She Has A Dream

Thursday I went into Sonya's classroom to volunteer. My in-laws are in town so when they're here, I'm able to leave the other two and go help out at Sonya's school. I would love to do it more, but since Lana and Georgia insist on constant care, it's impossible for me to do unless someone else is here to watch them. When I got there I noticed hanging outside the classroom were pictures of Martin Luther King Jr. all the kids had drawn. Underneath the pictures were sentences each child had written about their own dream when they grow up. Some of them said they dreamed to be rich or get married. Some dreamed to be actors or actresses. My daughter,

"My dream is to be a famis baseball plaer."

At least when she dreams she dreams big! Besides, "A League of Their Own" was based on a true story. Who's to say that won't happen again?

Puppy Love

A couple days ago the girls and I got in the car to go somewhere. Who knows where, grocery store or Target most likely. Anyway-not really the point of this story. When we got in the car the mix CD Andy had made for Sonya a couple years back was on, and "I Think We're Alone Now", sung by Tiffany, was playing. We got about 30 seconds down the road when Sonya said kind of dreamily,

"This song makes me think of being alone with Carter."

Wait. What now? I mean I know the song talks about being alone with someone, but how does a 5 year old relate that to being with a member of the OPPOSITE SEX?? Carter is a friend of hers, who she's known since she was ten months old. We used to see him a few times a week, until he moved an hour and a half away, back in August. She does talk from time to time about missing him, but nothing ever like this. I asked her again what she said and she repeated it. Then I asked why.

"It just does," she said in a somewhat demure tone.

"So this song makes you think about wanting to be alone with Carter?"

"Yeeeahhhh," she said, coyly again. I'm NOT kidding. She was totally being coy about this. How does this happen at FIVE? I just didn't know what to say or do at that point, so I just said,

"Okay," and let it go. Then I spent the next hour wondering if ten was too young to put her on birth control.

Setting An Example

About a year ago, Sonya learned what it meant to do something by accident. Since then, when she does do something on accident, she makes sure I know it right way. By that I mean, if she spills or drops something, and it was truly on accident, she will more or less scream it at me.

"It was an accident, I SWEAR!" She'll yell, before I get too angry.

Sometimes, when she does something to one of her sisters without meaning to, she'll claim accident. The good thing is, she does tell the truth. She will not claim accident if she did something on purpose. Instead she just won't talk, or start her explanation with a long "uuuummmmm.....".

Since Lana hears Sonya yell ACCIDENT! to get out of getting in trouble sometimes, she realizes this is a good defense. Lana, however, does not understand the meaning of the word and will do something, obviously on purpose, but then tell you it was, "assiden". This morning was one of those times. The best part about it... she unknowingly passed the word along.

She and Georgia were eating breakfast together. It was near the end of whatever they were planning on eating for the meal. For Georgia that means playing with oatmeal leftover in her bowl. Lana doesn't usually play with, or throw food anymore, but this morning she decided, for whatever reason, to do both. With soggy Wheaties. Yum. She was taking what was left in her bowl and throwing it. This left me with milky, wheaty grossness all over the floor near her chair. When I saw what she was doing, I scolded her, got her down from her chair and handed her a paper towel to clean the mess she had made. As she went to clean it up she said to me,

"It was assiden, mom."

I decided to try and explain to her as best I could that, "No Lana that was not an accident. An accident is something that happens when you don't mean for it to. You did this on purpose because you meant to and wanted to. Do you understand?"

She said yes, but who knows if she got it or not. After she cleaned up the mess, and I cleaned her up, she ran off to her room to play. I turned toward Georgia, who at the time was pounding her sippy cup in her cold bowl of oatmeal, making everything there quite gross. I went to take away her tray and her fun time and muttered something to her about it being yucky. Then she looked up at me and said,

"Akiden, mom."

"What did you say?" I wasn't sure I had heard her right, so she repeated it for me.

"Akiden, mom," she said again.

"Accident?" I asked making sure I was getting the word right. She nodded her head at me.

