through Montana. Katrina! She's been adorable lately, full of joyful observations, games, songs, roaring laughter and enthusiastic cheer. So much like her brother...it consumes me with pride and shaking fear at the same time. When they decide to unleash their power from the Dark Side, it's ugly. But when they direct their shining lights strength toward good causes and happy intentions, it's Utopia.
12/17/08
But that didn't stop Gabriel last night from turning off the alarm, removing it, changing his pajamas, and getting right back into bed (with a wet sheet, ick). I went into the boys' room to take them to the bathroom around 1am, but I was 10 minutes too late. He'd already put his wet pajamas in the laundry basket and ditched the alarm onto the floor. One thing about Gabriel, he'll tell you to the minute when he woke up. After he wet the bed, that is.
Spending half my day dealing with remodeling issues is becoming the new norm. Yesterday I left work to meet with a Corian fabricator, answer numerous questions from the carpenter, painter and tilesetter. Before I left work, I was on the phone several times (not good). Today I had to drive to Redwood City to get Corian samples (the guy yesterday forgot to bring them, arrgh), then ended up leaving work again to bring beadboard and cap samples to the carpenter, and spent a good half hour working with him on how high and where to put things. The details are coming fast and furious.
The tile has been the biggest time-sink and source of angst and countless decisions and problems. Many times I've asked myself: why I can't point to a tile pattern in 5 minutes? Why can't I use one size in the whole bathroom? Why can't I use the same tile in all the bathrooms? Why didn't we do a one-piece pre-fab shower and skip the tile altogether? Why can't I just be normal?
I had my answer today looking at the nearly-done bathrooms: because that would take all the fun out of it!
Bath 1. This onyx border is beautiful; varied and full of life. Natural stone is my favorite.
Bath 2. It's great when someone else pulls you out of your comfort zone. Some of my favorite things I'd never have thought to choose myself. Ceramic? Glass? I love it. This floor is perhaps my favorite in the whole house.
Bath 3. This glass border is great -- I was nervous at first; colored glass against faux-stone porcelain is punchy and trendy, but I love it now. This bathroom is filled with strange angles and transitions; the tile guys did a LOT of cutting. This will be where the vast majority of child and smelly-teenager bathing will occur, so I wanted low-maintenance porcelain 12x12s in here. It has a shower now, which it didn't before.
That vanity -- and the order sheet -- is cherry with a glaze, can you tell? I see "espresso." I never wanted it that dark. One of thousands of things I have to get over.
A huge bright spot in childrearing has just flooded our house, like the sun pushing through after a powerful thunderstorm blowing through Montana. Katrina! She's been adorable lately, full of joyful observations, games, songs, roaring laughter and enthusiastic cheer. So much like her brother...it consumes me with pride and shaking fear at the same time. When they decide to unleash their power from the Dark Side, it's ugly. But when they direct their shining lights strength toward good causes and happy intentions, it's Utopia.
12/17/08
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Artist
Katrina got over a quickly escalating bath tantrum tonight when I showed her a little bath gel thing in the shape of a purple crayon. She liked it so much that she delayed the tantrum until it came time to get out and abandon the soapy implement, at which point she tried to bite me.
She was very funny pretending to draw in the bath with the faulty gel dispenser. "I want to color the SQUARES -- Mommy!" (tile squares on the wall). She often punctuates a sentence with a name. "It's PUH-TLE! (purple).
She scribbled a bit, then paused to admire her imaginary work. "Wow -- that's BOOH-tih-full!!" Yes, you certainly are.
She was very funny pretending to draw in the bath with the faulty gel dispenser. "I want to color the SQUARES -- Mommy!" (tile squares on the wall). She often punctuates a sentence with a name. "It's PUH-TLE! (purple).
She scribbled a bit, then paused to admire her imaginary work. "Wow -- that's BOOH-tih-full!!" Yes, you certainly are.
12/16/08 The life cycle
Tonight I got a call from a long-lost friend -- not mine, but one of Dave's. Actually, the wife of Dave's childhood friend Michael, and the daughter-in-law of Michael's parents, who'd mentored Dave in high school. Both just died, the father today. On top of it, Michael's brother died earlier this year. A devastating time for that family. Dave is Dallas on business, and the kids were scaring up an unbelievable racket, so I couldn't talk long.
I pondered this news for a few moments as I skittered around the kitchen, trying not to ruin anything while serving Katrina's every whim and demand. Five minutes later, the phone rang again. A pregnant friend had her baby today!
It's very rare to get phone calls in the evening. But to get one about death immediately followed by one about birth is an eerie coincidence.
12/16/08
I pondered this news for a few moments as I skittered around the kitchen, trying not to ruin anything while serving Katrina's every whim and demand. Five minutes later, the phone rang again. A pregnant friend had her baby today!
It's very rare to get phone calls in the evening. But to get one about death immediately followed by one about birth is an eerie coincidence.
12/16/08
12/15/08 The Birthday Card
Julian got a beautiful hand-drawn birthday card today! He loved it and immediately set about to studying it.
I caught him just after he'd read who it was from and got him to repeat that. His smile is priceless (ok ok to me anyway, but I am his mother!)
Incredibly, he hasn't said much about his birthday, even though the subject comes up a fair amount in the context of Christmas. But when he saw this card, he said joyfully, "My BIRTHDAY!!"
Thank you Bonne Maman and Papa Paul! So nice to have artists and musicians in the family.
I heard an interesting little tidbit today, from a most unexpected source...I was chatting with Tonya when I was picking up Katrina, and she said, "So, how did Gabriel feel about being sent to the office last Friday?"
B O O M.
Office?!!!
"Ohhh, you didn't know?"
No, we wouldn't know, 'cause neither he nor his teacher said anything about it!! But Susan, who runs Running Club, saw that Gabriel, usually her most fervent customer, was missing fron Running Club on Friday. She asked Gabriel's teacher, who shook her head in frustration and didn't want to talk about it, but did explain that Gabriel was having his lunch in the office. Susan mentioned it to Tonya, and Tonya only naturally assumed I knew. And I should have.
As it happened, Sunday night, Dave commented that we need to start reading his Friday Folder on Fridays, because this one had comments that Gabriel is starting to lose "free time" and recess time because of his frequent disrupting the class (talking loudly, humming, laughing). So we confronted him Sunday night, intervention-style, unaware of the Friday office visit -- and the little stinker didn't 'fess up to that major event.
Being sent to the Principal's office is supposed to be a very big deal, especially for a first-grader, so we're really surprised his teacher didn't tell us. She probably figures she can handle it, but I'm not sure she knows what she's up against. Unfortunately, this major trump card apparently didn't faze Gabriel.
Dave and I intended to confront him about it tonight, but he got saved by the bell. At the tail end of dinner, our lights flickered and then went off completely. They went back on, then off, then back on again, just long enough for me to find some flashlights. Then they went off for good.
Katrina was shocked into silence for a few seconds, then right away started to cry. It's really dark here with no power! But as soon as I had a flashlight on and was able to find candles, she was fascinated and thrilled by the new turn of events. The boys were beside themselves with excitement to find their headlamps and really make use of them. Tonight was a pick-up-for-the-cleaners night, and incredibly, the power outage made the usual drudgerous chores of putting away toys by candlelight fun!
We had such frequent power outages at home that I had a whole box dedicated to the event, with candles and flashlights, but since we've moved, that box has been scattered and lost. Still, I dug up a few glowsticks left over from -- get this -- Burning Man '99 -- and discovered that they made great nightlights in each room, allowing us to navigate the house easily. Given all the power outages we lived with, I can't believe we never thought of this before. Glowsticks will become a permanent fixture in my next "Power Outage" box.
