A beautiful day

Happy Easter Monday everyone! We had a great weekend of church services, visiting with family, and joyously celebrating Easter. Every holiday is made more interesting by the fact that our children are older, able to understand (and question) more, and participate more fully in the celebration. Gene was intent on going to the Easter vigil at our church, and excited when we let him go with his grandparents (Grandpa Ken drove him, then he spent the night at Grandma Hendricks' house). He's getting so big, and loves sleepovers:) He stayed awake through the whole vigil (8:30-12:30am) and then doesn't remember much after that. I'm sure he crashed hard in the car on the drive back. Brendan and I took the girls to the 8:45 Easter Sunday Mass, and while I enjoyed not staying up till all hours of the night, I think I missed the excitement of the Vigil. We've gone every year since we've been married, even all the years we had a baby, but finally decided to not deprive the girls of sleep this year. Last year NO ONE fell asleep through the whole service, and though it ended an hour earlier than this year (due to the time change) it still threw off the whole next day with tired kids. But, while the Sunday morning Mass was still a great celebration of Easter, it seemed like a regular church service to the girls (plus a lot of flowers on the altar!) and I think they were expecting something more. Especially since none of our family was there, and that's always disappointing to them. Next year we'll have Gene's First Communion (!!!) but then the year after I think we'll be back to the Vigil Mass.

So, here we are today, taking a rest day to get back to normal life. We didn't do any school, we didn't go anywhere, it's been great. We did have an "art hour", and Gene was inspired to have a store outside, like they did last year once selling lemonade and cookies. This time he wanted to sell "scraps" (i.e. pieces of paper that he had colored in about the size of bookmarks). He stared to talk all business-like and Lucy was a willing assistant for him. I'll write more about it and post a couple pictures sometime soon. They're still out there now:) I think they've had one or two customers...

Sandwiches

Lucy is a big fan of making "sandwiches" with anything she has to eat. Sometimes it is a cracker and peanut butter (or apples and peanut butter) sandwich. At a party last week, it was a fancy cheese spread and crackers. This morning...toast and crushed pineapple. Yum.

Easter Prep

We are preparing for Easter around here, little by little. I have a few decorations to pull out in the next couple days, and we'll make some craft or other with the VanderVeen cousins tomorrow.

Lucy surprised me today and spent close to an hour crafting...she painted pictures (of buttons that I could press and depending on the size of the button it would make different noises) and then she made Easter bags for everyone in our family to collect eggs in. She even went so far as to punch a hole in the top of each (brown paper lunch bags) and got a push pin and asked me where she could hang them up. It took me a while to comprehend that she was perhaps thinking the Easter bunny would come down our chimney and fill them with Easter candy.

Update

Not much time to write, but a quick update on things around our house...

We have been outside a lot more now that the weather is nice(r), and Gene has been getting better at 2-wheeling around the neighborhood. The only problem is he can't start by himself yet, so he gets stuck LONG ways from home (at least, a long way for me to walk before I can start him again). But he's really close to doing it himself.

Lucy is riding her training wheel bike now, and loving it. She has grown independent enough to take it or her scooter out by herself and ride around on the sidewalk (the safe one right by our house, that doesn't cross any driveways).

Jane has learned how to run, and loves it. When it is too cold to go outside, she generally hides all her energy until after her pajamas are on, and then she runs laps back and forth in the upstairs hallway. Seriously, she will announce beforehand that she'll run 20 times, and she'll count each one and do them all. Now that the weather's been warmer, she can run probably a quarter mile without really stopping, but it's all back and forth on the sidewalk. And she rarely falls, but she did a couple days ago and she only noticed the pain of her scraped knee once she got in the bath last night. I had forgotten how much scrapes can hurt if put in warm water...she was howling from the moment she got in, then was ok when she realized she could just bend her knee and keep it out of the water. We cut the bath short, however, when I had run down to get some first aid cream and came back to find her howling again, because the water was getting too deep and she had balanced her leg up on the side of the tub. Poor girlie!

Brendan and I are in the middle of triathlon training central. It's going fairly well, but we'll both be glad when it's warm enough to train outside ALL the time. Right now we split our time indoors and out.

We haven't started the garden yet, but I'm beginning to plan for it. I'm actually excited this year, but that's because I left it in great condition last year. All we have to do is go out there and remove some straw from the plots, and start planting. No digging involved. We'll see if that really is all there is...it sounds way too easy!

Other randomness...

