“Yeah, I’m sure they did.”

A little bit of back-blogging here.  Drew fell off a playground slide a couple of weeks ago and hit his eyebrow on the wooden sideboard.  I was at a babyshower so I didn’t see him fall but his black eye sure turned out to be quite the impressive evolution of purple.

Day of injury:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4 or 5:

A week and a half later (you can see where it also went under the other eye):

Aaaaaaand today!  Almost back to normal:

(Just a guess, it won’t make him more careful next time. Boys.)

G’morning! I’m linking up again with this fun little party.

Drew’s tee and shorts are from miniboden (my current favorite for boys who are hard on their clothes).

Arianna’s dress is an older line Matilda Jane (my favorite designer for girls), tee is from Target, and shoes are Livie & Luca (ebay).

My sisters came over for a little while yesterday and they have been dog-watching this little puppy. Arianna was very concerned about the leash. Funny.

For other Small Style, or to participate, visit Mama Loves Papa.

Also, the Tooth Fairy finally remembered to fulfill her duties in a timely manner. Last time Drew said “Mom, you forgot my dollar.” The kid isn’t fooled.

1/03/2011:

Andy and I have been playing with it when he’s in bed.

(Shhhhhh!)

But, sometimes during a project like that the real blog fodder gets forgotten. So, a couple of things I wanted to jot down… (for record keeping and grandparents and such).

Like, we were running into church Sunday morning and behind me Drew yells “my tooth came out!”

Fourth one. (Ew.) I thought they weren’t supposed to look awkward until junior high. ;) I think it got lost somewhere between the “just put it in your pocket” and changing at home. (Hope Arianna isn’t the first to find it.)

Oh, and a little conversation I had with Adelaide… “Mom, why’s Arianna eat our food now?”

“Well, because she’s a big girl now.”

“She’s not a boy anymore?”

“No, she’s always been a girl, she’s just not a tiny baby anymore.”

“Yeah, she’s a BIG, FAT BABY!”

(Nice to know what the sisters think.)

Speaking of Adelaide. Yesterday – actually the day before that – I ran to get a paci for Arianna, came back to the kitchen where Andy and Adelaide were. I kept trying to stuff the paci in Adelaide’s mouth – WHILE she was talking to Andy. I kept thinking “why isn’t she taking it?!” and she’s spitting and trying to move her head and Andy is looking at me like “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I finally realized: WRONG KID! He goes, “uh, we officially have too many kids.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only mom that has lost her mind. No offense!” – Gretchen.

(Sympathetic friends I have, I know.)

Something else way more exciting happened over the weekend:

The tooth fairy even managed to pay a little visit (with several reminders of “don’t forget my dollar, Mom!”) and those four quarters are now burning a hole in a certain little boy’s pocket, let me just tell you.

My kids call this playing “hosing.” I rarely let them do it but Andy was off yesterday and gave them the green light. (Yeah, as long as you’re still around to pick up the pieces, Mr. Daddy.)

(Alternate Title: Brothers.)

You Capture: Get Outside!

(Or jammies, if your name happens to be Drew…)

(He didn’t.)

We went swimming today, and apparently it wore everyone out. The kids all changed into jammies when we got home and they all napped. I got a few projects done which I hope to share maybe tomorrow (if I get good photos).

But, while I’m at it… a little Drew update.

He tends to be our child that doesn’t (willingly) share unless it’s on his own terms. (“Here, Madeline, you can have two grapes.”) So a couple of weeks ago we met my friend Sarah at the park, and Drew took it upon himself to give her son (age 2) two of his “baby toys.”

(Never mind that what he was really saying was he was too old for those ‘baby’ trucks. Her son thought they were the best thing ever, and who was I to step in when Drew was being generous!)

Then another friend had us over to swim and let each of my kids “borrow” something when we left (two of which we still have) — well, in return, Drew wanted to lend Charlie his fire engine. Which, for him, is a big deal.

So poor Charlie (and his mama!) was loaded down with the fire engine after Sunday School. I apologized to my friend but she was a good sport. Andy even went in the downpour to fetch it from our van.

Ah, life’s little lessons…it’s better to give than to receive.

Happy birthday to my sweet, crazy boy.

