I'm Daddy

No, I'm Daddy. Nu-huh, I'm Daddy. No, I'm Daddy. I'm Daddy! No, I'm Daddy. MOMMY!!!! She won't let me be Daddy!!!!

Show Mama how the Piggies eat...

The kids spent the day at Gaga and Grandpa's house today.

When I saw this picture all I could think of was the movie "A Christmas Story" where they make the little brother Randy "show Mama how the piggies eat" mashed potatoes. Jack doesn't wait to be asked, the piggy face is his new favorite thing.

Brown & the Land of Make Believe

Elizabeth: Which one do you like, princess?
Amanda: That one.
Elizabeth: You can’t like that one, it’s brown.
Amanda: I like brown.
Elizabeth: You can’t like brown, you’re a girl. Only boys like brown.
Amanda: I like brown and I not a boy.
Elizabeth: Yes you are, if you like brown then I guess you’re just a boy.
Amanda: You has a disgusting mouth.

Xanadu-ish

I had such high hopes for today. It was Skate Party day for E's school, and we were all excited. I had been warming up by singing "Gloria" and "867-5309" every chance I could, and Jay was working on pre-skate stretches to make sure he could still nail a good shoot the duck.

When we got to the skating rink we suddenly realized that we had three kids; two kids who have never been on skates, and one who had to be held the entire time. This picture is the only time any of us actually stepped onto the rink, and it lasted 5 minutes.

After the first 20 falls on the carpet, Amanda somehow ended up doing a full side split (10.0!) and was in serious pain for a bit. Jay and I then decided to stay skate free to avoid the domino effect. After Amanda recovered, she and Jay twirled for a few minutes on the actual rink.

Elizabeth had no interest in going onto the actual rink, and spent her time walking with her skates on back and forth along one side of the rink rim. As you can see by the picture, she came up with an interesting solution for getting by someone coming in the opposite direction.

Then there was Jack. Clearly livid that there were no baby skates coming for him, he screamed, wiggled, cried, and did everything he could to try to get out on that rink. During one moment when I let him at least walk around on the carpet, "Boys Only Skate" time had just ended, and a sea of wobbly boys came flying off the rink in every direction. Jack was knocked down and took an elbow to the face. The poor kid (not Jack, the other one) felt so badly, but Jack just stood up and stared at the kid like he was ready for round two.

By the time we left, it was all just a screaming boo-boo mess, and Elizabeth summed it up perfectly when she said "I thought this would be easier!" Me too, me too!

E and A are already asking when we can go back. I think we'll leave Jack with Gaga next time though, and hopefully I'll finally get to see Jay shoot the duck.

Fridge Magnets

This is our fridge magnet family tree, there are some members currently missing and some I have yet to add.

The Amanda, Blythe and Happy magnets must be having a secret tea party together - I haven't been able to find them for a week. Two of my Grandmas are missing as well. No men are among the missing. Weird.

Anyway, here are our magnets!

*Oh, and the "me" and "I" post-its are not there for the purpose of raising narcissists; they are just Elizabeth's first sight words for school. However, they are currently quite appropriate.*

Funny How?

Let me understand this...how am I funny?

Funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh?

Sisters

This was actually about 45 seconds after a very genuine and sweet moment that took place between two sisters. The little sis was crying because it was Friday and she wanted to go to school with her big sis. So the big sis gave the little sis a big hug, kiss on the head, and told her that she loved her.

Then the big sis said "Mom, get a picture of this" and held the pose for just long enough. Note how the little sis has her entire face covered, because, well, it just isn't about the little sis, is it?

Two of three band-aids are also visible, protecting Elizabeth's school playground wounds. Her re-enactments made it quite clear that without these band-aids, the outcome could easily have been amputation.

And do not laugh during re-enactments. They are very serious.

Fortune?

Well, it is true. I did prefer the opening ceremony.

Actually, this was Jay's fortune. My fortune cookie was empty! Or filled with limitless possibility, depending on how you look at it...

The Boy Who Cried Mama...

...for exactly one hour and thirty-eight seconds.

Just long enough for:
(1) every adult in the infant/toddler room to hold and soothe him;
(2) 4 sugar cookies to be hand fed to him;
(3) him to stay behind at playground time with two doting adults and the whole classroom to explore on his own;
(4) his Mommy to be called and told "we don't know what's wrong with him, he won't stop crying"; and
(5) his Mommy to come pick him up early.

So what happens when Mom gets there? He turns into Joe Cool, pretends he doesn't know who she is, and walks around the room showing off like someone just inflated his manly chest.

Stinker.

Jackboy3 is learning trickery from his sisters. He will be reprogrammed this evening.