New Year's Resolutions

Eric called down to us after he'd gone to bed, "Why do people have New Year revolutions?"
I called up, "Do you mean New Year's resolutions?"
"Yes," he said.
"Well, because they want to do something better. The new year is a time when people think about starting over and doing better. Do you have a New Year's resolution?"
"Yes," he said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"To listen better, and to help people. To help the elderly," he said.
Sarah chimed in, "I want to stop wiping boogers on the carpet." (She admitted to doing this yesterday, and I told her not to do that anymore, so it wasn't as shocking as it sounds.)
"Those are great resolutions," I said, "Mine is to be good and kind, and to be more patient. Do you have anymore?"
"To be nicer to Eric," Sarah said.
"To help the poor," Eric said. "What's yours, Daddy?"
Brian said, "Don't know yet. I'll have to tell you in the morning."

Garden Spider

Eric noted that her legs are hairy. I didn't know what he was talking about until I looked at the picture. He's got better eyes than I do, but I spotted her first!

On the First Day

We started back to school today and it seems like a very good time to begin sharing again. Eric wore those pants and that shirt because he wanted to look nice - he thought pants would be "fancier" than shorts. In preparation for the big day, he got a new haircut and Sarah got her nails painted turquoise. They had a great first day. And mine was good too.

Sarah and Daisy

Sarah took horseback riding lessons this fall, where she met and fell in love with Daisy. During the fall, she would come home with stories about how Daisy did this or that, how she followed Sarah's directions, how Sarah cared for her, how Daisy gummed her food (because she's very old and has no teeth). She's drawn pictures and books about her and will tell anyone who cares to know (or doesn't) that her favorite-colored horse is a dappled gray (or whatever Daisy is . . . I fall into the latter category mentioned above . . .)

Her love for Daisy, and horses in general, has become a very large part of Sarah's life, both real and imagined. We've given her room a "big girl" makeover, with horses front and center. She wears her cowgirl boots every chance she can, and she'll take lessons again this spring. She wants to go to NCSU so that she can become a "large animal veterinarian" specializing in "only horses".

While I can only take so much of her horse talk before getting snippy, ("Enough already, child!") I know without a doubt that Daisy (and the rest of the horses) have helped Sarah tremendously. She has found something that excites and inspires her, and it is a joy to witness.

A Funeral for Toady

Our toad died. I had noticed that he wasn't eating much, but I thought that maybe he was starting to hibernate or something. A few days later, I looked again, and he was gone. I didn't think much of it, other than the original feelings of guilt for bringing him home and keeping him. I expected some sadness from the kids, but I didn't anticipate how much they would feel. Eric is sentimental and gets choked up over things all the time, so I anticipated that, but Sarah rarely cries unless she's hurt, guilty, or angry. 

When I told them, Sarah started bawling and asking why, and then got to work, covering his aquarium with paper and putting Xs and Os on a tic-tac-toe game. When I asked why, she said, "I want him to know that I love him." (I understood the Xs and Os, but wasn't clear on why she put them on the game . . . she was crying a lot, so I didn't push it.) 

Eric cried, said that he loved and missed Toady, and asked when we could get a new one. I told him that we had a dog and no longer needed a toad. "It's not the same, Mommy!" he responded. I tried very hard not to smile. 

When they were ready, we took him outside and buried him behind the treehouse. Eric put a stick in the dirt pile to honor Toady, while Sarah chose to watch from the treehouse. We each said something nice about him and then went inside. 

Me: "I liked watching him eat crickets." 

Sarah: "I liked petting him and talking to him." 

Eric: "I loved him." 

Sarah: "Me too."

This all happened on Sarah's birthday party day, which was a wonderful thing, because we were all distracted by preparations, and once the funeral was over, the sadness was gone. Every once in a while, Eric still asks about getting another one, and I remind him that we have a dog. 

Grand Adventures

Every once in awhile, she lets him take the lead. And when that happens, we're all in for a treat. He imagines grand adventures for them, and weapons, tools, or gadgets are almost always included. (I think this is how he sells the idea to her. The opportunity to accessorize often wins her over.) On this occasion, they were explorers, looking for hidden treasure with the help of their brave puppy, who would sniff out important finds. To watch them in these moments is a gift - they are the best of friends, having the time of their lives.

Broken Rule #1

Brian was VERY serious about not letting Penny on the couch. It was absolutely prohibited, with no exceptions. (She had obsessively licked the previous couch and it had to be thrown out. He had a very good point to make.) Well, fast forward to this moment. The rule has been happily (and sleepily) broken.