"No, that was not an accident," I started to tell her. Then I realized if I wasn't sure Lana got my explanation, there was no way GG would, so I let it go.

Meanwhile, in the back of my head I could hear my mom's voice from when I was a kid. When I would get in trouble for something, the topper was always how I was the oldest, which meant I needed to set a good example for my sisters, so don't do bad things or they would follow suit.

Damn, she was NOT kidding about that.

Snack Attack

Even though I'm feeling a bit crappy these past couple days from yet ANOTHER cold, I thought I'd get on here real quick to give you a funny Sonya story.

Last weekend we went to a birthday party for a little boy who is Sonya's age. The place the party was at was a bit, um... well, treacherous. It was all concrete where the kids could run around, and ride the little ride on things they had there. That wouldn't have been that bad if not for the baby pools filled with bubble solution. They had huge bubble wands for the kids to make big bubbles which was super fun for them. Except do you know what happens when soapy water and concrete meet? They create a very slippery effect together, and one that's not so fantastic for 2-5 year olds to run around. There were so many kids falling and getting hurt, I'm surprised the Law Offices of Binder and Binder weren't there handing out cards.

Toward the end of the party I was chatting with a couple of parents who asked me if my kids had gotten hurt yet, and surprisingly they had not. Oh wait...do I hear crying? Oh yes, that one is mine. NOW one of my kids was hurt. It was Sonya. She had been in a wagon and somehow fallen out onto her elbow/arm. I saw my friend, who's son's birthday party it was, and another woman bending down trying to console her. I walked over to do the same. I figured I probably needed to since I am her mother and all.

There she was crying, and rubbing her hurt arm. I went over and gave her a hug, told her to take a deep breath and try to "shake it off". Something I tell all my girls to do when they get hurt, but not so bad that it requires serious attention. She started to calm down and then I noticed in her non hurt hand she was holding on to some tortilla chips. She must have gotten them from the snack table before the fall. I was sort of surprised she still managed to hang on to them. Then all of a sudden, between sobs, she took her handful of chips and started eating them. There she was crying and yet still able to munch on some chips. The other two woman looked at her and then at me and I said,

"Well, I guess you're not hurt that badly if you can still eat your chips." Then Sonya looked at me and with chips still in her mouth said,

"No, it DOES hurt!"

"Okay, okay," I said. "Just calm down." She finally did after a couple minutes, and a few more chips.

She did end up with a bruise on her arm, but nothing bad, and yes, she was able to finish her chips. Then she went back for more. Yup, she's my kid!

Mother Of The Year

There are times in this job when I feel like Mother of the Year. I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible. I'm talking about the time, for example, when Sonya fell off the bed as a baby. Onto the hardwood floor. Also, that one time when Lana cried and arched her back for two whole months as an infant. Then we discovered she had reflux and needed medication. Ah what a proud parenting moment. Even little things like forgetting to send Sonya's snack to school with her, make one deserving such an award. Last week when I left the mall with Lana and Georgia, I won that award yet again. I lost GG's blankie.

Now for those of you who have kept up with my blog, you know all about my girls and their blankies. I've managed to dial Sonya back, and she only has hers at night now. The other two still carry theirs around everywhere. I will start weening Lana from hers a bit after her birthday. Georgia is still okay having hers all the time. Well, maybe not anymore.

We went to the mall last Wednesday morning and I put both girls in the double stroller. (Sonya was at school.) I gave them their blankies, even though I did debate with myself for a minute whether to take them or not. In the end I thought it was better to have them since I had to return a few things. This would help keep them quiet.

We did our errands and all blankies were accounted for. They rode the train, blankies still there. We went to the play area. Blankies? Check! We got to the car, blankie-Lana, yes. Blankie Georgia...CRAP!!

