March 1

Naomi’s birthday!

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Simeon is Walking … Live!

Now that I have Windows 7, I decided to try importing some videos of the kids from our video camera to see how well it worked. There was a sad day, back when Hannah was tiny, when I tried to do exactly this, spent hours producing a lovely video, and then made a 2-second mistake and lost everything. I had not returned to try this again, until just now. This time, all went well.

And, as a result, you can now watch Simeon and his first steps. Then, watch him promptly swipe Hannah’s recorder and start playing. Fortunately, Hannah is happy to share.

This is for the dentist in training

if you’re reading this and your exams aren’t over, get back to the books!  You know who you are!  But first, give your wife a big hug. 

Making our house fair

Naomi really liked the Advent song “People Look East.”  We learned it at the beginning of Advent last year and sang it regularly during the season.  I also encouraged the children to listen to the lyrics, particularly the part that said, “Make your house fair as you are able,” and we talked about cleaning and decorating.  Now when it’s cleanup time, Naomi often says, “We need to make our house as fair as we are able.”

A more convenient title

Sim has developed a shortcut in referring to his sisters.  He can’t be bothered to say Hannah and Mimi, he just says Hanmimi.  So when I get him up from his nap, he will almost always say, “See Hanmimi!”

So cute

Sometimes, after Naomi has said or done something that’s pretty darn cute, Hannah will give me a conspiratorial smile and say, “Isn’t she cute, Mama?” 

Yes, and she’s not the only one!

I can’t believe I’m saying this, volume II

This afternoon, a screech issued from the living room.

Me:  Girls!  What’s wrong?

H:  We’re cleaning up and Naomi wanted to put the last thing away and I wanted to, so I did it and now she’s mad.

Me:  [Attempting to work out what the heck to say in this situation] Hannah, remember to be generous.  Naomi, don’t worry, there is plenty more to put away.  Look on the table.

N:  Oh, good!

Catching birds, scaring children

Often when we’re on the way somewhere, I’ll send the girls out to the car ahead of me.  Sim knows the routine well enough that when I say, “Okay, girls, jackets –”  he’ll interrupt and say, “and boots!”  They go into the mud room and I open the van’s sliding doors and finish getting ready, then go out and join them. 

This works really well for a number of reasons.  First of all, I can see the van from the house, so I can watch and make sure all is well.  Second, I can do the last couple of things while they get buckled in, which makes things a lot faster for us.  Third, they get antsy if they have to wait around, so once they get their outside stuff on, they can just go.

On Sunday a couple of weeks ago, we did this routine as we were on the way out the door to Mass.  As Michael and Sim and I were in the mud room putting on shoes, we heard Naomi start crying.  This is one drawback of this system:  sometimes the girls get on each other’s nerves as they’re getting in the car, and then a fight ensues.

I was annoyed – what was going on?  They were both in a pretty good mood on their way out, what had they figured out to do to upset each other?  The crying began to be interspersed with screams as  Michael hurried out to investigate. 

When I got out there a minute or two later, the crying was still going on, and Michael was opening car doors and doing other things that seemed inexplicable given the situation.  However, then I realized that Hannah was saying that there was a bird in the car. 

There was a bird on the dashboard.  Naomi’s hysteria stemmed from that.  The bird was more scared, though – it had pooped on the dash.  Hannah unfortunately mentioned this to Naomi, whose screams redoubled.  Michael and I got enough doors open that the bird finally flew out.  Phew!

We got Naomi calmed down (throughout the escapade, Hannah sat calmly reading her book – when she wasn’t giving Naomi the blow-by-blow description of what the bird was doing).  Naomi shared with us that she didn’t like the bird in the car (um, yes, we’d gathered that), that she didn’t ever want another bird in the car, that she had screamed and cried about the bird, etc.  Naomi talked about it all the way to Mass. 

Hannah, on the other hand, described the bird to us (we mostly saw it flying out in a frenzy of relief – I don’t think that bird will ever fly into another minivan, no matter how many crumbs might be there!) so that we could figure out what kind it was.  We determined that it was probably a sparrow.

The funniest part of this was what Naomi told us she was afraid of:  that the bird would make a nest in her hair.  When I earlier mentioned that I don’t always like the books that come from the library,  I didn’t realize that this one would be a problem, but that’s the only place she’s ever heard that a bird might nest on someone’s head.  You just never know.