I had some shopping to do anyway, so drove out and was able to check out the situation. The major road connecting us to the rest of the world was completely closed in one direction, and I could see numerous emergency vehicles a ways down. The power was out for at least a mile. The major road was still closed when I returned around 10pm, but our power was back on.
With my computer up again, I sent a lengthy note to Gabriel's teacher asking her what happened on Friday, please tell us about these events, and perhaps most importantly....why is he doing this? What's going on?
The power outage caused us to skip baths, homework and a stern talking-to, but that Get Out of Jail Free card expires tomorrow!
12/15/08
I caught him just after he'd read who it was from and got him to repeat that. His smile is priceless (ok ok to me anyway, but I am his mother!)
Incredibly, he hasn't said much about his birthday, even though the subject comes up a fair amount in the context of Christmas. But when he saw this card, he said joyfully, "My BIRTHDAY!!"
Thank you Bonne Maman and Papa Paul! So nice to have artists and musicians in the family.
I heard an interesting little tidbit today, from a most unexpected source...I was chatting with Tonya when I was picking up Katrina, and she said, "So, how did Gabriel feel about being sent to the office last Friday?"
B O O M.
Office?!!!
"Ohhh, you didn't know?"
No, we wouldn't know, 'cause neither he nor his teacher said anything about it!! But Susan, who runs Running Club, saw that Gabriel, usually her most fervent customer, was missing fron Running Club on Friday. She asked Gabriel's teacher, who shook her head in frustration and didn't want to talk about it, but did explain that Gabriel was having his lunch in the office. Susan mentioned it to Tonya, and Tonya only naturally assumed I knew. And I should have.
As it happened, Sunday night, Dave commented that we need to start reading his Friday Folder on Fridays, because this one had comments that Gabriel is starting to lose "free time" and recess time because of his frequent disrupting the class (talking loudly, humming, laughing). So we confronted him Sunday night, intervention-style, unaware of the Friday office visit -- and the little stinker didn't 'fess up to that major event.
Being sent to the Principal's office is supposed to be a very big deal, especially for a first-grader, so we're really surprised his teacher didn't tell us. She probably figures she can handle it, but I'm not sure she knows what she's up against. Unfortunately, this major trump card apparently didn't faze Gabriel.
Dave and I intended to confront him about it tonight, but he got saved by the bell. At the tail end of dinner, our lights flickered and then went off completely. They went back on, then off, then back on again, just long enough for me to find some flashlights. Then they went off for good.
Katrina was shocked into silence for a few seconds, then right away started to cry. It's really dark here with no power! But as soon as I had a flashlight on and was able to find candles, she was fascinated and thrilled by the new turn of events. The boys were beside themselves with excitement to find their headlamps and really make use of them. Tonight was a pick-up-for-the-cleaners night, and incredibly, the power outage made the usual drudgerous chores of putting away toys by candlelight fun!
We had such frequent power outages at home that I had a whole box dedicated to the event, with candles and flashlights, but since we've moved, that box has been scattered and lost. Still, I dug up a few glowsticks left over from -- get this -- Burning Man '99 -- and discovered that they made great nightlights in each room, allowing us to navigate the house easily. Given all the power outages we lived with, I can't believe we never thought of this before. Glowsticks will become a permanent fixture in my next "Power Outage" box.
I had some shopping to do anyway, so drove out and was able to check out the situation. The major road connecting us to the rest of the world was completely closed in one direction, and I could see numerous emergency vehicles a ways down. The power was out for at least a mile. The major road was still closed when I returned around 10pm, but our power was back on.
With my computer up again, I sent a lengthy note to Gabriel's teacher asking her what happened on Friday, please tell us about these events, and perhaps most importantly....why is he doing this? What's going on?
The power outage caused us to skip baths, homework and a stern talking-to, but that Get Out of Jail Free card expires tomorrow!
12/15/08
Sunday, December 14, 2008
12/14/08 Party time!
Today I took all three to another Las Madres holiday party -- one that was far, far too big to be at anyone's house! It was held at a nearby high school, in a community room with a fenced outdoor play area, perfect for groups of 35 families.
I'm delighted and thrilled and relieved to say that Katrina was in much, much better shape today. Playing outside with other kids, other kids' toys, and occasionally, her brothers, made a world of difference.
Gabriel and Julian leaped right into a soccer game.
Katrina and Dylan did a little running together, which is amusing since Katrina still doesn't run very well and Dylan is a lot faster.
Julian found a way around my instructions not to shove Katrina flying down a slope on a tricycle she can't stop. "Look Ma, one hand!"
Katrina found a far superior tricyle playmate, except this one flew down slopes as fast as she could herself, and quickly left her new little fan behind.
I finally was able to coax Katrina indoors (it was chilly outside!), where she reluctantly shared a seat with Julian. Besides, it was time for the musical entertainment to start!
Andy Z is a popular kids' entertainer around here. It's nice to see that he easily engages very very young toddlers and first-graders alike. Lots of kids know his songs well and were singing along.
I wanted to clap along with everyone else, but Katrina decided this was the time for a power trip and a moment of appearances. She insisted on sitting in my lap, wouldn't let me clap, sing, rock, or take pictures, or even stand up. "Sit back DOWN, MommY!" she'd demand. She even started biting me at one point. Still, I have enough working-mom-guilt that I mostly gave in to her apparent demands for attention, which I think were really just trying to control me. Eh, she needed to do that at that moment, OK.
I was very surprised to see Julian with his hand raised at the conclusion of the entertainment, even though it wasn't really a Q&A format. Andy Z had said something about St. Nick being on his way, and Julian finally pushed through and announced, "St. Nick is Santa!"
Despite Katrina's little performance during the show, overall we had a terrific time. And then Katrina was downright delightful for the rest of the day. This evening, she played happily and joyfully, interacting with us from time to time, but other times cheerfully doing her own thing, for well over an hour.
The biting thing though....not good. She bit Dave tonight when she disapproved of the bath ending, and bit me today, several times. Not in anger exactly, but not just for fun either. More like, experimenting to see what will happen.
On the other hand, an adorable new habit that's started a few days ago is singing -- a lot. Sometimes it's a line or two from known songs, other times she talks in song. I'm sorry to say that her older brother does this too -- in class, a lot. Gabriel's teacher commented in hs Friday Folder that he's now losing free time and recess time for talking loudly, humming and distracting the rest of the class.
Overall a good Christmas weekend, with yesterday's tantrum transgression forgiven.
12/14/08
I'm delighted and thrilled and relieved to say that Katrina was in much, much better shape today. Playing outside with other kids, other kids' toys, and occasionally, her brothers, made a world of difference.
Gabriel and Julian leaped right into a soccer game.
Katrina and Dylan did a little running together, which is amusing since Katrina still doesn't run very well and Dylan is a lot faster.
Julian found a way around my instructions not to shove Katrina flying down a slope on a tricycle she can't stop. "Look Ma, one hand!"
Katrina found a far superior tricyle playmate, except this one flew down slopes as fast as she could herself, and quickly left her new little fan behind.
I finally was able to coax Katrina indoors (it was chilly outside!), where she reluctantly shared a seat with Julian. Besides, it was time for the musical entertainment to start!
Andy Z is a popular kids' entertainer around here. It's nice to see that he easily engages very very young toddlers and first-graders alike. Lots of kids know his songs well and were singing along.
I wanted to clap along with everyone else, but Katrina decided this was the time for a power trip and a moment of appearances. She insisted on sitting in my lap, wouldn't let me clap, sing, rock, or take pictures, or even stand up. "Sit back DOWN, MommY!" she'd demand. She even started biting me at one point. Still, I have enough working-mom-guilt that I mostly gave in to her apparent demands for attention, which I think were really just trying to control me. Eh, she needed to do that at that moment, OK.
