The Kid Said What?

Interesting Math Technique

2012-01-09T18:52:00.002-05:00

Charlotte is required to practice multiplication table review for homework each night (since return from Winter Break). Tonight, she replied with her answers in an interesting show of "Math Technique"... SPINNING around in circles in the middle of the living room while listening to the problem and then stopping for her reply.

I don't like that but now I do

2012-01-08T21:46:00.001-05:00

Benjamin and Charlotte are foodies except for the strange selections of food they do not eat. Benjamin told David that he had tried Rice Pudding before. David said, "Try it again", after he made homemade Rice Pudding (yes, my man rocks but that's a different post). Benjamin tried it and (drum roll please) ...
LIKE RICE PUDDING.

Equal but Different

2012-01-07T09:33:00.002-05:00

At some point, every kid asks their parents - "Do you love me the same as you love my ... brother/sister?"
Well, this week's Torah portion "Vayechi", the last book in Genesis, reminds us that Jacob blessed his twelve sons as he was on the doorstep of death. He blessed each one in a unique manner.

So, the answer is "No, I do not love you the same as I love your brother/sister (insert here) but differently".
As parents, we attempt to love each of our children with the same depth, acceptance and unconditional manner.

How would you say you love your children differently one from another?

Glittery Bag on the Bima

2012-01-06T21:51:00.000-05:00

This evening we attended services at our synagogue. Charlotte, in creating the most outlandish outfit to break her daily "plain uniform", donned a Christmassy dress and had a glittery handbag as her accessory of choice. So, her class is called up to the Bima (front stage) and Charlotte brings her glittery bag. Ah, accessories - they are a joy of life.

Love of Crazy Flavors

2011-10-03T21:16:00.006-04:00

http://image.email.baskinrobbins.com/lib/ff031272766405/m/1/I0538_October_FOM_Email_6.jpg?cid=995355&jid=42143200&mc=100&eid=1154363&icid=fas_000065

Charlotte and I share the love of scary flavors. Wonder which one of us will use this BOGO October Flavor - it's Trick OREO^® Treat ... "a scary good creation. Vanilla ice cream packed with orange créme filled OREO® cookies, Baby Ruth®, and Butterfinger® candy pieces. It's terrifyingly delicious."

Uzu Alley

2011-10-03T20:37:00.003-04:00

It's usually a ball of laughs around here with two marvelous kids and my hubby. Why I've waited so long to get back to blogging... I have NO idea.

So, back at it... I'll start with Ben's amazing reading vocabulary. He is WAY above the average Kindergartner due only to his love of reading and not to our teaching him.

When sounding out words (as he does so fearlessly) - he announced Uzu-alley OR as you might pronounce it - usually.

I do love that fearless pronounciation.

Frogs

2009-03-22T10:06:00.002-04:00

Ben in bed "Frogs here, frogs there, frogs jumping everywhere". And there he is surrounded by his frogs - three in his bed to be exact. Charlotte called Ben "Frog" in utero but the nickname did not stick.

Seaweed as a packing material

2008-07-10T17:31:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow we'll be at the "new house" as Ben calls our home at 16 Baroness. The transition is good so far and I am optimistic that all will go smoothly. Moving on a Friday will allow us two days in the house together until we get back to work and camp.

Andrea is taking them tomorrow morning and we have visitors tomorrow afternoon - David's sister BILto-be.

Day 2 of Charlotte staying home to get the cooties out of her bod before returning to camp. She was definitely bored.

When asking her which of the four remaining snacks she wanted for her 10:30am munchy she asked: "Can we make sushi?" So I gave her a tour of all the things that still had to be packed and she quited a bit.

Which was I more surprised at: sushi for snack or that she thought I'd drop the packing materials and make some sushi for her? Not sure which.

102.5

2008-07-10T05:41:00.002-04:00

Charlotte was home today with a fever and symptoms neither of my kids show: general malaise, shaking, flushed cheeks, sweating and not eating at all. Doc said that it is not strep or ear infections... just a virus.

We'll be packing until the wee hours of the morning so call if you want to perk up my day.

Banana like cheese

2008-07-09T09:58:00.002-04:00

It's been way long enough and it's time to start again.
New house - new starts.

Today Charlotte is home with a mild fever and low appetite so when she asked for a banana I was pleased that she wanted to eat.

"Would you like it sliced?"
"No thanks, I'd like to eat it like string cheese."

