While Madeleine and I were walking home from school today, we had a discussion about sophistication.
MADELEINE: Why is Julia always having to be so MEAN about things that are funny?
ME: What do you mean?
MADELEINE: Well, she gets mad at me if I laugh when she uses a GROWN-UP word, and she says, "It's not FUNNY, Madeleine."
ME: Like what kind of grown-up words does she use?
MADELEINE: Well, I think it's funny when she says "meanwhile."
ME: Well, Julia is a pretty advanced reader, so she has a sophisticated vocabulary.
MADELEINE: Sophisticated?!? What does THAT mean?
ME: Well, if a kid is sophisticated, it means they have a knowledge of things that are kind of...
MADELEINE: Grown-up?
ME: Yeah, like of a higher level than their age. You're a really advanced reader too, so I bet when you're Julia's age you'll have a really sophisticated vocabulary.
MADELEINE: I don't WANT to! I just wanna talk like a KID!
Be that as it may. Madeleine is at least proud of her sophisticated art skills, as she found out today she won the school Earth Day Poster contest for her grade. The poster she drew is hanging up in the school lobby along with the other winners from each grade. So I guess Madeleine might not want to use grown-up words, but she sure shows some grown-up drawing potential.
Speaking of sophisticated, Julia decided to play it totally classy this evening. While she was supposed to be brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed, she was instead devoting her time to this completely elegant and refined behavior:
Now THAT'S how we do it in the Rowe household!
Friday, April 28, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Ramblings
Ethan and I attended Madeleine's school conference yesterday, and I'm glad to hear that Madeleine does not hold back from her "Can I tell you something?" meandering musings with her teachers.
At least she can't get as off topic with them as she does with her Sunday School teacher. Madeleine is often the only kid who shows up in her Sunday School grade, which means she gets one-on-one time with the teacher and shares somewhat embarrassing things like "My daddy exercises, but he has still has a big tummy because he eats too much desserts."
Last weekend, when I arrived a bit early to pick her up from Sunday School, I got to overhear Madeleine showing that she TOTALLY GETS what the teacher was talking about.
TEACHER: So, you know, Thomas doubted Jesus, but Jesus wasn't angry with him. God wants us to know that it's okay to have doubts.
MADELEINE: Yeah, like, before God created the world, it HAD to be a color. Everyone says it was nothing but it still HAD to have a color. Like, I think it was probably black. It HAD to be, like, black or gray or white. Just because it's nothing doesn't mean it's not a COLOR. It HAS to be a color!
TEACHER: Hmm. Right. So, God says it's okay to doubt as long as we trust Him. Do your parents ever tell you to do something and you don't want to, but you trust your parents when they say something is good for you?
MADELEINE: Well...can I tell you something? At my school, there's TWO playgrounds, there's the kindergarten playground, and the regular playground, and there's TWO rocks, one SIDE rock, and one rock that's really ginormous, and we're not allowed to play on the big one at recess. And there's this tree on the rock, and I used to be able to climb up to, like, the really high branches, but Mommy told me I can only climb up to the first branch, and I do this sort of RELAXING pose when I'm in the tree, like where I put my FOOT out-
TEACHER: Yeah, right, you trust your parents when they tell you not to climb too high.
MADELEINE: And can I tell you something that's kind of like a TRICK? One day at recess, my friend came over to me and he said that there's a NEW TREE growing on the playground, and I went RUNNING over to see it, and it was a STICK sticking out of the ground, and he just STUCK it into the ground and was pretending it was a tree, and when I saw it he said, "Just kidding!"
You can see how well Madeleine was absorbing the lesson of doubting Thomas. At least she didn't follow in her father's footsteps and tell her Sunday School teacher that she helped God create the world.
And at least in her 1st grade journal entry, shared with us by her teachers at yesterday's conference, about what superpower she would like to have, she wrote about wanting "Legendary Detective" powers rather than "Creator of the Universe," so I can rest assured she doesn't think herself TOO omnipotent.
At least she can't get as off topic with them as she does with her Sunday School teacher. Madeleine is often the only kid who shows up in her Sunday School grade, which means she gets one-on-one time with the teacher and shares somewhat embarrassing things like "My daddy exercises, but he has still has a big tummy because he eats too much desserts."