I was very surprised to see Julian with his hand raised at the conclusion of the entertainment, even though it wasn't really a Q&A format. Andy Z had said something about St. Nick being on his way, and Julian finally pushed through and announced, "St. Nick is Santa!"
Despite Katrina's little performance during the show, overall we had a terrific time. And then Katrina was downright delightful for the rest of the day. This evening, she played happily and joyfully, interacting with us from time to time, but other times cheerfully doing her own thing, for well over an hour.
The biting thing though....not good. She bit Dave tonight when she disapproved of the bath ending, and bit me today, several times. Not in anger exactly, but not just for fun either. More like, experimenting to see what will happen.
On the other hand, an adorable new habit that's started a few days ago is singing -- a lot. Sometimes it's a line or two from known songs, other times she talks in song. I'm sorry to say that her older brother does this too -- in class, a lot. Gabriel's teacher commented in hs Friday Folder that he's now losing free time and recess time for talking loudly, humming and distracting the rest of the class.
Overall a good Christmas weekend, with yesterday's tantrum transgression forgiven.
12/14/08
Saturday, December 13, 2008
12/13/08 Christmas Stuff
I'd like to say today was a day of sharing and joy and establishing family traditions, but for me it was heavily marred by an exceptional tantrum day from Katrina. It sent me into a tailspin, prompting me to write about self-doubts and bonding (here), though even as I was experiencing it I knew it was transitory. As usual, we paid a dear price for a sleepover the night before, and something's bothering Katrina's mouth, so she was exceptionally difficult today.
We decorated our Christmas tree today, and what should have been a fun cheerful family moment was marred by Katrina screaming and fussing and just not getting over not being able to pull all the ornaments out of the box. No amount of coaxing or demonstrating got her to cooperatively participate. I thought it'd be fun for her to hang ornaments! Dave took Katrina out of the room, but she carried on with an ear-piercing vengeance. I tried hard to tune her out and enjoy this once-a-year moment with the boys, but I was hopelessly irritated and disappointed.
Later, the boys and I got started making a gingerbread house, while Dave bought us some time taking her out. I was grateful for that, but resentful too that we can't do things with Dave there, since he's on Tantrum Toddler duty. Not that Dave has any interest in decorating a gingerbread house anyway, but I still like to have the opportunity! We finished it after she went to bed.
The boys had a great time with this, and didn't seem to care at all that it was just a kit house I bought at Target. Someday I'll really make a gingerbread house, but to them, the real fun is in putting the candies on, and an $8.99 kit house is perfect for that.
Someday, Katrina will contribute to these moments instead of ruining them.
12/13/08
We decorated our Christmas tree today, and what should have been a fun cheerful family moment was marred by Katrina screaming and fussing and just not getting over not being able to pull all the ornaments out of the box. No amount of coaxing or demonstrating got her to cooperatively participate. I thought it'd be fun for her to hang ornaments! Dave took Katrina out of the room, but she carried on with an ear-piercing vengeance. I tried hard to tune her out and enjoy this once-a-year moment with the boys, but I was hopelessly irritated and disappointed.
Later, the boys and I got started making a gingerbread house, while Dave bought us some time taking her out. I was grateful for that, but resentful too that we can't do things with Dave there, since he's on Tantrum Toddler duty. Not that Dave has any interest in decorating a gingerbread house anyway, but I still like to have the opportunity! We finished it after she went to bed.
The boys had a great time with this, and didn't seem to care at all that it was just a kit house I bought at Target. Someday I'll really make a gingerbread house, but to them, the real fun is in putting the candies on, and an $8.99 kit house is perfect for that.
Someday, Katrina will contribute to these moments instead of ruining them.
12/13/08
Friday, December 12, 2008
12/12/08 Dominoes
Fridays at Gabriel's CDC is Domino Club day. I've made the mistake before of trying to pick Gabriel up early, and being met with disappointment bordering on anger. He loves playing dominoes. He hawks over the point-counting and addition, ordering around older bigger kids with fiery confidence and intense competition.
He's not exactly a graceful winner either.
Never mind that it's mostly a luck game, at least the way they play it. There might be some strategy, but these kids aren't at that level yet. They're mostly still working on whose turn is next.
12/12/08
He's not exactly a graceful winner either.
Never mind that it's mostly a luck game, at least the way they play it. There might be some strategy, but these kids aren't at that level yet. They're mostly still working on whose turn is next.
12/12/08
Thursday, December 11, 2008
12/11/08 The setback
Good grief. What is it going to take?
Last night, Gabriel refused to use the wetness alarm. No amount of convincing or bargaining or insisting had any effect, and we were in for a long, long battle. I won by changing tactics: "OK!" I told him that he didn't have to wear the alarm, but he would have to sleep somewhere that it didn't matter that he got wet. I very agreeably laid out a vinyl tablecloth on the garage floor, then found another one he could use as a blanket. "It'll be a little cold," I said sympathetically. "And hard. But that's OK, when you pee we can just hose it out in into the driveway." As he stepped onto concrete floor with his bare feet, he reconsidered. "OK, OK, I'll wear the alarm."
We got him up around midnight to go, just to increase his odds of success. Then around 3:30am, I heard him wailing from his bed, terrified by the alarm and unable to turn it off. And soaked. I changed his bedding, had him go again, and figured he was good til morning. Nope. Wet again. And this after a major fight about not using the alarm! It figures that it's no miracle cure as it has been for so many other children. Few methods or devices have been Gabriel-proofed.
I had to take the day off work today when I got a call that Katrina had a temperature. By the time I got to her, she seemed fine, she's been full of energy, ate well, and no temperature. I don't doubt she had something, but it wasn't serious. It was nice to spend the day with her though, she was in a good mood and was unusually (well, it is unusual!) sweet.
Julian, my little scientist. "Birds are hatched from eggs!" "People are animals!" "Water bits go into the air and make you dry!" Today a helper teacher at his preschool flagged me to exclaim that he reads really, really well. Julian was part of a circle of kids that were looking at a book, and apparently he dazzled the teacher calling out the sentences of his own accord. He really does read well, better than Gabriel did at his age, and actually beyond what we've come to understand as the "proficient" level for first graders. I'm already designing the dress I'll wear to the Nobel Prize acceptance ceremony!!!
12/11/08
Last night, Gabriel refused to use the wetness alarm. No amount of convincing or bargaining or insisting had any effect, and we were in for a long, long battle. I won by changing tactics: "OK!" I told him that he didn't have to wear the alarm, but he would have to sleep somewhere that it didn't matter that he got wet. I very agreeably laid out a vinyl tablecloth on the garage floor, then found another one he could use as a blanket. "It'll be a little cold," I said sympathetically. "And hard. But that's OK, when you pee we can just hose it out in into the driveway." As he stepped onto concrete floor with his bare feet, he reconsidered. "OK, OK, I'll wear the alarm."
We got him up around midnight to go, just to increase his odds of success. Then around 3:30am, I heard him wailing from his bed, terrified by the alarm and unable to turn it off. And soaked. I changed his bedding, had him go again, and figured he was good til morning. Nope. Wet again. And this after a major fight about not using the alarm! It figures that it's no miracle cure as it has been for so many other children. Few methods or devices have been Gabriel-proofed.
I had to take the day off work today when I got a call that Katrina had a temperature. By the time I got to her, she seemed fine, she's been full of energy, ate well, and no temperature. I don't doubt she had something, but it wasn't serious. It was nice to spend the day with her though, she was in a good mood and was unusually (well, it is unusual!) sweet.
