reunited

John and I are headed out to a wedding this weekend. It should be a fun wedding...the groom is a fraternity brother of John's and the bride is a sorority sister of mine, so we pretty much know the entire non-family guest list. Also, we'll be staying at a beach house with 3 other couples. I'm sure it will be *just* like Beach Week...except now we have 9(!) kids between us. My guess is the phrase, "I just can't [drink/dance/party/stay up late] like I used to" will be thrown around a lot.

In other exciting news, I got my hair cut yesterday. My hair had been looking *atrocious* lately and I've decided that layers and I needed to break up for a while. And since it's fall, we put a little red in my color which, holy hell, did I need desperately because I'm very, very gray. So, lo and behold, this is what I came home with...

 

Kind of reminds me of a cut I got almost exactly two years ago.

Katie Holmes, I just can't quit you!

party in the u-mess-a

I don't know what I love more about this little video...how cute A looks when she's moobin' her hips like yeah, or how completely unphased E is that her sister is singing, dancing and otherwise hamming it up for the camera. It happens a lot around these parts.

putting those newly found reading skills to good use

On Saturday, the girls and I spent a good deal of the day in the car. We hit Target, dropped E off at a classmate's birthday party, and then headed in to meet Nonna and Pop-pop for dinner. While in the car, I spent the majority of my time flipping through the XM radio to find a song that E and A would like.

At one point I stopped on a station just as a song was ending and a new song was beginning. E thought I had moved on to a new station and wanted to hear what had just ended.

"Mama! Put it back! That was Katy Perry's Waking Up in Vegas! I love that song!"
I was a little more than shocked. "How did you know what song was on, E?" I asked.
She pointed to the radio display that showed the Artist and Title.
"Because the name said K and then P. Katy Perry is a K and a P."

So, I don't know what I'm more in trouble for...the fact that she'll probably know when I try to zip past Miley Cirus or other annoying artist from now on, or the fact that my 5-year-old counts Katy Perry as part of her go-to hits.

fuzzy milestones

One of my reluctance to document E and A's milestones in some sort of baby book (you know, other than complete laziness) was because I'm a stickler for details. And babies aren't an exact science. So...sure...you might notice that they got a tooth on January 3rd...but who's to say that they had it for a whole month unbeknownst to you and your prying fingers!

I honestly couldn't tell you what either girl's first word was. Especially since we did sign language with both kids...did the first sign they made count as their first word or did it have to be the spoken word? And, either way, how do you know it was their first and when it occurred? What if they were saying a whole bunch of other words and we just didn't know it?

And so it is with E reading. She's been "reading" pages of books for a while. But those were her favorites, like Fancy Nancy, that we read all the time. And she could recite them whether or not she had the book in front of her. Then she started to pick up on other words in other books. But in the past week or so, she's been reading those starter books to me, with very little prompting of words or correction. Some of it might be basic memorization...but the other night she picked a book off the shelf that I can't remember reading in months and read it to me. So, I think it's safe to say that E has learned to read.

I'll mark it on my calendar.

In other where-the-hell-did-my-baby-go news...we headed to the dentist on Monday. (And, yes, A was insanely jealous. Dentist = Doctor in their little minds.) But the dentist pointed out that E's bottom two teeth are the ever so slightest bit loose. So, ToothWatch '09 has commenced at Chez Slacker!

someone turned three!

On Friday, my Sweet Baby A turned 3. I'm still stunned by the fact that I am now the mother of a three-year-old and a kindergartner. I mean, I could have sworn it was just yesterday that she was born...and now she is a running, jumping, scooter-riding bundle of energy.

The weekend festivities started off with a trip to the doctor for her 3-year checkup. The doctor was very impressed with how well she talked and not at all concerned about her cute little ways of saying things like three (free) or girl (gu-yell). She ended up having to get a shot, and the FluMist (which was much more traumatic than the shot). I dropped her off at school and then came back a few hours later to bring a snack. We than sprang E from school a whopping 10 minutes early and played outside until Grandmom and Grandad arrived.

