Fifty-Sixth Passage

There has been a case of infanticide at our house.

Here is the crime scene.

And here is the culprit.

She gutted her own baby. This is believed to have taken place in the morning hours, after the little mommy awoke in her crib, and before the little mommy's mommy removed her from the crib.
A proper burial (kitchen garbage can) has taken place.

Post-it #80

William was sick yesterday, meaning he was much more mellow and lethargic. Poor kid. I let him watch a couple movies since he wasn't really up for doing much else. Of course Morgan and Owen wanted to get in on the movie watching. I happened upon the boys watching tv together like this.

I thought it was sweet.

Fifty-fifth Passage

Lydia.

She is just about potty trained. She hasn't had an accident for several days, she doesn't need a diaper at nap time, or when we go places. It kind of just clicked, I guess. After weeks of trying to potty train her, it was still hit and miss. One day would be flawless, the next would have her in her fourth pair of underwear by lunch. But sometime within the last week, the accidents suddenly ceased.
I put her in a diaper at night time. That's usually when she poops. She won't try it in the toilet. And ever since we started potty training she holds it in for DAYS. No bueno. I've put candy in the bathroom where she can see it, so act as a motivator. She can have it when she poops in the toilet! That's what I did with Morgan and Owen, (their prizes were a hotwheels car, and fancy balloons, respectively) but even though Lydia is a candy fiend, she acts completely uninterested when she realizes that I won't give it to her without a price. Sigh.

In other Lydia news, she's kinda a little meanie. Ever since she was very young, like, pre-walking, she has taken pleasure in stealing things from people. I remember watching her in fascination as she stalked slowly up to something someone was using, but had set down, or something, and, acting nonchalant, hung around for a bit. Then, when it was least expected, her little baby hand would dart out and snatch away whatever it was that she thought the other person wanted. And she would laugh.
Now that she is two, it's not as funny. She is always stealing toys from her brothers, then running away screaming. And she doesn't take them to play with them, she takes them to take them. She throws them, or stashes them in a closet and slams the door, or slides them in hard to reach places, like under the couch. It happens often during school time. She will grab a pencil or book from one of the boys and run to the door, throw it out in the hall, then close the door and try to hold it shut so the offended boy can't get it back, and she screams bloody murder when they try.
How do I get this to stop? She gets in trouble EVERY SINGLE TIME. She really isn't getting away with it. Yet her behavior continues.
She is such an imp.

Post-it #79

We read another book. William got to pick it this time, from my little collection of children's books that I've been gathering from thrift stores. I was surprised when he picked Sarah, Plain and Tall.

The cover isn't very exciting, it doesn't have anything cool, like, a motorcycle riding mouse, a toy indian coming to life, or a vampire bunny. But he picked it, and we read it in two sittings, since it's a very small book. And it was another big hit. Of course, it's a pretty great book. A Newbury award winner. I guess you are never to young to appreciate great literature.

Post-it #78

This week I finished reading The Indian in the Cupboard to the boys. They really liked it, I think. In fact, they payed much better attention to this book than any of the others, and they would ask questions about the story, and they would comment on how it made them feel. At one point William said, "If Boone dies, I'm going to cry. He better not die."
Don't worry. Boone didn't die. :)
We watched the movie Saturday night. I remember liking it as a kid. But I don't remember the swearing in it, (at one point the boy actor said the "d" word, which prompted Owen to immediately repeat it!) or, in one scene, the brief shots of a music video about "girls, girls girls!" dressed scantily and dancing erotically. That wasn't something I was happy to endorse by sitting there with my impressionable boys and watching this movie I recommended...
But the book was great!

Fifty-fourth Passage

Valentines Day was great. We gave the kids some valentines.

 We didn't do as much school as normal, because I wanted to be sure to have time to make cupcakes with the kiddo's for Valentines for family members.

We had some picked up, and delivered others.

But the best part of Valentines Day was my date with my Valentine. My mom came over and watched Morgan and Lydia for us, and then our date was started. We went out to dinner, then just went to Cabella's to look at tents and bows, and, on the spur of the moment, we went to Toys R Us and bought a new board game called Dixit, which is actually pretty fun, and the older boys can even play it with us. We also stopped at Starbucks for hot chocolate and a smoothie.

Oh, and David spoiled me rotten. Check it out. A dozen red roses, a box of chocolates, a stuffed animal, a little journal with pens, and a lovely white gold necklace.

This made me feel a little foolish for the very inexpensive gifts I got for him. But I did give David an awesome card, if I do say so myself! I found a great greeting card at Wal-mart, that was like a mini-book, and it kinda sounded like it was in my voice, ya know? So I got it. Then I got the idea to cut our heads out of pictures of us, and glue them onto the stick figures. And it turned out to be the best card I've ever given. Or seen...

Lookit!

Post-it #77

Morgan: have you ever seen the movie 'diarrhea of a wimpy kid'?

Me: Morgan, will you get the milk out?
Morgan: which milk? The only milk, or none?

I seriously heard my boys say this. "wanna play 'kiss a wedgie?'" what. The. Heck.

Lydia's favorite phrases: "I got it!" Meaning, I'm super independent, and I don't want your help with anything!

and, "Stop it, now!" Sometimes she chants it in a sweet, sing songy voice, like, when she's bathing.