Sarah at Eight

Sarah turned eight today. In this moment, she's happy, horse-obsessed, and sings, chatters, and screeches constantly. She wants to be a large animal veterinarian when she grows up, but for now she's happy to dream and play and wear her cowgirl boots whenever she can. She's in a very good place, and for that I am so glad, and so proud. 

Eric, Captain Underpants

Eric was practicing his yoga moves this evening, doing a downward dog in the kitchen after dinner, and I noticed that he had two pairs of underpants on. Now, there may have been a time when this would have surprised me. Not anymore. I've come to expect the unexpected with him. That didn't stop me from asking why - I'm always intrigued by the thought process involved.

"Eric, you've got two pairs of underpants on - what's up with that?"
He giggled. "Don't know." Always how he starts.
Me: "Did you put a second pair on this morning?"
Him: "Yes."
Me: "Why?"
Him: "I wanted to."
That's about all I got until later, when I asked again.
He said, "Underpants are warm and fuzzy. Two pairs are better than one, right?"
Me: "Not really."
Him: "What about when it's really cold out? What about then?"
Me: "Two pairs won't make you any warmer."
Him: "Could I wear two pairs of pants then?"
Me: "You could wear long johns. They're kind of like tights without the feet."
Him: "I want to wear tights."
Me: "No you don't."
Him: "Yes, I do."
Me: "No, you don't."
Him: (Grinning.) "Yes I do."
He's a weird one, and I love him for it.

Ellie Mae

She's been with us since last Saturday - she's 9 weeks old and just over 3 pounds. She wants to snuggle most of the time and gives way too many kisses. We have no complaints!

Happy Halloween

We had fun tonight, and for several days leading up to it. Sarah wanted to go creepy this year, and while it wasn't my first pick, she was a vampire. (She's holding Scarlett, my parents' dog, who is a Jack O'Lantern! That dog has some serious patience.) Eric had all sorts of ideas, and we thought he had settled on being a bat. (I liked this - it made Sarah's idea cuter.) But, in a last minute change of heart, he chose to be a ninja. Our dear friend Anna joined us as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. (She was wearing brown clothes with a clown nose and antlers. Loved it.) Her costume reminded me of how much of my own Halloween memories are tied to the costumes I wore. My mom made ours, and they were creative, unique, and special because of it. (One year I had told her I wanted to be a witch's brew, and she pulled through. It was so cool.) That said, I may not have sewing skills, but I do have pumpkin carving pretty well figured out. This year, we went with scared and scary . . . there was a pumpkin with arachnophobia and a pumpkin-eating pumpkin. 

Eric at 6

Today he is six. While another year is always bittersweet for me, I love who he is right now. He's funny, loving, sensitive, and generous. He's obsessed with Legos and often gets it trouble because he's too focused and can't pull himself away. He loves school and wants to go on weekends. He tells really bad knock-knock jokes. He never wants to move out of our house and gets sad and choked up thinking about it. He wants me to give money to homeless people when we see them on the street. He tells us all the time how much he loves us. And while I don't want him to grow up and it hurts a little each time I think about it, I also look forward to knowing the person he will become. I think I'm really going to like him!

Self Portraits - Eric

He's been into taking pictures lately, many of them include shots he's taken of himself. I like that he's showing an interest in expressing himself, and I'm happy to give him the camera whenever he asks. His preferred self portraits seem to be individual body parts - I've included several of them below. Now, I'm going to spare you from one photo that I happened across the other day in our August photo file. Can you guess what he might have decided to photograph? The good news? It's the rear view. When I questioned him about it, all I had to say was, "Eric, I found a photo you took." He replied, "Oh yeah, sorry about that." I am constantly bewildered and almost always entertained (though I do my best to not let on).

Sarah's Swimsuit

Sarah picked out this swimsuit from the Little Girl section, and it brought to mind so many things when I first saw her in it. First, I couldn't believe that she actually wanted to wear it. She desperately wants to be a big kid, and I was fascinated to see her so excited about a suit that makes her look younger, rather than older. Second, I realized that this would be the last summer that she would be able to wear a suit like this. It's a 5T, and in a year, she won't be able to fit into little girl clothes anymore. (The cute "little girl" look seems to end abruptly at size 6 - why is that?) 

I was concerned she might notice that other kids her age weren't wearing tutu-skirted suits, but she loved it, and I bought it. Well, it took her a few swims, but she did realize that she was the only one and refused to wear it where she might know someone. This struck me because her awareness is fairly new - she's become self-conscious, as we all eventually do. It's just one more step towards growing up. The good news - she still loves the suit and wears it whenever she can, whenever she feels safe to be the little girl she still (sometimes) is. 