Last weekend, when I arrived a bit early to pick her up from Sunday School, I got to overhear Madeleine showing that she TOTALLY GETS what the teacher was talking about.
TEACHER: So, you know, Thomas doubted Jesus, but Jesus wasn't angry with him. God wants us to know that it's okay to have doubts.
MADELEINE: Yeah, like, before God created the world, it HAD to be a color. Everyone says it was nothing but it still HAD to have a color. Like, I think it was probably black. It HAD to be, like, black or gray or white. Just because it's nothing doesn't mean it's not a COLOR. It HAS to be a color!
TEACHER: Hmm. Right. So, God says it's okay to doubt as long as we trust Him. Do your parents ever tell you to do something and you don't want to, but you trust your parents when they say something is good for you?
MADELEINE: Well...can I tell you something? At my school, there's TWO playgrounds, there's the kindergarten playground, and the regular playground, and there's TWO rocks, one SIDE rock, and one rock that's really ginormous, and we're not allowed to play on the big one at recess. And there's this tree on the rock, and I used to be able to climb up to, like, the really high branches, but Mommy told me I can only climb up to the first branch, and I do this sort of RELAXING pose when I'm in the tree, like where I put my FOOT out-
TEACHER: Yeah, right, you trust your parents when they tell you not to climb too high.
MADELEINE: And can I tell you something that's kind of like a TRICK? One day at recess, my friend came over to me and he said that there's a NEW TREE growing on the playground, and I went RUNNING over to see it, and it was a STICK sticking out of the ground, and he just STUCK it into the ground and was pretending it was a tree, and when I saw it he said, "Just kidding!"
You can see how well Madeleine was absorbing the lesson of doubting Thomas. At least she didn't follow in her father's footsteps and tell her Sunday School teacher that she helped God create the world.
And at least in her 1st grade journal entry, shared with us by her teachers at yesterday's conference, about what superpower she would like to have, she wrote about wanting "Legendary Detective" powers rather than "Creator of the Universe," so I can rest assured she doesn't think herself TOO omnipotent.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
An Adventure During MCAS
Even though it's only a few days past April school vacation, it's a busy week for the 4th grade. This week is MCAS testing week, and Julia has had a LOT of energy to expend after getting home from each day of sitting still, taking tests. Let's just say I think the Mintz have had a LOT of new imaginary scenarios being concocted about them.
It helps that the past two days have been rainy, so the kids aren't missing outdoor recess time, but the weather came back to bite Julia in the butt just a little bit today. First, let me back up and explain that despite the cold and rainy spell we're been experiencing, Julia is gung-ho about wearing short sleeves every day.
YESTERDAY
ME: Julia, it's supposed to be only in the 40s today, so I would suggest wearing a long-sleeved shirt.
JULIA: But I can't! Because then I won't have worn short sleeves EVERY DAY since it turned to spring!
Sometimes OCD overrules common sense.
Today was equally cool and rainy, and the whole school got a nice fun dose of the weather when an unknown human accidentally pulled the school fire alarm (I'm inclined to believe the school about the "accidentally" part, but it's kind of hard not to imagine there was at least one kid who just wanted a leeeeetle break from MCAS.) Apparently the entire school was stuck outside for quite some time, and while Madeleine doesn't have any complaints, Julia has repeatedly told me about how miserably cold it was.
ME: So what did you guys do when you were outside all that time?
JULIA: We just STOOD there, and, like, tried to get warm. It was FREEZING. I was REALLY wishing I had my coat.
ME: Well, maybe there's something to be learned from me telling you that you might want to wear long sleeves.
Julia disagreed.
Beyond the thought of the kids being outside in the cool rain, my main concern, upon receiving the email about the whole fire alarm debacle, was on Julia's anxiety. She is so extremely freaked out by the thought of fire - AND rainstorms - that I was worried that she's been in panic-mode. I tried to talk to her about this after school.
ME: So, honey, I was thinking about you and hoping you were okay. Were you worried?
JULIA: Not really. I was just FREEZING.
ME: Okay. I was afraid you might have been freaking out.
JULIA: No, I wasn't freaking out because: first of all, it was RAINING, so...if there WAS a fire, the rain would just put it out. And secondly, I didn't SEE any fire. PLUS, the teachers were all, like, talking and making jokes, so I doubted it was anything serious.
