"Teee-Shooo!"

It's back to life as usual in our house now that Mommy (or "Mom" as Gavin plainly refers to me now) is back from my conference.  I spent a few hours with the kids at the auto dealership this week to get new tires, during which time Annah somehow clogged the toilet (despite my supervision), ran screaming through the sales room ("where is that child's mother?!?") and dumped an 80 lb display wheel onto the floor. I was about a foot away during that last one, I'm proud to add.  That little girl sure knows how to wreck havoc.  She also discovered puddles this week, and has been splashing in the muddy mess from the snow.  However, she has gotten a fraction more civilized despite the ironic evolution of wild tendencies.  She now says thank you ("Tate Uuu!") when given something.  Particularly a tissue, which she now requests by name ("teee-shoo"). She has also been nodding or shaking her head in response to yes/no questions and particularly enjoys putting stuff away, which works with me and my aversion to housekeeping duties.  She has also discovered her awesome water shoes from her Great Aunt Jean, and has been wearing them all over the house.  First pair of treaded shoes, and they should still fit this summer.

Gavin has had a busy week. We went and looked at his new school, which is really a daycare in our town so he can be picked up on a bus and taken to school from there, and he seemed to like it.  The had a rabbit, Bob, which helped smooth the visit out a bit.  And no swimming pool, which I think he's secretly quite happy about.  Though I'm torn about taking him from the Y.  It took him about 6 months to be really comfortable there, and now he looks forward to going and seeing his friends.  I know he'll adjust, and I'm really excited for him to start school in the fall.  I think he'll love that.  Gavin has also pulled out his golf clubs, and has been whacking at the ball.  It's more of a hockey swing that a refined golf swing, but he wants to play that as well, so I guess that'll work.  

Below is a picture of Little Miss Independant eating her cottage cheese all by herself, Gav enjoying some time on his playset during some of the nice weather this past week, and both kids taking a "tour" (as us snooty boots call it) around the house in an office chair.  Good rainy day activity.

Stream of Conciousness

I'd like to share with you a Gavin stream of consciousness, as documented by Erika, our guardian angel of babysitters.  This was recorded while driving with him in the car.  For some clarifications, I would like to point out that 1. We are not getting a new car right now. 2. We call our minivan the Swagger Wagon, because we're geeky like that, and  3. "roller" refers to a steam roller.  Okay, here we go:

"That's a lot of cars.  Cars a made in car factories.  Some factories make plastic pipes.  Plastic pipes yep that's right.  Daddy's going to get a new car.  It's going to be blue.  Light blue. And sparkly.  Cooler than the swagger wagon.  That's a roller.  I think it's for sale.  Not for me though.  When I get big I'm gonna have a big red tractor toy.  They make it in the factory.  And I can't have two cakes.  Mommy says.  So I am having one and it's going to be Lightning McQueen. I'm going to be four.  That's where I live.  Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika!  You just missed the road where I live.  Hmmmmm snow.  You have snow on your car.  Careful it's icy.  Just a little bit. What's for snack? Don't forget Ani!"  And scene.

This week I abandoned Ry and the kids, and I went to a conference in Pensacola, FL.  At the Margaritaville hotel.  It was tough.  Ryan was SuperDad with the kids.  He ended up staying home with the kids on Wednesday because of pink eye, but they went to Erika's house the next day, and my parents rescued him several times for dinner without asking, because Ryan would always say no.  Annah apparently does a mean impression of Baba (my father), following him around the house with her hands behind her back.  But I got back today after a long flight delay and got to spend some time with the kids.  Ani is now riding Gav's old trike, and Gavin taught me how to play soccer-volleyball-bike, which involves hitting your ball around with your bike before the other person can do the same thing.  I'm pretty sure we are looking at the newest Olympic sport here people.  It's going to be huge.

Pics this week contrast the snow from a mere week ago with the last pic of Gavin, playing outside today in short sleeves.  Of course with my legendary mothering skills, the kids weren't wearing sufficient winter clothing when there was snow, so I guess the short sleeves shouldn't mean very much.

G-A-V-I-N

Mommy bragging moment here.  Gavin is now independently spelling his name.  He did it the other day for the first time on his new chalkboard floor in the playroom.  I think the new chalkboard floor may have been his inspiration.  He also was telling us about all his body parts at dinner, including how his teeth go deeper than what you see, and they are made of bone (essentially), and that he has lots and lots of ribs.  Doctor mom who taught him none of this is pretty proud.  He also told me that I need to learn how to wiggle my ears.  Because three year olds know how to do it (not true).  

Ani has also had a good week.  She is starting to talk more and more, now that we are learning her language.  She says thank yo uwhen you give her something (it has a special tone), she says tissue as she always needs one, and a number of other words as well.  We also pulled out Gavin's old trike this weekend as it was so nice, and she hopped right on and started pushing it around.  

Ryan and I have made an executive decision that we are going to have to change daycares.  It's a difficult decision since Gavin is finally, finally really loving it.  He has a friend named Tommy, and I think they spend all day playing with each other.  This is the Tommy of the guns, but other than that he's a good little kid.  But Gav will be starting preschool, and the YMCA is not iour town, so we are going to have to change.  It won't bother Ani, but I think it's going to be hard on Gav.  We are struggling with when to tell him, and we decided we are going to visit it first with him before we break it to him.  He'll survive, but I hate to change things on him when it took him so long to get settled initially.  This also reinforces to me that I don't want to change things on them again for the foreseeable future.  

Below are pictures of our first warm weekend in months.  Enjoy!

Gav grows up a little

The pictures this week are a little Annah heavy, so I thought I'd focus on some Gavin quotes this week.  However, I also thought I'd relay an Adventures in Parenting story about him first, since Ry and I found ourselves struggling with a hard parental decision.  Gavin has been going to preschool/daycare, where he has a friend Tommy, who we otherwise really like, but he has a big brother, and I think that's where they have gotten it, but Gavin and Tommy have (against the rules) been playing "guns" with blocks and other toys. We have talked to him about this, that this is not allowed, but it bothers both of us that he is learning this from another kid.  I am very much anti-gun, in any form.  Anything that is designed to kill with the pull of a trigger is something that I find morally reprehensible. But, with the inevitability of Gav learning it somewhere, especially in rural Maine where they are very much ingrained in the culture, I would prefer it be from Ryan.  So yesterday, our neighbors with 3 boys invited Ry and Gav over to play with their new airsoft guns, which are somewhat less dangerous than bee bee guns, Ryan took him.  He used the opportunity to teach him about the "rules", and to try to instill a healthy fear and respect.  I think it helped, but it was a difficult parenting decision.  Any input from readers would be welcomed.

Anyway, here are the Gavin quotes of the week:

(While driving in the minivan): "Mommy, we need a new Swagger Wagon.  This one is no good.  It doesn't go fast enough.  And it doesn't have the number 3 on it."

(Upon drinking hot chocolate after coming in from playing in the snow): "This hot chocolate is beautiful!" He's a sensitive boy.

(After hearing us talk in the morning about Upper St, which was icey): "Don't go on Upper Street.  Go on Downer Street." (not a real street.)

(Ryan, mumbling after doing a couple mindless things in a row): "I can't get my S together." (Gavin, overhearing): "Daddy, you have your S together.". Oops.  I guess he heard.