Kids at Play

Double Trouble

I love the way little children (particularly 3 year-olds) pick up expressions from adults and then turn around and try to use them to express their own emotions. They often come out sounding more comical than anything else. For example, last year Zachary picked up the phrase "Give me a break!" Only when something happened that made him just a little mad, he'd exclaim, "Gimme anudder break!" Well, yesterday, he and Ashley were in the kitchen eating at the table and I was in the other room working on something for a moment. I could tell that something Ashley was doing was bothering her brother immensely. Suddenly, in a heated tone of voice, Zachary tried to stop her behavior and yelled out, "ASHLEY! GIVE ME ANUDDER SISTER!" I'm not quite sure what he meant by that, but somehow I don't believe that having TWO sisters would have made the situation any easier to deal with. Not for me anyway!

Playgroup Politics

I am SOOOO not into this! That is why, more than a year and a half ago, the kids and I quit going to our weekly playgroup and haven't really joined one since. It is great to get together to let the kids play and learn their social skills and just have a good time. That is the most important thing and the overall point of having a playgroup, is it not? It is a perk when the moms can become friends, too, and can be a support system for each other, but the high pressure stuff is just not worth it to me.

I sometimes have a tendency to question myself and the decisions I make (are they really for the best?), and quite honestly, I give people the benefit of the doubt more often than I probably should because I want to see the good in others. Over the past several years, though, I have come to terms with the fact that I am a pretty good judge of character, and, overall, I really haven't made many truly bad decisions in my life, so I need not doubt myself. When I began to feel like the playgroup thing we were doing wasn't in our best interest, I decided that I had to be consistent for the sake of my kids and either keep going regularly despite my misgivings or we needed to stop going altogether so we could make room for something better, and you know which one I chose. Luckily, neither of my kids was at the age where they were formulating solid friendships yet. For pete sake, Ashley wasn't even eating solid foods yet, and Zachary still wanted to do exactly the opposite of what the other kids were doing. The names of these "friends" really didn't register with him as being of any importance, so I took that as a cue that it wasn't going to devastate him. It never did, and I have never regretted the decision, either.

It just so happened that we ran into one of those other playgroup moms and her kids today while we were out playing. She saw me across the way and waved to me, and I didn't even recognize her at first. We hadn't even had the chance to get to know each other very well before the kids and I stopped going, but, ironically, the last time we saw them was at her son's birthday party. She came over and sat down next to me while the kids played together, and it was more than a little awkward at first. I mean, what do you say in that situation? Well, I'm not living in the past and wasn't holding any grudges, so I just tried to make friendly conversation with her and avoided the topic of the playgroup altogether until she finally brought it up herself. And if ever I questioned whether I had made the right decision way back when, I certainly don't anymore. It was no coincidence, but still I was somewhat surprised to learn, that just about every mom in the group had fallen away one-by-one after I left...and for many of the same reasons I had. It was one of those moments of supreme validation. It is nice to know that my radars work just fine, and it is equally nice to know that we could have a good time with our old friends today without the politics of playgroups getting in the way.

Ohhhhh, Fudddddge!

Is it selfish or neglectful of me to disappear for, say, an hour to go take a shower and do my hair while my kids watch cartoons? (I mean, they've been properly fed, bathed--with fruity-scented bubbles and everything, plenty of playtime included--and dressed before this point, so it's not like I don't at least TRY to put their needs ahead of my own. Oh, and trust me, they're not crying when I make them watch cartoons or play with their toys, either.) Just wondering if I am the only person for whom it takes THAT LONG to get ready for the day. I'm really not one of those people who can chop it all off or just wash-n-go. Believe me, I wish I was!

That being said, I admit that occasionally (like pretty often) things happen while I'm in the bathroom blowdrying my hair. If I wasn't keen enough to expect it now, I'd be unaware of my children's escapades until the blowdryer was turned off and I could hear again. Most of the time, these things happen in the kitchen, very often with Zachary and Ashley sandwiched between the refrigerator and the refrigerator door. Those little rascals! You would think I never feed them! (Of course, I think they do it as much to satisfy their curiosity about things I don't normally let them have--like lime juice, for example--as they do it to get into the good stuff.)

Today, I detected such a silence that made me suspicious. Before I could even get up to go check on them, Ashley wandered into the bathroom to find me, being followed by her whimpering big brother. I was prepared with kisses for any "owies" but then I heard him say that he was "stuck." That can be kind of a scary thought, right? Well, as it turned out, Zachary had raided the fridge and was helping himself to a treat when his finger got stuck...in the bottle of hot fudge. Very distressing indeed!







Stuck?






Stuck?!






STUCCCK!!!






Ahhhhhhhh! Sweet release.

Idle Threats That Work

Today I went and got my hair cut, and because they go everywhere I go, my kids came along for the fun of it. Luckily, the man who cuts my hair doesn't mind the little tag-alongs, as he owns his own little shop and has a few things for them to play with. (It also helps that it only takes 10 minutes to cut my hair.) Zachary was content playing with the wooden blocks today and was busy building letters out of them when it was time to leave. I asked him to help me put them away, and just as I expected, he didn't begin to help. After my failed second and third attempts to gain his cooperation, he still continued to play. Suddenly, a light went off and I knew exactly how to change this behavior! Zachary HATES getting his hair cut like no other, so you know how the rest of the story goes, don't you? And it worked! At the mere MENTIONING of the word haircut, Zachary burst into "obedient" mode and we were out of there in no time!

Breakfast of Beauties

Do you remember the 70's and 80's when Wheaties, using star athletes in their advertising and on their packaging, claimed to be the "Breakfast of Champions"? Well, if you ask Zachary what he ate this morning, he might lead you to believe that I've been experimentally serving up my own special formula for the "Breakfast of Beauties": chocolate chip waffles, strawberries, and "cold cream." Let me assure you that it really was whipped cream! I promise I don't believe in reducing wrinkles or preserving that deliciously smooth and soft baby skin by shortening the life span of little children. However, occasionally serving up a fun breakfast may be one way to maintain one's youthfulness.

Having a Chocolate Craving?

My friend, Heidi, requested this recipe that I recently told her about. I made these tasty treats for Chris on our 6th anniversary. They were so good I should have NOT made them!

Symphony Brownies
2 brownie mixes
3 Symphony chocolate bars (1/2 lb. size) with toffee and almonds

Prepare brownie mixes (separately) as directed and pour one into a 9x13 pan. Unwrap those 3 Symphony bars and lay them across the top of the first mix and then pour the second mix on top. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, it's off to school I go!

Today, I registered Zachary for Pre-K! I am not sure what he thinks about all of this now. School seemed an awful lot more exciting until he actually went. :) (If that was the case, it'll be a loooooong 20 years or so depending on what he wants to do in life.) While I filled out all the paperwork, he got to go on a tour of the school with the principal and a little girl who will be in Kindergarten next year. He went eagerly, so at least that was a good sign. Of course, Ashley was not happy to be left behind. She got to eat fruit snacks while she waited with me and then decided to color all over her hands with a ball-point pen...and then threw a tantrum when she was not allowed to continue scribbling on herself. So, she stomped off, because, well, I'm not the "cool" mom who would let her do that. Of course, the feeling was a little bit mutual as I was thinking that I wished SHE could be the one to go to school next year. Power struggles between a Leo and a Taurus = fun times! Oh well, Zachary will probably love school, and I'm sure Ashley will find that life as an "only" child for a few hours each day will have its benefits, too. I can't wait!