Chris picked the girls up from school yesterday. As usual, they made a trek to the water fountain. Just before Maggie took her drink, she looked at her dad and said, "You don't stink, but the rest of the boys do!" Chris, not really knowing how to respond to this, looks at Grace -- who rolls her eyes, shakes her head and says, "I have no idea."
We had a similar bewildering moment at the dinnertable. It was Make Your Own Taco Night, which the girls LOVE. I should mention than Izzy loves it too, because it's messy on the floor! Anyway, the conversation went something like this:
Me: "How was your day Grace?"
Grace: "Lailani hit me in the arm really hard. Alyssa kicked me in the leg and Maddison screamed in my ear really loud.
Me: "Oh, that's not nice! Did you tell the teacher? Did they get in trouble?
Grace: Well, it was all an accident. Except for Alyssa kicking me. That was on purpose. And Lailani hit me. On the arm. On purpose. Maddison screaming in my ear was an accident. Well, no. Maybe that was on purpose too. I don't know, but I didn't like it much".
Me: "Well, Maggie, how was YOUR day?"
Maggie: "Good".
Me: "That's it. Good".
Maggie: "Yep".
They are so different!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
"Daddy" by Grace and Maggie
This was a team effort, dry erase portrait of Daddy. We're still wondering why he's half black and half green.
Little (well-behaved) Dancers
Every time I dress the girls for dance class, I get a little sad. They look so grown up in those tights and skirts, hair pulled back. I can't believe they are only 4 years old when I see them like that. Still, I wish they could stay little for always. I know they won't. They even act like little grown ups a good bit of the time.
Just last night at dance class, I experienced one of those shoulders squared, chest puffed out incidents of complete parental proudness. It is the norm for Grace and Maggie to mind their manners, especially when we're out in public. And, I have noticed that they seem older, more mature than the other 4 and 5 year old girls in their class. They listen intently to their instructor. They do their best when it's their turn. The teacher has not had to stop class on their account. Other parents are noticing. And last night, two moms came over to me and said, "Your girls are always so good. They are such good listeners. And there are TWO of them. What's your secret?"
Chest puffy, shoulders squared moment! I'm ready to tell them that my girls are exceptional! Chris and I are good parents! Involved parents! They are loved! But instead what I say is truly what I believe. "They are good kids. But, ladies, they have their moments. I don't know why it is, but they tend to save those moments for home -- just for our eyes. They're not perfect. We're not perfect. FAR from it. But for whatever reason, they tend to give me a break when we're out. Just don't decide to come home with us. The meltdowns hit at about 7 every night." Both moms seemed relieved to hear that my kids were every bit as normal as theirs -- just on a different time schedule!
Still, I am very proud of the way they tend to carry themselves at special events, pre-K class, weddings, funerals, gymnastics, dance class, etc. We are very fortunate. And, they DO seem so much older because of their behavior. I left dance class feeling a little proud and a little sad. But mostly proud. I think Maggie must've sensed something a little off with me. Because as I started the car, she said to me, "Mommy, when we get home can I lay on the couch, watch TV and suck my thumb?" And just like that, I was grinning from ear to ear. They are truly 4 years old! Not 14. Four. And I can live with that ... for now.
Just last night at dance class, I experienced one of those shoulders squared, chest puffed out incidents of complete parental proudness. It is the norm for Grace and Maggie to mind their manners, especially when we're out in public. And, I have noticed that they seem older, more mature than the other 4 and 5 year old girls in their class. They listen intently to their instructor. They do their best when it's their turn. The teacher has not had to stop class on their account. Other parents are noticing. And last night, two moms came over to me and said, "Your girls are always so good. They are such good listeners. And there are TWO of them. What's your secret?"
Chest puffy, shoulders squared moment! I'm ready to tell them that my girls are exceptional! Chris and I are good parents! Involved parents! They are loved! But instead what I say is truly what I believe. "They are good kids. But, ladies, they have their moments. I don't know why it is, but they tend to save those moments for home -- just for our eyes. They're not perfect. We're not perfect. FAR from it. But for whatever reason, they tend to give me a break when we're out. Just don't decide to come home with us. The meltdowns hit at about 7 every night." Both moms seemed relieved to hear that my kids were every bit as normal as theirs -- just on a different time schedule!
