MLK Jr.

One of Julia's homework assignments tonight was to fill in six circles, each with a word describing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It was more challenging for her to come up with these words than I had expected.

CIRCLE NUMBER ONE: helpful to the world
JULIA: So Mommy?  Should I write "helpful," because he was trying to HELP people with different skin get to do the same things as everyone?
ME: Uh, yeah...you could say he was helpful.  He did help change the world.
JULIA: Okay, I'll write "helpful to the world."


CIRCLE NUMBER TWO: peaceful


CIRCLE NUMBER THREE: Loveing


CIRCLE NUMBER FOUR: Peace-loveing man Kind
ME: Peace-loving man?  Why don't you just write "peaceful?"  Because you already wrote "loving" right up above.
JULIA: No, I already DID "peaceful" in the second circle!
ME: Oh.  Then I'd just erase that and try to come up with a different word.  Because you're sort of repeating what you already wrote.
JULIA: Ooookaaaaay...I'm not really sure what other words I should write.  Should I say...like, he changed the WORLD?
ME: Well, he did change the world.  Can you think of a word that describes that?  Do you know what the word "inspirational" means?
JULIA: No.  What does it mean?
ME: Well, never mind, if you're not sure what it means let's think of a word you DO know.  But inspirational means that you make people want to follow your teaching and your ideas. 
JULIA: Uh...should I put "kind?"
ME: Sure.

CIRCLE NUMBER FIVE: Non Vilant
JULIA: Mom?  What's the word for people who don't like GUNS again?  Democrats?
ME: Uh, no, uh, I'd say "non-violent."
JULIA: Oh.  Okay.


CIRCLE NUMBER SIX: Hero to the World
JULIA: Mom?  What else should I say?
ME: Well, what other words come to mind?
JULIA: Like, he helped change things?
ME: So, would you say he was sort of a hero?
JULIA: Oh!  Yeah!


Some time after Julia had finished her homework, she came upon a great word that she had neglected to use.

JULIA: (while galloping through the living room) Oh!  I meant to write "BRAVE!"


CIRCLE NUMBER FOUR: Peace-loveing man  Kind  Brave


And with that, our homework for the night is finally complete. 

Fun in the Choir Loft

Church choir was interesting today, since there was no Sunday School and I had my little buddies up in the loft with me:

Madeleine spent most of the time drawing with a pen on the back of various papers that I was able to spare. She even made a list of words she knows how to spell, such as "on" and "no" and "go."  Attempting to sound out a word, she whispered to me, as I was singing, "Mama?  Is 'look' with a C or a K?" After I responded with a "k," Madeleine set out spelling the word look: "LK."

Close! 

Madeleine's grand masterpiece was this detail-filled drawing:

(Julia's collaboration went as far as writing her own and Madeleine's names.)

ME: (pointing to the beatific smiling figure on the left of the rainbow) Madeleine, is that Jesus?
MADELEINE: (brightly) Yes!
ME: (pointing to the beatific smiling figure on the right of the rainbow) And who's this?
MADELEINE: Uh, TWO JESUSES!  Two Jesus dolls!  They're BOTH Jesus dolls!

Ahh, it's Jeezy!  Now I see.  She even drew the stitched-on beard.  Bears quite a close resemblance, I'd say!

Jeezy in the flesh.  I mean cloth.


Julia spent her time singing along with the choir, and I was pleasantly surprised to realize that she knows the music pretty thoroughly, all from having heard it from down in the Sunday School pew every week.  We seem to have a budding young chorister in our midst!

Julia also surprised me by reciting the Creed from memory, something I hadn't known that SHE knows.  Not that she necessarily understands some of the complicated words she's saying.

JULIA: (reciting) In one holy, catholic and apostolic church... Mom?  Is an "apostolic church" the kind of church Daddy sings at?
ME: Uh...well, it's a Congregational Church, but there is such thing as an Episcopal church.  Is that what you were thinking of?
JULIA: Oh!  Yeah.
ME: Yeah, that's a different thing from "apostolic."  Apostolic means believing the words of Jesus' apostles.
JULIA: Oh.


