hurricane irene

I know that Irene caused A LOT of damage for A LOT of people but, I love her.  For me, she was a welcome break from an extraordinarily busy week.  Here is a brief glimpse:
Monday: A started her new school
Tuesday: I volunteered for 4 hours at the consignment sale then started to prep for the 2 parties I was supposed to host this weekend
Wednesday: Work, consignment sale to find some great bargains (ps. bought both of the kids fall wardrobes for under $200, take that from the $160 that I earned and my kids are clothed for $40)
Thursday:  K. and I ran errands, cleaned, and started cooking for the parties.  I also stopped by the grocery store for some hurricane prep with my closest 200-300 friends.  This picture is actually the absence of grocery carts at the store.

A. made her preparations of flashlights hanging just where we can see them.  She actually walked around and tried every knob in the house until she found just the right spot.  There is actually still one remaining there "just in case"

Friday:  I finished cooking only to decide that Irene would prevent me from hosting the 3:00 baby shower on Saturday.  Bunko was still on though... So Friday night we had 10 lovely neighbors to my house for some wine, chatter, and double the food. 

So, when Saturday rolled around and I was told to stay in my house with my kids and my husband who came home early from work... I was elated.  Here is a chronicle for our perfect day:

A.  played my little ponies with Daddy until Daddy decided that was boring and he would be the pony instead. 

A. dressed herself in all stripes and endulged in "a few" cake balls that we made for the party. 

K. and I took a 2 hour nap together on the couch

K. learned to sit up

for about 30 seconds

Thank you Irene for such a wonderful relaxing family day.  We'll take you back but I'm sure I'm alone in those thoughts.

first day of school

The interviewer, me.  The interviewee, A. after her first day of preschool:

How was your day?  Good, I didn’t cry.  Well, I cried a little before nap because I was missin you.  But then, I woked up and Ms. T said we couldn’t play babies .  We played put the bears in the cups.  The other boy, the one next to me, he couldn't put the purple's together.  I helped him. 

Were you a bossy helper or a nice helper?  I wasn't bossy, I just put the purples in.  I didn't grab.

Did you have a job?  Once upon a time, I be the caboose.  I told everyone to march or walk.

Did you read a book?  It was a dog that growed big

What was your favorite thing?  Swings

Did you do any art?  Sure, I painted.  I brought my project in so you can see it.  It was a basketball.

Who were your friends?  It was somebody’s birthday party.  I don’t remember her name. The cupcakes were yummy though?

Did you like your teachers?  Yes.  Ms. T and Ms. M.  Ms. T played with me.

How was circle time?  Good, Ms. T told me the weather then we put our hands on our head.  I was a good listener in a circle.

How was your nap?  Good, but I growed too big for the mat.  I just kept falling off and off.  The other childs stayed on.
This all took about 15 minutes, the new commute to her school.  She then started chanting the name of her school and running around. 

Later, as we she was going to bed, she began singing a new song.  Here are the words that we understood so far… “Thank you for the North and the food, Thank you for the food and the North.”  I’m thinking that we might be missing some of the words.  Maybe she’ll get it as time goes on.  Overall, I’d say it was a VERY successful first day of 3 year old preschool!  Nothing makes me happier than knowing she is happy, safe, and learning while we are at work!

updates and some changes

Since 1) this here family blog is averaging about 60-70 readers per blog and I don't know who all of you and 2) my friend who works for the Center for Missing and Exploited children told me about the crazies stalking blogs, I'm no longer using names in my blogs.  So, you'll just see initials.  As I'm thinking about it, it really wouldn't make a difference if someone was trying to steal my children, but we'll pray that that doesn't happen.  I know a lot of my family keep up with A and K through reading. 

Other updates:
Since my blog about cursing, my mother found some article about how cursing actually helps with anger management and tolerance.  This article had men place their hands in freezing cold water.  Those who were cursing could keep their hands in a matter of seconds longer.  Though I'm sure that my graduate school statistics and research professor would find a number of things wrong with the study and say that I probably can't extrapolate from men with cold hands to 3 year olds playing with toys.  I am encouraged that A will have more tolerance thanks to my day of frustration!!

Since my blog about running away, A has moved through 2 other stages.  She no longer runs away.  In fact, when I am walking in front of her, she frequently says, "Mommy when you are going somewhere I need to be with you."  Her other phases were the 1) I want to surprise you phase where we couldn't go anywhere until she "surprised" us by getting dressed.  If we so much as peeked into her room to check on her, she screamed "NO Mommy" and started over.  Not the timeliest of phases.  2) I hate school phase.  Though we do circle time daily and look at her calendar, every time she goes to sleep, A asks, "After nap do I go to school?"  If the answer is no, she says, "I'm going to stay with you all day?" She then goes on about her business.  If the answer is yes, she starts to cry and will continue to do so until we can distract her with something else.  This can go on for up to an hour.  Its exhausting.  Her current phase is the ever so popular, "Mommy, you worry about yourself phase."  Every time that I correct her, or tell her to eat lunch or even say something to K.  This is her response.  Not a fan

Since my blog about k, my beautiful son has stopped sleeping through the night.  Oh how I long for sleeping until 5:51.  He now goes down about 7:00 pm and sleeps until 11:00 pm when he eats again.  this is fine.  Its the waking up at 3:00 that is bothersome.  We don't feed him, we swaddle his arms or give him a pacifier or give him Tylenol. Sometimes its 1 thing, sometimes it is all 3. It's usually only about 15ish minutes, just enough to wake us up.  So far, A is sleeping through this time.  When he wakes her up, we're going to have a problem...

To all my stalkers,  thanks for reading.  Please don't steal my children!  I love their curisng, yelling, and middle of the night waking up selves.     

promise promise

Somehow A. picked up the phrase, "you promise?" and added it into her daily repertoire... about 100 times daily.  I make promises about minor things such as we can have yogurt for snack.  I also make promises about major things like yes, I will still love you while I"m at work.  However, these promises are not enough anymore.  Now, I have to promise, promise.  Here is what I have promise promised so far today
1) I promise promise that it was the dog that tooted and not K
2) I promise promise that you are not going to school after nap, you will go on Monday and Wednesday
3) I promise promise that K will stay in the nursery with you during church
4) I promise promise that the backpack we bought is for a girl that doesn't already have a backpack
5) I promise promise that we will have a polka dot birthday cake for you next week.
6) finally, I promise promise that I will still love you while you are sleeping. 

I wonder how long it will be before she has to learn about broken promises.  I hope that lesson doesn't come from me but at the rate that I am promising things, it just may be an early lesson.