Seaweed as a packing material

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

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.

Complaining

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!

Reincarnation

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

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

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.

Even Better

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.