Seeing as earlier in the service Julia had pointed at the word "Epistle" in my choir book and asked if it said "apostle," I can only imagine how confused she must have been feeling.

Madeleine joined in a few of the choir responses herself, only causing a momentary distraction when she attempted to lean on my music stand, lost her balance, toppled forward off the riser step and bonked her chin into the tray of the stand.  Don't worry, she only repeated that accident ONE MORE TIME later in the service, so all in all she didn't attract any attention.  (In reality, I couldn't have asked for better behavior from both girls up in the loft.  Thank goodness Madeleine loves to draw.)

During the priest's sermon, Madeleine had obviously caught the singing bug from her foray into the choir, because she decided to sing a song from "My Little Pony: Rainbow Rocks" the entire time that the priest was speaking.  (Either that, or she was having a divine moment and singing with the Holy Spirit inside her.)  Whatever the cause, she was totally feeling the music and she just HAD to share it.

Madeleine continued her singing, this time singing a made-up song, as she sat at the table eating her lunch getting distracted by her new Snowy Owl Beanie Baby.  When Auntie Shannon walked through the room and joined in the strain of the song that Madeleine was repeating over and over again, things came to a sudden halt.

MADELEINE: Uh, no, you can't sing along with me, because you're not very good at doing a British ACCENT.

Wow.  Madeleine sets the bar high as choral director.

At any rate, it was a fun morning for all of us; I enjoyed having my little singing buddies with me, Julia was beaming with pride at knowing all the words and melodies to the liturgical music, and Madeleine got to draw pictures instead of sitting still, so it was a win for all of us!

Morning Delays

It's one of those days, all right.

These are the kind of impediments that have kept anything from happening in a timely matter.


MADELEINE: (coming into my bedroom upon waking up, wiggling around doing the potty dance) Mama?
ME: Do you need to go potty?
MADELEINE: Yes! I do!  That's why I was wiggling around so much when I was brushing my teeth!
ME: Okay, well go potty then!
MADELEINE: (continuing to wiggle) Uh, Mama, just to tell you: I asked Lilly...uh, Mama.  Just to tell you: I...I...I-
ME: Go potty, honey.
MADELEINE: Mama.  Just to tell you: I asked Lilly about a sleepover, and she said she's FINE with it.
ME: Okay, well maybe one day when you're bigger you can have a friend sleep over.  Now quick, go potty!
MADELEINE: And Mama?  Maybe one time we can have a party and me and Julia can BOTH have friends sleep over!
ME: Yeah, maybe.  Go get on that potty!
MADELEINE: (holding up two fingers) And we can each have THREE friends sleep over!
ME: Okay!  It's a plan.  Go potty, honey!
MADELEINE: (slowly walking backwards towards the bathroom, then halting) Wait.  Mama.  Why did I only hold up TWO fingers if I said THREE friends?!?
ME: I don't know, but go get your bum on that potty!


So, if it took that much effort just to get the morning peeing done with, you can imagine how hard it was to get the kids out the door.

ME: Julia, come on, we have to leave for school.
JULIA: But Mommy!  I don't even have SOCKS on!
ME: Well, go get some.  Quickly.
JULIA: Mommy, how come you didn't pick me out any SOCKS?
ME: Well, aren't you old enough to pick your own socks?
JULIA: But MOMMY!  You never pick out socks for me!  How come you never pick them OUT?
ME: Because I'm a terrible mom, I guess.
MADELEINE: (concerned) You're NOT a terrible mom!  (crawling over to climb in my lap, hindering me from continuing to gather Julia's school stuff.)
JULIA: (coming back with her socks, and sitting morosely by the shoe bin.)  Mommy, what SHOES should I wear?
ME: Whichever ones you want, honey.
JULIA: But I don't KNOW which ones to wear!  I *can't* wear my boots with these kinds of PANTS you picked out for me.
ME: Sure you can. They're called boot-leg pants, which means there's room to fit them over your boots.
JULIA: But I don't LIKE wearing my pants OVER my boots.  I like tucking them IN to my boots.
ME: Okay, then wear your sneakers.
JULIA: But I don't WANT to wear my sneakers.
ME: So wear your boots.
JULIA: I *can't.*
ME: Honey, just pick a pair of shoes and put them on.
JULIA: (morosely and veeeery slowly putting on her sneakers.)
ME: Okay, come on, let's go!
JULIA: WAIT!  Mommy!  I don't even have my hat and gloves on!
ME: Honey, I'm driving you, because it's -2 degrees.
JULIA: But I NEED my hat and gloves!
ME: You can put them on in the car.
JULIA: But Mommy!  Why did you not get my hat and gloves out??  You ALWAYS get them out for me.
ME: Julia.  I'm trying to make sure I don't get you to school late.  Can we just get into the car?
JULIA: (putting on her coat as slowly as possible, all the while looking as if she's being unfairly punished)