Julian, my little scientist. "Birds are hatched from eggs!" "People are animals!" "Water bits go into the air and make you dry!" Today a helper teacher at his preschool flagged me to exclaim that he reads really, really well. Julian was part of a circle of kids that were looking at a book, and apparently he dazzled the teacher calling out the sentences of his own accord. He really does read well, better than Gabriel did at his age, and actually beyond what we've come to understand as the "proficient" level for first graders. I'm already designing the dress I'll wear to the Nobel Prize acceptance ceremony!!!
12/11/08
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
12/10/08 The Shopping Trip
The trouble with being a working mom is that every time your kids express the tiniest regret about not being with you, you're awash with guilt. I thought I was doing a good thing tonight by taking Julian with me to Safeway -- sort of a cheesy way to spend some time together (more guilt). Not to mention that he's generally the most toxic element in the sibling dynamic here; either he's irritating Katrina or riling up Gabriel, so he's usually our first choice in being taken out of commission. Gabriel had homework to do besides.
But when I left, Gabriel and Katrina were both standing at the door, crying. Gabriel especially really wanted to go with me. "WHY?" I asked. "It's just Safeway!" "Because I LOVE you!" he cried.
Gawd. It's bad enough that the best I can do for "quality time" is grocery-shopping, but it's even worse when your child craves even that pathetic excuse for time together, and worse yet when you can't give it to him!
At least I really did have fun with Julian. He got beams from other customers when he announced in the produce section, "I love green beans, but broccoli is my favorite!"
12/10/08
But when I left, Gabriel and Katrina were both standing at the door, crying. Gabriel especially really wanted to go with me. "WHY?" I asked. "It's just Safeway!" "Because I LOVE you!" he cried.
Gawd. It's bad enough that the best I can do for "quality time" is grocery-shopping, but it's even worse when your child craves even that pathetic excuse for time together, and worse yet when you can't give it to him!
At least I really did have fun with Julian. He got beams from other customers when he announced in the produce section, "I love green beans, but broccoli is my favorite!"
12/10/08
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
12/9/08 The alarm
Last night, around 3:30am, I was startled awake by a terrified cry. Gabriel came carefully into our room -- because even in an emergency, his sense of order is still strong -- crying hard, holding the buzzing and chirping wetness alarm in his hand. "I can't turn it off!!" he wailed. It's designed not to be easy to shut off, and it worked.
He wasn't really that concerned that every night, he's been going backward in the night-training. The first two nights with the alarm, he was dry. The third, dry without the alarm. The fourth, wet, without the alarm. The fifth: wet, with the alarm. Not just wet, but soaked. And that was with waking him up before we went to bed!
Well, Gabriel is nothing if not persistent. We're hoping the experience rattled him, but there's little precedent in his life for that. Gabriel of all kids could turn around the wetness alarm thing, like by deliberately going on it just to see how it works. Humiliation is an important motivator in nighttime training, and this just isn't in his DNA. He really doesn't care that much. He's mildly curious if he can do it, and that's all so far.
We're pretty much nowhere with potty-training Katrina, though she is much more consistent about telling me when she has a stinky. She's even more consistent about refusing to sit on the potty.
I stopped by the jobsite house today, to bring by a tile shelf I wanted to add to the downstairs bathroom and to deliver the grout colors. Now that we're entering the finishing phase, there are thousands of details that can be answered by being there. I pointed out a door that swings the wrong way, and that the living room base trim is too low. I felt like shrinking when the finish carpenter asked, "Why aren't all the doors the same?" (most are stained, some are painted) and the jobsite foreman, the door guy, and another guy all shrugged and looked at me. Hey wait, you guys were all in on these decisions! Not all situations are the same -- the dry-erase/magnetic pantry door, for instance, is necessarily an oddball. The only cookie cutters used in this house are in the kitchen! So lemme 'lone!
I overheard the finish carpenter mutter something to the effect that after this job he'd be standing outside of Home Depot with his buds to look for work. We must look awfully wealthy to the crews of guys working on our house everyday. I sure don't feel that way these days, but that's because of my seriously skewed standard of living based on the roaring 00's. We are a lot better off than most of the guys busting their rear ends to build our cushy house. I'm always a little guilty and self-conscious about that, and try to be as respectful and grateful as possible. I'm glad they see me drive away in an utterly average car.
12/9/08
He wasn't really that concerned that every night, he's been going backward in the night-training. The first two nights with the alarm, he was dry. The third, dry without the alarm. The fourth, wet, without the alarm. The fifth: wet, with the alarm. Not just wet, but soaked. And that was with waking him up before we went to bed!
Well, Gabriel is nothing if not persistent. We're hoping the experience rattled him, but there's little precedent in his life for that. Gabriel of all kids could turn around the wetness alarm thing, like by deliberately going on it just to see how it works. Humiliation is an important motivator in nighttime training, and this just isn't in his DNA. He really doesn't care that much. He's mildly curious if he can do it, and that's all so far.
We're pretty much nowhere with potty-training Katrina, though she is much more consistent about telling me when she has a stinky. She's even more consistent about refusing to sit on the potty.
I stopped by the jobsite house today, to bring by a tile shelf I wanted to add to the downstairs bathroom and to deliver the grout colors. Now that we're entering the finishing phase, there are thousands of details that can be answered by being there. I pointed out a door that swings the wrong way, and that the living room base trim is too low. I felt like shrinking when the finish carpenter asked, "Why aren't all the doors the same?" (most are stained, some are painted) and the jobsite foreman, the door guy, and another guy all shrugged and looked at me. Hey wait, you guys were all in on these decisions! Not all situations are the same -- the dry-erase/magnetic pantry door, for instance, is necessarily an oddball. The only cookie cutters used in this house are in the kitchen! So lemme 'lone!
I overheard the finish carpenter mutter something to the effect that after this job he'd be standing outside of Home Depot with his buds to look for work. We must look awfully wealthy to the crews of guys working on our house everyday. I sure don't feel that way these days, but that's because of my seriously skewed standard of living based on the roaring 00's. We are a lot better off than most of the guys busting their rear ends to build our cushy house. I'm always a little guilty and self-conscious about that, and try to be as respectful and grateful as possible. I'm glad they see me drive away in an utterly average car.
12/9/08
Monday, December 08, 2008
12/8/08 The Note
This evening, I was emptying the dishwasher when something metal tapped against something glass and rang a musical note.
Gabriel stopped in his tracks, paused, then asked, "What was that?" "Oh I don't know, I just clinked something and it made a note. Pretty neat, huh?" "Yeah," he said. "It was C." What? I asked him. He repeated with complete confidence, looking directly at me, certain as he knows his own name, "It was a C note."
I explained to him what "perfect pitch" is, and that very few people have it, and most of those that do had to work at it. My mother finally reached that level, for instance, but if I recall correctly, it didn't come easy. But he assured me he knows the notes, because he plays the piano so much, he insisted. Still, I know from my brief piano experience as a kid how easy it is to think you know a note, but don't. Even now, songs I listen to several times a day, I can't sing the first note.
Just to show him what I meant, I went into the piano room and covered the keys with the blanket we use as a dust protector, and told him to listen from the kitchen. He was completely out of sight.
"What's this note?" I played a key. "C." He had no doubt. OK, OK, seems obvious I'd start with middle C. "What's this one?" "G." Right again. "How about this?" I played a key in a different octave. "A. I'm telling you, Mom, I know these."
I was getting a little spooked by now. I tried C-sharp. "F-sharp!" he said. "Not quite!" I answered. I played F-sharp. "C-sharp!" No, but, interesting mistake. One more time with a sharp note. This time he got it.
Not perfect, but really close. I have little doubt now that the spoon ringing against the glass really was a C.
12/8/08
Gabriel stopped in his tracks, paused, then asked, "What was that?" "Oh I don't know, I just clinked something and it made a note. Pretty neat, huh?" "Yeah," he said. "It was C." What? I asked him. He repeated with complete confidence, looking directly at me, certain as he knows his own name, "It was a C note."