WAIT. A. MINUTE. Just...HOLD UP. Where is this logic when Julia is at home?!?!? Here are just a few examples of our panic vs. logic "discussions" in the midst or Julia's panickings.
JULIA: BUT...what if the rain turns into a THUNDERSTORM and lightning hits our house and STARTS A FIRE??!?!?
ME: Honey, it's raining. Fires usually start in dry conditions.
JULIA: BUT WHAT IF LIGHTNING HITS OUR HOUSE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
ME: Well, the rain would put the fire out.
JULIA: BUT WHAT IF IT DOESN'T!?!?!?!?!?!?
or:
JULIA: The smoke alarm is going off!
ME: It's just because the cast iron pan was on the burner too long and there's a little smoke in the air.
JULIA: IS IT GONNA CAUSE A FIRE?!?!?!?!
ME: No. It's not even on the burner anymore.
JULIA: THEN WHY IS THE SMOKE ALARM GOING OFF?!?!?!?
ME: Because smoke alarms are made to be extra-sensitive on purpose, so that if there ever WAS a real fire, the smoke would be detected before the fire got so big that it wasn't possible to escape.
JULIA: BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW THERE'S NOT A REAL FIRE RIGHT NOW?!?!?!?!?
ME: Because I don't see a fire, honey.
JULIA: BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE ISN'T ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
or:
JULIA: (about any random thing) IS THERE GONNA BE A FIRE?!?!?!?!?
ME: Honey. Look at me. Do I seem nervous? If I'm calm, then you know there's nothing to worry about.
JULIA: BUT IS THERE GONNA BE A FIRE?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I'm at least glad that, for her sake, she was able to keep her anxiety under wraps while at school, and observe the social cues given by her teachers and friends and realize there was nothing to panic about. I guess we'll have to keep working on the at-home paranoia, though!
It helps that the past two days have been rainy, so the kids aren't missing outdoor recess time, but the weather came back to bite Julia in the butt just a little bit today. First, let me back up and explain that despite the cold and rainy spell we're been experiencing, Julia is gung-ho about wearing short sleeves every day.
YESTERDAY
ME: Julia, it's supposed to be only in the 40s today, so I would suggest wearing a long-sleeved shirt.
JULIA: But I can't! Because then I won't have worn short sleeves EVERY DAY since it turned to spring!
Sometimes OCD overrules common sense.
Today was equally cool and rainy, and the whole school got a nice fun dose of the weather when an unknown human accidentally pulled the school fire alarm (I'm inclined to believe the school about the "accidentally" part, but it's kind of hard not to imagine there was at least one kid who just wanted a leeeeetle break from MCAS.) Apparently the entire school was stuck outside for quite some time, and while Madeleine doesn't have any complaints, Julia has repeatedly told me about how miserably cold it was.
ME: So what did you guys do when you were outside all that time?
JULIA: We just STOOD there, and, like, tried to get warm. It was FREEZING. I was REALLY wishing I had my coat.
ME: Well, maybe there's something to be learned from me telling you that you might want to wear long sleeves.
Julia disagreed.
Beyond the thought of the kids being outside in the cool rain, my main concern, upon receiving the email about the whole fire alarm debacle, was on Julia's anxiety. She is so extremely freaked out by the thought of fire - AND rainstorms - that I was worried that she's been in panic-mode. I tried to talk to her about this after school.
ME: So, honey, I was thinking about you and hoping you were okay. Were you worried?
JULIA: Not really. I was just FREEZING.
ME: Okay. I was afraid you might have been freaking out.
JULIA: No, I wasn't freaking out because: first of all, it was RAINING, so...if there WAS a fire, the rain would just put it out. And secondly, I didn't SEE any fire. PLUS, the teachers were all, like, talking and making jokes, so I doubted it was anything serious.
WAIT. A. MINUTE. Just...HOLD UP. Where is this logic when Julia is at home?!?!? Here are just a few examples of our panic vs. logic "discussions" in the midst or Julia's panickings.
JULIA: BUT...what if the rain turns into a THUNDERSTORM and lightning hits our house and STARTS A FIRE??!?!?
ME: Honey, it's raining. Fires usually start in dry conditions.
