Big Girl Sophie

Someone started pre-school a couple of weeks ago. She also dressed herself (like always) in a shirt-tutu and jeans with red shoes and blue bows, neither of which really matched her outfit. I'm loosening up.

This pride and joy right here is the backpack. Personally, I think character-themed clothes and accessories are tacky (although Hello Kitty doesn't bother me as much), but Sophie is so in love with Disney Princesses right now I couldn't resist. (It was only a matter of time before those ladies were an integral part of our lives. I tried to postpone it as long as I could.) We surprised her with it the night before her first day.

So far she loves it. It's a parent co-op that meets two mornings a week (Joy School... if you've heard of it) so we rotate where "class" is held. That means I get two mornings a week alone with Ivy when I'm not teaching. She's a good hang-out buddy when she isn't being teased constantly.

This week was my turn to teach, and I wanted to share a couple of funny things. We're talking about the body right now, and I was asking the kids some questions during the lesson:

What happens if you don't get enough sleep?
"Andy": You get old!

What happens if you eat candy all day long?
"Mitchell": (while patting his stomach) You get diabetes!

That last one surprised me. I'm impressed that he knew what diabetes was, even. But from the gestures he was doing, I wonder if he was mistaking it for another "D" word that has to do with digestion. . .

Brownies and Traditions

For the past two years I've made these brownies and Sophie has helped me. And for the past two years I've let her lick the spatula and then made her cry while taking it away from her -- all while snapping pictures like an insensitive mother. The second time I did it, I wasn't intending it to be a tradition, but it kind of did anyway. (See this post if you need a reminder.) Seriously, though? I think it's nice to get a few pictures of your kids riled up. That's how my kids are about 60% (some days around 87%) of the time, and I like to capture a few photos to keep things real. I like to look back at these when they're sleeping and think, "wow, they're actually pretty cute when they're mad."

Anyway.

We started out with the blissful pictures of Sophie licking the spatula:

But when I took it away from her, I got this look:



Kind of a confused look like, "why did you take that from me and are you giving it back in the next 15 seconds?"

Not the drama I was looking for. On to my next subject:



Licking a chocolate-covered spatula is true bliss.

Now for the moment of truth. Mom takes the spatula away and . . .

Bingo. Just what I expected. I guess our little tradition of photos only lasts for two years per child.

Lucky Seven

September 12, 2003 was a pretty lucky day.

And so was every day since then.

Happy Anniversary Hon!

I love you. Lots.

P.S. Thanks for taking the kids all day yesterday while I went to Time Out for Women. I feel like a nicer version of myself now. 

Resemblance?

Tonight Steve was browsing through some photos I had in my Facebook album and came across the first picture below. He asked Sophie who it was and she said, "Sophie and Ivy!"

Steve told her it was "little girl Mommy and baby Uncle Devin." She looked at him like he was nuts.

I guess I can't blame her. :)

Batty

Updates? Not really. We're just waiting around to see what our next big step is.

I think my kids are sensing that there may be some big changes soon. Sophie's still . . .

Sophie. Just a little more intense.

Ivy thinks she's grown up now.

She insists on walking everywhere, hates her car seat, and yells for panties every time I put a new diaper on her. We've had to resort to putting a pair of Sophie's panties over her pj's at night to pacify her.

And she isn't afraid of doing things that Sophie does.

(I tried to make this into a really fast slide show to simulate a flip book, but I couldn't figure out how. That would be cool.)

Steve's hanging in there. He's officially through going to classes, and hopefully his 12+ hour days will ease up while he finishes clinic over the next couple of weeks.

So, um. . . they have a little tradition at the school where the seniors run around the school in weird clothes during the last week of class. His class decided to do an 80s workout theme to this song.

Hence, the cut off shirt, "sweatband" (bottom of his shirt), and short shorts (which I saved you from. Although he does have nice, svelte caveman legs.)

Oh, and the mullet, which is actually MY hair. I still have my ponytails from when I chopped my hair in June.

I'm going a little nuts, too. Which is the only explanation I have of this:

I think I need a new routine.

Or a change of scenery.

Or some goals. . . . or somethin'.