I explained to him what "perfect pitch" is, and that very few people have it, and most of those that do had to work at it. My mother finally reached that level, for instance, but if I recall correctly, it didn't come easy. But he assured me he knows the notes, because he plays the piano so much, he insisted. Still, I know from my brief piano experience as a kid how easy it is to think you know a note, but don't. Even now, songs I listen to several times a day, I can't sing the first note.
Just to show him what I meant, I went into the piano room and covered the keys with the blanket we use as a dust protector, and told him to listen from the kitchen. He was completely out of sight.
"What's this note?" I played a key. "C." He had no doubt. OK, OK, seems obvious I'd start with middle C. "What's this one?" "G." Right again. "How about this?" I played a key in a different octave. "A. I'm telling you, Mom, I know these."
I was getting a little spooked by now. I tried C-sharp. "F-sharp!" he said. "Not quite!" I answered. I played F-sharp. "C-sharp!" No, but, interesting mistake. One more time with a sharp note. This time he got it.
Not perfect, but really close. I have little doubt now that the spoon ringing against the glass really was a C.
12/8/08
Sunday, December 07, 2008
12/7/08 Party Recovery
We had a terrific holiday party here yesterday! At least, everyone kindly says so. We knew it'd be tight fittings in our house, and we're really not well set up for large groups or holiday decorating, but it's a bunch of moms -- we know how to accomodate and make do.
Few houses can accomodate groups of 30 and seat everyone at the same time, and this one is no exception, but in retrospect, a lot of people did get to sit!
Some of the moms I already know from the 2002 and 2004 groups, but many are new to me in the 2006 group. In my early days as a new mom, the weekly park playgroups were an essential lifeline, and I got to know all the moms pretty well. Now as a tattered working mom, they're an indulgent luxury, so many of the 2006 moms I've never met. Too bad, because while being moms of young children is instant friendship glue, there are also a lot of moms in this group who I just really, really like.
It's funny, I had to ask myself why I like to host parties. It's a lot of work! It's on my mind for days before, it disrupts the house, it's chaotic and so busy that I really can't chat much with people, it takes over the whole weekend, and Dave is never crazy about the preparation or the event itself. Yet I truly enjoy the activity, the buzz of having our house filled with people and with joyful children. Four of us really put the party on, but one other mom, Cris, put a ton of time and work into it, more than me, and we had a lot of fun working and shopping together. It was really fun when we saw that her 2004 daughter and Julian hit it off and spent much of the party running together!
We didn't do much or go anywhere today (well, I did, more on that in a few). The kids played outside, and inside, and we spent a fair amount of time putting away toys and getting the house out of party mode.
What is it about little girls and red wagons....
My one outing today was to go to the house and test-paint again, and also to look around and start thinking about how I want to arrange the house. I'm starting to think about furniture, though given the new financial order of the world, I'm rethinking my original plan of replacing everything. I want things to be coordinated and useful, not a random mishmash as we had, but at the same time, I don't want it rigid and sterile either.
My mother offered one of those wonderful tidbits that's brilliant in its simplicity: wait to move in and see what you need before buying anything. The key to that is not bringing any of the old junk with you. Dave doesn't completely understand or agree with this, but this is one of those things I'm putting my wifely foot down about: the nasty 1970s dark brown oak stereo cabinets that the previous owners of our house left behind are not setting foot into the new house. Nor many other things that have "made do" for years. We need blank spaces to speak to us.
I sure have learned a lot about interior design and how to choose paint colors. Look for colors with lots of gray in them -- they're easy to adjust and coordinate and tend to stay muted. Or, go with bold colors. Bold or muted, not both. All the colors in all the rooms should work together. Develop a basic color scheme, green in our case. Then if you want other colors, say, a yellow room, look for a yellow with a lot of green in it. Make all the connecting spaces (halls) the same color.
Much of this I confirmed as I went about trying out various ideas for the downstairs bedrooms today, and wound up deciding on the same color for most of the downstairs rooms. But I had to see the bold colors next to the muted ones to realize: don't mix them! I love the Craftsman historical colors, but they're all very very strong, and I'm not sure I can live with them. Lots about Craftsman-era decorating is very sober and severe. I don't want the paint colors or light fixtures to make me want to burst into tears.
The downstairs bathroom tile is in, not grouted yet. The onyx border is gorgeous.
But then, I'm a newly-anointed tile freak.
Someone at the party commented yesterday that I won't want to host parties like this in our new house, what with kids spilling apple juice on furniture and everything being so hectic. But it's quite the contrary. Our fabulous new house is there to be used, not to be admired from afar. I have every intention of throwing big parties there, it'll be so much easier and pleasant. I can't imagine living in fear of apple juice.
12/7/08
Few houses can accomodate groups of 30 and seat everyone at the same time, and this one is no exception, but in retrospect, a lot of people did get to sit!
Some of the moms I already know from the 2002 and 2004 groups, but many are new to me in the 2006 group. In my early days as a new mom, the weekly park playgroups were an essential lifeline, and I got to know all the moms pretty well. Now as a tattered working mom, they're an indulgent luxury, so many of the 2006 moms I've never met. Too bad, because while being moms of young children is instant friendship glue, there are also a lot of moms in this group who I just really, really like.
It's funny, I had to ask myself why I like to host parties. It's a lot of work! It's on my mind for days before, it disrupts the house, it's chaotic and so busy that I really can't chat much with people, it takes over the whole weekend, and Dave is never crazy about the preparation or the event itself. Yet I truly enjoy the activity, the buzz of having our house filled with people and with joyful children. Four of us really put the party on, but one other mom, Cris, put a ton of time and work into it, more than me, and we had a lot of fun working and shopping together. It was really fun when we saw that her 2004 daughter and Julian hit it off and spent much of the party running together!
We didn't do much or go anywhere today (well, I did, more on that in a few). The kids played outside, and inside, and we spent a fair amount of time putting away toys and getting the house out of party mode.
What is it about little girls and red wagons....
My one outing today was to go to the house and test-paint again, and also to look around and start thinking about how I want to arrange the house. I'm starting to think about furniture, though given the new financial order of the world, I'm rethinking my original plan of replacing everything. I want things to be coordinated and useful, not a random mishmash as we had, but at the same time, I don't want it rigid and sterile either.
My mother offered one of those wonderful tidbits that's brilliant in its simplicity: wait to move in and see what you need before buying anything. The key to that is not bringing any of the old junk with you. Dave doesn't completely understand or agree with this, but this is one of those things I'm putting my wifely foot down about: the nasty 1970s dark brown oak stereo cabinets that the previous owners of our house left behind are not setting foot into the new house. Nor many other things that have "made do" for years. We need blank spaces to speak to us.
I sure have learned a lot about interior design and how to choose paint colors. Look for colors with lots of gray in them -- they're easy to adjust and coordinate and tend to stay muted. Or, go with bold colors. Bold or muted, not both. All the colors in all the rooms should work together. Develop a basic color scheme, green in our case. Then if you want other colors, say, a yellow room, look for a yellow with a lot of green in it. Make all the connecting spaces (halls) the same color.
Much of this I confirmed as I went about trying out various ideas for the downstairs bedrooms today, and wound up deciding on the same color for most of the downstairs rooms. But I had to see the bold colors next to the muted ones to realize: don't mix them! I love the Craftsman historical colors, but they're all very very strong, and I'm not sure I can live with them. Lots about Craftsman-era decorating is very sober and severe. I don't want the paint colors or light fixtures to make me want to burst into tears.
The downstairs bathroom tile is in, not grouted yet. The onyx border is gorgeous.
