Saturday, February 28, 2009

on being a mommy

i don't know if i've ever mention this, but Vivi talks alot about being a mom. she will help me by getting something for Phoebe and say, "see mom. i'm going to be a good mommy when i am big." last night, Will said that when he was cleaning the kitchen, V started talking about being a good mom. she used to ask occasionally why Phoebe drank from my "paws". on a few occasions, i corrected her and explained that babies drink from their mother's breasts. again, last night she told Will that she would be a good mom and feed her baby from her "paws". it is comical that she has decided this the the name. i have no idea where she gets this notion from and she can't explain it to me.

as far as Beatrice being a good mom....yesterday she decided that Phoebe should use the potty. we were reading her current favorite book. My Big Girl Potty. not sure why she likes this since she has mastered the potty but we read it at least once a day lately. so we start to talk with Phoebe about using the potty. Phoebe has the word "potty" down. so B thinks she needs to use the potty. we go get the little potty, just for Phoebe and B proceeds to show Phoebe how to use the potty. we get P on the potty and she's not so sure this is where she wants to be. i let her off the hook while B throws a fit, insisting that she use the potty. later i find B trying to take P's pants off telling her it's time to use the potty. Phoebe is not happy. i had to intervene. i hope this does not backfire on any potty training efforts for P.

on a tangent...Phoebe has taken to laughing every night when we get dressed for bed. she finds the word pajamas to be very funny. she will say "jamaa" and laugh. over and over. then the other day i noticed that she gets fussy when we try to get her dressed for the day. we thought it was just a i-don't-want-to-be-naked thing but she started saying "jamaa" and crying. i think it is a sad thing for her to take off her pajamas. she gets over it quickly though when i let her pick out her own outfit. i now have three girls who want to dress themselves and apparently think that my fashion sense is, well...not for them. sorry mom, if i ever gave you grief over my clothes.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

practice, practice, practice...

right now, it's all about figuring things out. i try to see how to get everyone to eat well. Viv, you are doing very well. i actually think that if you didn't have the evil influence of B tainting your taste buds, you would be eating everything we put in front of you. B, i am proud to say that you were fighting, yes fighting over the last slice of pear at lunch today. what a proud moment. this time last year, i could barely get you to eat anything resembling a fruit. now you eat grapes, apples and pears. there is hope for you yet.

Phoebe, you do well with the food as long as it's not too crunchy. i can't believe you still haven't gotten many teeth. i feel like you are constantly teething. i mean, really, what is all the biting about anyway? yesterday you came up to me like you were going to give me a big smoocheroo and about bit my lower lip off. you also bit B's belly. i'm keeping my distance today, and advising others to do the same. you do make me smile even when you are being a little terror. i like the way you wander about, singing. sometimes i can even tell what you are singing, like "a,b,c" or "twinkle, twinkle" other times it's just a little babble that i once thought was an effort to talk, but now i believe it to be singing. you do talk quite a bit, often repeating what we say like, "up you go" and you definitely know what you want. it's not uncommon for you to take something from us and look at it in disgust, then petulantly spike it to the ground. you will chant "tee" when you want to brush your teeth. usually you are already at the sink with toothbrush in hand and just need water and toothpaste. this you do just about every time you pass the bathroom. you really don't need to brush your teeth 20 times a day. and when you want to cuddle at bedtime you will find a "banket" and drag it around until you find a lap to crawl into. and when i ask you if you want something that is food (which you pretty much always want) you always exclaim a raspy, open mouthed "yeahhh" i love how your eyes sparkle with excitement.

Phoebe, before i move on, stop climbing. please. you are making me a wreak. i can't sit down. i can't even not be in the same room with you when you are awake. you pulled the stool onto you when trying to climb on it the other day. this is a heavy foot breaking stool. (head breaking, in your case) we often wonder where you get some of the bumps and bruises that come and go as quickly as you tear through the house. and don't you dare get up on the top bunk and stand up. just stop. your mama doesn't much care for heights, so you need to not like them too.

