Sobo (my Mom) is coming today! We are all very excited but wishing the house was a bit more organized...
It's clearly fall because the wasps are back. They hover outside our upstairs windows on the south side of the house...they keep building nests outisde and inside our attic! We have those juice traps, but really, I don't think they're looking for food (well, the traps aren't working, so that is my brilliant conclusion)...I think they are looking for a place to burrow into for the winter. Like our attic. I actually would be ok with the outside, but they come into our study, which is right below where they like to build nests. Ok, so obviously, our attic is perhaps too "open" and I know our ceiling in the study needs to be redone. In the meantime, Doug goes upstairs and sprays poison on them (at dusk) and we have those useless traps. This happens every year and we usually just swat them as they come in the study. They don't seem very aggressive (thank goodness) and they get slower and groggier as we get into fall. Maybe next spring we will work on the ceiling...or something...
Soon we'll see those fun loving cluster flies!
When Sobo is here, I am hoping to get out to this nursery I like and get some great tulips. I just have to find the time to make a bed and plant them...with compost! We are finally composting (and I don't mean the kind where we just threw the apple cores in the woods and let them rot or get eaten...) and we have some nice dark moist goodness ready to use...
And this just in....Sophia is pulling to stand! She does it every chance she gets! I don't need to tell you how cute it is ;)
Fiona had her dental appointment yesterday. Fortunately, her temporary fillings are holding up well and there are no new cavities (she had 4 found at 26 months). She has some deep grooves in her molars, so we worry about more cavities...We are talking about getting the "real" fillings in soon (I say soon, but I mean 6 months or so) and perhaps getting an x-ray in December (Decay is possible under the temporary fillings since they are not a perfect seal. Hence the "temporary" name). She did very well. It's becoming easier. We had to miss school, though, since they only see kids 6 and under in the morning.
Also anxiously watching Rita...wanting my family and friends to stay safe...especially my Corpus Christi friends :(
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Shrimp, yes. Dolphins, no.
"Mmmmmm. I can't wait to eat dolphins!"
This is what Fiona said after she and I were "talking" to Sophia...imitating her gleeful, high pitched squeals and babble. I mentioned that Sophia sounded like a dolphin, which prompted Fiona to think of eating them...hey, it was just before lunch time.
So, I say, well, we don't eat dolphins. (Obviously, this is really confusing.) Of course, she asks me why. Why don't we eat dolphins? Well, honey, besides the fact that talking about eating dolphins makes mommy uncomfortable, it opens up that whole "Why do we eat some animals and not others?" It's not socially acceptable, for good reason, in my humble opinion, to eat dolphins. They are intelligent and sort of like pets. We don't eat cats and dogs (ok, I mean the USA, ok?). So, then, we only eat animals that aren't smart? Hm, I don't think that's right either. Maybe dolphins just don't taste good. This is all going through my head very quickly while I try to think of an answer.
We had just pulled into the parking lot (for lunch) and I was tired and it was raining, so I think I said something succinct like, "We just don't eat dolphins".
Oh well.
This is what Fiona said after she and I were "talking" to Sophia...imitating her gleeful, high pitched squeals and babble. I mentioned that Sophia sounded like a dolphin, which prompted Fiona to think of eating them...hey, it was just before lunch time.
So, I say, well, we don't eat dolphins. (Obviously, this is really confusing.) Of course, she asks me why. Why don't we eat dolphins? Well, honey, besides the fact that talking about eating dolphins makes mommy uncomfortable, it opens up that whole "Why do we eat some animals and not others?" It's not socially acceptable, for good reason, in my humble opinion, to eat dolphins. They are intelligent and sort of like pets. We don't eat cats and dogs (ok, I mean the USA, ok?). So, then, we only eat animals that aren't smart? Hm, I don't think that's right either. Maybe dolphins just don't taste good. This is all going through my head very quickly while I try to think of an answer.
We had just pulled into the parking lot (for lunch) and I was tired and it was raining, so I think I said something succinct like, "We just don't eat dolphins".
Oh well.
No Blueberries Were Killed in the Making of this Oatmeal
One of Fiona's latest inquiries is if the food in front of her was killed by people. She has no problem eating said food, she just wants to know (I made a beef stir fry with snow peas and shittake, and sure enough, she picked out just the beef). This morning she asked me if the big plump organic blueberries in her oatmeal were killed. She also asks if things are dead...I showed her a picture of a dish of shrimp and asparagus with grits and she asked me if the shrimp were dead. Yes, those are dead shrimp. (Mmmmm....I have to admit, it's not exactly an appetizing menu description: "Dead Citrus Shrimp with Roasted Asparagus and Cheddar Bacon Grits").