But then, I'm a newly-anointed tile freak.
Someone at the party commented yesterday that I won't want to host parties like this in our new house, what with kids spilling apple juice on furniture and everything being so hectic. But it's quite the contrary. Our fabulous new house is there to be used, not to be admired from afar. I have every intention of throwing big parties there, it'll be so much easier and pleasant. I can't imagine living in fear of apple juice.
12/7/08
Friday, December 05, 2008
12/5/08 Party Prep
Busy tonight preparing the house and food for holiday party tomorrow. Seems overloading given alllll else I always need to do (grout colors! paint sheen! knob finish! stain shade!), but, ya gotta live! I'm looking forward to it.
12/5/08
12/5/08
Thursday, December 04, 2008
12/4/08 The Singalong
Gabriel started out in a snit today and pretty much maintained it until bedtime, as only Gabriel can. He had good moments, but he was on a short trigger all day. As such, tonight he refused to practice piano, and I suggested to frustrated Dave that he (Dave) sit and play himself, and see if that would attract the boy.
It did, but not the intended boy. As it turns out, Dave got to spend a little piano time with Julian. Julian's musical approach is much different than his brother's; more intuitive and less technical. Gabriel won't even consider singing while he plays, that's just not his modus operandi, but Julian likes to sing along. Dave picked a simple tune that he (Dave) could play, while Julian read the words (and music, to some extent, to follow the rhythm) and sang along. This was so cute that it attracted me and my non-video-camera.
During dinner, it was unusually peaceful in the family room with Julian and Katrina alone together, so I had to investigate. There I caught another very cute scene, of Julian reading Peter Rabbit to Katrina, with her joyfully shouting out names of the rabbits: "CAH-TAH-TAIL!" I didn't catch any good stuff, but here's a glimpse of how they interact. Julian pushed away with the book, which usually causes her to scream, though she didn't this time.
Katrina did great at TLC today, she was in a really good mood when I picked her up. The teachers all tell me she's adapted fabulously well, especially for one so young. Part of me is proud at how strong she is, but part of me is deeply guilty and regretful that she's so used to daycare.
12/4/08
It did, but not the intended boy. As it turns out, Dave got to spend a little piano time with Julian. Julian's musical approach is much different than his brother's; more intuitive and less technical. Gabriel won't even consider singing while he plays, that's just not his modus operandi, but Julian likes to sing along. Dave picked a simple tune that he (Dave) could play, while Julian read the words (and music, to some extent, to follow the rhythm) and sang along. This was so cute that it attracted me and my non-video-camera.
During dinner, it was unusually peaceful in the family room with Julian and Katrina alone together, so I had to investigate. There I caught another very cute scene, of Julian reading Peter Rabbit to Katrina, with her joyfully shouting out names of the rabbits: "CAH-TAH-TAIL!" I didn't catch any good stuff, but here's a glimpse of how they interact. Julian pushed away with the book, which usually causes her to scream, though she didn't this time.
Katrina did great at TLC today, she was in a really good mood when I picked her up. The teachers all tell me she's adapted fabulously well, especially for one so young. Part of me is proud at how strong she is, but part of me is deeply guilty and regretful that she's so used to daycare.
12/4/08
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
12/3/08 The long-lost cousin
Hard to tell in this photo, but Katrina took a page from the Cousin Remi Chapter of Self-Art tonight and drew all over herself, her clothes, the carpet and many other items in the family room tonight.
She acted like her cousin for a full half-hour while I was inattentively indisposed on the phone with a cousin of mine.
One I've never talked to before.
I got the call just as I walked in the door with All Three: "Hello, I hope I'm reaching Nay-o-mee, I'm Jimmy's cousin Robert..." Say no more, I grabbed the phone and locked myself in the office. This was my father's cousin, a man I've heard of but have never spoken to before. He and my dad knew each other as kids, and they've stayed in touch over the years. Dad's cousin (my first cousin once removed) knew that Dad had moved, and had talked to Dad, but Cousin Bob was concerned that "Jimmy" wasn't being straightforward about how he is or where he was.
To my surprise, Cousin Bob didn't quite get the picture, until I filled him in, that Dad only knows in a vague sense where he is, and that concepts of distance and time have long since failed him. Cousin Bob, who lives in California, said, "Jimmy asked me right away if I was going to stop by -- he doesn't seem to understand how far away I am!" No kidding.
I learned that I have more great-aunts and uncles than Dad ever told me, probably because I never asked until he was already having trouble remembering. I knew his mother was Opal Morgan (hence Julian's middle name), and she had two sisters, Odessa and Leota. But I didn't know there were three more sisters and a brother. I gained three great-aunts and a great-uncle today! Even if they've all long since died. (My grandmother, Opal, died of Alzheimer's in her early 60s, before I was born...the genetics of Alzheimer's are not in my favor.) I must have second-cousins all over the place.
My great-aunt, Leota Morgan, died young, in the 1940s, Cousin Bob tells me. I already knew she was a screenwriter, and have seen her credits on IMDB. One movie she wrote, Man and Wife (1923), even had a famous actress in it, Norma Shearer.
What a treat to discover a little piece of family history right in my own backyard, sort of (Cousin Bob and his wife are in Southern California). Finding out more about my ancestors -- and more ancestors -- is a little "spooooky" as Julian would say.
And the line continues....even if it's covered in Magic Marker.
12/3/08
She acted like her cousin for a full half-hour while I was inattentively indisposed on the phone with a cousin of mine.
One I've never talked to before.
I got the call just as I walked in the door with All Three: "Hello, I hope I'm reaching Nay-o-mee, I'm Jimmy's cousin Robert..." Say no more, I grabbed the phone and locked myself in the office. This was my father's cousin, a man I've heard of but have never spoken to before. He and my dad knew each other as kids, and they've stayed in touch over the years. Dad's cousin (my first cousin once removed) knew that Dad had moved, and had talked to Dad, but Cousin Bob was concerned that "Jimmy" wasn't being straightforward about how he is or where he was.
To my surprise, Cousin Bob didn't quite get the picture, until I filled him in, that Dad only knows in a vague sense where he is, and that concepts of distance and time have long since failed him. Cousin Bob, who lives in California, said, "Jimmy asked me right away if I was going to stop by -- he doesn't seem to understand how far away I am!" No kidding.
I learned that I have more great-aunts and uncles than Dad ever told me, probably because I never asked until he was already having trouble remembering. I knew his mother was Opal Morgan (hence Julian's middle name), and she had two sisters, Odessa and Leota. But I didn't know there were three more sisters and a brother. I gained three great-aunts and a great-uncle today! Even if they've all long since died. (My grandmother, Opal, died of Alzheimer's in her early 60s, before I was born...the genetics of Alzheimer's are not in my favor.) I must have second-cousins all over the place.
My great-aunt, Leota Morgan, died young, in the 1940s, Cousin Bob tells me. I already knew she was a screenwriter, and have seen her credits on IMDB. One movie she wrote, Man and Wife (1923), even had a famous actress in it, Norma Shearer.
What a treat to discover a little piece of family history right in my own backyard, sort of (Cousin Bob and his wife are in Southern California). Finding out more about my ancestors -- and more ancestors -- is a little "spooooky" as Julian would say.
And the line continues....even if it's covered in Magic Marker.
12/3/08
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
12/02/08 First Day!
It was Katrina's first day at TLC today!
I've always begrudged, reluctantly, Dave his daily restaurant lunch, and I have a standing offer to make him lunch instead. But now that I'm up to 4 lunches to make, I'm sort of relieved. These all get assembled the night before and (somehow) crammed into the fridge, then in the morning, staged in the hall so they're not forgotten.