Sim’s newest answer

“Nope.”  He loves to say this.  I suppose it’s better than yelling “NO! NO! NO!”  And it’s unintentionally amusing many times.  For example, a crash is heard.  I go to the scene to find that Sim has dumped something on the floor.  “Are you okay?” 

He looks up from the destruction, completely happy and content and says, “Nope.”

Or, “Sim, would you like some more?”

Sim:  Nope.  More, please.

Or:

Me:  Sim, do you want to swing?

Sim:  Nope.  Swing!  Swing!

I can’t believe I’m saying this

Hannah:  Mom, can I clean the bathroom mirrors, counter, and sink today instead of tomorrow?

Me:  No, sweetie, we need to leave that for tomorrow.

H:  But WHY?

Me:  Well, today I’m going to teach you how to do the laundry.

H:  Oh!  GOODIE!

Family fitness update

I was right.  It was easier today.  Phew!

Family fitness

Did you ever try demonstrating how to do basic exercises to a group of people aged 6, almost 4, and 16 months?  Rolling out the exercise mat was no problem.  From there on, it was challenging. 

First, I should have foreseen that the exercise mat was going to be a highly-coveted item.  It’s the only one, of course.  Everyone wants to be on it at once.  It’s quite difficult to lie down on a mat that is already covered in two girls. 

Next, I should also have foreseen that, once I got down on the floor, jungle-gym-mommy syndrome would strike the 16-month-old.  Definitely difficult to do crunches with a baby boy sliding down your legs onto your belly.  Don’t get me started on push-ups, either.  “Horsey!  Horsey!  Nay!  Nay!”

Stretching wasn’t too bad.  It wasn’t a problem that the baby crawled back and forth under my legs as I was showing how to do a calf stretch.

Kangaroo jumps were fun for everyone, and it was really funny to watch Sim trying to jump.  He’d crouch down, like we were, and then pop up, like we were, and say, “JUMP!”  Of course, his little feet never left the ground.  Heehee. 

It’s not as if our fitness program is a long, drawn-out activity.  Well, it’s not supposed to be.  With the “help” of my children, we managed to make my mental plan of “Do a few exercises with the kids:  10-15 minutes” into a 45-minute episode worthy of a sitcom. 

Tomorrow will probably be easier, as we all know what to expect.  If not, maybe “Do a few exercises with the kids” will be expunged from my mental list for the time being.  At least the “with the kids” part.

Now, for those of you who want to see some pictures of our family

email me for a link to our family pictures taken last weekend by Siang, a very talented and friendly photographer.  We’re happy as anything, especially considering our last family photos. 

For those in our area

just LET US KNOW! when you need rain for your gardens. Because we’ll schedule a family bike ride. And it will rain. We’re three for three now.

Northwest family

We took a family bike ride a couple of weeks ago. The day was overcast, but not raining. Until we started riding. Happily, we were all prepared for inclement weather: we all had waterproof jackets and pants on. Nobody seemed to mind the rain, and we just hung all our outer clothes to dry when we got home.

Amusingly, as we headed for our car after the ride, we encountered a couple of people taking a walk. “Oh, out even in the rain! My goodness!” they said. I merely smiled and refrained from pointing out to them that they were out in the rain, too.

Yesterday, I told the kids we should go for a walk. Both Hannah and Naomi thought they’d prefer a bike ride, so I acquiesced. I even put Sim on the tricycle that has a seat belt and push bar, so all the kids could ride and I could walk. We all had on waterproof jackets and the kids had their waterproof pants. I thought we’d be okay, though, because although it had rained most of the morning, it had cleared up and even been sunny during quiet time.

We got to the trail, and it started to drizzle. By about 15 minutes into the ride, it was coming down steadily. This didn’t faze the kids at all, not even Sim. We got back to the car about 30 minutes after we started and we were WET.

We got home just in time, too. As soon as we were home and dried off…the sun came out.

Eye patch

This morning, St. Rose of Lima, Naomi’s best doll (that’s Naomi’s description of her) lost part of her right eyeball.  This has been an extremely tragic event for Naomi.  She wept bitter tears, decided St. Rose of Lima needed to be thrown away, and then wept more bitter tears.  This lasted a good long time. 

Naomi’s girl cousin in town is wearing an eye patch part of the time these days to help strengthen her vision.  This proved to be a life-saver for us – or at least for St. Rose of Lima.  I had a flash of brilliance that I can only attribute to divine inspiration (thank you, God!) and suggested an eye patch for St. Rose of Lima, just like girl cousin’s. 