Banana like cheese, hun?!

What is *#$%@

2007-08-01T12:58:00.000-04:00

"Oh NO!" I thought as I heard Charlotte ask the definition of a word.
I was sure that a word on the radio had prompted her to add the wrong vocabulary word to her collection. I did not even hear it myself.

"What is shrewd."
Thank goodness, I thought that she had asked about the word "screwed".
And why did she want to know the definition of this word.
Well, she said that in the movie "Ice Age" the sloth called the mammoth "shrewd".

Now, it was up to me to define the word and I think that I did a pretty good job.
How would YOU define that word?

Hershey Muffin

2007-07-30T22:55:00.000-04:00

While at Hershey Park Charlotte had the chance to pose with a number of Hershey candy characters.

"I don't want to pose with the muffin (referring to the Reese's Cup which sorta looks like a muffin) or any other one of them. It scares me that I want to eat them."

Frustrated

2007-07-30T22:54:00.000-04:00

Benjamin was sitting on the floor near the kitchen whining a bit and Charlotte was stroking his chin.

"Are you frustrated? Did you bonk your head on the table?"

Ah, to capture these moments.

Wasn't Me

2007-07-30T16:10:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday, David picked the kids up from preschool and stopped at Chik-fil-a for a milkshake. Charlotte and I usually get one on Fridays on the way home.

"You can't blame me for getting the shake. Daddy decided to get it. When two people are in the car and one stops to get a shake it is that persons fault."

I was completely silent lest I laugh too hard!

When I'm 64

2007-07-27T17:01:00.000-04:00

"When you are the Savta to my children... will you still look like you do?"
What a profound question and then I could only think of this answer.

"My hair may be more white than it is now."

Unfortunately

2007-07-24T21:49:00.001-04:00

"Charlotte, please come to the table for snack."
"Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of something. I'll be right there."

Wonder where she heard that word?
Any ideas? Please let me know.

Trying to Use a New Vocabulary Word

2007-07-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Evidently.
Do I use this word often? I remember when "actually" was an important word to be maneuvered into a sentence at every turn. Last night during bath time Charlotte tried to pick the perfect spot to insert the word "evidently". I'm not even sure what the sentence was amidst the shrieks of bath time play but I heard it and so did David from the kitchen.

Body Parts

2007-07-20T21:58:00.001-04:00

A while ago Charlotte decided that the underarm should be called "underpit".
So, if your underarm is your underpit, what is the part behind your knee?
"UNDERLEG" of course!

Do you want to be?

2007-07-19T20:36:00.001-04:00

I'm sitting on the couch watching Charlotte play with her friend G while her mom A and I talk.
Charlotte approaches with a small ball and I think she is going to toss it to me.

"Do you want to be the net?"
I guess she meant basket but the answer remains "no".

Complaining

2007-07-18T15:36:00.000-04:00

Every have a week when the complaints are just never ending.

- Did not like what was in my lunch - even though I picked it.
- Do not want to nap - even though I say I'm tired.
- Want some snack now - even though I just had snack at school.

The list seems never ending and it is just a bunch of complaints for the sake of complaining.

UY!

Actually and Unfortunately

2007-07-17T22:53:00.000-04:00

Actually there was a pause in my writing, unfortunately.
Well, I'm back and for good this time. Too much to miss out on if I don't write it all down.

Remember when Charlotte love to add new vocabulary words to her normal conversation patterns? Well, now those words are just popping up and I have not even used them. She's getting this new vocab from her teachers I guess. The word of the day had once been "actually".

Today, her Darling father and I packed leftover pierogies for lunch with a bit of ketchup in a baggie slipped into the princess Tupperware item.

Charlotte alerted me that "unfortunately, my teacher could not find the ketchup so I only ate part of my lunch."

Again, I wanted to jump up and down repeating the word "unfortunately" but I held back. Goodness, I love to hear her speak.

Separation going well

2007-06-18T07:12:00.000-04:00

Kids are resilient. This weekend was the beginning of some of the odd scheduling that will begin in September due to my new job. Charlotte and Benjamin did well as we juggled being in three places on Saturday morning and then my being away Sunday afternoon until 10pm. I'm sure, just as long as we continue to adore them as we do, that they'll be fine.

