Monday, February 27, 2012

New "Friends"

Weyth's imagination over the past two months has exploded! He has amazing adventures these days! He shops at imaginary shops (Stock'N' Shop) that offers anything anyone could want. He has playdates with friends that don't really exist. He rides a magic carpet to go places. He has an apartment. With an elevator. He even has another family! Another whole set of relatives. And he takes all of this very seriously. He isn't joking at all when he says that he has to go to StockNShop. When Seren giggles, he gets very angry.

Pretending is VERY serious business.

Last Thursday he informed us that Jolly (a boy) and Toothpick (Jolly's sister) were spending the weekend at our house. They came early in the evening and would be staying with us.  So periodically this weekend he would say something like "well, they just woke up". Seren is a great trooper with this sort of thing. "Wyeth, are they done eating? Can they play."

"Yes, they can. They can come play with us now. They are done."

And so it went.  Seren also had these friends, pink elephants.They showed up right before she turned 3.

It is good to know that Jolly and Toothpick aren't big eaters!

Monday, February 13, 2012

As if I didn't feel old enough already

Children help us mark the time. We vividly recall (nearly) every moment of their young lives. We remember when they couldn't reach the counter top. And when they fit into newborn diapers.

So just looking at our growing children already tells us that they are growing and by extension, we are aging.

We don't really need too much 'help' to realize that we are aging.

Wyeth recently really brings this home.

His favorite stuffed animal, by far, is Webbie. Pictured here.



And here:

Webbie is his 'son'. And he is his Dad. Of course. Seren is the mom. (Ignore the incest in that statement) And me? I'm the grandma.

At least once a week, when I put Wyeth to bed, and he needs something from me, he will yell from  his bed,  "GRANDMA!!! WEBBIE NEEDS YOU! GRANDMA!"

Thanks.

I will now go and pluck out the grey hair.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Elevators and Alligators

When we were in Michigan back in November, Wyeth and Seren wanted us to read a sign like this to them over and over every time we got into the elevator.
Last night we were in a shopping store and took the elevator. Wyeth notes, "Mom! Remember! In case of fire, do NOT use the alligator."

Initials

Seren's initials are S.A.A.

A few months ago, she wrote the following on a piece of paper and said, "Look! My initials!"

A.S.S.

Hee-hee.

The Wallet

Last Saturday our family was out hiking. And by hiking, we mean partly walking. Partly digging for 'bones' in the dirt. Partly nagging our kids to walk a little more quickly.

Regardless. We were out.

And we found this gorgeous wallet. Right there. In the path.  Social security card, all his credit cards, the works. Beautiful leather.

After our hike we put his address in our GPS and found his home.  I walked up to the home, as the designated wallet returner, and knocked on the door. As soon as the door opened up, the woman said, "YOU FOUND IT!"

She was in her late 50s. She was so excited! It was her husband's wallet. She immediately hugged me. Asked me to come in. Offered to buy me coffee. And then proceeded to tell me about her husband.

"He has done this before! I could kill him!" She then yelled to her daughter to call both her husband and her other daughter to call off the search.  "They are out there looking. And my husband knows he will be eaten alive if he comes back empty handed. Oh! He is having a midlife crisis. He bought a mountain bike! A mountain bike! So I told him to take some ID with him. He is 59! He should have ID! So what does he do? He takes the whole wallet! And then drops it! And this has happened before. He travels for work and once I had a policeman call me from Kansas City. My heart nearly stopped. The police? They had found his wallet. My husband was fine. Didn't even know he lost it. Oh! I could have killed him!"

And on and on. And I was just laughing because this woman obviously loved her husband but was clearly beside herself. And she was my kind of woman- the hugging kind!

She insists on getting my phone number and address. I give her both. She leaves me with the following words. " You saved our marriage! I'm not kidding! You are going to heaven!"

When I laughed she added, "Ok! You are going to heaven but not soon!"

I get back in the car and we head home. The kids are full of questions. As always. 15 minutes later, the wallet man calls. I didn't pick up because I didn't recognize the number. He leaves an equally hysterical voicemail, "Thank you. Thank you so much for your kindness. I don't know what to say. Thank you. My family thinks I'm a dumb ass. But thank you."

What a riot!

Fast forward to Wednesday. I get a card in the mail. Beautiful penmanship. And in it? 75 dollar gift certificate to Olive Garden!!? WHAT!? Are you kidding me?  I couldn't believe it.

AWESOME. Totally, totally unnecessary. We did the right thing! But so so so much appreciated!

As my father would say, "I'll be damned. How you like them apples?"

Sunday, January 29, 2012

End of Weekend

We do a lot in our weekends. I love it! Some are more fun than others. This weekend brought a big train trip to Philly to attend the Chinese New Year.

Here is our January weekends in review.

New Year's Countdown to Noon with friends:




Mom turns 35!






We hiked. We always hike.



And it snowed last weekend. The only other time this winter? On Halloween. WACK!




One month into 2012? I'm feeling good! YOU!?

Proud

So maybe every blog post is one mom's way of saying, "Look at me. Look at us. We have something to tell the internet." I try not to make mine brag happy. But I'm sure I fail. And I'm mostly ok with that.

Today I am proud of Seren.

I'm proud of Seren because the girl can read and write. It is amazing to see her just take off!

I'm also proud because 2.5 years later she decided that she would just give up her pull ups. Well, that isn't true. We discovered that she was scared to death of going to the bathroom at night. We installed flashlights and many nightlights last week. Still no dice. But we told her that when she was ready, we'd like to give up her pullups. She and Wyeth could have a contest as to who get out of diapers/pull ups first. We even threw in the idea of a pretty pony purchase if she could be dry for 7 nights.  She was so excited to wake up every day this week. DRY. Six nights in a row last night!

Tonight for the first time in her entire life, she went to bed in undies. I'm confident she'll be dry. She hasn't mentioned the pony.

I'm proud because she tries new things. Not always with gusto at the start. But she does them! This weekend, we tried basketball.

I laughed until I cried. Full on tears, people. It was hysterical!



And I'm proud because with all of the reading, trying new things, learning the ropes of school and being a big sister, I see her as an infant.  If I could tell the post partum mom that really, "It would all work out." I would.

At the same time, I'm still worried. We have miles to go before we sleep. She isn't grown for goodness sakes! Just wearing undies to bed! We have miles to go!

But for now, I'm just proud.