JULIA: BUT WHAT IF LIGHTNING HITS OUR HOUSE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
ME: Well, the rain would put the fire out.
JULIA: BUT WHAT IF IT DOESN'T!?!?!?!?!?!?
or:
JULIA: The smoke alarm is going off!
ME: It's just because the cast iron pan was on the burner too long and there's a little smoke in the air.
JULIA: IS IT GONNA CAUSE A FIRE?!?!?!?!
ME: No. It's not even on the burner anymore.
JULIA: THEN WHY IS THE SMOKE ALARM GOING OFF?!?!?!?
ME: Because smoke alarms are made to be extra-sensitive on purpose, so that if there ever WAS a real fire, the smoke would be detected before the fire got so big that it wasn't possible to escape.
JULIA: BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW THERE'S NOT A REAL FIRE RIGHT NOW?!?!?!?!?
ME: Because I don't see a fire, honey.
JULIA: BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE ISN'T ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
or:
JULIA: (about any random thing) IS THERE GONNA BE A FIRE?!?!?!?!?
ME: Honey. Look at me. Do I seem nervous? If I'm calm, then you know there's nothing to worry about.
JULIA: BUT IS THERE GONNA BE A FIRE?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I'm at least glad that, for her sake, she was able to keep her anxiety under wraps while at school, and observe the social cues given by her teachers and friends and realize there was nothing to panic about. I guess we'll have to keep working on the at-home paranoia, though!
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
American Girls: Here We Go Again
Following along similar lines as her sister, Madeleine has been getting more and more invested in American Girl books as first grade reaches its final months. Yesterday at Media, she took out two more American Girl books to read, and she's had a lot to say about them.
MADELEINE: Mommy? In the Josefina book, I was wondering if in 1863, they didn't have electricity, because it said something about hanging their clothes out to dry.
ME: Yeah, because they wouldn't have had dryers yet without electricity.
MADELEINE: But they said they have a stove...
ME: It might be a stove that's fueled by burning coal. The fire will heat things up.
MADELEINE: Oh, yeah, it did say something about a fire! But Mommy! That's *REALLY* old-fashioned!!
I guess she was underestimating the tides of change that have occurred in the last 154 years.
She had more to say on Josefina as the book went on.
MADELEINE: Mommy! I just REALIZED something!
ME: What?
MADELEINE: Every person in the Josefina book, even Papa and Mama...well...well, the Mama is DEAD...every person is like...Ana, Clara, Francisca, Josefina, Papa, Mama...they ALL end in "A!"
I can see she's getting to the deep roots of this historical period.
Furthermore, she has decided that she wants to do chores to be like Kit Kittredge, an American Girl who lived during the Great Depression. However, the chores I suggested won't do. Madeleine specifically wants to wash our dishes and sweep the floors. It doesn't matter that we have a dishwasher and a vacuum and that what I really want her to do is clean her gosh darn room or hang her coat instead of throwing it on the floor. She is bound and determined to wash and sweep, even when it comes to sweeping the rug in the play basement. I guess cleaning up your room isn't old-fashioned enough to qualify as a Kit Kittredge-style chore.
At any rate, I am thankful that we went through the American Girl obsession phase already with Julia, because Madeleine now has her own American Girl library right in our own home! Julia is full of knowledge about which books are the best and is graciously lending them to her sister, so that when Madeleine inevitably finishes her media books in one sitting, she doesn't have to wait a week until her next Media class to devour a few more!
Friday, April 21, 2017
Gallop and Balance Beam Time
Julia's habit of galloping through the living room and hallway while thinking of the imaginary family she made up continues, and during a school vacation week I get to see a LOT of galloping. You may be wondering what's up in the world of the Mintz family these days, and I'll tell you: they are also on school vacation.
Furthermore, I found out an interesting fact about a friend of a friend of the Mintz. Julia just opted to share this little tidbit in the midst of galloping yesterday:
JULIA: Mommy? The Mintzes friends have a friend whose last name is Poophead.
Seriously? Poophead? Like, with ALL the time Julia pores into thinking up all the little details about the Mintz family and their associates, she couldn't come up with a better last name than Poophead?!? I told her that I just can't suspend my disbelief on this one. But she holds fast to the character of Daniel Poophead, who is a friend of Dylan O'Sacramentio, who is a friend of the classic Lilly Mintz.