Compilation

2007-06-15T14:51:00.000-04:00

Charlotte and Ben were playing while I was emptying the dishwasher this morning.
The mornings usually go like this:
Charlotte wakes up at a little before 7am and gets to watch HI-5 on TLC.
I shower, get dressed and check in with her.
Next, Ben is either awake or I wake him.
Both kids dress. Charlotte by herself and Ben helps me quite well.
Next, the kids play as I empty the dishwasher, set up fruit, milk & cereal.

Today, Charlotte and Ben were playing with her animals on the couch.
Charlotte sat on the floor with some of the animals and Ben was going to bring another over.

"I've got enough of a compilation here," Charlotte said to him.

You'd think he'd have no idea what she said.
You'd think she'd have no idea what she said.
Nonetheless, he brought that last animal back to the couch.

Remembering the Story

2007-06-14T20:41:00.000-04:00

Watching the beginning of "The Prince of Egypt" in complete silence... it suddenly dawned on Charlotte that we were watching something she knew.

"This is the story of Passover!" she exclaimed with a smile and an acknowledgment of her memory of the holiday.

The Princess Bride

2007-06-13T20:39:00.000-04:00

While watching "The Princess Bride" for the umpteenth time as any good child should...
Charlotte commented while watching the sword fight between the dread pirate Roberts and Inigo Montoya that...

"I will never be in a sword fight. It is just too dangerous."

Wordy

2007-06-13T07:07:00.000-04:00

We are having less and less time to make more and more of an impact on our kids. It has all become apparent as they are with their sitter and then their camp/preschool more often this summer.

Lindsay, our new goddess-in-training babysitter has been with the kids during the day for the last two weeks.

Yesterday, I gave Charlotte a book about Bunnies and Hares after she, Lindsay and Ben finished a number scavenger hunt that I had created.

"It is too wordy," commented Charlotte about the book.

And now, we have an entirely new vocabulary source.

Back in Business

2007-06-13T07:06:00.000-04:00

It is my intent to be here to stay.
The format may include some parenting comments but mostly short notes on the kids and their language.

Watching with Vocabulary

2007-05-30T23:18:00.000-04:00

Charlotte watch Disney's "Pocahantas" today with her sitter.
She told us part of the story and noted that it was:

"...especially sad that Pocahantas did not marry her true love."

When Eema's Away

2007-05-30T07:04:00.001-04:00

It is my second morning of work and I will be leaving my darlings with our new babysitter again. She is turning out to be a gem but we've got steps to go until we are set with each other. One of her fantastic points is communication. She has no qualms about discussing her needs in scheduling. Wouldn't it be nice if adults did that.

Well, off the serious stuff.
Benjamin, the little guy that I was a little worried about with leaving him?!
He does a little dance when she gets here!

Do You Know Why?

2007-05-25T10:50:00.000-04:00

Charlotte has recently had the interesting habit of talking non-stop from the time we leave our apartment in Pikesville until the moment we reach her preschool in Owings Mills. That is about 15 minutes total with lights and traffic.

Today, among her commentary about animals, fish and such was this:

"Do you know why Zebra's swat their tails so much?"
No pause for my answer inserted here.
"Because they are keeping the flies off their butts."

Thanks for the commentary little girl.

Is this Separation?

2007-05-24T10:02:00.001-04:00

Okay, she's making me nuts. Is this the way that we are going through separation. I'm starting work on Tuesday and I'm sure that these are related. Nonetheless, her constant complaining is driving me UP the wall.

Off to my quiet shower while Ben naps and she watches "Charlie and Lola".

Complaining

2007-05-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

We're on a trend here and we don't like this one. Charlotte has been complaining non-stop for days now.

"I don't have enough"
"I want more"
"You are not doing that right"
etc., etc., etc., and it is making me NUTS.

Any advice?

Will Write More Often

2007-05-22T07:50:00.001-04:00

For those of you who actually read my blog (I can count them on one hand).... I will post much more often. Sometimes I slip off the wagon.

Sheri;)

Broke my Necklace

2007-05-22T07:48:00.000-04:00

Stupidly, I allowed Charlotte to play with my beaded necklace. Oops, it broke, of course.

"I'm sad that you broke my necklace"
"That's the way life is sometimes."

I was not angry. And then, her words of wisdom sunk into my head. It is good that I was not angry because it is only a necklace and I actually was dumb enough to let it be a play toy.

Brilliant.