The orange one on the left is mine; I had it monogrammed with "Gabriel" but it was too big for him for kindergarten. I love having "Gabriel" on my lunch box!
Katrina got a Speed Racer cheapie that was briefly Gabriel's, but was too small for his lunches. While I'm on the subject, I'm not crazy about the pink and blue lunch sacks the boys have now; they don't stay upright while I'm packing them, and if you pull the liner out to wash it, it's a major major pain getting it back in since the interior insulation isn't attached to the sides and falls in.
Julian was very proud and happy to have his sister at his school.
She was puzzled at first, but didn't waste a moment emitting her characteristic ear-piercing shriek of protest at the dastardly suggestion of removing her jacket. The wonderful 2's room teacher, whom I like a great deal, at first misunderstood this reaction as an extreme one, for being upset over being about to be left behind (could a real writer help me with that please?). I rolled my eyes and explained to the teacher, "Nope, that's just her." I did the teachers a favor and skedaddled fast.
She's in really, really good hands (here with the "Prince" (Director) of the school).
I have nothing to worry about, other than the fact that she's still my baby. ("SCREEEE--EEEEECH!!!!") I still could have used a hug from her.
She did so well that there was little to say. I forgot to ask about lunch, and indeed, left her lunch behind. I'm not in the habit of carrying lunches out since Julian does it himself. The 2's teacher told me she wiggled a little before her nap, but the teacher lay down with her and put her arm around Katrina's belly, and she went right to sleep. HEY!! She's never done that for me!!
The day did take its toll though. Katrina was a disaster when we got home, fussing and crying and tantruming at the slightest provocation. Like, say, oh, having to close the front door. Sorry, tantrum-experts, she can choose mismatched socks, but leaving the front door open isn't one of those things I can give in on.
Fortunately, Julian was on the job, and he very very patiently and persistently worked her out of it. When she'd quieted down, I peeked in the family room and saw him reading Peter Rabbit to her. How sweet. We're not supposed to have favorites (though I secretly do among other people's kids!), but Julian was the clear winner today. Gabriel....arrrgh. When he turns on Pest Mode, it's ugly, and very very persistent.
I had planned to work a long day today, given my new time windfall. But since I ran into two friends at the Y this morning, I guess my trying to sneak in a workout before work wasn't sneaky enough. Busted!
In the afternoon, I got a call at work from Anna, my kitchen designer. The cable/data outlet we'd planned for the entertainment area wasn't in the right place and the new hutch's crown molding will cover a light fixture, how do you want to...? I'm on my way. The crew was there (that's Dave on the right), and I got to ask the installer personally to make sure the eensy "Shaw's" emblem on the sink goes on the far side so you can see it. Details, details.
We solved the problems, and I got to see the entertainment area in the works.
That whole thing above the fireplace, and the cabinets on either side, will be one continuous tabletop. It's intended to set a TV on, and all stereo/VCR/DVD components will go on the open shelves next to the fireplace.
But I'm re-thinking the TV thing. I never wanted a !!T!!V!!! to be the focal point of our room, and I still don't. I really, really like having it behind closed doors, out of everyone's faces. I love the big wide open tabletop that we can do whatever we want with -- it doesn't have to be dedicated to a giant screen that constantly attracts eyes. A kick-*ss audio system, on the other hand, now we're talking.
(To set the record straight, I like to watch TV and I do it a lot (I'm on a Netflix Desperate Housewives kick at the moment). Most of this debauchery is done from the comfort of bed -- there's no time for TV with the kids around.)
I really underestimated the emotional effect of seeing the house come together. My anticipation about going home is accelerating day by day. New irritations about our rental house arise daily. Every day, something new is put in place in the house, and each thing is something I'm heavily invested in and want very very much to LOVE immediately. But few things work that way. Today's heart attack is over the kitchen cabinets: why didn't I get the straight shaker style? That oval ogee around the inside of the frame doesn't work with painted cabinets!!! Aggggh!!!! In time, I'll get used to these details and won't be in constant new-surroundings-overload. Until then, the house is very much like raising children: new highs and lows, unexpectedly, every day.
12/2/08
[ Other blogger users: Have you noticed that photos now upload in reverse order if you upload more than one? And why are they limited to 5 at a time anyway? And why do you have to browse for each one?! And why are you stuck with one size for all photos in one batch? And why does it put the photos in the same place -- at the top -- of your work-in-progress? And why is the window that pops up too small to fit the "Upload" button, forcing you to scroll down EVERY time? Why doesnt't the photo-upload popup close on its own when it's done? Why are you committed to a "left" or "right" orientation at upload time and have to hack the HTML to change it later? I could go on! The photo-upload interface sucks!!! ]
I've always begrudged, reluctantly, Dave his daily restaurant lunch, and I have a standing offer to make him lunch instead. But now that I'm up to 4 lunches to make, I'm sort of relieved. These all get assembled the night before and (somehow) crammed into the fridge, then in the morning, staged in the hall so they're not forgotten.
The orange one on the left is mine; I had it monogrammed with "Gabriel" but it was too big for him for kindergarten. I love having "Gabriel" on my lunch box!
Katrina got a Speed Racer cheapie that was briefly Gabriel's, but was too small for his lunches. While I'm on the subject, I'm not crazy about the pink and blue lunch sacks the boys have now; they don't stay upright while I'm packing them, and if you pull the liner out to wash it, it's a major major pain getting it back in since the interior insulation isn't attached to the sides and falls in.
Julian was very proud and happy to have his sister at his school.
She was puzzled at first, but didn't waste a moment emitting her characteristic ear-piercing shriek of protest at the dastardly suggestion of removing her jacket. The wonderful 2's room teacher, whom I like a great deal, at first misunderstood this reaction as an extreme one, for being upset over being about to be left behind (could a real writer help me with that please?). I rolled my eyes and explained to the teacher, "Nope, that's just her." I did the teachers a favor and skedaddled fast.
She's in really, really good hands (here with the "Prince" (Director) of the school).
I have nothing to worry about, other than the fact that she's still my baby. ("SCREEEE--EEEEECH!!!!") I still could have used a hug from her.
She did so well that there was little to say. I forgot to ask about lunch, and indeed, left her lunch behind. I'm not in the habit of carrying lunches out since Julian does it himself. The 2's teacher told me she wiggled a little before her nap, but the teacher lay down with her and put her arm around Katrina's belly, and she went right to sleep. HEY!! She's never done that for me!!
The day did take its toll though. Katrina was a disaster when we got home, fussing and crying and tantruming at the slightest provocation. Like, say, oh, having to close the front door. Sorry, tantrum-experts, she can choose mismatched socks, but leaving the front door open isn't one of those things I can give in on.
Fortunately, Julian was on the job, and he very very patiently and persistently worked her out of it. When she'd quieted down, I peeked in the family room and saw him reading Peter Rabbit to her. How sweet. We're not supposed to have favorites (though I secretly do among other people's kids!), but Julian was the clear winner today. Gabriel....arrrgh. When he turns on Pest Mode, it's ugly, and very very persistent.
I had planned to work a long day today, given my new time windfall. But since I ran into two friends at the Y this morning, I guess my trying to sneak in a workout before work wasn't sneaky enough. Busted!
In the afternoon, I got a call at work from Anna, my kitchen designer. The cable/data outlet we'd planned for the entertainment area wasn't in the right place and the new hutch's crown molding will cover a light fixture, how do you want to...? I'm on my way. The crew was there (that's Dave on the right), and I got to ask the installer personally to make sure the eensy "Shaw's" emblem on the sink goes on the far side so you can see it. Details, details.
We solved the problems, and I got to see the entertainment area in the works.
That whole thing above the fireplace, and the cabinets on either side, will be one continuous tabletop. It's intended to set a TV on, and all stereo/VCR/DVD components will go on the open shelves next to the fireplace.
