Friday, March 30, 2007

Benjamin's Bagel

This morning I had an interview for a job at our synagogue. The meeting was at the bagel store near Charlotte's school. Of course, this was morning that Charlotte chose to have a little bout of the tears. Poor little girl.

So, there I was with Benjamin and a bagel firmly planted in his face. The meeting/interview was set up spur of the moment from a call last night. Thank G-d, Benjamin had that plain bagel shoved into his face the entire time. He was a happy little dude just gnawing away at that thing.

Thank you Ben!

Thursday, March 29, 2007

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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

At School Today

"Where did you go today besides your classroom?"
"We went to Grebow (the big room where they use ride-on toys and play ball). But I cried."

"Why?"
"It's a fact of life."

After a short conversation I found out that she just wanted to sit on the side on a chair. Her teacher, in her teacherly wisdom said, "go play." After Charlotte shed a tiny tear or two, she said that she had a good time. Goodness, I am SO much happier this year than last at her Chicago preschool.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Hot Dog Depot

Question : What do YOU do when you go to Home Depot?

Answer A: Look for paint, buy batteries, search for a particular screw.

Answer B: Charlotte believes that one goes to Home Depot to purchase a household item and then outside to the hot dog stand for a Kosher hot dog. Yummmmmy!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

What does Cousin Addison DO?

"What's her favorite stuffed animal?"
"Does she walk yet?"
"Can she ride my stuffed unicorn?"

These were the first three questions that Charlotte asked upon meeting her new cousin, Addison.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Missing parts

When visiting her new cousin Addison, Charlotte commented that her hands were missing. It seems that Charlotte is unaccustomed to seeing a baby in a long sleeve onesie with hand mittens attached. She even had her Uncle Adam reveal the five fingered itty bitty hands to reassure herself of the fact that there were no missing parts.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Difficulty with her Cousin's Name

My sister gave birth last night at 6:29pm to Addison Bailey B******n.
Charlotte seems to have a bit of an issue remembering her name. She keeps calling it by her uncle's name - Adam. Nope, it is not "cousin Adam", rather it's "cousin Addison". She'll get it.

Her excitement is never ending about going tomorrow morning to take a look at the baby. She is calling it a "playdate with cousin Addison". Hope she calls her by the correct name when we're there.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Jumping around together

"Guess what?"
"What?"
"Aunt Dara is having her baby today." (her water broke moments ago)
And then, jumping around the living began.
"May I go to the party?"
"There is no party til later."

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Notepad

We were away this past weekend in upstate New York for a party that we ended up getting snowed out of 2 out of the 3 events slatted for celebration. Anyway, I swear, I need a notepad to keep track of things that go on with the kids when I'm taking a blog break. So, here it is in a nutshell-type-list-thing:

*Charlotte finally used a word out of context - jealous. She said she was "jealous of Ben having a frog" and she "only has a bunny". But when asked, she said that she wanted "Ben to have a bunny too" and for herself "to have a frog too." Interesting.

*Benjamin learned about steps. Fourteen steps to be exact. With Papa - my dad. They went up and down and up and down and out of breath. Papa thought it was so cute. I'm not sure if I like it being a game but it was quite a sight.

*Charlotte baked bread with Papa. He seems to enjoy taking her all by himself and accomplishing something with her. Be it a game, seeing something new or even filling the bread machine.

*Saturday night the kids had an overnight with Papa and Savta (my parents). YAY! We went out as dressed up adults and they did not really even notice we left. My mom marveled at how Ben just curled up with his frog in bed and just allowed her to leave the bedroom without a peep. Needless to say that our next two nights at home were not so grand. He is a great sleeper so this MUST be a growth spurt or something.

*Benjamin learned a new word from my mom: "Please" - pronounced more like "Peas" of course.

*Charlotte has been doing a great deal of imaginary play. Whispering the script of the lives of her dinosaurs. Dinos are her newest obsession. To all my friends who are so girl/boy difference-centric...see, girls do like dinos!