Recent Pictures of the Kids

2007-05-14T06:56:00.000-04:00

Memories... like the corners of my car

2007-05-12T13:39:00.000-04:00

Charlotte and I went to synagogue this morning.
Mode of transportation: our Green Ford Focus that David usually drives to work.
The kids and I have the bigger Ford Taurus daily.

"This car has all my old memories," Charlotte says from the back seat.
Ah, commentary from the back seat. One day I'll miss that.

Eating

2007-05-10T13:11:00.000-04:00

Benjamin is so much pickier than Charlotte with food but oh so less than many kids I've met. He eats cucumbers, any protein with ketchup, all fruits, tomatoes, eggs with ketchup, most bread, and that's where we get stuck. He gets hung up on whether or not to try many foods. We'll keep trying and then I'm sure Charlotte will encourage him once he is older.

A Little Worried

2007-05-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

Am I worried for Ben or about Ben? Not for Charlotte.
She's had me for over four years. I'm getting butterflies in my tummy about Ben and daycare once I've started my full-time job. I know that moms all over the world start their children much earlier than 20 months. He will have a great time and learn so much more than I have given him at home. I'm just a little worried.

Reincarnation

2007-05-05T07:25:00.000-04:00

The other day Charlotte asked if G-d made people again after they were dead.
I stopped all my thinking for a moment in complete shock and awe.
My four year old was asking about reincarnation.
What to say, what to ask, how to respond? The panic set in and then I calmed my revving brain.

"Some people think so. Do you think that G-d makes people again after they are dead?"
"Yes, Eema."
"Were you made a again?"
"Yes, Eema."
"Who were you before?"
"A little girl with an Eema like you."
I decided to end the conversation there unless she continued.
Interesting conversation over.

Sand Box

2007-05-02T13:26:00.000-04:00

Charlotte would spend the entire DAY in a sand box if I provided the time and space.
Today she got sand in her eye due to some throwing by unnamed accomplices.
I'm not making a big deal but keeping my eye on her eye.

An Eye for an Eye... Literally

2007-04-29T21:17:00.000-04:00

We're all at the park near Dara's home in Columbia, Maryland.
A ball is being tossed around and David pegs Dara in the eye.

"It's all fun and games until someone gets an eye poked out. And then it's just fun."
An old college thing I used to say.

Charlotte went and checked on Aunt Dara's eye.
I do not usually forget that sarcasm is way out of her league.

Keep That In Mind Please

2007-04-27T15:03:00.000-04:00

There were two bracelet jewelry boxes on the counter in the kitchen. Charlotte asked to see what was inside each box. The blue box holds my Granny Charlotte's gold flower bracelet. The brown and gold box holds my Savta's gold chain bracelet.

"One of these will be yours one day when you are older," I told her.

"I like the blue box," she said without hesitation, "would you keep that in mind please."

Exceeded

2007-04-26T07:12:00.000-04:00

I've exceeded the number of posts on my second blog from Charlotte's life. I've reached 1/3 of the posts from my longest blog. So, we'll see how far I can take this one without dropping the ball. There is so much to tell. There are so many amazing moments for which commentary is called for. Thanks for reading.

Life in General

2007-04-25T16:34:00.000-04:00

Okay, so here's the scoop. I'm going to start a full-time job at the end of June.
My life is going to radically change. The family's life is going to radically change as well. I'm excited, scared and worried all at the same time.

I will fill in the last couple of days as this week progresses.
Much Love to all my supporters.
Sheri:)

Giving Me Fever

2007-04-19T20:26:00.000-04:00

I think that it's the shots from last Friday.
Who knows? But, Ben's got 101.3 and he's moody.
It is amazing how little we know about kids' health issues.

Til You're Dizzy

2007-04-18T23:10:00.000-04:00

Benjamin figured out that if he dances in a circle four or five times that it'll make him dizzy. Before bath time last night, David and I watched as our kids giggled and danced to some Israeli dance music on CD in the living room. Ben gave himself a good case of the giggles and dizziness with his little dance.

How Do We Protect Them?

2007-04-17T14:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, my 4-year-old learned about 9-1-1 in school.
The numbers, how to call them and what they mean.
Charlotte was proud to tell me about using this emergency method.

And now, I rant...
9-11 still echoes in our heads and yet they did not lock down Virgnia Tech.
Did the parents of some of these students teach them what to do in case of an emergency like this? Lock yourself down - into a room, closet, bathroom, etc when you hear gunfire. What will we have to teach the preschoolers of today in order to survive tomorrow?

