Let Sleeping Dragons Lie

So this year for LD’s birthday, we had a slumber party. His birthday landed on a Tuesday, but we decided to celebrate the Saturday before. This is not an uncommon thing. What was a bit on the uncommon side was the fact that L decided that it would be a slumber party…

It wasn’t a unilateral decision, we had been brainstorming for ideas, and wanted to keep it simple. LD wanted the science magic people back from last year, but after hearing about the slumber party, his mind changed immediately. Nine of his friends sleeping over? His head nearly exploded on the spot. Which would have been unfortunate, and a mess to clean.

We sent out the invites, and got “yes” replies within seconds. It seems that not only were his friends excited, but, for some strange reason, the parents of this mob of six year olds were eager to send them over to our place for the night. Puzzling, no?

In the week before the actual event, not only was LD asking every 12 seconds if it was time for the party yet, but his friends were, too. I would get mobbed by a tiny horde of six year old boys and girls when I dropped LD off or picked him up form school. Parents were letting me know that the same thing was happening in their own homes – the twins’ dad told me that his sons had packed their suitcases a week before the party and put them by the front door.

And I kept getting stares of sympathy from parents as well. They knew that I would be in charge, with L & my mom (Gramma O) as backup, but I kept hearing about how brave we were, about how they didn’t envy me, about how they were ok with me calling and delivering their children home if they got overly rambunctious or homesick. It was only 9 kids, all about five or six years old (not including LG) – what could possibly go wrong?

In all honesty – nothing went wrong. It was smooth sailing all night. Sure they were a little loud at times, sure they ran around a lot and occasionally made it seem like there were 90 kids rather than 9, but that was to be expected. When it came down to it, the kids were better behaved than I could have possibly imagined. The boys and girls listened when it counted, and did things that surprised me. For example, when I told them to go wash their hands before they dug into the pizza, they melted into a perfect single file line. When I was talking to another parent during a drop off and LD tried to interrupt, one of the girls shushed him, saying that it wasn’t nice to interrupt grownups.

The night went by fairly rapidly; they entertained themselves for the most part (though I pity our poor hamster & our two dogs). We had pizza for dinner, then opened gifts, then had cake (chocolate with chocolate frosting decorated with the help of LD in the form of a dinosaur diorama, complete with a volcano and little plastic dinos) and ice cream, then they watched “Wall*E”. One little girl, R, likes LD quite a bit, and shows it through hitting, punching and flying tackles most of the time. Right before LD opened his gifts, she leaned over and bit him – she’d only meant to get his shirt, but she wound up hitting skin. She was mortified, because LD started sobbing – he was not expecting it at all (who would be?). They made up, the waterworks stopped, and into the presents they tore.

LG was fascinated by all then new little big people running around. She kept toddling after them, and they were excellent playmates. I think that they thought of her as a living doll – they paid a lot of attention to her, taking turns playing with her and she absolutely loved it. She kept bouncing from person to person, babbling all night long and breaking out into spontaneous fits of dancing. It was completely adorable.

We were going to break out our mongo family sized tent, but the kids were too excited. Right after dinner they whipped into the living room, whipping open their sleeping bags and slipping into their PJs. It was like a colorful little whirlwind of activity for about 15 minutes, with fluorescent bags flying past cartoon laden pajamas. They laid themselves out like pieces of a puzzle, with no clashes or disagreements. By the time all was said and done, putting up the tent would have been a monumental chore.

Lights were out by 9:30, and most of the crew was asleep at 9:31. There were three holdouts, though. I was sleeping on the couch that night so I would be in the room with the kids in case of homesickness, fighting or natural disaster. Because I was out there, I tried to reign in the twins, J & I, and their cohort in crime, our across-the-street neighbor, T-tah. They were giggling and talking, and needing to go to the bathroom multiple times. They managed to stay up until nearly 11, even after I separated them. Other than that, the only incident that night was when the blonde twin (I), got up and started pacing in circles around his sleeping bag, in a sleep-walking, looking for a bathroom sort of way. I got him set on the right path, and that was that.