Drew lost his very first tooth on Saturday night. It’s been loose for a while and when he brushed his teeth that night I noticed it was nearly out. I made sure he knew to give it to me and not to swallow it.  (Ew.)  He came bopping out of bed much later and had it in his hand.

“I pulled it out myself AND IT DIDN’T EVEN HURT!!!”

So then he put it in a baggie (quart-sized, what in the world?) and I told him to stick it under his pillow. I almost forgot to go get it but managed to fulfill my duties as tooth fairy. My dad commented on the inflation — he only got a quarter (I think I did, too) and we gave Drew a whole dollar.

(Which, of course, he’s been begging ever since to go to the store to buy another matchbox car.)

One of the funniest parts of the whole ordeal was when Madeline realized Drew got money for his tooth. “Mom? Can you help me get my teeth out?”

Yes, she did.

And I’m trying to figure out how it is that I have a child old enough to be losing teeth.

The kindergarteners can bring a show-and-tell item to school each day. Drew’s very favorite toy in all the land is this little black matchbox-type car that happens to be a Dodge Charger*. He pretty much takes it with him wherever he goes and he sneaks it under his pillow at night. So I wasn’t surprised the first day of school when he wanted to take his black car for show-and-tell.

But then the second day of school came and he wanted to bring it again.

And the third day…

And the fourth…

I tried to explain that the kids have already seen his black car, and you’re really supposed to bring something new for show-and-tell each day. But he was having none of it; he only wanted to bring his beloved black car — day in, day out, it mattered not.

Andy and I decided that that was a battle we simply weren’t going to fight just because we felt the most important thing was for him to be in charge of his show-and-tell items and to own his choices. (Even if that means he brings the same thing every. single. day.) I wrote his teacher an email a couple of weeks ago and apologized for the ridiculousness that were some of his items and she was so sweet to write back:

“As to Show and Tell, just continue as you are doing. Let him express himself; chuckle to yourself; and deal with whatever embarrassment you may feel (this is not the worst you will face). There is a big-eyed bobble head kitty we have seen just as many times as that black car! A lot of great lessons are being taught and learned in Show and Tell that have very little to do with the actual item brought.”

Which totally eased my mind.

So then yesterday? He decided to bring this:

Yeah. An empty old-school Rubbermaid.

???

I. Have. No. Idea.

********************************

*Andy and I get all manner of kicks out of Drew’s love for the Dodge Charger. He points them out whenever he sees one on the road. Monetary value has absolutely nothing to do with it — you’d think he was talking about a Ferrari the way he carries on about anything Dodge and we joke it might as well have been a Hundai or a Ford Escort. LOL.

(And also? I don’t know how to do anything technical or professional. I don’t use patterns. I just know how to do an elastic waistband and straight lines and hem stuff.)

I’ve been a little disappointed with the fall selection of boys’ pajamas. Drew’s way beyond the beloved toddler jammies, so I decided to at least make him some pajama pants he can wear with t-shirts.

This project takes, literally, like 30 minutes. And I just have to say, the boyish flannel selection at Hobby Lobby is a little, um, lacking.

I basically just laid another (store-bought) pair down on the fabric and cut around one of the legs (pull elastic waistband taught to get the real layout), adding in a little bit for seams.

I also left as much fabric as I could folded into the hems so I can take them out as he grows taller.

(Which will be what, next week?)

Hope everyone had a good Labor Day! Andy’s also off on Tuesdays so we could have gone somewhere fun, had we thought of it. As it was, we took my mom to the airport Sunday morning and had friends over after church Sunday evening and then Monday Andy finished the 2nd coat of paint on two sides of the house.

The last few days with my mom were spent doing those little sorts of annoying things you hate doing but love having the results. (I mean who really wants to clean out the laundry room and that dark coat closet?)

She and I also took the kids to the pool Friday, possibly for the last time this summer. The weather had cooled off just enough to knock out the humidity. And we’ve been reacquainting ourselves with the local playground. (Which I had sworn off for the summer.)

Saturday night one of my close friends’ little sister got married, and conveniently, my mom was still here to take care of my kids so I could go without an entourage. It was a lovely wedding and fun to catch up with people I haven’t seen in a while.

Yesterday that same friend called wondering if I wanted to go with her to the fall consignment sale for kids’ clothes. Why yes, yes I do!

