Some conversations you just can't win...

Gavin is very persistent. He never gives up on anything. Which, I suppose, is a good quality to have but can be annoying at times, too. Here is a conversation we had on the way to the grocery store and stopped at a red light.

Gavin: Mama, what's that building?
Me: That is a bank.
G: Is it the dance center?
Me: No, no. It is a bank. It does look like the dance center building but it's not.
G: (Pointing) That building right there? (only building on the lot)
Me: Yes, that building.
G: It's the dance center?
Me: No, it is not the dance center. It is a BANK.
G: Oh.
(silence for about 4 seconds)
G: Is that the dance center?
Me: --huge sigh-- Yup, that is the dance center.

End of conversation.

Overheard

Aidan and Gavin wanted to watch the Heffalump Halloween movie before nap today. I was in the kitchen cleaning up from lunch and I hear Gavin:

"Pooh bear loves honey. Huh, Aidan?"
(silence from Aidan)
"He loooves honey."
(silence again)
"I don't like honey, Aidan. Because I am not a Pooh bear."
(silence)

It was so funny because Aidan totally zones out while he is watching TV. He was probably hoping Gavin would just keep quiet. Meanwhile, Gavin likes to discuss what he is seeing. These two make me chuckle.

Autumn in New England, part 2

Blogger is acting weird when I try to upload photos so I thought I'd try a new post.

So, as I was saying, we went to a pumpkin festival in Maine where the kids did some fun activities. I also tried to take advantage of all the lovely displays and get another pic of the three of them. I think I will give up for a while on this task.

Moving on to our next excursion...the Topsfield Fair. To some people this is the epitome of fall activities. I myself, have not been to the fair in at least 15 years. I am not one for crowds and overpriced food. But, my sister seemed to think the kids would enjoy it and so she talked me into it. Aidan (aka Ponyboy at this point) rode another pony.

And the boys and I rode an elephant. I wsa petrified the whole entire time I was up there. All I could think of was the circus elephant that went beserk and trampled several people. The things we do for our children.

And Ciara just enjoyed roaming free again.

As we were leaving the fairgrounds, one of the mounted police asked the boys if they had a good time. Then he turned to the adults and said "Do you have any money left? Are you sure you're ready to leave?". He was joking but my sister and I were not laughing as we had spent a hefty sum on parking, entrance fees, overpriced mediocre food, and rides. But, it's all in the name of fall fun, right?

Autumn in New England

Well, it is that time of year again. My very favorite time of year. Autumn. We have been busy the past few weekends doing some fallish things.

We have visited an apple orchard. Not that we actually pick apples. No, no, no. Not yet. Maybe when the kids are older. Our trip usually involves seeing the animals like this enormous pig. It was seriously the size of a small cow.

We also take a tractor-pulled hayride, visit the store for cider donuts and caramel apples, and check out the pumpkins. (Look at Gavin in the background looking for ants).

And I also took the opportunity to try and get a picture of the three of them with a nice scenic backdrop. No such luck.
Another weekend we visited a pumpkin festival in Maine in the town where we vacation in the summer. It was really fun. They had pumpkin rolling, three-legged races, stuff your own scarecrow and lots of yummy food and baked goods. Aidan went on his second pony ride of his life. He loves the ponies!

The boys got to pick out their own pumpkins and then paint them.

And Ciara got to roam free which she loves.

Start 'em young

I love books. Even though I hardly have the time and focus to read them lately. Still, I love them. And it makes me happy that my kids love them. One of Ciara's favorite activities right now is getting a book (preferably of the lift-the-flap variety) and bringing it to you to read to her. (Doesn't she look so old in this picture?)

And, if you happen to be too busy to read to her, she'll just thumb through it herself. She is so cute!

How hard can it be to get a decent picture of 3 small children?

Apparently very.

I cannot recount all the details of the doomed photo shoot. It would tire me too much. Suffice to say that by the end, none of the children were at their best:

Maybe I'll try again in a few years.

Well, I never

You know how before you have children you mentally make a list of all the things your child will never do? And then once you do have children, that list goes flying out the window as soon as you realize that something on that list might just buy you a half hour of quiet time? Yeah, that is what I have been doing for the past three years. Here are (were) my top five things that my children would never do ~said in haughty tone of voice~

1. My children will never watch much TV and even then it will be PBS.
2. My children will never eat a lot of junk food. Only for special occasions.
3. My children will never throw tantrums. I will reason with them and they will understand why they cannot have the item they are tantrumming over. (is that even a word?)
4. My children will never play video games before the age of 10.