ME: But why is his last name Poophead?
JULIA: I dunno. I don't really think about him THAT much. I just made him up because Dylan needed best friends. So he made the "D" club, with Daniel, Declan, and Derek.
So she went to the trouble to come up with the idea of the "D" club and imagine the names of the other "D" members, but she still couldn't concoct a MORE REALISTIC LAST NAME THAN POOPHEAD?!?!?
While Julia is busy taking up the upstairs hallway and living room with her Gallop Time, Madeleine has taken over the downstairs play room and hallway with her gymnastics. Specifically, her balance beam. But you don't have a balance beam, you might be thinking. OH, YES, WE DO.
Take a look at this masterpiece of painter's tape:
Madeleine literally spends the majority of the day on this thing when there's no school. It's all about her balance beam routine and her cartwheels on the balance beam. In fact, she ain't got no time for love and hugs when she's working on her routine.
MADELEINE: And now it's time for a routine by Madeleine!
AUNTIE SHANNON: (walking into the play room) And now it's time for an Auntie hug! (giving Madeleine a hug.) I love you!
MADELEINE: Uh, I love you too, but that's not part of it. (getting back to her routine.)
I guess I don't have to worry about my kids not being active enough over school vacation.
Furthermore, I found out an interesting fact about a friend of a friend of the Mintz. Julia just opted to share this little tidbit in the midst of galloping yesterday:
JULIA: Mommy? The Mintzes friends have a friend whose last name is Poophead.
Seriously? Poophead? Like, with ALL the time Julia pores into thinking up all the little details about the Mintz family and their associates, she couldn't come up with a better last name than Poophead?!? I told her that I just can't suspend my disbelief on this one. But she holds fast to the character of Daniel Poophead, who is a friend of Dylan O'Sacramentio, who is a friend of the classic Lilly Mintz.
ME: But why is his last name Poophead?
JULIA: I dunno. I don't really think about him THAT much. I just made him up because Dylan needed best friends. So he made the "D" club, with Daniel, Declan, and Derek.
So she went to the trouble to come up with the idea of the "D" club and imagine the names of the other "D" members, but she still couldn't concoct a MORE REALISTIC LAST NAME THAN POOPHEAD?!?!?
While Julia is busy taking up the upstairs hallway and living room with her Gallop Time, Madeleine has taken over the downstairs play room and hallway with her gymnastics. Specifically, her balance beam. But you don't have a balance beam, you might be thinking. OH, YES, WE DO.
Take a look at this masterpiece of painter's tape:
Madeleine literally spends the majority of the day on this thing when there's no school. It's all about her balance beam routine and her cartwheels on the balance beam. In fact, she ain't got no time for love and hugs when she's working on her routine.
MADELEINE: And now it's time for a routine by Madeleine!
AUNTIE SHANNON: (walking into the play room) And now it's time for an Auntie hug! (giving Madeleine a hug.) I love you!
MADELEINE: Uh, I love you too, but that's not part of it. (getting back to her routine.)
I guess I don't have to worry about my kids not being active enough over school vacation.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
From the Mouth of Madeleine
More Madeleine Wisdom:
After the Easter Vespers service, in which I read the Gospel in French and German:
MADELEINE: Mommy? What country do they speak GERMAN in?
ME: Germany. And do you know what country they speak French in?
MADELEINE: Yes! Canada!!
ME: Well, yeah, a part of Canada is French-speaking, but there's another country...
MADELEINE: Oh! I know! Quebec!
This kid doesn't need schooling. She's already so on the ball with everything.
While watching the Boston Marathon at the Mile 14 mark:
MADELEINE: (sighing dreamily) I *really* wanna run this race.
ME: What makes you want to run it?
MADELEINE: It's just REALLY FUN watching it.
ME: Watching this is really inspiring you, huh?
MADELEINE: I get inspired by EVERYTHING!
No kidding. She's not also desperate to be a gymnast after "McKenna Shoots for the Stars" or an animal trainer after attending the "Amazing Animal Ambassadors" Show at the library or a famous dancer after watching "Dancing With the Stars" or anything.