Even Better

2007-04-16T20:04:00.000-04:00

Dessert this evening was a frozen whipped chocolate ice cream type thing.
"That was better than delicious", Charlotte exclaimed as she finished.

What's better than delicious? Just ask a four-year-old!

Finally

2007-04-16T14:47:00.000-04:00

Today Benjamin spoke the word I've been waiting for. Actually, it was wordS plural. He said:
"Eema"
"Mama" and
"Ahmee".

Now, I do not know if they were directed at me because they were mostly him repeating what I had said was my name.

And then he said, "YAY". Which he says when he is proud of what he's done.
Me too Ben.

Away Way Too Long

2007-04-15T20:27:00.000-04:00

For any of my actual "fans", I've been away way too long and will not stray again. Or, at least not for the next couple of weeks. It is my goal to make entries each day but I'm human...not supermom.

I'll start with today:
Charlotte said that I was "squishing her guts out" when we were tickling and giggling on the floor.

Ben enjoyed chicken and ketchup for dinner. He then gobbled up two bowls of applesauce. Ah, how cool it is to see him use fork and spoon well.

Just Hanging Out Together

2007-04-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

Television can be a lovely baby sitter upon occasion - don't you think?

He Says All That But Not That

2007-04-03T10:12:00.000-04:00

Benjamin has a list of words:
Daddy and Dada (his first)
Charlotte - Chayet
Please - Peeze
Up - Up
Down - Up
Nap - Na
Open - Oen
Milk - Ma
Papa - Papa
but he will not say Mama even once.

Sorry about the Mini-Break for Passover

2007-04-03T10:11:00.000-04:00

Cooking and cleaning and so many dishes.

Benjamin's Bagel

2007-03-30T10:09:00.000-04:00

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!

Enter Here for a New Blog Template

2007-03-29T10:40:00.000-04:00

Go to her site if you're interested in having a free blog template of your very own!

At School Today

2007-03-28T14:12:00.000-04:00

"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.

Hot Dog Depot

2007-03-27T10:13:00.000-04:00

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!

What does Cousin Addison DO?

2007-03-25T20:02:00.000-04:00

"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.

Missing parts

2007-03-24T20:01:00.000-04:00

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.

Difficulty with her Cousin's Name

2007-03-23T14:53:00.000-04:00

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.

Jumping around together

2007-03-22T09:32:00.000-04:00

"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."

Notepad

2007-03-21T07:10:00.000-04:00

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.

Teen Drama Queen

2007-03-15T14:20:00.000-04:00

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."

Tooties, Cuties, Cooties

2007-03-14T18:11:00.000-04:00

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.

Had to Post a Second Time Today

2007-03-12T15:03:00.000-04:00

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

2007-03-12T10:56:00.000-04:00

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!

Doctor Charlotte

2007-03-11T16:24:00.000-04:00

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.

Not such a good Benjamin Baby Today

2007-03-10T15:22:00.000-05:00

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.

Coughing Fits

2007-03-06T10:42:00.000-05:00

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.

I'm a Mama

2007-03-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

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.

Inspiration in a tiny body

2007-03-01T22:17:00.000-05:00

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.

What a Pair

2007-02-28T21:49:00.000-05:00

Today Charlotte taught Ben the art of cleaning up with a laugh and a giggle. She had him dump a bucket filled with magnetic Leap Frog alphabet letters and then they tossed them in. Again and again they took pleasure in dumping and cleaning up until Ben decided "no more" and she dumped them on his head. Realizing that she did not have his attention, she cleaned them up by herself. It was not out of anger, per se, but out of necessity to get his attention did she dump the letters on his head. A lesson, my dear Charlotte, in the attention span of an 18 month old boy.

Long Hiatus

2007-02-27T23:06:00.000-05:00

Uy, I missed all of Friday in my life. The Stomach bug hit me hard beginning last Thursday evening. The last I remember was Charlotte using the word "Hunormous" in reference to a tower we built and rebuilt and built together as Benjamin enjoyed being allowed to knock it down.

Quite a weekend as David cared for them and took off Friday from work. I am 75% recovered and continuing to regain my energy and enthusiasm for such things as my blog.

Many thanks for keeping up with my postings and health.

The Kid Eats What?