The idea was initially rejected.  St. Rose of Lima seemed doomed to languish in the trash.  The weeping continued.  Naomi alternated between bemoaning the loss of her best doll and telling us over and over how she couldn’t stay without an eye “and we can’t fix it!” 

Michael brought down New Baby, Naomi’s next best doll.  He told Naomi that New Baby was concerned about her.  “No she’s not, she’s just a DOLL!”  Okay, that tactic did not work. 

“I’m SO SAD!  I’m SO SAD!”  It was heart-wrenching!

Michael tried again, “Are you SURE you don’t want Mama to make St. Rose of Lima an eye patch?”

Naomi relented, having decided that her best doll with an eye patch is far better than her second and third best dolls only.  She tearfully agreed.  St. Rose of Lima was held by her mama until Naomi’s mama got Sim down for his nap, then Naomi was given the choice of several fabrics for St. Rose of Lima’s eye patch.  She chose the ladybug fabric, and now St. Rose of Lima is being carefully and gently monitored during the eye patch drying process. 

“It’s a beautiful eye patch!” Naomi brightly exclaimed.  Meanwhile, we’re all emotionally drained and going to need early bedtimes. 

Naomi discovers the beauty of a big country

The girls don’t believe me when I tell them they’ll always be my babies.  “We’re not babies!”  they say, “Sim is your baby.”  I try in vain to convince them that they will always be my babies, but they won’t have it.

Hannah decided about a year ago that she wants to be a nun.  Naomi has recently decided that she wants to be a nun, too, but in a different convent than Hannah.  I was chatting with them about convent life and mentioned that even when they’re grown-up nuns, they’ll be my babies.  They weren’t moved from their position of not being babies any more.

So I jokingly referenced the book Love You Forever:  “I’ll come visit you in your convents, and I’ll take that big nun on my lap and rock her back and forth, back and forth, and sing, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.””

Naomi looked at me incredulously…or maybe it was dawning horror, hard to say.  Then she saw an out:  “My convent will be very far away,” she said. 

Of course, I relented.  “If I don’t do that, will you live in a nearby convent?”  She graciously replied, “Yes.”

She must have been serious, too, because she told Michael the next day that he didn’t have to worry:  she would grow up and be a nun, but her convent would be close enough that we could see her every day.

Did I mention that Sim talks now?

And he’s identified himself.  Sometimes he’ll say “Sim,” but most often, he calls himself “Fim.”  Darn cute.

Sometimes his talking is more annoying, though.  Today he was standing on his stool, watching me cook.  He loves to do that.  He likes helping more, of course, but if it’s something he can’t help with, he watches and pulls kitchen utensils out of drawers.  He got an avocado.

Sim:  Cado! Cado!

Me:  Avocado, that’s right.  We had some at lunch, but we’re not having them right now.

Sim:  Uh-oh!  [He said that because it slipped from his hand and landed with a resounding thunk! on the floor.]

Me:  [retrieving the avocado]  Darn!  [Having put the avocado farther away, I went back to food prep.]

Sim:  Ready!  Set!

Me:  Thinking:  Oh, how cute!  I’ve never heard him say that.  I wonder what he’s --

Sim:  GO!  [Another resounding thunk! as a different avocado hits the floor.]

Me:  NO thank you, Simeon! [Removing the next avocado from his grasp so that he won’t repeat the fun]  We don’t throw avocados on the floor!  [Which just goes to show that parents say the most obvious and bizarre things on a regular basis.  Is there any other conversation in which that might be an appropriate thing to say?  I think not.]

After that episode, I removed all the avocados from Sim’s reach, much to his consternation.

She liked it

Hannah inhales books.  She reads books at astonishing rates and is always questing for MORE MORE MORE!  Someday I’ll take pictures of the stacks of books that she creates around the house, because she also likes to read books again and again (which is good, since she reads so quickly), so she has stacks all over the place, wherever she happens to have been reading or rereading or rerereading.  Ha!  Spellcheck tells me that “rerereading” isn’t a word.  In Hannah’s world, it is.

When we go to the library, I pick out a handful of books that Hannah hasn’t heard of and bring them home for her.  15 minutes later, she’s ready for more.  Okay, that’s not quite true.  But she usually takes my book suggestions and inhales them and comes back for more.

The last time we were at the library, I checked out The Incredible Journey.  It’s the story of three animals (regular ol’ ones, not talking) who foolishly decide to try to travel thousands of miles from one part of Canada back to their family home in another part of Canada.  It’s a good story.