*That's it for now. Will be daily or semi-daily again now.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Teen Drama Queen

Last month we attended a birthday party at my girlfriend's house in honor of her kids turning 2 and 4. The dinosaur theme was amped with dino footprints on the floor, dino party baseball caps, trees she made on the wall, a dino volcano that the kids took part in exploding and a dino-egg hunt. An amazing extravaganza that only she could pull off with her creativity and Martha/Rachel traits.

Upon returning home with blue dino CD mix in hand...we began to open the eggs. Inside each egg was teeny tiny dinosaur. Well, due to the fact we have a munchy little toddler (Sept 05)...we traded her tiny toys for an upgrade - Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs that were purchased on clearance at Target.

In the car today, Charlotte asked if I knew where the her tiny friends were because she, of course, found two of the eggs and befriended the miniature inhabitants.

"I know where they are and will give them to you this summer."
Her Drama Queen reply was.......
"Oh, if I have to wait until Ben is older, I will just Freak Out."

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Tooties, Cuties, Cooties

My favorite kids game is "Cooties". Crankymommy.com gave me a newer set than the one I already own. Charlotte and I have played twice since getting it yesterday.

And so, the quest for proper pronunciation has begun.
"Tooties"
"Cuties"
and some other variations.

Love that kid and she loves that game.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Had to Post a Second Time Today

At the doctor.
Nurse as Charlotte gets off the scale: "You are 31"
Charlotte without missing a beat: "I can't be 31, I'm 4."
Nurse can't stop laughing and neither can I.

Poor Charlotte...ear infection and clinical pneumonia.

Cover Your Mouth Please

Does ANYONE have ANY advice on getting Charlotte to cover her mouth when she coughs?! The only good thing she learned at Gan Yeladim (preschool) last year was to cover her mouth with her arm but she does not do it 3/4s of the time.

HELP!

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Doctor Charlotte

David has relegated himself to the confines of our bedroom as he naps off a cold that is running through our house. Gladly, this one has not gotten to me yet. He NEVER naps...that is unless the earth has tipped off the axis.

So, Charlotte, Benjamin and I took a moment of playtime in their room. While Benjamin sat on his Build-a-Bear frog, Charlotte checked me out with her doctor kit.

Checking my breathing with her stethoscope: "Good, good, and a baby in there".
Me: "I have a baby?" Her: "My baby bunny". Me: "Oh"
Checking my ears: "There is nothing in there"
Checking my blood pressure: "It is high, but not so high you need a shot."
Giving me a shot: "Well, maybe you do need a shot".
Putting on a bandage for the shot: "It wont stay on" she says as she hammers it onto my wrist with her fist.

Some good bedside manner is needed but she has got so much of the doctorspeak down pat.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Not such a good Benjamin Baby Today

As Benjamin is getting older, he is realizing that he is becoming master of his own universe. Today, upon my return home from work, Charlotte announced that her brother was "not such a good Benjamin baby today" because he was not cooperating during playtime.

Ah Charlotte, he is now going to want to create some of his own rules too.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Coughing Fits

Charlotte gets this horrible anxiety reaction to coughing when she is in bed. Anxiety seems to kick in and her heart begins to race and she coughs herself into a gaging/vomiting scenario. Sorry about the graphic description but after two sleepless nights of waking 4-5 times with her - that's my post.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

I'm a Mama

This weekend was an exciting time with the arrival of my mom from upstate NY to attend my sister's baby shower. Charlotte's excitement built as my mother's arrival neared and David picked her up from the train station. I did have to let Charlotte know that my mom and I would be ducking out for the party on Saturday.

This conversation ensued:
"Why can't I go?"
"Because it is only for Mommies and people who will be mommies."
"I'm a mommy to my animals."
"Well, it is only for people over 30."

Silence.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Inspiration in a tiny body

Charlotte was running around the house with a Christmas bear (don't ask) and making it play it's song "Silent Night" over and over again. Suddenly, she stopped and told me in a gentle voice:

"This song inspires Bobo bunny to be happy".

Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes. Charlotte inspires me to brush up on my S.A.T words.