Once they arrived, we let A pick where we should eat. And where does a 3-year-old want to eat on her birthday? Chuck E. Cheese? Chick-Fil-A? Local pizza joint? Nope. A wanted fine italian cuisine at Desiderio's, the new place that opened us near us.

On Saturday, we had A's Birthday Party. And by "Birthday Party", I mean, we had dinner with Grandmom and Granddad, Nonna and Pop-pop, and Uncle Matt and Aunt Noreen. Again, we had A's choice of dinner (ribs...or "ribbies" as A likes to call them) and birthday cake. And presents.

 

As you can see from the pictures, E was very helpful in opening the presents. We did have a few minor altercations regarding E really wanting some of the gifts A got. But, after the dust settled (and the sugar high wore off), the girls were playing (and sharing) nicely with the loot yesterday.

This week, we are back to the normal grind of things. We're definitely settling in a bit more, which is nice. In fact, E got mad at John on Thursday because he picked her up too early and she wanted to stay and play longer with her friends. So, all in all things are looking up.

my milkshakes bribe my girls not to cry

There are many things as a parent that I will not do, but bribery is not one of them. So, on Wednesday night as we discussed our days and how much fun we had at school and SAC when we weren't crying, I made a deal with the devilchallenge with the girls. If A didn't cry at drop-off and E didn't cry at SAC, then I would make them milkshakes for dessert. Mint chocolate chip milkshakes.

And it worked.

It was a bit touch-and-go for A at drop-off. As E and I turned to leave, she got a little skittish. So I scooped her (and her stuffed horsey) up and plopped her in the arms of her teacher as I reminded her of what she was working towards. She regained her composure and, knowing that she held up her end of the bargain, yelled out to her sister,

"Hab a good day, E. Don't you cwy at SAC!"

And E complied. She had a great day and didn't cry. So I broke out the blender and made us a round of milkshakes.

Tonight, we're eating out if they remain tear-free. So far, we're 50% of the way there. E better not blow this because, let's face it, I *really* don't want to cook tonight. And the place they are picking makes *fab* milkshakes, too.

A girl can get used to a life of bribery.

technically, she still loves school

So on Friday, when I went to pick up E from SAC (before and after care at school), the teacher told me that E had a rough afternoon. It seemed that my daughter, who was running and playing and smiling when I got to SAC, had spent the better part of the afternoon crying.

When I asked E about her rough afternoon, she told me,

"Well, mommy, I missed you. Why can't I just go home with you after school?"

In general, a statement like that would be a little knife in the heart...but when you are already not happy about the situation, let me tell you, I almost burst into tears myself.

After talking about what would help her feel better in the afternoon, we've let her bring in a small stuffed animal that she can play with at SAC this week. Alas, she says that she's still crying in the afternoon, although "not as much, Mama". Yay for progress?

And, hell-bent on not being forgotten in all of this, A is weepy at drop-off. John talked to the teachers this morning and they confirmed that she definitely takes some time in the morning to get back to being her normal self. The lack of E bing around has affected her, too.

I'm assuming that these are the normal adjustments that the kids are making due to all the changes. It happens every time they change classes. But damn if it doesn't hit me like a ton of bricks every single time.

she likes it! she really likes it!

So far, Kindergarten has been a success. E tells us she loves Kindergarten. The only problem? That's all she's told us. If you try to press for more details, she'll shrug her shoulders and tell you she doesn't remember.

What we have been able to determine over the course of all three day is the following:

• One of her friends from her old school, Kyle, is in her class.
  
• She sits at a table with Lauren, Tyler and Raj.
  
• She plays a lot with Gracie (who she met at Meet the Teacher).
  
• They did a fire drill today and she did not cry.
  
• Her favorite part of today was storytime.
  
• She played with Lexie after school...and Lexie is in Tessa's (friend from old school) class.