B, you do practice my patience these days. you don't sleep through the night. ever. i pretty much have to settle you in your bed at least twice during the night unless i stay with you. the strange thing is that you don't care where you sleep as long as mama or papa is there when you fall asleep and when you ever so slightly wake. it never takes long to get you back asleep. i'm not even sure you are awake! as a consequence you get really cranky if you don't get a nap but also refuse to take a nap. so you pass out at 4pm and stay up late so we want to knock you out at 10pm. i suppose i could force the issue but i really dislike fighting with a cranky B and i'll just go to sleep when i want...you won't keep me from my bedtime. heck i may have to be up in a few hours to put you back to bed...

Will took you girls out for bike rides this week during our sunny weather melt. he says that the training wheels may come off soon this summer. probably B first.

V, you are quite the story teller. i wish i could record some of your tales. i am pretty sure you know you are telling a story but sometimes i get mixed up as to what you are talking about and wonder if you are telling me about what happened at school. eventually you seem to sit back with a smile on your face as if you accomplished what you set out to say. so, you really are trying to confuse your mom, is that it? (or should i say "mother" since that is what you have started calling me lately.)

so i get a little irritated these days trying to get you all out the door in the timely manner. i know, i should just try earlier or just let it go. it's hard for me to not be on time. so i find myself repeating my request for you to get coats and boots on, dozens of times and chasing Phoebe around (this is a game for her) trying to get her coat on. i happen to know that she can do this herself. i've seen it. today B, you were trying to get the knit gloves on that you like to wear. you like gloves as opposed to mittens. not sure why. but i said, "nice job, B. you are pretty good at that" and in a way that only you can say, you reply "yeah, it's because i practice everyday" just soooo matter of fact, you are.

out of the mouths of babes. i guess in order to get pretty good, i need to practice everyday.

i do know that i'm already pretty good at loving you girls. i like to practice that!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

ain't no mountain high enough

more like...ain't no surface high enough. Phoebe, Phoebe, it would seem that you have graduated to big kid climbing school. in the last week, i have found you on the clothes dresser, in the top bunk (easy for you), and on the art table stool which is by the way taller than you are. i'm sitting at the desk, paying bills and doing paper work and next thing i know you are there. one moment you are playing nicely under the table, which is also higher than your head, and then you are perched atop the high stool. i had to help you down and then watch you to see how you managed to scale it. turns out that you step on the baseboard heat and then after doing a belly flop on the stool, you worm your way to your knees. well done, but not very steady for my liking. i may have to start hiding the stool.

we had to put a lock on the outside of the guest room in order to keep you girls from making all sorts of messes with the paper work, art supplies and games we have there. most, if not all, require supervision, sometimes with V and i can't expect V to supervise when it is okay for her to play with it. it will be so much nicer to have everyone at a safe age for these activities. won't be too much longer...

we've been making valentine's cards for Vivi's classmates. i have to say that those silly boxed cards are seeming very attractive to me at the moment. V was going gang-busters for the first 10 or so then she jumped to making cards for her neighborhood friends. she and Beatrice both did well making those. then we went back to the classmates and i lost her. she didn't want to sign her name (she signs it "viv", but with her whole name she writes her "e" upside down and maybe forgets an "n") ...couldn't even decide who the cards would be for. she fell asleep today, which is rare for her. hopefully we can get a few more cards done before dinner. i may have to step in and just start writing names on cards and have her put stickers on them.

it is a rare moment in the house where i have three girls sleeping. (unfortunately even at night) i probably should be trying to clean and get the house ready for Grandma Liz since she will be here for a visit tomorrow. instead i'm goofing off and having a cup of tea.... one that i don't have to reheat over and over. yesterday i forgot about it so much that i had it reheated 5 times before i finished my cup. this all makes up for the fact that i average 6 hours of interrupted sleep a night. B is the worse. she will come to my bedside sometimes 3 times a night. each time i take her back to bed, settle her fairly quickly, and then try to fall back asleep. last night, Phoebe was also fussy. so i had a moment of settling her as well.

Phoebe, you are such a girl these days. no baby, anymore. you ask for things. saying "peease". saying "tankqou". it's so cute, and a bit sad. we still have plenty of days where you want me to carry you around and cuddle but it won't be long before you are just like Viv. writing your name on cards and helping yourself to all sorts of activities that i usually help with. i will then do a little dance and then look for ways to entertain myself.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

x&o

Phoebe, i love that you are giving out hugs and kisses very freely these days. you hug with a little grunt and your kisses are more sound than kiss. you make the kiss noise but you do it with your tongue like a cluck instead of smacking your lips. it's sooo cute.