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Tue, Feb 26, 2008 10:00 AM
As often as we can, Katie and I like to head out for shopping excursions without Steve. It's not that we don't like having him around; it's just that he lacks our stamina. Right when we're getting into a particular store, he'll start lobbying to go home.

So on Sunday, as we wrapped up a visit to the new Waterloo Garden store in Warminster, he asked, "Where to now?" And I replied, "Let's head home. We'll drop you off, and then Katie and I can go back out."

I guess he didn't believe me because when we got home, he started pulling the car into the garage. Katie immediately shrieked in protest, and Steve said, "What, were you serious?!" I said, "Well, yeah!" Then Katie piped up, "Yeah, Daddy! Ju't go indide... Lay down!" (He happily complied.)

* * *

Last night was one of those rare evenings where Katie was an absolutely perfect little angel. She helped me prepare dinner and made substantive contributions to our main course--the "Weekend Brunch Casserole" from a Bob Evans cookbook. I browned the sausage while she sealed the seams in the crescent-roll crust. Then she painstakingly placed every crumble of browned sausage and every shred of cheddar cheese on the crust. I cracked the four eggs, and she beat them and added the milk and salt and pepper. I poured the egg-and-milk mixture over the crust, sausage, and cheese--but she arranged it all "just so." She was very proud of her efforts (even though she didn't actually EAT what she made).

After dinner, she assisted in clearing the table and eagerly helped Steve take out the trash and place a new bag in the trash can. She also helped wipe down the stove top and the microwave. (I have some photos, which I'll post in a bit.)

And when she was finished with all of that, she called, "Group hug!" and we did a three-way embrace.

Of course, she made up for all that goodness this morning. But it was sure nice while it lasted!

* * *

This morning was another parent-teacher conference at Katie's school. Steve did the last one because I was away all day at a meeting. This time, I got the update, which was generally good... except for "listening" challenges. They said Katie is very social, gets along well with all the other kids, participates in all the activities, and seems to particularly enjoy music and art. But when she's corrected for not following school rules--such as picking up toys in a center before moving on to the next, or not running while in the classroom--she tends to ignore the request. The teachers then have to repeat themselves multiple times. She's not terribly different at home, but I know it's easier for me to persist with one child than for them to deal with it when there are others to watch, too. Any suggestions?

Comments:
Marbara: (It didn't post anything I wrote after the question mark.) As I was saying,

Marbara: Are there any consequences for not listening?

KYGran: I'm sending 'Good Listener' ribbon stickers and postcards. Make a mini-poster after you get them and tell Katie to try to fill it before Gran and Paw-Paw come in April. Give her a sticker when she listens anywhere, at an time, to anyone. Then add a postcard after so many. Or she could write a note and send the good news to somebody.

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Thu, Feb 21, 2008 10:30 AM
It's a good thing I don't have fragile self-esteem. In the last 24 hours, Katie has informed me of two things:

1) While we were rocking before bed, she grabbed my shirt and looked down: "Mommy, lure habbing LITTLE boobies."

2) While I bent over to retrieve laundry from the dryer, she slapped my backside: "BIGGG, BIGGG hiney!"

Comments:
Paw-Paw: I used to have a little girl that was very perceptive about all my physical shortcomings. I guess what goes around comes around. LOL!

Sarah: At least she said it to you and not to a stranger. My brother yelled that a particular woman had a big butt when we were out shopping once and I about died. She did have a really big butt.

Kim: Kids - gotta love them!

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Wed, Feb 20, 2008 12:15 PM
The photo uploading tool is being persnickety again. I've realized that the photos upload fine--but disappear if you make ANY edits to the titles or captions. So, I've just done a basic upload without any of the detail (for now).

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Tue, Feb 5, 2008 10:30 PM
Last night, Katie and I read a large board book called "My Big Animal Book." On every page are colorful squares, each containing an animal with the name of the animal listed beneath it. Yesterday I started by asking her, "Where's the [fill in animal name]?" and she would point to the right critter. After a few minutes, I raised the stakes by saying, "Can you find an animal that starts with a 'z'?" and so on. She seemed to enjoy it.

Tonight she couldn't wait to get out that same book. But she didn't want to be quizzed. She wanted to quiz me. She'd say, "Lure bind da two pigs?" And I'd point dutifully, and she'd say "Good job!" This game worked great in the barnyard spread, where she knows all the animals (except for the goat, which she called "da udder cow"). But once she got to some other, more specialized categories, it became rather comical. She would point to something (say, a flamingo), and say "What dat?" I'd say, "Flamingo," and then she'd say--with her finger still on the picture of the darn bird--"Lure bind da blamingo?" So then I'd have to point to the bird I had just identified for HER.

Eventually, she attempted to do the letter game, too, but it deteriorated rapidly. For instance, she told me to find an animal that starts with "t," and when I pointed to a tiger (see how smart I am?!), she argued that "elephant" was the right answer. And she pointed emphatically at the last letter of the word to make her point. After that, she decided to put a death grip on my index finger and count the letters in various words on the page.

Comments:
Katie H.: The whole post is commical, but your Dad's comment is what made me lol!

Stacey: I wonder if Katie is going to follow in her grandparents' shoes and become a teacher someday?

Paw-Paw: Susan, I'm really proud that you were able to find the flamingo!

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Fri, Feb 1, 2008 2:00 PM
While rocking before bed last night, I told Katie I love her and asked if she loves me, too.

"No," she smiled devilishly. "I don't lub Mommy OR Daddy. I own-y lub my didter [sister]. And Angel. I don't lub Vito. He not a neitz guy wid me. He hiiiiide. He gared uh EVERYBODY." (I tried telling her that when she and Angel aren't around, Vito sits in my lap or sleeps with me in the bed. She didn't believe me.)

* * *

I had a long-overdue physical last Friday. The primary outcome was a very clear-cut instruction from my physician to eliminate soda from my diet. I haven't had any since (it has nearly killed me, but I'm sticking with it so far), and Katie is truly fascinated by this change in my habits.

Numerous times over the past week, she's abruptly said, "Lure doctuh day, 'NO MORE DODA!' Talk 'bout dat." Then I have to (re)tell her the story about my appointment. Katie's approach always makes me think of Linda Richman on Saturday Night Live's old "Coffee Talk" bit: "The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman. Discuss."

Comments:
Sarah: I think she's destined to be a shrink!

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