The next morning rolled around, and everyone spontaneously awoke at about 7 am. Between pancakes (they were vegan… just use Bisquik with soy milk instead of cow milk and replace each egg with a tablespoon of vanilla soy yogurt – we tend to use Silk soy products as they don’t leave an aftertaste – can’t tell that the pancakes are any different than non-vegan types), playtimes, and “Kung Fu Panda”, the morning slipped by quickly.

LD ‘s mood went south a little after everyone had gone, which was to be expected. He’d been amped up for days, and he wasn’t sure how to handle the release of all that energy. He worked it out though, and had a great time with GO the rest of the day.

Sunday was a day of decompression and swimming, with GO taking LG to her class, then spending family swimming helping LD touch the bottom of the 9’ portion of the pool. Both of the kids love to swim, and LG really likes splashing around in the pool. We go every Sunday to their lessons, it’s a nice little family time.

LD’s actual birthday came around on Tuesday, and it was a day filled with SUGAR. A seriously intense, mountain o’ sweets were plied into him – GO took him for chocolate chip pancakes and hot coco with whip cream for breakfast, then he was allowed to buy his lunch (cookies & chocolate milk were on the menu), then we took cupcakes into his class, then dinner at the Spaghetti Factory where he had his first Italian soda (cherry) and a bowl of ice cream. By the end of the day, he was in sugar shock… he was completely beyond bouncing off the walls, he was vibrating at near supersonic speeds. His pupils were completely dilated, and when he spoke, his words all rushed together trying to tumble out all at once. He so rarely gets sugar that this effect was not unexpected.
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LG really likes going to her preschool. The TN is in Taiwan for a month and a half, and we had to find something to do with the kids while she was gone. LD went into the before & after school program at his elementary school, while we found a preschool for LG – the Whizz Kids Academy. The first day she went, she was apprehensive and cried when I left her – now she can’t wait to get in the door. She walks in yelling “HIIIIII!” at the top of her lungs, waving to all the kids and teachers. They do art, go outside, play a lot and get good food.

It’s strange, but about a month ago LG decided that she was going to start kicking into high gear with separation anxiety. Any time a sitter comes over or we drop her off at the gym’s kid area or even if we look like we might possibly leave, she bursts into tears while running to tackle our legs. According to everyone we’ve talked to, almost as soon as we’re out of sight, she’s ok again, at least until we show up to pick her up, then it’s tears all over again.

Sheesh, can’t win for losin’ Or something like that.

Toothless in Seattle

LD lost his first tooth last night. It began loosening up about five days ago… and I tell you what, I was not prepared for the ruthless obsession he had with wiggling that thing. There was no concentrating on anything else – his life revolved around that tooth. He didn’t want to eat anything hard because he wanted to be the one to pull it out, he didn’t want to sleep because he didn’t want it to fall out & lose or swallow it, he didn’t want to practice piano because he wanted to play with the tooth – every time he walked past a mirror he would stop and see how wiggly his tooth was.

When it came out last night, LD was so excited he could hardly keep his feet on the floor. He often sleeps with a small pillow that I made when I was in a seventh grade home ec class – I am a packrat, and I kept it all these years. It’s about the size of a slice of bread, though a little puffier – I’m not at all sure how he found it, but for about a year, he wouldn’t go to bed without it. Well, when the tooth fell out, L instantly transformed it into a tooth pillow – she took about 2 and a half minutes and made a little pocket on the pillow. She amazes me. LD wanted to put the tooth under his pillow, but L explained that she had a tooth pillow growing up, and that it made it easier for the tooth fairy to find the tooth; if he put his now-free incisor in the pocket, it wouldn’t get lost in his bed.

He managed to get to bed, but it took him a while to fall asleep. He really wanted to see the tooth fairy. Still, he did drift off, and the fairy did come, though with much cursing due to tripping over toys, nearly waking up the baby and stepping on the dog. At about 11:30 that night, LD woke up to go to the bathroom, and came running in to our bedroom, excitedly squealing about the not-one-but-TWO quarters he got. “Papa, you said I’d get just a quarder, but the toothfaiwy brought me TWO! I wanna show you, come on Papa!”