Aaaaaaand, that's all I got. I have no idea what they are doing during the day. But she likes it. And says she likes it better than her old school. So far so good.

and she's off...

to Kindergarten, that is!

 

The morning went well. E said she was "very excited...and a little bit scared." But there were no tears this morning, which was great!

After much debate, John and I ended up driving her to school, rather than having her take the bus. It was good to show her where she would spend her mornings...and we ended up seeing her friend from "the other school", which was nice. The K kids all converge in the cafeteria and walk to class together, and so she got in line said hi to a few of her new classmates and then John and I left. I'll pick her up this afternoon.

In other "I can't believe how fast they are growing" news...E learned how to ride a 2-wheel bike this weekend! And, not to be out done, A is now sleeping in a big-girl bed! Let's just say that I've had my fill of milestones...so I will be forcing the kids to do nothing new...at least until A turns 3 (three!) at the end of the month.

the suspense is killing us!

So, E starts Kindergarten on September 8. As in a week from today. As in oh-my-freaking-goodness -she-is-the-last-kid-on-the-face-of-the-earth-to-start-school. She's ready. We're ready. Even A's ready. Needless to say, we're all getting a little antsy for her to begin.

I think that part of the problem is that the school year will bring about tons of change. In addition to the girls spending the days at different schools, E will be doing before and after care at school. I must admit that I'm hugely disappointed that she has to do before *AND* after care, and was hoping to swing just one. But since her school schedule has a really late start and a late-but-impossible-to-guarantee-one-of-us- making-it-home-every-single-day end time, committing to before and after care it is.

It's going to be a huge juggle and I'm really not sure how I'm going to fit everything in. I'm hoping that it's not going to be as bad as I've made it out to be in my head (weeks and weeks and weeks of worry can do that to a girl, you know?). But I'm sure we'll somehow survive.

In the meantime, we'll just keep on reading those getting ready for Kindergarten books that Kiki sent (I've got them memorized at this point) and counting the "sleeps" until school begins.

life is good with an oreo cookie

The dessert offering was pretty much decided for us last night...a little Double Stuff Oreo action. You gotta love the black toothed grin of some happy girls (and marvel at the rare occasion when E emerges from a meal messier than her sister).

 

 

 

wannabe

I have friends who are real photographers. As you have seen from my pictures, I am not. However, I got bored this week during conference calls and decided to play around with some photos in Photoshop. I thought they turned out kind of cool.

 

 

 

 

Now if only I could convince John to spring for a fancy schmancy camera for my birthday, I'd be ready to go.

five

When I was a new mom I was batshit crazy a wee bit nervous about pretty much everything. I wanted to be a good mom, but then I would read books and it would make me doubt my abilities. Of particular concern was the gem found in pretty much every parenting manual around,

"Eventually, you will get to know your baby's cries."

Because, really? No matter how hard I tried to distinguish them, they all sounded the same to me.

These days, a point of stress with regard to my kids is getting gifts. On the surface you would think this is an easy task. I've been around this kid for almost 5 years...I should know what she likes, right? And to an extent I do. But the life of a 5-year-old is so finicky that you just don't know what she's going to like and what will be the end-all-be-all gift.

Case in point, E loved the books about Kindergarten that Kiki, Uncle Steve and AJ sent...but she screamed with delight "And, look! It came with CARDBOARD! I love to color on that stuff!" And the backpack and lunchbox that Nonna and Pop-pop got her paled in comparison to the birthday card they sent...that had a cut-out crown! That she wanted to wear to school today, in fact.

Cardboard and a crown...who knew?

Since it was E's 5th birthday (and a big milestone), I did want her presents to be special and a reflection on who she was. And, I think they really captured this amazing kid that we haven't ruined quite yet.

1. A new dress. I can count on my fingers how many times she wore shorts or skirts this summer. It was only fitting that we added one to her collection.
   
