Saturday, March 30, 2013
Find the van
Abby, Chloe and I were in town and leaving a store. Sometimes - (in effort to get her to be aware of her surroundings and sense of direction, something I'm not so good at.) - I ask her to lead me back to the car or somewhere.
This day - We were leaving a store and I said - "Okay Chloe, find our way back to the van." (it was 2 blocks away).
Then Abby said... "If you find it, we can all go out to ice cream!" (something we'd planned on doing anyway)
Then: "She'll find it, definitely, if ice cream is on the line."
Chloe said...."well - I've always got ice cream on MY line!" and she marched forward. :-P
I love it when she messes up her speech. I've stopped correcting her. Those days are numbered-- she's growing so fast and she's super smart.
(She found the van, and ordered cookies and cream)
This day - We were leaving a store and I said - "Okay Chloe, find our way back to the van." (it was 2 blocks away).
Then Abby said... "If you find it, we can all go out to ice cream!" (something we'd planned on doing anyway)
Then: "She'll find it, definitely, if ice cream is on the line."
Chloe said...."well - I've always got ice cream on MY line!" and she marched forward. :-P
I love it when she messes up her speech. I've stopped correcting her. Those days are numbered-- she's growing so fast and she's super smart.
(She found the van, and ordered cookies and cream)
Family helps
I'd had a terrible-no good-rotten morning.
My morning had started off very sad for me. A good handful of things were weighing heavily on my heart. My steps were slow and shuffling, my head hung. When no one was looking, I leaked.
So I left work and came home to my family. Chloe didn't know about my terrible day, but she and Abby sure helped me feel better.
It went like this- I began my day as I'd described. I took care of the one super important thing at work and was supported in going home early. When I got there, Abby was home and she held me for a good, releasing cry.
It was Chloe's half-day at school (every Wednesday) so we went to pick her up and we all went bowling together. I snapped one picture before my phone died. There was no bumper lanes open so we played a new game... "Backwards bowling" where the goal was to have the least points as possible- Chloe was a champion!!!! NO POINTS!! Incredible. ;)
I used my melancholy as a source to really see and feel the joy my family brings me- I hung Chloe's every antic and sweet sentence and etched the memories of our day in my heart. We went to the bookstore, read about gardening as a family, and then to dinner and ice cream.
When we got home, I put Chloe to bed with a book.
Abby ran me a hot bath and washed my back, and tucked me in sweetly.
I slept long and hard that night.
I woke up ready for another day.
My morning had started off very sad for me. A good handful of things were weighing heavily on my heart. My steps were slow and shuffling, my head hung. When no one was looking, I leaked.
So I left work and came home to my family. Chloe didn't know about my terrible day, but she and Abby sure helped me feel better.
It went like this- I began my day as I'd described. I took care of the one super important thing at work and was supported in going home early. When I got there, Abby was home and she held me for a good, releasing cry.
It was Chloe's half-day at school (every Wednesday) so we went to pick her up and we all went bowling together. I snapped one picture before my phone died. There was no bumper lanes open so we played a new game... "Backwards bowling" where the goal was to have the least points as possible- Chloe was a champion!!!! NO POINTS!! Incredible. ;)
I used my melancholy as a source to really see and feel the joy my family brings me- I hung Chloe's every antic and sweet sentence and etched the memories of our day in my heart. We went to the bookstore, read about gardening as a family, and then to dinner and ice cream.
When we got home, I put Chloe to bed with a book.
Abby ran me a hot bath and washed my back, and tucked me in sweetly.
I slept long and hard that night.
I woke up ready for another day.
Grade 2 fashion
I'm still enjoying Chloe's fashion sense. Visits to the school confirm- it's pandemic.
Some of them are yucky!
We found these boxes of jelly beans that had some yummy flavors, and some yucky flavors that looked like the yummy flavors- so we devised a game. Everyone chooses one from the same color pile, everyone "pops 'em in" at the same time- and we tally who got yummy and who got yucky. Chloe, Rae, and Ivan played- they were all such good sports! Rae ended up with the least yucky, and Ivan got the lost. They were all very good sports about it and had a great time. They had little cups to spit out the yucky ones. Later, Chloe found a mystery bean on the floor and impressively tried it, even with the possibility of it tasting like skunk!! Brave girl! Turned out to be licorice- which she doesn't like either- so she spit it out anyway.
She wanted blue
After her fabulous haircut, she really wanted something fun- a blue stripe just like her friend , Rae.
Friend at the nursery.
We went to the nursery for garden supplies and Chloe found this. "Take a picture of me mama?"
Home made food
We are making a lot of our own food theses days. Home made noodles, bread, etc. Chloe loves it all! She and Abby have a great time making noodles together, she's getting really good at it. I hear her talking to her friends: "home made is the BEST!"
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Packing material
We ended up with a big box and some packing materials- it is always a fun time and a great opportunity to rough house and get loud.
Lessons of the day
We went out to breakfast at Mount Bakery- Chloe announced it was her new favorite place- so I guess we chose well.
There were so many lessons at breakfast today.
First we saw a girl walking outside with a super short skirt- so we talked about how some girls dress revealing and how it's better to only show all your skin like that to the shower or maybe some day someone she really loves. ;) She got embarrassed and asked to change the subject- which we did, but only after poking a tiny bit at the uncomfortable-ness, and making sure she got the message.