Luckily, we actually made it on time, no thanks to either kid.  I think we're still living in winter vacation mode right now, and we need to re-adjust to the idea of actually needing to be somewhere in the mornings.

As I mentioned above, it is literally freezing today.  The temperatures have now bumped themselves up to a comfy six degrees, so we're all in great moods over here!  Last night, when Auntie Shannon got home from work, she immediately announced: "I'm moving to Florida."

I was on my way out to Julia's swim team practice, and I offered Madeleine the option to stay home with Auntie Shannon instead of tagging along.

MADELEINE: But Auntie Shannon? Can you NOT go to Florida until after Mommy gets back?

I vote that we all move to Florida.  Right now.  Enough with winter!  Enough with failing my daughter miserably by not taking her hat and gloves out for her!  Enough with picking out pants that cause the conundrum over what shoes to wear.  It's going to be flip flops and sunglasses from here on out!

Trickery

Julia is full of little verbal practical jokes lately, like this one:

JULIA: Madeleine, what's under there?
MADELEINE: Under WHERE?
JULIA: Ha ha!  You said underwear!

And she doesn't allow Madeleine the satisfaction at getting back at her.

MADELEINE: Julia?  What's under there?
JULIA: Under WHAT?
MADELEINE: No!  JULIA!  You're supposed to say "UNDER WHERE?"
JULIA: Madeleine, you just said underwear again!


Madeleine is so desperate to be the tricky one that she instead decided to try and stump ME today.

MADELEINE: Mama.  I'm thinking of someone that's a girl. 
ME: Okay.
MADELEINE: And I won't say who it is!
ME: Okay. (silently assuming that Madeleine is thinking of Auntie Shannon's chihuahua, Clara.)
MADELEINE: And Mama.  She's just SO CUTE.  And she has the BIGGEST EYES.  And she's so LITTLE.
ME: Okay.
MADELEINE: And Mama.  I like to scratch her head like THIS (scratching her own head and undoing a chunk of her braid in the process)
ME: Is is it Clara?
MADELEINE: (becoming more and more frantic) Uh, Mama, uh, can you NOT guess CLARA?  Mama, pretend you didn't GUESS Clara!
ME: Okay.
MADELEINE: (smiling with twinkly-eyed glee) Okay, Mama, I'll tell you who it is.  It's CLARA!
ME: (gasp) It is?!?!?

I guess Madeleine has to take her victories where she can get them, right?

Back to the Grind

Today the kids went back to school, and it proved to be a little confusing for one of them.

As I was driving home with Madeleine after pick-up, we had this conversation.

ME: So how was school?  Was it fun?
MADELEINE: Yes.  And Mama?  I was really, REALLY paying really good attention to where you were driving, because I'm not sure what a New YEAR is.
ME: What do you mean?
MADELEINE: Well, YOU said that when it's NEXT YEAR, I'll go to KINDERGARTEN.  So I didn't know I was going to kindergarten.

This poor kid.  It's so hard to understand.  At first, I had told her you have to be five to go to kindergarten, so after her birthday in October, Madeleine expected to be attending kindergarten.  So then I told her that the next time it's September and she's five, she'll be going to kindergarten.  However, in between her birthday and January, I have referred to "next year" as the time at which she will be finally going to Julia's school.  I guess I should have explained that when it's next year AND she's five AND it's September, then she will actually be going to kindergarten.