Alright so I can only think of 4 right now. But there were 5, I swear.

So let us now go down the list and see just how delusional I was.

1. This one was broken by the time the boys were 6 months old. This was when I realized that Baby Einstein would gain me 30 minutes of "me" time every day and allowed me to shower.

2. After their first birthday, the boys had little bits of junk here and there. By the time they were two, they were dragging a chair to the cupboard to reach the Oreos. My theory now is that by giving them junk food, I take the mystique out of it and soon they tire of it. They actually snack well now--grapes, rice cakes, crackers. Not too bad.

3. Just try reasoning with a screaming toddler. 'Nuff said.

4. This is the one I am struggling with now. Sean has PlayStation2 and bought them an age-appropriate game (Madagascar). I caved once I saw how good they were at it. Strengthens eye-hand coordination, right? Right?

So there it is. All is fair in love and war, I say.

Oh my goodness...

I haven't posted a picture of Ciara in over a week! Why didn't someone tell me? lol
Her hands are always in her mouth these days. She must be teething yet again.

He's coming around

As I stated in an earlier post, Gavin sometimes has trouble conveying his feelings for us. He can be very stoic and projects a tough guy image even at 3 years old (especially in photos, lol). I am working on that. (Total opposite of his brother, by the way.)

Gavin is also a questioner. Wanting to know who, what, where, when and why on just about everything he comes into contact with. If we buy the boys a new toy or book or even a doughnut. Gavin will ask "Why you buy this for me?". To which I respond "Because I love you". At which point he gets a smug little look on his face and merrily skips away with aforementioned treat. This has become his thing.

Last week I purchased a small puzzle for the boys in celebration of the first day of preschool. When I gave it to them, Gavin asked his usual question and I gave my usual answer. Then today he asked me again why I bought him the puzzle and before I could answer he said "Because you love me?". I said "Yes" and he replied "Oh. I love you, too". I said "What?"--I know, can't leave well enough alone and just enjoy the moment. Now, usually he stutters over his words and backtracks not ever admitting he let it slip that he loves his mom. But today he repeated it loud and clear "I love you". I was genuinely touched.

I was jokingly telling myself that perhaps after a week of being out in the "real world" of preschool where not every adult thinks the sun rises and sets with him and his siblings, maybe he realized how lucky he has it at home. Maybe that is the case and maybe not.

But even if it is, I'll take it.

On the subject of Breakfast

Gavin came to me this morning at 8:15 and asked if he could have a Scooby Doo ice cream (in reality a Scooby Doo sherbet push-up). I said no, it was too early for that and it was not something we ate at breakfast time. This being said as I doled out donut holes to his brother for his breakfast. And ate a big slab of Sean's grandmother's lemon cake for my own breakfast. Gavin had, in fact, already eaten his breakfast--a cup of drink yogurt and two bowls of fresh fruit. A better breakfast than Aidan or I was certainly eating.

Which led me to think exactly who deemed it was too early for a Scooby Doo push-up? Me? My mother as I was growing up? Her mother as she was growing up?

When I think of all the sugary things out there that are considered breakfast food--Pop Tarts, toaster pastries, Frosted Flakes, donuts--a sherbet pop doesn't seem all that bad. Especially when you have already eaten a healthy breakfast.

So, at 8:20 a.m., Gavin had a Scooby Doo push-up.

I did it.

I pierced her ears. Well, not me personally.


I have only been mulling this over since, oh, March of 2005 when we found out she was a girl during the ultrasound. So yesterday a doctor at the family practice we go to did it. He was actually kind of comical making the dots on her ears, looking at her, mumbling to himself that 'no, no...that's not even', erasing them, making more dots... He finally called two female nurses in to check on the symmetry and then...it was done.

My guys

Well, according to their teacher, the boys had a pretty good first "real" day of school. No tears but lots of asking about me and where I was. I'll take that. It would have broken my heart if they had cried a lot.

I asked the teacher if they stuck together and she said not at all. They both went their separate ways in the class. I figured they would and I suppose that is a good thing. They felt at ease enough that they didn't need to be by each other's side the whole time. I arrived 10 minutes early and the class was at recess so I got to spy on them from my car. That was kind of cool. I have never seen them play before without me being at least 3 feet from them.

One last thing the teacher told me is how Gavin (orange shirt) asked questions all the livelong day. "What are we having for snack?" "Why are we having cheese?" "How many crackers do we get?" while Aidan just rolled with the punches. That is exactly them in a nutshell. This made me feel good because I felt the teacher really paid attention and got to know the children even on the very first day.