Glancing at my most recent issue of "Bates" Magazine, on the cover of which "A just-married Lewiston couple pose at Lake Andrews":
MADELEINE: Mommy? Does this magazine have people with DISABILITIES in it?
ME: Uh, not really...why?
MADELEINE: I just thought it would be really INTERESTING to read about people with disabilities.
I can understand why a woman in wedding dress and man in tux might be mistaken for people with disabilities. But unfortunately the alumni magazine is a lot more about people getting married or dying or updating us on their careers than about people in wheelchairs (which is also her current dream, along with having a broken leg, after "McKenna Shoots for the Stars.")
While working on a new book she's writing and illustrating:
MADELEINE: Mommy? I'm afraid that if this book gets published, people will think it says "Chapter S" instead of "Chapter 1."
ME: Why? Because you wrote the 1 kind of squiggly?
MADELEINE: Yeah.
ME: Well, you know, when books are published, they're typed. Have you ever seen a published book that's hand-written?
MADELEINE: Uh...no.
ME: So don't worry about your 1.
MADELEINE: So Mommy? After we finish writing it, can we go to the place to get it published?
ME: Uh...
MADELEINE: Please please please Mommy? Can I get it published??
As if I hold the power to determine that, right?
I was able, at least, to promise her that I can publish any of her books on my blog. But if I do that, I'm afraid you readers will think it says "Chapter S," not "Chapter 1."
After the Easter Vespers service, in which I read the Gospel in French and German:
MADELEINE: Mommy? What country do they speak GERMAN in?
ME: Germany. And do you know what country they speak French in?
MADELEINE: Yes! Canada!!
ME: Well, yeah, a part of Canada is French-speaking, but there's another country...
MADELEINE: Oh! I know! Quebec!
This kid doesn't need schooling. She's already so on the ball with everything.
While watching the Boston Marathon at the Mile 14 mark:
MADELEINE: (sighing dreamily) I *really* wanna run this race.
ME: What makes you want to run it?
MADELEINE: It's just REALLY FUN watching it.
ME: Watching this is really inspiring you, huh?
MADELEINE: I get inspired by EVERYTHING!
No kidding. She's not also desperate to be a gymnast after "McKenna Shoots for the Stars" or an animal trainer after attending the "Amazing Animal Ambassadors" Show at the library or a famous dancer after watching "Dancing With the Stars" or anything.
Glancing at my most recent issue of "Bates" Magazine, on the cover of which "A just-married Lewiston couple pose at Lake Andrews":
MADELEINE: Mommy? Does this magazine have people with DISABILITIES in it?
ME: Uh, not really...why?
MADELEINE: I just thought it would be really INTERESTING to read about people with disabilities.
I can understand why a woman in wedding dress and man in tux might be mistaken for people with disabilities. But unfortunately the alumni magazine is a lot more about people getting married or dying or updating us on their careers than about people in wheelchairs (which is also her current dream, along with having a broken leg, after "McKenna Shoots for the Stars.")
While working on a new book she's writing and illustrating:
MADELEINE: Mommy? I'm afraid that if this book gets published, people will think it says "Chapter S" instead of "Chapter 1."
ME: Why? Because you wrote the 1 kind of squiggly?
MADELEINE: Yeah.
ME: Well, you know, when books are published, they're typed. Have you ever seen a published book that's hand-written?
MADELEINE: Uh...no.
ME: So don't worry about your 1.
MADELEINE: So Mommy? After we finish writing it, can we go to the place to get it published?
ME: Uh...
MADELEINE: Please please please Mommy? Can I get it published??
As if I hold the power to determine that, right?
I was able, at least, to promise her that I can publish any of her books on my blog. But if I do that, I'm afraid you readers will think it says "Chapter S," not "Chapter 1."
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Easter Fun
Happy Easter from the Rowes!
Julia, in typical fashion, was up at the crack of dawn, ready to exuberantly wish me a happy Easter.
JULIA: (bouncing onto my bed) Happy EASTER, Mommy!
ME: Mmmph. Happy Easter. What time is it??
JULIA: (triumphantly) Six twenty-two!
ME: Ugh. Is Madeleine up yet?
JULIA: Nope!
ME: Okay. Let's wait until she's up before I get up, then you can look for your Easter baskets.
Within thirty seconds, I could hear Julia going into Madeleine's room.