Lucy is already counting down the days till November (her birthday month) and planning to have chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. And Jane just wants a doughnut for her birthday. I think she is ready for Lent to be over, when Brendan will take the kids to Benny's Bakery again for the weekly doughnut-fest on Saturday mornings.

Gene will start baseball soon, and is getting excited. But he still is playing an awful lot of basketball- it is March Madness, after all.

Jane is super excited to wear her Easter dress. Every time she sees it she talks about it. Thanks Grandma H!

Gene is approaching a milestone in swim lessons- maybe by the end of this session he'll be able to swim (freestyle) across the entire width of the pool!

Ok, that's long enough for now. Happy Spring, everyone!

St. Patrick's Day addendum

While Lucy was getting ready for bed last night, she asked, "What green foods are we going to eat tomorrow?"

St Patrick's Day

We had a wonderful day yesterday, made especially nice by the weather- warm and sunny! A rundown of the events of the day:

-forgot it was St Pat's day until Gene came down fully dressed in green (that boy never forgets what's on the calendar!) so I ran back up to change and helped the girls find green shirts.

-had a regular, non-green breakfast since I had already started making it before I realized the special occasion

-helped Jane find different pants to wear when she wet her first pair. By the way, she is really doing well with potty training. She only peed a little bit in her pants, and since I was actually playing with her in the kitchen at the moment, she looked at me in total awareness, and then started taking off her pants. Anyway, it was very hard to find another pair of pants that matched her green plaid shirt- pink and purple just don't. Finally found a pair.

-went to Atrium, where most other kids were wearing green. Jane was delighted to see Aunt Reenie and a woman with a green cast on her leg. She said Aunt Reenie's shirt and the cast matched her shirt, and each time she opened up her sweatshirt (a zip kind) a little to show her green shirt underneath. She sat with the cast-lady for a while (in the nursery at Atrium)...she is generally really comfortable around friendly strangers...!

-went to the Mitzel's house after Atrium to play outside for awhile and bask in the sunshine. Nice to catch up with them, as we haven't seen them in a while

-took the two oldest Mitzel kids back to my house for a while so Karen could run an errand. They hadn't been over in so long that they were delighted with all the new things we had out on our shelves. Norah used to come to preschool here last year, and she still goes to the school shelves in the hopes of finding new "works". They did every new work that was out, and really enjoyed the art supplies. It was so peaceful!

-Karen came back and took Gene and Lucy back to her house. They played outside again for about 2 hours.

-we had dinner when Brendan came home- oven-baked chicken, sweet potatoes, salad, and Irish brown bread. Green jello with whipped cream for dessert. A feast!

-Gene and Brendan played the Wii afterwards, Lucy got ready for bed, Jane tried to fit her underwear on her dolls before succumbing to bed herself.

A really nice day. Hope everyone else out there had the same!

Sleep

The kids are all still asleep, and it's almost 7:00...amazing! I so love mornings like this, when I am up and they are not (yet). Makes the day much more pleasant. Happy Thursday to everyone, it's supposed to be a beautiful one (as winter mornings go, may get up to 40 today!)

Update on Gene

Gene officially got our first case of the stomach flu this morning...all morning. Luckily, being the sports fan that he always has been, he has good aim and there were no messes to clean up:)

He is such a funny sick kid...very miserable, and loud about it. He wants me to be with him every time he is sick, or "thinks" he is going to be sick. And he was insistent on figuring out why he had gotten sick- "We'll have to call some people about this" and "We have to find out about this" at different times during the day, in a very worried voice.

Just like the last time he was sick like this, he was on the couch all morning, took a nap, and then woke up starving and wanting to play. Against my better judgment, I let him off the couch, and he played the Wii for at least an hour, and then alternated between resting and playing (basketball!). He ate dinner with us, because he insisted he was starving again (after a lunch of crackers and watered down root beer, the only suitable drink we had in the house). So he had pancakes and pears, but now we know better cause he ended up being sick again before bed. Well, live and learn, right?

On happier news, he has lost his second tooth! However, please don't mention it to him until he has told you himself (whoever of you are reading this) because he wants to send out an email and let everyone know...so, stay tuned when he's feeling better...

Swimming

We have been going swimming once a week at the Rec Center with the kids, and they love it. And Gene is taking swimming lessons with my mom, who teaches at the Rec Center. But that is not the actual swimming that is the subject of this post.