Eric's Teeth

Seriously. Why is it that so many posts I've written about him start out this way? Because it's deserved. Seriously. You want to know how he lost his first teeth? The ones that we had no idea were loose? He bit down on his Legos to pull them apart (of course - when in doubt, use your teeth) and found two bloody teeth in his hand. He showed them to us (and all of the cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents that were there to witness the event). He shoved a (now bloody) tissue in his mouth and went on playing - at the time he was dropping Lego cars down the steep driveway and watching them crash. Unlike his sister, there was no build up, no great anticipation. But, just like his sister, he couldn't wait for the tooth fairy to come.

Side note - That night Isaac learned that the tooth fairy doesn't really exist. He was so freaked out by the idea of someone coming into the house that Christine and Andre decided to break the news to him. He did a good job of keeping the secret, and Sarah and Eric still believe.

Chasing Fireflies

Watching them, so excited, so full of joy, brings me back. I have fond memories of chasing fireflies, cupping my hands and watching them glow. I couldn't get enough - and neither can they, it seems. 

I'm happy to let them stay up later, so that they can remember these lazy, warm, firefly-filled summer evenings. They're the best, aren't they?

                                           

Eric's Graduation

Eric made us proud on Friday when he graduated from Ms. Nancy's preschool. Not because he graduated, but because he behaved himself far better than we expected. Last year at this time, we cringed/laughed when he sang his own opera instead of following along with the rest of the kids. Last year, he played to the crowd, and he had parents cracking up. A friend of mine who showed the video to her extended family mentioned to me how much everyone "enjoyed Eric's performance". Ah, yes. Eric and his performances . . . what mixed feelings I have about those . . . 

This time, he was serious and focused. He followed along and did his best, and it was good to see. While I'm sad to see our time at Ms. Nancy's come to an end, I'm so glad to know that Eric has grown up in the last year. In the fall, when he goes to kindergarten, I'm less concerned about how he'll handle himself, and that is a relief. 

Side note: Ms. Nancy hands out awards at the end of the year, highlighting every child's strength. Eric got the "Engineer Award" for his constant building while at school. Aunt Christine and Uncle Andre will be proud!

Our Toad

The story goes something like this - Sarah had an early release day a couple of weeks ago, and we picked Eric up from Ms. Nancy's preschool. There were several toads hopping around, and the kids were catching them. (Eric is really good at this, I've noticed. He's fast and doesn't hesitate, and his "catch rate" is probably 4 out of 5.) Well, there he was, holding a toad in his hands, showing it off to all his friends. Ms. Nancy generously offered the toad to us, and in a weak moment, I said yes. We did some quick research and went to pet store to get supplies and food. I never thought I'd have a pet who eats live animals, but I've honestly enjoyed watching him. We find grubs, worms, crickets, slugs, and anything else we think he'd like to eat and then watch the show. He's an impressive hunter, watching, waiting, and then pouncing. 

I still have some ethical issues about whether we should keep our little friend. (Basically, I wonder if he's "truly happy", knowing that he came from the wide open world and is now sitting in a tank in our dining room.) We'll see how long this lasts, but for now we're enjoying our own small live version of a National Geographic program.

Brian's 40th Birthday

We celebrated Brian's 40th birthday today, with fettucini alfredo and chocolate cupcakes. Sarah's card included drawings of a squid, an angler, and an octopus. She also gave him several paper presents - a set of hands, a mouth, a bracelet and a heart. Eric made him a bunch of Lego inventions, including a box with fire in it. His card was random, as usual, and included a "connect-the-dots" puzzle for Brian to play later. (What I find interesting is that Sarah's card and presents were even more random than Eric's this time - that one's a first.) I wasn't as creative (or weird), and I went with a store bought card, some beer, and some snacks. I think he appreciated and was entertained by it all.

Maggie and Scarlet

We had a lot fun with these two girls. If I could keep up with this blog, I would have posted these photos quite awhile ago and shared the happy smiles that were on my kids' faces for the entire week that we dog-sat Maggie. Scarlet was the icing on the cake. They've been talking about the dogs ever since, although Eric is still a huge Lucy fan. I've decided that Sarah (I'm sorry to say) would love to have her very own pocket-sized dog. She kept picking up Scarlet every chance she got - and I kept telling her to put the poor puppy down (gently, and right now!)