2. A new Princess nightgown. It was only a matter of time before she started to wear nightgowns pretty much exclusively. And we got her a new one since she so generously donated a Dora nightgown to A, when she wanted to wear a nightgown like her sissy, too.
   
3. Books. We got her two, a new Fancy Nancy book (which she had been begging for) and a Learn-to-Read book about "Princess Ballerinas" (her two favorite things in one book!). She is so close to reading...I can't wait for her to learn and have a whole new exciting world open up.
   
4. An iPod Shuffle. She loves music. Specifically she loves Taylor Swift and Hannah Montana. She knows all the words to Hannah Montana songs I have never even heard before. So I frantically tore the house up looking for found my old school iPod shuffle, downloaded a few new songs, and made an E-specific playlist. She was thrilled and it's never to early to learn the joy of regifting.

Celebrating her birthday at the beach was great. She had a blast going out to dinner with family, and then having cake and ice cream back at the house. John and I *did* get on the ball enough to order a cake...but Grandmom came through with candles and princess party hats for everyone! She also got some great gifts from the family, including a bike-riding Barbie. Who wears mesh leggings. Who knew.

 

All in all it was a wonderful celebration for a wonderful girl.

home again home again jiggety jig

We're back from a week at the beach. We frolicked in the waves. We played in the sand. We were up early (thanks in part to an unshaded skylight in the girls' room) and went to bed late. We met up with friends. We ate a lot. And one of us even turned *5*! I guess you could say the only thing that sucked were the lollipops we got the girls!

 

More to come soon, including an ode to my daughter who somehow turned 5 and went all tween on me.

art critic

I was going through the reams of paper that the girls come home with and found a drawing that E had done. I was very impressed with the drawing, so I showed it to John. The conversation went something like this:

Me: E's really getting good at drawing. Look what she did!
John: Wow! That is great. Is that a picture of you?
...stunned silence...
John: What? Is it a picture of E?
Me: You're kidding, right?
John: No...how am I supposed to know who the picture is of?!?!

FYI...here is the picture.

 

Is it just me...or does it look like a red-headed princess mermaid that a certain almost-kindergartener talks about non-stop?

I think it's safe to say that John will never identify any criminal ever based upon the composite sketch produced by police...

roadtrip memories

The Slackers are OFF on our trip to the beach! I've got a few posts scheduled for this week (I was procrastinating finishing up work and packing)...so that should be fun.

As we've been getting prepared to go, I've been reminiscing about the travels of our youth. And, just like any good parent should, I've been trying to tell E and A just how different life was way back when.

We didn't have the pesky confines of booster seats or car seats to hold us down! Nope. My parents would put an air mattress in the back of our Jimmy (aka, old school SUV) and Kiki and I would sleep until our first stop. We would then spend the rest of the time arguing over taking turns sitting on The Hump (aka, the armrest in the front seat). That is, unless I was feeling puke-y...and then I was sitting outright in the front seat while my mom snuggled with Kara in the back.

For music, there was no Laurie Berkner or "kids" music to keep us entertained. Our family listened to Simon and Garfunkel's Concert in Central Park, which my dad had taped from the multi-record set.

And when we got sick of music, we didn't get to watch DVDs. Instead, we listened to books on tape. We listened to The Little Women every summer at least twice. We also listened to The Little Mermaid. Not the Disney version...but the Hans Christian Andersen version upon which Disney based their version. I thought about forcing my parents to find it so the girls could listen to it, but decided against it because there is no singing, and in the original the Little Mermaid ***SPOILER ALERT*** turns to sea foam. One day I'll let them listen to it, and maybe then they'll carry on the tradition that Kiki and I started of picking up foam at the beach and screaming "Hey LOOK! It's the Little Mermaid!"

Or maybe, they'll be spared the nerdiness that clearly their mother and aunt got.

rock stars

I was actaully going to attempt French braids this morning, and put a pigtail in E's hair to keep it out of the way. She said she'd rather have two like that. Heaven forbid I do any more work than absolutely necessary, especially work that would involve certain so-close-to-5-years-old-you-can taste-it yelling me for pulling her hair, so we rolled with that style instead. Needless to say, the girls were thrilled that I did their hair like that.