2007-02-18T21:29:00.000-05:00

Here is the list:
mushrooms
spinach (fresh and in spanikopita)
plum tea
eggplant
turkey hotdogs
ravioli
hot farina cereal
grapefruit
granola bars
multi-grain bread
freeze dried strawberries
dried mango
raspberry walnut vinegrette
manicotti
humus on bread
cherry tomatoes
corn on the cob
steamed dumplings
avocado sushi
"flavorful but not spicy" foods (I quote)
over easy eggs
hard boiled eggs (ah, normal - only the whites)
swiss cheese
beets
saurkraut
cranberry juice
sesame noodles
and all the regular kid stuff too.
What does this mean...gourmet taster? chef? food writer?
Who knows? For now, it is a kid who loves to eat, shop and cook too. YAY!

Yippee

2007-02-16T23:08:00.000-05:00

On our second day of family time ...with David home on yet another snow day... Charlotte and I went out more than once to enjoy the sledding opportunities. On our second excursion, we were greeted by a bit of snow in the air.

"It is snowing again," I told Charlotte.
"Yippe," Charlotte squealed with glee.

What a wonderful sound. Do adults only make that sound after winning the lottery?

Braver and Braver

2007-02-15T23:06:00.000-05:00

The first times down the hill in front of our apartment were tenous on the sled. Charlotte went with me and in no terms would go on her own. Then in a moment of clarity, she realized that it would be much more fun alone. There she went, again and again, off on her own. The snow was crunchy with ice, so I made foot prints deep into the snow so that she could walk the sled up the hill on her own.

You go, little girl. I hope that you become braver and braver in all you do.

Loves her Daddy

2007-02-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

Charlotte is having a difficult time receiving without giving.
She seems to want to return a gift... any found item - stickers, a quickly made note, etc., when someone gives her a gift.

David gave Charlotte some stickers for Valentine's day.
He also gave me a lovely card that reminded me that we are now together for 18 Valentine's day.

Charlotte - I love your Daddy SO much.

Is it Hot, Hot, Hot?

2007-02-12T11:02:00.000-05:00

Charlotte loves food. Charlotte loves to taste new food. Charlotte checks if new foods are spicy or not by asking:

"Is that spicy or flavorful?"

Snow Day

2007-02-07T10:04:00.000-05:00

Charlotte and I played outside in the light and fluffy snow. David has a snow day from Franklin High School. YAY!

So, here's the question...how do you dupe your initially timid child into going down the hill on her sled by herself and then loving it once she'd done it?

1. Bring her down with you first.
2. Put her on alone and then tell her you'll meet her at the bottom.
3. See her smile and say "wee" as she does it by herself again and again not wanting to go in "until it is dark please".

Happy Snow Day!

Couple Days Off

2007-02-06T07:06:00.000-05:00

Of course, Charlotte spent the weekend saying things that tickled my funny bone. I took the weekend off from blogging. It was my 36th Birthday this weekend (double chai for those in the tribe).

Benjamin did have his own funny moments this weekend. He has been enjoying the comforts of private seating on his potty. This potty, formerly Charlotte's, has now been cleaned and cleared of all the stickers that Charlotte put all over the lid. We'll see if potty training is in our future. Wish us luck.

Curds and what?!

2007-02-02T14:40:00.000-05:00

At lunch today we came across an intresting word. Curds, referring to the large part of the cottage cheese that Charlotte picked out off her plate.

Another word added to Charlotte's vocabulary but with an interesting twist. Charlotte is still having difficulty with her hard "C" sound. So, it is "turds" on her plate rather than "curds". Uy.

Truest Words

2007-02-02T10:47:00.000-05:00

David had a two hour delay due to some icy roads. Once the kids stirred in their beds at 7:15am we all cuddled up in our bed and enjoyed the delay. Benjamin and Charlotte were in the middle of our snuggle-fest.

The two little munchkins were giggling while David and I held them close.
"I have the BEST little brother in the world," Charlotte said while getting a hug from her family.
"And he has the best big sister in the world," I added.

Yes, those are the truest words.

Ben's word

2007-02-01T10:11:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it? For those of you who understand Charlotte's bunny obsession...you will. Charlotte came running into the kitchen from a couple of quiet moments playing with her brother.

"He said Bobo!"
I focused for a moment. Of course, like her mother, Charlotte had the accompanying story.

"I said Bobo and he said it back."

Later, while changing his diaper, Charlotte and I experimented with this new word.
Yes, my friends, one of Benjamin's words in his limited vocabulary is the name of one of Charlotte's favorite bunnies.

How Fast?