I am so relieved that they like it and dropping off was not as much of an issue as I had been preparing for.

The Flip Side

Well, the boys are at school, Ciara is napping and the house is strangely quiet. I find myself what they are doingnow, if they are asking about me or, worse, crying and upset.

As a former Kindergarten teacher, I know all about separation anxiety--from the child's perspective. I was the one who was gently leading the child away, calming their fears, telling them Mom would be back after school. Never, until this morning, did I appreciate what the parents must have been going through. Entrusting me, a virtual stranger who they have maybe seen a few minutes, to take care of their child for 6 hours a day. Trusting me to teach them, protect them, comfort them when they were upset. Which of course I did.

But now, here I am in their shoes. Leaving my boys with a teacher I (and they) have met only a couple of times. In the mad rush on this first full day of preschool (all 2.5 hours of it!) I couldn't tell the teacher what to look for that would let her know the boys were upset. I couldn't tell her little secret words we have to make them feel better. I know they are in totally capable hands but it still feels weird to have them not in my care or in the care of their grandparents. This is the first time they have stayed with non-family members.

So, how did they do you ask? Well, Aidan ran into the classroom after he saw the box of cars on the classroom rug. Didn't even say goodbye. I had to stick my head in the door so he would know we were leaving. Gavin hung back a little, sucking his two fingers, a little leery about entering the room. I knelt down and told him we'd be back for him and gave him a hug and a kiss. No tears from either and I am counting the minutes until I go pick them up and see how they did.

One more hour.

I better go enjoy the quiet while it lasts.

And tonight, for your dining pleasure...

...Chilled Little People.

With a side of.....Little People.

These boys, I tell you. I am always finding little things everywhere throughout the house. I can only imagine what I will find in their pants pockets as they get older.

1st day....a bit anticlimactic

So the first day has come and gone and I haven't even gotten just a bit teary. My mil called me again to see how I was doing.

We walked them to their classroom, stayed about 15 minutes and then went to meet with the director and socialize with other parents. They actually let us leave though for a few seconds it was iffy. When we came to get them about 45 minutes later, the teacher said they did ok. Gavin kept asking for me and when I was coming back and Aidan cried just a little but then was fine. She said both boys were "well-mannered" but then again, she only had them for 45 minutes. Hahahahaha. She'll see.

I suppose the real test comes Thursday when they go for a couple of hours. We are encouraged to give hugs and kisses at the door of the classroom and then leave. It is highly recommended you don't actually enter the classroom for fear the domino effect will have ALL the parents milling about in the small room.

Well, we'll just see how that goes over with A&G.

She just loooooves her bottle

On the eve of preschool

Well, tomorrow is the big day. Preschool. Only for an hour though and we will be in the next room. Thursday is the real deal.

My mil has called me twice in the past few days to find out how I am doing with the whole preschool thing. I am honestly trying not to dwell on it and she is not helping any. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a bit melancholy that my firstborns are expanding their horizons and I will no longer be their whole world. Or that I wasn't a little nervous that all of my hard work parenting these boys for the past three years will be put to the test as they interact with adults who may not think their every move is just adorable.

But, it is only preschool. And I truly think it will be good for them (and for me) to be away from me a few hours a week. Now I just need my heart to follow suit.

I just vant to be alone dah-link

Ciara has been sleeping poorly for weeks. But, oddly enough, she is very comfortable in our bed and will sleep there. Here she is napping her tired self.

Are you sure it's just milk in that bottle?*

*Yes, I'm sure

I read a book!

My first book since, oh...2002. I used to be a voracious reader. The best book I have ever read in my life and still my favorite is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Part smutty romance and part intellectual historical fiction. The author has a way of mixing the two where you don't feel like you are reading a mindless romance. Plus it dealt with Scottish history (my fave), specifically the Battle of Culloden. The author went on to write a series of 5 books but I only finished book 3 and partially read book 4. Why? Because then I had twins and I could barely concentrate on People magazine much less a 700 page novel.

So while on vacation, my sister pretty much forced me to read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hoseini. She brought it with her, started it Sunday and finished on Tuesday. She said it hooked her from the very first chapter. So Thursday night at 9:30, after all the kids were in bed I read the first chapter and didn't stop until 11:30! I finished the book by Sunday. It was so good. Not my type of book at all and I never would have picked it up if my sister hadn't hounded me but it was excellent. Very, very sad but great reading.

So that is my book recommendation. I now need more. It has awakened the reading bug in me.