 

 

 

 

The girls are on a big music kick 'round these parts, so the necklaces around their necklaces are their "guitars" (or "gibtars", if you A).

In the pictures you can also see that E rediscovered the Hannah Montana microphone that John bought her a few months ago. It had been confiscated at some point and put on the top of the refrigerator where it was all but forgotten. And then John had to be all Hey, E...let me carry you around on my shoulders so you can see what's on top of the fridge and she found it. And has resumed playing it non-stop. Except now the battery is dying so instead of it sounding like an annoying Hannah Montana song sung by Hannah Montana, it sounds like an annoying Hannah Montana song sung by Hannah Montana possessed by the devil (a la Marlena from Days of Our Lives circa 1995).

mr. mom

On Saturday, I had a baby shower to attend in Richmond, leaving John and the girls to sit around and think about how much they missed me have a fun day together. And, boy, did they ever have fun! He took them into DC where they walked around The Mall and saw many of DC's monuments.

 

The funny thing was that a topic of conversation at the shower was "what unusual place is your husband taking your kids?" Answers included a roadtrip to visit a great-grandmom and the zoon. Apparently, John's not the only dad who gets all overzealous when he's manning the fort kid-wise.

Come to think of it, when John's out of town, we always do a movie night or something special. Does your husband (or you) do that, too?

need a vacation from vacation planning

On Saturday, the Slackers are headed to the beach! The sand, the sun, the surf...a week of relaxation...it's going to be great! *If* I can survive the week preceding it! 'Cause this week is all about the packing lists, the packing, the getting all my work done so I can take the vacation.

It certainly doesn't help that a certain someone turns *5* while we are at the beach. So gifts have to be purchased before we leave. Which means we have to figure out what the heck to get her before we purchase them. I am dead serious when I considered getting her ears pierced just to avoid having to buy a gift.

So, if I'm not around much this week, it's because I'm running around like a crazed woman. And, if I'm not around much next week, it's because I'm sandy...and suntanned...and drunk.

ariel would be horrified

My kids have always had quirky preferences when it comes to food. There are many kid staples, such as grilled chees and quesadillas, that they won't eat ever. On the otherhand, there are many grown up type foods, including stinky cheese, that they devour without second thought. As a recovering picky eater, I'm always amazed at what they put in their mouth.

Last Sunday, John picked up some steamed shrimp at Wegmans. They prepare it with garlic and Old Bay and it is beyond delish. Apparently, E thought so, too. Because she ate half of the shrimp...leaving John and I to remark that we will be smuggling the shrimp into the house in the near future.

Last night, Grandmom was in town on a layover, and Nonna and Pop-pop were over, having taken E to lunch and play for her birthday. We headed out to dinner at the new Italian place near our house. And when the waiter brought out the calamari, we all watched with amusement as E asked for some...and some more...and some more. Seeing as I wouldn't even touch calamari until my late 20s...and I lied to John about what calamari was to get him to try it...we just aren't sure where she got it from.

typical saturday morning

This picture pretty much sums up my family in quite a few ways.

 

• The girls are obsessed with YouTube. Their current favorites are Taylor Swift videos (specifically "You Belong with Me" and "Love Story"), some Hannah Montana videos that involves "boom boom clap" and the awesome wedding processional to "Forever."
  
• I'm apparently obsessed with polka dots. I bought both the bathing suit A is wearing and the dress E is wearing. And I noticed that Gymboree had a polka dot line for fall and thought to myself "Why didn't anyone tell me?!?!?"
  
• A's wearing her "babing suit". We're going to hit up the pool today at some point...but A insisted on getting in her bathing suit as soon as we got back from our walk this morning. E's changing as I type this.

So far we're having a good weekend. Hope you are, too!