Then the waitress came and asked us to move tables to help them accommodate another party. We gladly and cheerfully moved to help people. Lesson taught by example. In the same light, we later offered our extra seat for a table who was one short. We didn't reiterate the "be helpful and courteous" lesson, but I know she noticed.
As we were finishing up our breakfast, a woman, walking next to our table passed out and slumped to the floor next to us. Abby, immediately went to her aid and I pulled Chloe's chair out of the way. She came to pretty quickly, but not before all our adrenalin had kicked in.
Once we got back to the van we asked Chloe how she was doing. We told her feeling a bit scared in those situations is okay, and we were a little bit scared, too. We assured her that many adults, us included, have learned some things to help people in trouble like that, and that stuff like that doesn't happen very often. We talked about being sure to get an adults attention if she ever notices an emergency, etc. We talked for a while, and she seemed pretty good with it long before my adrenaline calmed down.
Now, as I'm looking back, I feel proud of what she sees and learns from us. We take pride in ourselves, take things in stride, help people out and talk about things as a family.
There were so many lessons at breakfast today.
First we saw a girl walking outside with a super short skirt- so we talked about how some girls dress revealing and how it's better to only show all your skin like that to the shower or maybe some day someone she really loves. ;) She got embarrassed and asked to change the subject- which we did, but only after poking a tiny bit at the uncomfortable-ness, and making sure she got the message.
Then the waitress came and asked us to move tables to help them accommodate another party. We gladly and cheerfully moved to help people. Lesson taught by example. In the same light, we later offered our extra seat for a table who was one short. We didn't reiterate the "be helpful and courteous" lesson, but I know she noticed.
As we were finishing up our breakfast, a woman, walking next to our table passed out and slumped to the floor next to us. Abby, immediately went to her aid and I pulled Chloe's chair out of the way. She came to pretty quickly, but not before all our adrenalin had kicked in.
Once we got back to the van we asked Chloe how she was doing. We told her feeling a bit scared in those situations is okay, and we were a little bit scared, too. We assured her that many adults, us included, have learned some things to help people in trouble like that, and that stuff like that doesn't happen very often. We talked about being sure to get an adults attention if she ever notices an emergency, etc. We talked for a while, and she seemed pretty good with it long before my adrenaline calmed down.
Now, as I'm looking back, I feel proud of what she sees and learns from us. We take pride in ourselves, take things in stride, help people out and talk about things as a family.
Friday, January 11, 2013
A night out
We went to dinner and a movie last night. As we were walking up to the restaurant Chloe was making jokes about the name: "What is a nose's favorite restaurant?"
"Bob's Booger and Brew!"
He had a fun time at dinner chatting about life. Chloe did an excellent job at ordering her food and talking with the waitress. We could tell she felt good about it. she said-"I'm actually getting pretty good at that"
Chloe pointed on the kids menu that it said her meal came with a free pop and ice cream- and I said- "Oh man! Why did we teach you to read, anyway!?" She thought that was pretty funny. She also noticed how the entire kids menu was made up of unhealthy food. We had a conversation about that, and now she understands why we sometimes order her food not from the kids menu, and why we love to go to Scotty browns- they have very good kids choices.
After dinner we stopped by Hagen for some candy! The movie was fun! We are really loving our big, new theatre! Chloe didn't bring her coat- silly girl- it's January!! So Abby snuggled her all the way back to the van. We took some fleeting pictures- nothing perfect, but a a couple captured moments.
"Bob's Booger and Brew!"
He had a fun time at dinner chatting about life. Chloe did an excellent job at ordering her food and talking with the waitress. We could tell she felt good about it. she said-"I'm actually getting pretty good at that"
Chloe pointed on the kids menu that it said her meal came with a free pop and ice cream- and I said- "Oh man! Why did we teach you to read, anyway!?" She thought that was pretty funny. She also noticed how the entire kids menu was made up of unhealthy food. We had a conversation about that, and now she understands why we sometimes order her food not from the kids menu, and why we love to go to Scotty browns- they have very good kids choices.
After dinner we stopped by Hagen for some candy! The movie was fun! We are really loving our big, new theatre! Chloe didn't bring her coat- silly girl- it's January!! So Abby snuggled her all the way back to the van. We took some fleeting pictures- nothing perfect, but a a couple captured moments.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Waking up
I woke Chloe up yesterday in my normal way. I lay down beside her and put my hand on her sweet bean and rub her arm. I never have to say anything, she immediately starts to stir. I lay there quietly with her as she comes into consciousness. At some point she grabs my hand and snuggles it for a moment and I let her break the silence. A lot of days she says "I love you, mom" in her scratchy, sleepy voice- and I melt.
Yesterday after much the same scenario she said into the dark: "What does more, the heart, the brain, or the spinal cord?" It made me wonder what she was thinking, or dreaming about. It made me proud of her science intrigued mind. It made me cherish the little random moments I get to collect as her mom.
Yesterday after much the same scenario she said into the dark: "What does more, the heart, the brain, or the spinal cord?" It made me wonder what she was thinking, or dreaming about. It made me proud of her science intrigued mind. It made me cherish the little random moments I get to collect as her mom.
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