Now, although it's the New Year, Madeleine seems very reluctant to give up Christmas.  In fact, she got her hands on the little artificial tree of Auntie Shannon's that had been lying in a pile of items to be put in our attic.  Next thing I knew, Madeleine was putting on a Grand Ol' Christmas Show!:




I guess I'm not surprised that Christmas is still on her mind, seeing as Madeleine has been asking questions about Santa on a daily basis.  Why did Santa only leave one present under the tree and it was for JULIA?  This, in fact, caused tears:  Madeleine was completely dismissive of the PILES AND PILES of presents under the tree that didn't explicitly say "From Santa," or from anyone, which is my way of keeping mystery alive while not outright lying about who the presents are from.  The one present that did say "From Santa" was a gift from Julia's best friend, which was completely identical to a gift from Julia's best friend's SISTER to Madeleine, but because Julia's said "From Santa" the kids believed it rather than seeing the very obvious tie between the two presents.  So Madeleine now believes that because Santa signed his name on that one present, it is, in fact, the ONLY present that he himself delivered.  And he gave it to Julia.  Nothing for Madeleine.  Let's definitely cry about that, right?

Furthermore, Madeleine has asked me multiple times about the verity of the whole Santa thing.  The other night at bedtime this came up yet again.

MADELEINE: Mama?  Is Santa real?
ME: Well, what do you think? 
(This is my standard answer to the kids when they ask about Santa, since, as I mentioned above, I don't want to outright lie.)
MADELEINE: I don't know.  Is he real?
ME: Well, do you think he is?
MADELEINE: I don't know, so Mama, can you just TELL me?
ME: Uh...well, maybe *I* don't even know...
MADELEINE: (adopting my same tone of voice) Well, Mama, what do YOU think?

I managed to side-step the subject that evening, but I have a feeling things are going to have to head in the direction of the Tooth Fairy if Madeleine persists with her interrogation techniques!! 

Hope all you readers are enjoying 2015 so far!

Julia Starts Another Book

It's no secret that Julia becomes heavily influenced and inspired by whatever book she is currently reading.  This inspiration usually results in the writing of a new book that is very closely related to whichever book Julia has just read.

Sometimes this similarity is extremely blatant, like when Julia was reading "The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes" and I stumbled upon a book she was writing called "The Extraordinary Days of Ophelia Mayes."

Sometimes it's not even a book that Julia herself is reading that motivates her to write a spin-off.  Madeleine received a book for Christmas that both girls have really enjoyed having read to them:

 The Day the Crayons Quit


For those unfamiliar with this book, its premise is that a little boy sits down to color at school one day and instead of crayons, he finds a stack of mail addressed to him.  Each piece of mail is a letter from a crayon of a particular color, detailing that crayon's frustrations and reasons for going on strike.  Some examples are the blue crayon (the boy's favorite) that has been whittled down to a stump, the pink crayon that is never used due to being a "girl" color, the black crayon who is tired of being used for outlining things while brigher, more beautiful colors get to fill the insides, and the neatnik purple crayon who can't handle being used out of the lines.  It's a pretty cute and clever book, and it obviously had a powerful impact on Julia, because when I went into her room to make her bed yesterday, I found this on her floor:

The Day the Markers Got Upset
by Julia Rowe

"One day, May found letters in her coloring book."

Hmm.  So far it starts out just like the crayon book.  Except for the fact that the main character is a girl and not a boy.

"May read them."
Dear May, 
I am upset.  I love being your favorite color, but you use me too much.  All my ink is running out!  Please don't use me so much. se some other colors!  Love, Pink Marker.

Yep.  So far this is a thinly veiled copy of "The Day the Crayons Quit." 

Dear May,
You only use me on boys because I'm blue.  And you hardly ever draw boys!  Will you pleas use me on girls?  I am upset.  Love, Blue Marker

Aha.  Okay.  I'm liking this twist, Jules. Instead of May refusing to use blue because it's a "boy color," May instead actually DOES use the blue, but only on boys.  My question is: what color does May make water?  Or the sky?  Or blueberries?  I'd be curious to see her drawings with yellow water and green skies and a bunch of blue alien-boys running around outside.