He dragged me into his room, where he showed me the two coins, which, I explained to him, were not quarters. One was a golden Sacajawea dollar and the other was a silver Betsy Ross dollar, and that he got them because it was his first lost tooth. As he crawled back in bed, he asked me to put the pillow with the coins up so that LG couldn’t get them, and promptly fell back asleep.

Today was a little on the scary side for me – I got a call from L asking me to make an appointment for LG at the pediatrician, since LG had hurt her arm. Apparently, she sprinted for some stairs and L grabbed her just as she was about to take a tumble. The stairs in the church where LD has his piano lessons are long, steep and potentially deadly, and LG is fast. If L hadn’t been there to stop her, something terrible might have happened. LG started crying and wouldn’t hold anything in that hand, so L gave me a call. I got on the horn to the doc, getting them in today… I was about to head out for home when L let me know that it wasn’t anything serious.

LG had what’s called “nursemaid’s elbow”; this happens when the elbow of a toddler is partially dislocated. The nurse popped it back into place, and all was right with the world. I’m thankful for that, and for having L around – she’s always on her toes and watches over the kids with an eagle eye.

Once, in Atlanta just after LD was born, she needed to take him to a doctor’s appointment. She bundled the little dude up, then herself, and headed out. The night before, however, there had been a cold snap after a rain storm – our steps were covered in a sheet of transparent ice. She stepped on the first step, unaware of the ice, and her feet went out from under her. L wrenched herself around so that the baby would have a soft landing on top of her, hurting her back and leg in the process. L takes the safety of her kids seriously.

On the downside of the arm thing, I won’t be able to swing LG around in a circle any more, as she’s now more prone to popping her elbow out. Damnit, that was one of LG’s favorite games.

Randomness

The other day, LD asked me a question. We’re vegetarian, but he was a little worried. “Papa, am I still vegetarian? I bit off a little piece of skin next to my fingernail and ate it…”

I assured him that he was still a veggie through and through.

LG has been ramping up the Martian speak on a daily basis. She babbles and babbles, and it’s obvious that she’s saying SOMETHING, I just don’t know what it is. She has the sign for “more” down, and uses it. A lot. She eats like there’s no tomorrow, and is a head taller than any other kid her age. She started preschool this week, and her height difference was completely apparent. Even the teachers asked me if I was sure she was only 19 months.

She hasn’t been sleeping all that well lately. We put her to bed between 6 and 7 PM and she cries or babbles until LD goes to bed, and sometimes even after that. LD asked if we could change the rooms back the way they were… not only is her crying keeping him awake, but she’s throwing things at him (her pillow, blanked, stuffed animals, water bottle…).

Inauguration day was incredible – finally, a change. I’ve brainwashed my oldest into thinking Obama is a superhero. LD, LG & I all went to his kindergarten class to watch the inauguration with the other families, and we all cheered when the swearing in took place. Hell, I think that the whole school cheered.

Weeks go by

Time slides by, faster than a 6… er, 5 and ¾ year old down an icy hill on a red disc sled. I blink, and the week was gone, and I don’t know where it went.

It was a week of ups and downs, with the kids still adjusting to their shared living space – LG’s crib is right next to LD’s bed, and more than once this week, I was pulled into their room by the sound of LD crying. LG had taken one of her baby-dolls – her new one, with the hard plastic head – and smacked LD in the head. She just wanted someone to play with, she didn’t know that she was hurting him. I don’t blame LD for crying – he falls asleep fairly fast, so he was out when he was hit. Couple that with the hard plastic and the fact that LG is stronger than kids 5 and 6 years older than her, and you have one hurtin’ kid.

School started back up again this week, after 20 some-odd days off. That snowstorm in the last week before winter break really through things for a loop. Everything had melted off by the time school was supposed to start back up… then, Sunday night, it snowed again, a good 3-4 inches, and it looked like it was sticking. Regardless, I was taking LD up to school the next day.