MADELEINE: (bursting into my bedroom) Uh, Mommy?? Julia told me to tell you I'm uuuuuup!
So they commenced looking for their hidden Easter baskets, and upon finding them, carried their loot upstairs to peruse.
The girls each got a Shopkin doll, to their delight.
JULIA: (looking at the box of her Coco-let chocolate doll) I got COCK-LET!
MADELEINE: (looking at the box of her Bridie Bride doll) I got BIRDIE!
Seriously? Cocklet and Birdie? Apparently the excitement of Easter morning renders kids at the top of their grade in literacy into remedial readers.
The Easter basket fun was followed by a church service and an Easter egg hunt on the church grounds. Madeleine was SO. DARN. EXCITED. about the Easter egg hunt that she didn't once complain about going to church, which was a novelty for her. Another novelty was the fact that FOR ONCE, she didn't burst into heart-broken tears when someone else found the coveted golden egg. I think this kid is finally growing up!
At home we had a family Easter egg hunt, and while I usually hide the eggs myself, Ethan lent me a hand this year. He learned the hard way that you have to make the eggs REALLY OBVIOUS because the kids are just, again, TOO. DARN. EXCITED. to have any brains at all about where they might be hidden. It kind of didn't matter where either of us hid the eggs, whether in obvious or obscure locations, because we wound up needing to help the kids find them in either case.
For example, Madeleine needed me to literally walk her through the steps of finding a bright orange egg on the handle of our black grill as she stood directly next to it. She needed similar instruction finding the egg that Ethan had hidden inside the little door that leads to the chimney flue. If it weren't for us, the kids would have probably left about half the eggs undiscovered and we would have had some very happy squirrels.
Now the girls have candy galore and some new toys and books, and everyone is a happy camper enjoying the sunshine out on our back deck. Happy Easter to those who celebrate, and happy sunny Sunday to those who don't!
Julia, in typical fashion, was up at the crack of dawn, ready to exuberantly wish me a happy Easter.
JULIA: (bouncing onto my bed) Happy EASTER, Mommy!
ME: Mmmph. Happy Easter. What time is it??
JULIA: (triumphantly) Six twenty-two!
ME: Ugh. Is Madeleine up yet?
JULIA: Nope!
ME: Okay. Let's wait until she's up before I get up, then you can look for your Easter baskets.
Within thirty seconds, I could hear Julia going into Madeleine's room.
MADELEINE: (bursting into my bedroom) Uh, Mommy?? Julia told me to tell you I'm uuuuuup!
So they commenced looking for their hidden Easter baskets, and upon finding them, carried their loot upstairs to peruse.
The girls each got a Shopkin doll, to their delight.
JULIA: (looking at the box of her Coco-let chocolate doll) I got COCK-LET!
MADELEINE: (looking at the box of her Bridie Bride doll) I got BIRDIE!
Seriously? Cocklet and Birdie? Apparently the excitement of Easter morning renders kids at the top of their grade in literacy into remedial readers.
The Easter basket fun was followed by a church service and an Easter egg hunt on the church grounds. Madeleine was SO. DARN. EXCITED. about the Easter egg hunt that she didn't once complain about going to church, which was a novelty for her. Another novelty was the fact that FOR ONCE, she didn't burst into heart-broken tears when someone else found the coveted golden egg. I think this kid is finally growing up!
At home we had a family Easter egg hunt, and while I usually hide the eggs myself, Ethan lent me a hand this year. He learned the hard way that you have to make the eggs REALLY OBVIOUS because the kids are just, again, TOO. DARN. EXCITED. to have any brains at all about where they might be hidden. It kind of didn't matter where either of us hid the eggs, whether in obvious or obscure locations, because we wound up needing to help the kids find them in either case.
For example, Madeleine needed me to literally walk her through the steps of finding a bright orange egg on the handle of our black grill as she stood directly next to it. She needed similar instruction finding the egg that Ethan had hidden inside the little door that leads to the chimney flue. If it weren't for us, the kids would have probably left about half the eggs undiscovered and we would have had some very happy squirrels.
Now the girls have candy galore and some new toys and books, and everyone is a happy camper enjoying the sunshine out on our back deck. Happy Easter to those who celebrate, and happy sunny Sunday to those who don't!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)