Dear May,
I am upset because you rush when you draw with me!  I am very neat!  And you should know that!  And coloring fast ruins my butiful color.  How would you feel about this?
Love, Red Marker

Well, Red Marker is apparently the OCD cousin to the purple crayon from "The Day The Crayons Quit."  I wonder if purple crayon feels like being used out of the lines ruins its butiful color as well.

Dear May,
You only use me on bears.  WHY BEARS?  Can't there be any other things you color me with?  WHY JUST BEARS?
Love, Brown Marker

Yeah, May.  WHY JUST BEARS??!?
Sheesh.  Brown Marker is having a MANGER existential crisis here.  May should just throw him a bone and color a piece of chocolate cake or a mound of dirt with him.  NOT JUST BEARS.

Dear May,
Why do you color peace sines with me when I told you I want you to color in pumpkins with me?  It isn't fair!  Really not fair!  Please stop!
Love, Orange Marker

Okay, markers.  Y'all need to CALM.  THE.  HECK.  DOWN.
Why should May be forced to confine herself to the standards of reality when she's coloring?  So what if boys don't really have blue skin and pumpkins should be orange and there are more things that are brown in the world than bears.  Maybe May WANTS to color purple pumpkins and gray pieces of chocolate cake and red skies.  Maybe this is a chance for her to EXPRESS HERSELF CREATIVELY and all y'all are just whiny little brats over here trying to make her fit the mold.  LET HER EXPLORE HER INNER FANTASIES, marker-folk.  OMG.  Stop complaining and let May color things the way she wants.  SHE'S the artist.  ALL Y'ALL are just the medium.

Dear May,
I am outraged!  You only draw rocks and toilets with me!  DRAW BIGGER THINGS!  If you don't I will exsplode!  I mean it!
Love, Gray Marker

Okay, Gray Marker.  Despite my rant up above, I'm pretty much with you here.  Rocks and toilets?  No one wants to be used for rocks and toilets.  In fact, I can't help but wonder why May chooses to draw toilets in the first place.  I mean, toilets?!?  No wonder she draws yellow water.  Or brown water.  Or any color water BUT blue.  As I said above, I'm all for creativity and all that, but...toilets??


Anyway, that's where Julia has left off for now, so we don't get to see what indignities purple, yellow, or black marker are suffering, but I promise that if May gets any more letters I'll report back to you soon!

The New Year

Well, 2015 is here and we are enjoying the first day of the New Year in the Rowe household.

Despite its being a new month and year, things are still pretty much the same around here.


Madeleine is still incessantly wearing her Olaf hat:

Julia is still thinking about the Mintz family (and has even started an American-girl like novel about them):

And every surface of the house is still covered with kiddie toys, books, and empty drink containers:

However, we do have one new and exciting development: our first fire in the fireplace ever!:

The kids had mixed reactions to this big first.  Julia appeared to forget all previous knowledge of everything:

ETHAN: Okay, listen up girls.  If you ever see smoke coming out from the fireplace into the living room, tell a grown-up right away.
JULIA: (in a panic) But what if there's NO GROWN-UP in the house with us?
ETHAN:  Julia.  When have you ever been left alone at home without a grown-up?
JULIA: Uh...
ETHAN: Also, if you see smoke coming into the living room, open a window.
JULIA: (in a panic) But I don't even KNOW how to open the windows!
ETHAN: Open the door then.

On the other hand, Madeleine became the wise old know-it-all about the fire.

ETHAN: You see the smoke there?  It's going up the chimney, which is where it's supposed to go.
MADELEINE: (with certainty) Daddy?  Another thing that smoke can be can be called is FOG, because smoke is really FOG.
ETHAN: No it isn't.

A few moments later:

MADELEINE: Wait a minute.  Did I just BURN my hand by the fire?
ETHAN: I don't see how that's possible, honey.  Your hand is not anywhere near the fire.
MADELEINE: (with certainty) Oh!  I just HIT my hand by accident, and when it HURT, I thought it was the FIRE burning it, but it was just my HAND hitting my other hand.

A few moments later:

ETHAN: (admiring the fire) Hey, that's pretty good now, isn't it?
MADELEINE: Yeah.  It's HUGE.  It's bigger than I even WANTED it to be.

Let's just put Madeleine in charge right now, folks.  She clearly knows what she's talking about on every subject.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2015!