The snow was still on the ground the next morning, but beginning to turn to slush. It was 40 degrees out and it looked like it was getting warmer, which was a good thing. I got the kids bundled up, and we trudged up to school – along with every other family in the ‘hood. It looked as if no parent was going to leave their child home that day. We all converged on the school, setting out kids loose in the gym (no playing on the school yard that day). In speaking with other parents, it seemed as if every one of the other parents was looking forward to school start.

“I was going to bring them and toss them out of the car as I slowed down!”

“I was going to duct tape her to the flagpole.”

“I was mixing the blue kool-aid with Benadryl – the kids were going to sleep all day…”

Yeah, cabin fever had struck the school district.

Fortunately school was in session, and there was a collective cheer from parents and kids alike. I think half the parents went to party afterwards. LD had been looking forward to seeing his friends, and was excited when he came across ‘em. He didn’t even say goodbye, just took off for the class.

It took LG and I about 45 minutes to walk the block and a half home. She’s finally stable enough walking (and beginning to run) to make it all the way, given enough time. It isn’t that she’s slow, per se (though it IS a lot slower), but she gets distracted on the way. We had nothing to do, so I just let her pick and choose her own way. She spent ten minutes in one slushy puddle just gleefully stomping and laughing.

There were stairs to explore, plants to touch (and occasionally try to eat), snowy grass to lay down on and rub her face in. It wasn’t really all that cold, and she was having a lot of fun. By the time we got home, she was exhausted, and wound up taking a two hour nap after eating.

As for the rest of the week – it was filled with school, shopping trips, and playdates. One evening LD wanted to do an experiment from his “Science You Can Eat” book, but we didn’t have time – I told him that we could do it on Sunday, and I’m hoping I don’t forget.

This was also an exciting week for LD, as his class earned a Pajama Party by being so good. I was working that day, so I missed seeing it, but I bet it had been cute. They got to wear PJs, take in pillows, blankets, slippers, stuffed animals… I don’t know about the rest of the class, but The Nanny said that LD was trying to take his whole bedroom. She called L to verify that it was OK, and L let her know that it was OK to put a limit on LD. For some reason, TN can’t seem to say “no” to our son, unless he’s doing something really dangerous.

LG and I got to do some serious bonding this week, too – we had three days alone while LD & L were out at school and work. We spent some time puddle stomping, shopping, playing in the park, and waaaaay too much time in the car. She seemed to be having a good time for the most part, and really seems to enjoy going high on the swings.

She’s also gotten pickier with her food, she hasn’t been eating nearly as much, and the variety of what she is eating has decreased dramatically. Bananas and yogurt are still her favorite foods, but she’s starting to shy away from carrots and broccoli, which we really need to nip in the bud.

Yellin’

I don’t really like it, but sometimes yelling is necessary. LD has been pent up with little stimulation for 3 weeks now, and that’s in part our fault. But today sounded like it was pretty bad at home, with the Nanny and her child there for the first time in a long time. LG was cutting molars & being cranky, and LD was going insane.

He had apparently broken one of the wheels of our Ottoman while trying to show how strong he was, then tried to climb up on top of the stove, using the oven handle as support, then he was jumping off of is bed on the top bunk and trying to touch the planets around his bed. To make matters worse, he told both L and the TN that I told him it was fine.. when I had, in fact told him just the opposite the night before, when we put the planets up. “LD,” I said “I want to make sure you don’t jump off of your bed. I don’t want you to get hurt, you to hurt LG, or anything to break.”

“But Papa, if I jump off, I can touch Mercury!”

“Do not jump off the bed, and don’t try and touch the planets, you may knock them down.

Apparently that lesson did not take. When I got home from work, I put on my Angry Bear face, raised my voice to a roar and let him know that I was displeased. I wasn’t really that angry, but he needs to know that not everything will come down to a discussion. I try to make sure that I don’t yell when I’m angry, either – I don’t want to lose control of the situation.