Hannah looked at the pictures (there aren’t too many, just one at the start of each chapter) and decided: too scary.  It had been some time since I’d read it last, so I refreshed  my memory by paging through and dipping in here and there.  I determined that Hannah would probably like it, if she could get past the bear picture and the porcupine picture.

Accordingly, today, I told her to read chapter 1.

H:  Mama, it’s too scary. 

Me:  No, I don’t think it is.  I went over it again, and I think you’ll like it.

A few minutes later:

H:  I read chapter 1.

Me:  How was it?

H:  A little sad.

Me:  Okay, try chapter 2.

H:  Mama!

Me:  Just try it.

A few minutes later:

H:  I read chapter 2.

Me:  How was it?

H:  Still sad.

Me:  Really?  [I didn’t remember this much sadness in the book.]

H:  Yes.

Me:  But not scary?

H:  Not yet, but look at the next chapter’s picture.  [She showed me the bear picture.]

Me:  I think you’ll like it.  Just give it a try.

H:  Uuuugh.

An hour and a half later:

H:  I read it!

Me:  How was it?

H:  Good.  There was a sad part, when the Labrador had some porcupine quills in his face, but a human got them out.

Me:  Yes, I remember that part.

H:  But it was good.

Me:  I’m glad you liked it.

Unfortunately

not everyone listened to my earlier words of advice.  Hannah has the stomach flu now, poor little girl.

However, Michael is once again proving his heroism.  When Hannah called at 4:15 a.m., not only did he go, but also he didn’t come back and get me to deal with it.  AND he started the laundry.  AND he moved the laundry along before he went to work. 

Weather

My sister in Baltimore is snowed in under 30 inches of snow.  Meanwhile, it was sunny and in the high 50s and low 60s here today.  The kids are LOVING it. 

Naomi:  I like goin’ outside without a jacket.

****

Hannah:  Mama, I’m TOO WARM!  Can I take off my fleece?

****

Simeon:  COOK!  COOK!  [This because Sim has finally been set free on our porch and discovered the little kitchen.  Now his absolutely favorite activity is to play with the little kitchen – cooking, of course.  We’re hoping that all the children’s love of cooking translates into some really good meals cooked for us by them in the not-too-distant future.]

Today we spent a bunch of time outside at a park, then a bunch more time outside on the front porch.  Sitting in the swing in the sun, watching the kids play on the porch is a pretty idyllic way to spend 30 – 45 minutes.  Or longer.

Of course, upon hearing that their cousins were snowed in, they began to think twice about the jackets:

Naomi:  We could go to Baltimore.  I like snow.

Happily for us, the mountains are not too far.  If we should choose, we could head out to enjoy the snow, then come merrily back to the land of planting the early garden seeds in January.

Cowcoomoo

That’s how the littlest Bernstein says “cucumber.”  It’s SO cute. 

Words of advice from someone who (unfortunately) knows

Don’t get the stomach flu.

More on Simeon

I’ve had to give up.  I’ve had to acknowledge that, if I try to keep Sim from climbing on everything – which is what he wants to do all the time – I will not have time to do anything but follow him and take him down from things and try to make them safe, only to turn around and find him climbing something else while I was rearranging furniture so that he wouldn’t climb on that…

SO, in an effort to keep him safe even while he’s climbing, we’ve been telling him about turning around to climb off of high things – he does this very well – and that we sit on chairs, and we’ve been letting him stand on stools in the bathroom, kitchen, and living room, so that he can feel like he’s part of it all.  Of course, we have to make sure the stools are properly placed, or his stool-standing to look out the living room window turns into table-standing to look out the living room window.  We’re not going there.  He’s very adept at getting off of all the things that he can get onto now, and he’s only had one very minor fall in the past few days. 

Simeon is also no longer a prisoner of the stroller when it comes to the local playgrounds.  There’s climbing and sliding and swinging and all crawling to be done!  He’s got some water resistant pants and he’s ready to go.

But he’s not going to be crawling around the parks too much longer.  Today, I looked over from a math lesson I was working on with Hannah and saw Sim take 8 or 10 steps across the room.  Dawning pleasure on his face was most amusing to see, and after he took three or four of the steps, he said, “Walk!  Walk!”  He’s taken a couple steps here or there of late, but this was a pretty long walk.  He’ll be running soon, no doubt.