She is also fascinated with the body. It started with wanting to know where all that food went...what it did when it got there...and what it all means, anyway. So in addition to wanting to know about the previous life of her food, she wants to know if it's good for her bones (2 weeks ago), good for her kidneys (last week and now), and good for her fat.
I should explain the last one. She is aware of soda now (we don't carry it in the house, but we let her have some out now and then for a treat...a very small amount!). We also talk about why we don't really drink it much. So, she asks, "What is soda good for?". Doug replies that it is good for the adipose cells. I don't even remember what adipose cells are, but he tells us those are the fat cells. So she will randomly state now that soda is good for FAT (emphasis hers). I hope this is not awkward later....
We have gotten some books about the body at the library and we go through them every night. The kidney pictures are her favorites.
Sophia now has six teeth (as far as I know) and is enjoying time alone with me every morning. She is getting quite good at following Fiona everywhere... She is also totally falling in love with her Daddy. When Doug comes home, she laughs and crawls over as fast as she can to him. Last night, she woke up (quietly) at 4 AM (sigh) and tried to snuggle into me over and over (this means crawling up to me and letting her body fall on my face as she turns...so her back or head (ow) is in my face...) BUT she also crawled over to Doug and gave him the same treatment. She's sort of a mix of bear cub and bull.
She is also fascinated with the body. It started with wanting to know where all that food went...what it did when it got there...and what it all means, anyway. So in addition to wanting to know about the previous life of her food, she wants to know if it's good for her bones (2 weeks ago), good for her kidneys (last week and now), and good for her fat.
I should explain the last one. She is aware of soda now (we don't carry it in the house, but we let her have some out now and then for a treat...a very small amount!). We also talk about why we don't really drink it much. So, she asks, "What is soda good for?". Doug replies that it is good for the adipose cells. I don't even remember what adipose cells are, but he tells us those are the fat cells. So she will randomly state now that soda is good for FAT (emphasis hers). I hope this is not awkward later....
We have gotten some books about the body at the library and we go through them every night. The kidney pictures are her favorites.
Sophia now has six teeth (as far as I know) and is enjoying time alone with me every morning. She is getting quite good at following Fiona everywhere... She is also totally falling in love with her Daddy. When Doug comes home, she laughs and crawls over as fast as she can to him. Last night, she woke up (quietly) at 4 AM (sigh) and tried to snuggle into me over and over (this means crawling up to me and letting her body fall on my face as she turns...so her back or head (ow) is in my face...) BUT she also crawled over to Doug and gave him the same treatment. She's sort of a mix of bear cub and bull.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Tastes Like Medium Rare
That is Fiona's latest phrase that she repeats continually throughout the day....
She has tried to cheer up a friend at school by putting a chair next to hers (said friend was at the window, waiting for her mom :( )and sitting down and saying "Now you don't have to be sad because I am sitting next to you and I am your friend!"
Sophia is sleeping better now. Fiona is sleeping a bit better--for a couple of days she was congested, but I think it is subsiding. I guess that comes with the territory of schooling....
Sophia is so pleased that she is mobile. If she wakes up before Fiona (for nap time) and I don't get there first, she will go over to Fiona and crawl all over her, laughing. So far, Fiona doesn't mind. Sophia is also pleased she can follow me. If only she would stop pretending to be the human vacuum cleaner....
There is this actual "Yellow Submarine" at the hobby store. Fiona pants every time we visit and last time, the owner said it just sits there and we could have it for half the price. So now Fiona is the owner of a Yellow Submarine replica! She is quite pleased.
She has tried to cheer up a friend at school by putting a chair next to hers (said friend was at the window, waiting for her mom :( )and sitting down and saying "Now you don't have to be sad because I am sitting next to you and I am your friend!"
Sophia is sleeping better now. Fiona is sleeping a bit better--for a couple of days she was congested, but I think it is subsiding. I guess that comes with the territory of schooling....
Sophia is so pleased that she is mobile. If she wakes up before Fiona (for nap time) and I don't get there first, she will go over to Fiona and crawl all over her, laughing. So far, Fiona doesn't mind. Sophia is also pleased she can follow me. If only she would stop pretending to be the human vacuum cleaner....
There is this actual "Yellow Submarine" at the hobby store. Fiona pants every time we visit and last time, the owner said it just sits there and we could have it for half the price. So now Fiona is the owner of a Yellow Submarine replica! She is quite pleased.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Day Two
Another exciting day of school! I am so relieved that it is working out well for us and she is enjoying it. I feel very lucky.