2007-01-31T15:31:00.000-05:00

Leaving to pick up Charlotte from preschool after Benjamin's morning nap is usually uneventful. Today, a dead bird lay with white eyes and feet pointing toward the sky on our front stoop.

"How fast can you get that thing out of here," I thought as I called the main office of our apartment complex.

All the way to Owings Mills and all the way back (25 minutes total), I rehearsed the conversation about the dead bird.

Yes, it was there upon our return. Yes, her questions came fast and furious. No, she was not shaken by it but those smart little wheels were just turning and turning.

The best question was: "Did it die while it was flying?"
That's a good one.

A What?

2007-01-30T10:42:00.000-05:00

Our after dinner time is usually spent giggling on the floor with the kids. A variety of acrobatics, tickling and jumping around makes us all smile. It's a good way to have some silly family time.

Last night, Charlotte and Benjamin were dancing around on the couch pillows on the floor. Benjamin kept hogging both pillows.

"I hate to be a Solar System," Charlotte declares, "but you need to get OFF my pillow."

"A what?"

She could not stop laughing and knew that was not what she meant to say. I think.

52 Animals

2007-01-28T14:41:00.000-05:00

How are we going to feed all these mouths that come in a variety of shapes and sizes? Charlotte commented that she was missing a "spotted girrafe" and a "big elephant". Even Benjamin has 10 animals. Is this a ridiculous number, or is it me?

This afternoon we emptied out her animals drawers and counted each and every creature one by one (not two by two as in the ark).

"Keep or sell?"
"Keep. Keep. Keep. Keep."
Each one is a beloved. Each one has a name. Some are to be given to Benjamin but not to leave the house.

What to do?!

Takes a Licking

2007-01-27T16:37:00.000-05:00

Poor kid. She's got a bruise on top of the place where a chunk was taken out of her forehead a couple of months ago. Charlotte ricocheted off the swining kitchen door and bonked her head on the corner of the dishwasher door.

"It's feeling better."
When it happend, it was "bad".

Don't call me SURLEY

2007-01-26T21:51:00.000-05:00

We were all hanging out on the floor and David was tickling the heck outta Charlotte. She's laughing so hard that she can't even speak. "That SURELY tickles," she says.

Surely, don't call me surely.

That Feeling a Song Gives You

2007-01-26T14:29:00.000-05:00

Charlotte refelcted on the feeling a Hebrew song gave her while listening to a CD in the car.

"That song is smoothing to me."
"You meant SOOTHING," I said, in my usual gentle tone when correcting the word she intended to say.
"Yes, it makes me feel smooth."

Don't you wish you could feel smooth too?!

Percentages

2007-01-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

So, here is my question to you:
What percentage of a child's behavior is parenting vs. what percentage is their personality? I'm sure that parents with great kids say 80/20 and people with kids who bounce off the walls say 20/80. Let's see what you say - doesn't matter if you have kids or not. The more votes the better please!

No Love Other Than This

2007-01-24T22:24:00.000-05:00

On the way to school Charlotte announced that she does not want to grow up.
"Why", I asked.
"I don't want to grow up because I don't want to get married", she replied.
"Why not?"
I did not want to lead her but was curious more than anything else.
"I only want to marry Ben and I will not love anyone like I love him."

Our discussion went on for a bit but she seemed to feel a bit better. How can I convince her that she will find a love even greater than that she feels for any of her immediate family members.

A Whisper

2007-01-23T14:35:00.000-05:00

Charlotte sat at lunch eating everything BUT her noodles. She ate her carrots, peanut butter on celery, and pear but NO NOODLES. While her head was turned away from me I whispered, "eat your noodles".

"Who said that?" she asked with a bit of a fright.
I did not have the heart to continue the joke and told her it was me.
Charlotte giggled and kept on eating.

Sadly, she ended up not eating the noodles (Barilla Plus - has tons of Omega-3 and other good stuff). Nonetheless, a veggie, protein and fruit lunch is great.

Curious Kid

2007-01-22T15:21:00.000-05:00

Benjamin sat in his highchair calling out his most favoirte word, "bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye".
Only moments earlier I had brought over Charlotte's sneakers and told her that we were going to Office Depot. "How did he know we were going out?" I asked her and myself.

"He's a curious kid," she replied. "Do you know what a curious kid is Eema? It's a kid who knows when we're going out."

Yes, my four-year-old. I should've know that.