I bought several fall things for Madeline and a navy wool church coat that is ridiculous in its old-fashioned cuteness. It even came with a muff. (Not like we need those sorts of things very often here.) I also got another Boppy pillow since I’m not entirely sure where mine is, and a couple other random baby things for cheap.

Madeline’s favorite thing was this dress (because it “goes down”), which she wore the rest of the evening:

They also had a few racks of maternity clothes and I picked up this 3/4–sleeve dark gray top for me. Well, later when Madeline was looking through all her loot, it dawned on me I couldn’t find that shirt. Looked everywhere. Called Sarah to see if maybe I had left it in her car.

No shirt.

Then we remembered my neighbor had been outside and helped me out of the car, and maybe it had gotten dropped in the switch. I went out this morning and sure enough, there was my shirt – out in the grass, wet.  (I didn’t care, I was just thankful to find it since I’d paid for it. And because it was cute, to be honest.)

Tonight Drew has his kindergarten orientation and the whole family is invited. I’m still not sure how it’s possible I even have a kindergartener.

Or (almost) four kids, for that matter.

It was a busy week! I was able to go out with some girlfriends to dinner and to see Julie & Julia. (Have you seen it? I know Meryl Streep was speaking the way Julia Child did but I have to say it drove me up the wall.) All my friends left saying it made them want to go cook. It made me want to run from the kitchen.

It could just be the pregnancy.

My mom, sisters, and I took the kids to Andy’s restaurant one night and then we also went back, sans kids, over the weekend with some friends. It turned out to be the week for eating out – we also made a stop for lunch at the tea room on Saturday and out for Chinese that same night. Andy and I even had a dinner date this week at Chili’s.

All that to say, I guess I can’t complain about having to cook this week since I’ve clearly been spoiled with all my un-cooking lately. (To top it off, my mom had made a big Sunday meal for us yesterday for my siblings and a cousin. I didn’t even heat up the rolls.)

Total change of subject… Saturday night we had to get the groceries for Sunday lunch and stopped in Walmart (I also needed more 2T girls’ underwear… can’t imagine why) and my sister and I turned around to see Drew with his hands cupped around something.

It was a handful of cigarette butts he had pilfered from the ashtray by the front door.

!!!

In all fairness, I don’t think he knows anyone who smokes and hasn’t really been exposed to the concept. I doubt he knew what they were. And I think we probably embarrassed him by our shocked cries of disgust. But still, ew. (His hands got a quick Purell bath, needless to say.)

And here he thought he had found himself a little treasure. Ha.

He also said Drew did really well. Which is not surprising since he comes by it honestly — my dad played soccer for the Air Force Academy, my brother played his whole life and for Covenant, and Andy played through high school and intramurals in college.

It’s like a family requirement.

They did a 3-par course, which was perfect for the little guy. I wish I had thought to drop off my camera as well.

(Because I’m sure we would have all loved to see pictures of him chasing the geese…an impulse he apparently inherited from his father.)

They stopped for chocolate shakes at Sonic on their way home, so needless to say, Drew was riding high on life yesterday. He only had a mild fit when we told him he couldn’t finish the entire thing before naptime.

(And what do you think was the very first thing out of his mouth upon waking up?)

I enjoyed a quiet afternoon here, which I needed after running around like crazy the last few days. When my sisters got home from work, my mom, Cassandra and I went over to my grandma’s house for a little impromptu tea party. Which, you know, are really the best.

Andy, Cassandra, and I took Drew and Madeline to see “Earth” last night at the $1.50 theater. We got there a little late and were forced to sit down near the front, and then as soon as we had sat down, Madeline looked up and exclaimed “TURTLE!!”

Five minutes later, “FOX!!!” And then after two beautiful scenes of flowers, “it looks like the ‘Secret Garden’!!” Our shushing her clearly wasn’t meaning much. (There were other kids there so it wasn’t a big deal.)

But then she and Drew started begging for water (what do you know, salty popcorn makes one thirsty) and we had a few up-and-downs for that. I’m just thankful the entire tub of popcorn didn’t spill or something equally as embarrassing.

On the way home Drew started asking about the rest of his shake again, and we told him it would be nice of him to share some with Madeline. She piped up with “I’m only going to eat a teeny, tiny bite because you got your special shake from McDonalds.” (Sonic.)

Drew, a touch condescendingly: “Madeline, that’s exactly right.”

And the grown-ups died laughing.