But I'm re-thinking the TV thing. I never wanted a !!T!!V!!! to be the focal point of our room, and I still don't. I really, really like having it behind closed doors, out of everyone's faces. I love the big wide open tabletop that we can do whatever we want with -- it doesn't have to be dedicated to a giant screen that constantly attracts eyes. A kick-*ss audio system, on the other hand, now we're talking.
(To set the record straight, I like to watch TV and I do it a lot (I'm on a Netflix Desperate Housewives kick at the moment). Most of this debauchery is done from the comfort of bed -- there's no time for TV with the kids around.)
I really underestimated the emotional effect of seeing the house come together. My anticipation about going home is accelerating day by day. New irritations about our rental house arise daily. Every day, something new is put in place in the house, and each thing is something I'm heavily invested in and want very very much to LOVE immediately. But few things work that way. Today's heart attack is over the kitchen cabinets: why didn't I get the straight shaker style? That oval ogee around the inside of the frame doesn't work with painted cabinets!!! Aggggh!!!! In time, I'll get used to these details and won't be in constant new-surroundings-overload. Until then, the house is very much like raising children: new highs and lows, unexpectedly, every day.
12/2/08
[ Other blogger users: Have you noticed that photos now upload in reverse order if you upload more than one? And why are they limited to 5 at a time anyway? And why do you have to browse for each one?! And why are you stuck with one size for all photos in one batch? And why does it put the photos in the same place -- at the top -- of your work-in-progress? And why is the window that pops up too small to fit the "Upload" button, forcing you to scroll down EVERY time? Why doesnt't the photo-upload popup close on its own when it's done? Why are you committed to a "left" or "right" orientation at upload time and have to hack the HTML to change it later? I could go on! The photo-upload interface sucks!!! ]
Monday, December 01, 2008
12/1/08 Quotes
Katrina: "I want the GREEN placemat!"
I remember now reading advice, in a desperate search for help with Gabriel's tantrums, about dealing with 2-year-olds. The first line of defense is to let things like mismatched socks or short-sleeved shirts go. Toddlers are striving for control, so give it to them for things that don't matter. I didn't understand this on two counts. One, I never had a toddler who cared all that much about particular items. Two, the tantrums were never about anything as simple as the color of a placemat. And they're not now either, because I sure as heck know better than to pick a fight like that!
Gabriel, who has to come up with 7 words with "it" in them, then write a sentence with one of those words: "Is 'tit' a real word?" He knows the answer too, he just wants to see how I'll react. (I told him evenly that it's slang and that it's not appropriate to use for homework.)
Julian: "The life cycle of a butterfly starts with the eggs. Then it turns into a caterpillar and then it wraps itself up and wiggles and squirms to come up, then it's a butterfly that lays eggs and starts it all over again!" As usual, nothing about friends or anything else that happened at school. Just a science snippet.
Mom: That cough medicine knocked me out today, I'm going to bed!
12/1/08
I remember now reading advice, in a desperate search for help with Gabriel's tantrums, about dealing with 2-year-olds. The first line of defense is to let things like mismatched socks or short-sleeved shirts go. Toddlers are striving for control, so give it to them for things that don't matter. I didn't understand this on two counts. One, I never had a toddler who cared all that much about particular items. Two, the tantrums were never about anything as simple as the color of a placemat. And they're not now either, because I sure as heck know better than to pick a fight like that!
Gabriel, who has to come up with 7 words with "it" in them, then write a sentence with one of those words: "Is 'tit' a real word?" He knows the answer too, he just wants to see how I'll react. (I told him evenly that it's slang and that it's not appropriate to use for homework.)
Julian: "The life cycle of a butterfly starts with the eggs. Then it turns into a caterpillar and then it wraps itself up and wiggles and squirms to come up, then it's a butterfly that lays eggs and starts it all over again!" As usual, nothing about friends or anything else that happened at school. Just a science snippet.
Mom: That cough medicine knocked me out today, I'm going to bed!
12/1/08
Sunday, November 30, 2008
11/30/08 Tree day
We're hosting a holiday party next week for the 2006 Las Madres Cupertino playgroup, so we got our Christmas tree today.
In keeping with the notion of simplifying life, this was a $25 Home Depot special. It's definitely more fun and homey to drive to the mountains and choose and cut our own. Not to mention making for better photo-ops. Some things I just don't like simplifying, but it makes sense for us this year.
Afterward, I went to the house to do some more test-painting. I brought a helper.
Gabriel very happily chatted with me while I test-painted, and I gave him a dry brush to smooth out the edges of the swatches I painted on the walls. It turned a chore (though overall a sort of fun one) into a very nice time talking and hanging out with my firstborn son. What a cool kid.
He asked me something about how much the house cost, and I put him off by saying it's complicated, but I did say it's the most expensive thing that most people ever buy. So, basically, "a lot." He said, "I wish that I could help." I didn't understand what he meant at first, but he said that maybe if I needed more money to buy more paint, he could give me his allowance! I hugged him and thanked him and told him not to worry, we could buy paint.
(I recently watched a "Momversation" about talking to kids about the economy and parent's jobs and financial situations. I see no need whatsoever to do that. Kids don't get everything they want when things are good, it's no different now. I see no reason to worry them about something they have no control over even if they could understand it. If something drastic happened -- a loss of job, a forced move -- I still think it's pretty easy to tell them a rosy watered-down version of the truth. If things get bad enough that I have to put Gabriel to work at a gas station for 12 hours a day, then we'll talk.)
Meantime, progress has been made on the kitchen cabinet installation!
The kitchen won't really be that darkish green color, that's just tinted primer. It's quite a bit darker than the kitchen will actually be, though I'm starting to like it! It'll be either "Sand Castle" (that Gabriel is "painting"), or "Beach Bum" (right next to what Gabriel is "painting").
Gabriel took this one.
The next 3 months will be the longest ones of this remodeling journey.
11/30/08
In keeping with the notion of simplifying life, this was a $25 Home Depot special. It's definitely more fun and homey to drive to the mountains and choose and cut our own. Not to mention making for better photo-ops. Some things I just don't like simplifying, but it makes sense for us this year.
Afterward, I went to the house to do some more test-painting. I brought a helper.
Gabriel very happily chatted with me while I test-painted, and I gave him a dry brush to smooth out the edges of the swatches I painted on the walls. It turned a chore (though overall a sort of fun one) into a very nice time talking and hanging out with my firstborn son. What a cool kid.
He asked me something about how much the house cost, and I put him off by saying it's complicated, but I did say it's the most expensive thing that most people ever buy. So, basically, "a lot." He said, "I wish that I could help." I didn't understand what he meant at first, but he said that maybe if I needed more money to buy more paint, he could give me his allowance! I hugged him and thanked him and told him not to worry, we could buy paint.
(I recently watched a "Momversation" about talking to kids about the economy and parent's jobs and financial situations. I see no need whatsoever to do that. Kids don't get everything they want when things are good, it's no different now. I see no reason to worry them about something they have no control over even if they could understand it. If something drastic happened -- a loss of job, a forced move -- I still think it's pretty easy to tell them a rosy watered-down version of the truth. If things get bad enough that I have to put Gabriel to work at a gas station for 12 hours a day, then we'll talk.)
Meantime, progress has been made on the kitchen cabinet installation!
The kitchen won't really be that darkish green color, that's just tinted primer. It's quite a bit darker than the kitchen will actually be, though I'm starting to like it! It'll be either "Sand Castle" (that Gabriel is "painting"), or "Beach Bum" (right next to what Gabriel is "painting").
Gabriel took this one.
The next 3 months will be the longest ones of this remodeling journey.
11/30/08
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