In all this excitement, Sophia's crawling has taken on new dimensions. She can go FAST. She is pushing up on her legs. I think she is so thrilled with this that she has decided that she must work harder and longer at it...meaning that she isn't so interesting in sleeping right now. She can now go after Fiona on the bed and will climb all over her which makes them both shriek with glee. This is cute, but at night it can get a little, well, tiresome. She also does this knarly thing where she wakes up at 2ish and is awake until 5ish. She's not unhappy (well, she's not thrilled, either, because mama isn't playing at 3 a.m.) but she is quite awake. Quite.
In all this excitement, Sophia's crawling has taken on new dimensions. She can go FAST. She is pushing up on her legs. I think she is so thrilled with this that she has decided that she must work harder and longer at it...meaning that she isn't so interesting in sleeping right now. She can now go after Fiona on the bed and will climb all over her which makes them both shriek with glee. This is cute, but at night it can get a little, well, tiresome. She also does this knarly thing where she wakes up at 2ish and is awake until 5ish. She's not unhappy (well, she's not thrilled, either, because mama isn't playing at 3 a.m.) but she is quite awake. Quite.
The First Day
The official first day was yesterday. I walked Fiona to the door (after taking her picture :) ) from the car and she went right to her teacher and disappeared into the classroom. Not even a look back at poor mom, ha! So....I walked back to the car and Sophia and I wandered the streets of Montpelier for an hour. We went to pick Fiona up, and I got a big MOMMY! :)
I took her to the library to wait around a bit so we could see Doug for lunch and we ran into Hannah, who is in her class. Hannah and her dad went right up to Fiona and she said "Fiona!". Fiona went up to her and hugged her. I find out later that in class Hannah was a little sad (but did ok, I guess it was just that initial drop off...I know I was definitely a little sad!) and Fiona was concerned. Fiona also said that she was not sad at all; she was happy and excited!
I only know about that last bit because I have been emailing her teacher with questions because email is so easy and talking to them before or after class is just not a possibility, really. So far I LOVE her teachers and Fiona seems to like them as well. Her teacher has said that in class Fiona is very friendly and seems to have a very happy spirit (a happy sleepless spirit, I would like to add). Fiona did not talk much about school (I suspected that would happen) but played "school" all afternoon. I know she looked at some books, but that is all she said she could remember doing....hm...
So it seems like the important things about school are going to be ok...I say important because it isn't perfect. If you try to park anywhere but the street, like if it's raining, for instance, someone tells you that that is THEIR space, by god (in a sort of nice way, but still rather bear-like). See, the school shares a space with dentists and psychologists (have had the most trouble with one of these...) and I guess also two of the spaces are for "tenants" somewhere. ALL of the spaces have signs or numbers for offices but not for the school. Never mind that no one is parking in this space more than 5 minutes (there really is no space to linger, the whole pick up and drop off is very in and out here). As I have said (I think) this school is new and this location is temporary. I just fear that it will only get more interesting when we have piles of snow everywhere! In the grand scheme of things, however, it is really a minor annoyance.
Hopefully the upcoming days of school will be just as fun for her!
I took her to the library to wait around a bit so we could see Doug for lunch and we ran into Hannah, who is in her class. Hannah and her dad went right up to Fiona and she said "Fiona!". Fiona went up to her and hugged her. I find out later that in class Hannah was a little sad (but did ok, I guess it was just that initial drop off...I know I was definitely a little sad!) and Fiona was concerned. Fiona also said that she was not sad at all; she was happy and excited!
I only know about that last bit because I have been emailing her teacher with questions because email is so easy and talking to them before or after class is just not a possibility, really. So far I LOVE her teachers and Fiona seems to like them as well. Her teacher has said that in class Fiona is very friendly and seems to have a very happy spirit (a happy sleepless spirit, I would like to add). Fiona did not talk much about school (I suspected that would happen) but played "school" all afternoon. I know she looked at some books, but that is all she said she could remember doing....hm...
So it seems like the important things about school are going to be ok...I say important because it isn't perfect. If you try to park anywhere but the street, like if it's raining, for instance, someone tells you that that is THEIR space, by god (in a sort of nice way, but still rather bear-like). See, the school shares a space with dentists and psychologists (have had the most trouble with one of these...) and I guess also two of the spaces are for "tenants" somewhere. ALL of the spaces have signs or numbers for offices but not for the school. Never mind that no one is parking in this space more than 5 minutes (there really is no space to linger, the whole pick up and drop off is very in and out here). As I have said (I think) this school is new and this location is temporary. I just fear that it will only get more interesting when we have piles of snow everywhere! In the grand scheme of things, however, it is really a minor annoyance.
Hopefully the upcoming days of school will be just as fun for her!
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