Still, I am very proud of the way they tend to carry themselves at special events, pre-K class, weddings, funerals, gymnastics, dance class, etc. We are very fortunate. And, they DO seem so much older because of their behavior. I left dance class feeling a little proud and a little sad. But mostly proud. I think Maggie must've sensed something a little off with me. Because as I started the car, she said to me, "Mommy, when we get home can I lay on the couch, watch TV and suck my thumb?" And just like that, I was grinning from ear to ear. They are truly 4 years old! Not 14. Four. And I can live with that ... for now.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Scooby Dooby What?!
I picked the girls up super early from pre K today so that we could spend the afternoon shopping for Halloween costumes. Grace was adament. She wanted to be Ariel. Though Maggie had said a month ago she wanted to be Cinderella, the past couple of weeks she's been firmly pressing the Cheerleader idea. 
Maggie followed through with getting a cheerleader costume. She, very specifically, wanted a "fire pink" one. I think most of us call that hot pink. :) We found it at the first store we visited. Easy.
We searched a few stores for the perfect Ariel costume. We found it. Right beside this Daphne costume. I guess the big orange wig was just too much of a temptation, because Grace left the store with that Daphne costume. Ask her what she's going to be for Halloween and she'll tell you Ariel. I gently remind her she chose something else and she responds, "Oh yeah, what's that girl's name again? The Scooby Doo girl with the orange hair?"
What Grace is more excited about is that after we left the store with the Daphne costume, I told her I'd make Izzy a big, chunky collar with the SD logo on it and she could go as Scooby Doo. Maggie, getting in on the plot, has decided she's playing a cheerleader character in a random Scooby Doo cartoon and she's going to say "Zoinks!" alot (in between cheers, of course).
Maggie followed through with getting a cheerleader costume. She, very specifically, wanted a "fire pink" one. I think most of us call that hot pink. :) We found it at the first store we visited. Easy.We searched a few stores for the perfect Ariel costume. We found it. Right beside this Daphne costume. I guess the big orange wig was just too much of a temptation, because Grace left the store with that Daphne costume. Ask her what she's going to be for Halloween and she'll tell you Ariel. I gently remind her she chose something else and she responds, "Oh yeah, what's that girl's name again? The Scooby Doo girl with the orange hair?"
What Grace is more excited about is that after we left the store with the Daphne costume, I told her I'd make Izzy a big, chunky collar with the SD logo on it and she could go as Scooby Doo. Maggie, getting in on the plot, has decided she's playing a cheerleader character in a random Scooby Doo cartoon and she's going to say "Zoinks!" alot (in between cheers, of course).
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Too late to bed, too early to rise ...
It's occurred to me that once "real school" starts -- and not just this Pre-K thing -- that I may have to reset the alarm to about 4:30 a.m. to get all the girls in the house ready and out the door.
Grace and Maggie suddenly have their own style, want their own flair. Well, maybe not their OWN style and flair. Madison's style and flair. Madison is a girl in their Pre-K class. If Madison wears a ponytail in her hair one day, I know I"ll have TWO ponytails to do the next morning. If Madison wears a dress with tights one day -- guess what my two girls are wearing the very next day? And just this morning I discovered that Madison both wore a necklace yesterday and had a ribbon in her hair. Guess who was running around the house franticly looking for "the right necklace" at ten minutes past the time she should have left for work?
Chris, growing more accustomed every day to what it means to a girl to feel all special and girl-like by having just the right accessories, found the necklace. The day was saved! The morning was brighter! And I was still late for work.
Grace and Maggie suddenly have their own style, want their own flair. Well, maybe not their OWN style and flair. Madison's style and flair. Madison is a girl in their Pre-K class. If Madison wears a ponytail in her hair one day, I know I"ll have TWO ponytails to do the next morning. If Madison wears a dress with tights one day -- guess what my two girls are wearing the very next day? And just this morning I discovered that Madison both wore a necklace yesterday and had a ribbon in her hair. Guess who was running around the house franticly looking for "the right necklace" at ten minutes past the time she should have left for work?
Chris, growing more accustomed every day to what it means to a girl to feel all special and girl-like by having just the right accessories, found the necklace. The day was saved! The morning was brighter! And I was still late for work.
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