I told him that I was not happy with him, that doing those things didn’t make me proud of him, and that he needed to use his brain before embarking on these whims. I also told him that if he broke another one of Mama 7 Papa’s things through carelessness (not an accident, but because he was messing around), I find something of his and break it.

He kept trying to talk and to interrupt me, but I had my alpha male showing and wouldn’t let him – it wasn’t time for a discussion, a talk, a back & forth – it was time for him to listen. Usually I try to get down to his level & talk things out – I very rarely yell (though I do raise my voice a little at times, but not the huge volume output I was doing last night) – maybe once or twice a year. When I do, I want him to know that I mean business. I stood over him, mad him stand still and look me in the eye – he needed to hear me.

I made him eat dinner then take a shower; afterwards we had a discussion… it sounded like he got it. He had been sad and crying during the yelling, which broke my heart, but I didn’t relent. It was during our talk that he really sounded like he would do his best to think first, and to listen. He is only 5, so I didn’t yell at him for long, or even stay “mad” at him for long; I just wanted to get my point across.

LG thought the whole thing was hilarious… she was following us from room to room babbling. I think that the dogs’ constant barking has made her immune to the loudness at this point. She also tries to bark from time to time, which is cute. It’s like she’s trying to talk to them, too.

Noo Yeery

I have to say that keeping up with the writing while at home is difficult… if I want to spend time with the family and get a little sleep, I don’t really have time to write; if I write, then one of the other activities suffer.

Bipa is still here, though he’s only around for an hour a day. He & LD spent one afternoon watching WALL*E together, but he mostly shows up in the mid afternoon to talk & maybe play a game or play in the snow, then he’s off again, doing more work.

I’ve had a lot of time with the fam this week, though New Year was uneventful, I don’t remember much of the rest; it’s been a real whirlwind. Trudging to and from the stores, looking for things we need to reorganize our house… reorganizing our house… putting LD & LG in the same room. I think they love that – though the first night was a little, um, long for my taste. LD was really excited to go to bed with LD in the room – for the first time he wanted to skip his bath & book. We let him miss the bath, but not so much the reading – we needed to try to let her fall asleep.

When it finally came time for him to go to bed, he ran in, got under his covers as quietly as possible & told me to go away. He wanted to be there in case she woke up, but didn’t want me waking her up. He’s used to sleeping with the dogs and hamster, and has to have a CD of L’s music playing (her actual music – she playes the flute in a local band, and they’ve put out 3 CD’s with holiday music – either x-mas or 4th of July stuff), so we had everything set up just right.

He dropped off pretty much immediately, but she woke up an hour later, possible due to the hamster wheel squeaking non-stop. I swear, that thing is like water torture. We knew she LG was awake, because we could hear her gleefully shouting “HIIIIIIIIIIIIII! HHHHIII! HI! HIIIIIIIII!” to LD – when she stands up in her crib, she’s eye-level with his bed.

After about ten minutes of this, I got her up and let her run around for an hour or so, then gave her a snack and put her back to bed. I had to get up at 4:30 am to get ready for work, and apparently the shower woke her up – the kids’ new room is next to the bathroom. This, in turn, woke up LG, who, in turn, woke up LD. After my shower, I heard her babbling at him while he was talking back to her. I got him up to pee (“can I get up now, Papa?”), then ushered him back into the room, letting him get back into bed while I changed LG & gave her a new bottle.
I’ve no idea if they ever got back to sleep as I was gone by 5 am. I feel sorry for the TN; they are going to be exhausted today. I can’t wait to get LD back to his Kindergarten – I don’t think I’ve been stimulating his brain enough.

Though, when I took him to the toy store to replace a couple of action figures that he’d broken (ok, they weren’t really action figures, they were “pose-able superhero statuettes”) through no fault of his own. He said that he didn’t really want the toys, he’d rather have a geode to break open and a sandstone block of fossils to excavate. Go figure; I thought that was awesome.