Picture this: a 2 year old who strips off her clothes and comes waltzing downstairs. When asked what she is doing, she announces that she is going swimming. And she asks Brendan to turn on the light in the basement. He does, and watches as she makes her way down the cold wooden steps to the even colder cement floor, in her bare feet.

A couple minutes later we come down to get something (an excuse to take a peek at what she's doing) and find her sitting on the trampoline, loudly reading a book, and looking like she's having a grand old time. We turn our back for a sec and when we look back, she's laying down on the cement floor on her (naked) belly and moving her arms and legs around. Brr...I was cold just looking at her, as I stood in the basement wearing tennis shoes, pants and a sweatshirt. But she just said she was swimming, and was happy to be on that floor.

The imagination of a young child runs rampant, and takes them to places they would never dream of going when they grow up...

Fashion show a la Jane

So I was following Jane upstairs last night to help her get ready for bed. We had been playing "run and sleep", her favorite game to play with me right now while B and the older kids play the Wii. We basically run back and forth across the kitchen floor, and then take a rest by lying down on the middle of the floor. She is adding all sorts of things to the game, all completely her own inventions. Somewhere she must have played or watched Red Light, Green Light so she started saying, "There is the red light, there is the green light (pointing to crumbs on the floor...oops, how did those get there?). When I say red light, you stop." Etc. Then it evolved to, "When I say 'O' you stop. And other variations. Last night she was preparing for the game, and decided we needed pillows and blankets. She got the couch pillows and a couple throw blankets, and laid them on the floor for us. I felt a bit silly, but I did lay down next to her. She was having such a good time, and was so cute. I started to hint that it was almost bedtime, and she said, "I want you to run with me for a little more whiles until it is bedtime."

So we started upstairs, and here she is in all her stylish glory...


She so reminds me of my sister Bekah, with blanket on her shoulders and curly hair...Bekah used to complain of the cold when we lived at home (it wasn't that cold really...) and it was common to see her with a blanket on.

So this evening, while I was finishing a late dinner after my Montessori class, Jane decided she wanted to take her baby for a walk. She got the little doll stroller and settled the baby in, with a blanket to keep her warm. The next thing I know, she had changed her mind and decided to go for a run, "outside". She got her tennis shoes on, and jacket, and asked for help zipping it.

Then she remembered her hat and mittens, and started on her way. As soon as I pulled out the camera, though, she pulled off said mittens and wanted to hold the baby up to be in the picture...

And did I mention that she is still pants-less?

Mildly sick

The girls have colds...too bad because they are the ones who love to play in the snow. Maybe I'll bring it inside...? I hear you can do that, in a big tub or something...hmmm. Our goals of the day are to finish making valentines and make an apple pie for the nice neighbor who often snowblows our sidewalk- probably saved me an hour's worth of shoveling yesterday!

Snow Day

We finally have snow now (after a long dry, but very cold, spell) and Gene went right out to help Brendan shovel. The kids all LOVE to use the little snow shovels we borrowed from my mom, and I had to buy another so they would each have one. He is old enough now (at 6) to really be effective, and he has been known to stay out shoveling for up to 30 minutes! Too bad that's not long enough to do more than put a dent in our long, wrap-around-the-corner sidewalk...

We got about 6-8 inches of snow, and it's always fun to be out in the morning when all the snow-blowing people are out. Such a feeling of neighborhood community...




And here's the bird feeder that Gene built in December...we have only seen a few birds (Gene says 4) eating the birdseed but we hope to see more this winter.


While I had the camera out, Janie insisted that I take her picture. I asked what she would be doing for the picture, and she said, "Closing my eyes". So, here she is:


And, because I had this other really great picture of her with eyes open, I thought I would put it in as well. Here she is, posing with one of her favorite things, her "baby":


Now, we'll see how the rest of this snow day goes...

Potty Training Update

I don't have a picture to share, but we are beginning a "new" system of potty training. I have a lot of ideas, but this makes the most sense right now...Picture this: a skinny little girl in a sweatshirt for warmth, a bare bum, and skinny legs in navy-blue legwarmers with large pink flowers at the ankles. Diapers (cloth) for sleeping and going out, but otherwise that is her attire. So far, so good. One accident started, but she actually caught herself because she felt it going down her leg. That's never happened before!

Pray for us, all you caring wonderful people out there:)

By the way, going bare is bothering her a lot more than wearing the cloth diapers was...that's a good sign, cause maybe she'll be apt to take action and use the potty.

Revelation!

So, after how many months of giving Jane a nightly bath (definitely over a year) something finally clicked that the allergy doctor said when we first visited him with questions about Jane's rashes. He had mentioned a seemingly horrible alternative to the bath, and I had immediately disregarded it. Until now. Imagine this- take a pair of feetie pajamas, the ones that zip all the way up to the chin, and get them wet. Soaking wet. Then put them on the poor child in question. Finagle another pair of dry feeties over the wet ones, and set the timer (15-20 minutes, the same length as her usual bath). Then just take them off, slather on lotion, put a new dry pair of pajamas on, and call it a night.

Why I suddenly remembered this alternative I don't know, but I'm so grateful to that doctor. We gave it a whirl...and Jane loved it! She was showing off her "wet jammies" and talking about them the next morning. What a timesaver. And she (and the parents who take turns with bath duty) can actually join the rest of the family in pre-bedtime activities. Now, we won't disregard the bath altogether. She still needs frequent baths from a pure cleanliness point of view, but to have another option for those nights when she is definitely not dirty is pure bliss...

Toothless

Gene lost his tooth! After only 24 hours of being loose, it came out. And he did it all by himself...he was eating snack when I heard a shout and saw him waving the little tooth. Thank goodness I didn't have to wiggle it out- I remember my mom doing that once.


Do you see the space, on the bottom?

He was so happy to have it out, and immediately decided what he would wish for- ten dollars and twenty five cents. We had told him the tooth fairy usually just brought money, and not presents. But we neglected to tell him the tooth fairy doled out only single dollar bills for each tooth. Luckily he is a pretty easy-going kid, so he took that fairly well.

Once he found the dollar, I told him he could decide what to do with it- spend it, or save it. But he had just seen a line on Google about sending money to the survivors in Haiti, so he wanted to send it to them. Tomorrow, first thing in the morning. But he put it in his bank for the afternoon. Now I just have to remember that noble goal in the midst of the hubbub that is our every morning!

Update

It's been a busy week for me, and boring for the kids until yesterday. I spent all week cleaning up and cleaning out the basement, and now we officially have a "play basement"!!!

There's not much in it, just an old trampoline and a few scooters but it is somewhere for the kids to run around and get some exercise, which is what we've wanted for a few winters now. Gene has already started learning to climb up one of the supportive poles, and is very proud of himself.

In other news, Gene finally has a loose tooth. And I realized I am squeamish about loose teeth. I'm trying not to pass that on to him, but it's hard when he wants me to feel it! He's wishing for a basketball hoop and a new basketball (since he somehow heard the tooth fairy grants wishes) but I told him he'd just have to see, and the tooth fairy usually just gives money. Luckily, we have had an offer of a basketball hoop just today, so we may be able to grant that wish after all:)

And here's a picture of Gene snuggling under his new Christmas comforter...he's been known to sleep till 8:30 since he got it- the great thing about being warm! He was just under a pile of baby blankets until Christmas, but he had definitely outgrown them and was waking up early because of it.

He loves it!

Finger Coordination

I am always amazed when one of my younger children can do something that an older child has struggled with. In this case, it is rolling toilet paper. I have tried for years to teach Gene and Lucy how to roll their own toilet paper. They do it now (I don't wipe for them anymore) but it isn't with any great finger finesse. I know because I have tried to teach them to roll lengths of toilet paper to fill a basket for Jane (she still toilets in the kitchen...and wipes have to be within reach) and they found it extremely difficult.

Well, this morning I went to fill the basket, and Jane said, "I will do it". She took the toilet paper roll of my hand, and like a little expert she started unrolling it. Once I helped her tear a piece off, she gently laid the piece on the floor, smoothed out all the wrinkles, and rolled it up. She insisted on rolling about 8 or 10 pieces, and filled up her basket all by herself!

Preference for English

Gene was looking at all the Christmas pictures we have received from friends over the last few weeks. He pointed to our friends Betsy and Mark, and asked who they were (it's been so long Betsy!). I explained they used to live here, but moved to Minnesota because Mark had a job there. Now he knows his geography fairly well, especially the States, but I guess we haven't talked about regions where languages are spoken, because he declared, "I want to live in Michigan always...where they speak English."

Mitten Socks

Jane can put her socks on her feet, and take them off...and does so on a regular basis. Today, though, she decided to challenge herself. Could she get completely dressed, with socks on her hands? It was funny to watch her- she get her underwear and pants on, and then got stuck on her shirt. And she started complaining that it was too hard!