I looked in the van thinking I had already thrown it in there, but nope. I checked all over the stroller, in my bag, (although it wouldn't have fit in there) all with no luck. I knew it was SOMEWHERE in the mall. I was pretty sure it fell out in front of the play area. I needed to go back, but I had to pick Sonya up from school in 7 minutes. Both Lana and Georgia were already buckled into their car seats. I would have to get them both out, run back in there look for blankie, go back to the car, buckle them both back in, and get to Sonya's school all in seven minutes. Well THAT wasn't happening. These are the times you debate locking your kids in your car while you run in REAL quick. Only then I'd be getting a little more than the Mother of the Year award. Like a "mother abandons her children and gets a visit from Social Services" award. So I had no choice. I had to go get Sonya and just hope someone would turn beloved blankie in to lost and found.

I guess I wasn't too stressed out about it, because I did do something smart as a mother. All my girls have two of the same blankie. Whenever they decided they were attaching to a blanket, I found it on-line and ordered a new one to rotate in and out. That way they always had blankie to use. This has proved to be one of my better ideas, what with Sonya being a very pukey child and Georgia following in her footsteps. Not to mention Lana chews on hers, so I have to change that one out every other day for how insanely gross it gets.

After I picked up Sonya and we got home, I called the mall to check and see if anyone had turned it in yet. They had not, but it had only been an hour. Since it was in front of the play area, perhaps people were leaving it there to see if the owner would come back for it. In retrospect, I should have gone back after I picked up Sonya, but Georgia was falling asleep in the car. Besides, I was so sure it would get turned in. I mean who wants some other kid's blankie??

I guess someone did, because after five days there was still no sign of it. I called a few times and left my number, but never heard back. I had no choice but to go on-line and buy another "backup blankie". They still had the same style Georgia had, but no more in that color. Great. I got another color and I'm hoping the feel of the blankie, will make up for the fact that it's not the same color as the original. If not, I'm down one blankie for her and out more money than I care to admit to anyone that I paid for it.

I'm going to go prepare my speech now. I think they're polishing up my award.

Today-Kindergarten Award, Tomorrow-The Pulitzer

Last weekend Andy and I got a letter in the mail addressed to us from Sonya's school. Immediately my mind went to something bad. I don't know why I do that. I didn't even think something bad, like Sonya did something wrong, but something more like we have to move her out of this school. Stupid, I know. It's my crazies. Anyway-it was not something bad at all, as I discovered when I opened it, but something really great. It read:

"Congratulations! You're child had been selected by his/her teacher to receive a STAR STUDENT AWARD for January, 2010."

MY CHILD! And just for the record THEY capitalized "STAR STUDENT AWARD". I did not add that part.

I was so proud of my little Sonya STAR STUDENT that I teared up for a minute. The letter instructed us not to tell our child, because it was a surprise and the award would be handed out at an assembly the following Friday at 10:45 am. This was just for the Kindergarten class award ceremony. Thank goodness, because I was pretty sure my other two were not going to sit to see the whole school receive awards.

I showed the letter to Andy who didn't tear up like I did, but was impressed nonetheless. Sonya was to get an award in one of four categories, but they didn't tell us which one. This was like the Oscars! Was she going to be able to give a speech? Just how heavy would that award be?? Would Hannah Montana be there hosting? I was so excited for Friday to come. I think the part about her not knowing was what excited me most.

Friday morning, I reminded Andy not to slip up and tell Sonya he'd see her later as he dropped her off at school. He had taken the morning off of work to come to the assembly. We all got ready and I took Georgia to gymnastics. When I got back we headed over to school. We got there on time before the kids started filing into their seats. The first couple classes came in and they were looking around. Some of the kids noticed their parents and waved. Then we saw Sonya's class and she was about halfway in the line of kids. We eventually caught her eye and she was excited to see us, smiled, waved and went to sit with her friends. She didn't even seem to question why we were there. Then one of the teachers got up and started talking about why we were there and how each class had some exceptional students. She explained what awards they would be receiving and the the fun freebies to go along with. Like a certificate indicating their award, a necklace, a pencil and my personal favorite, a kids eat free coupon to Hometown Buffet! Now for those of you who don't know what Hometown Buffet is, let's just say buffet is in the title, so does more need to be said? There is no other place outside of Vegas I would want to go to a buffet, with the exception of a wedding, but that's different. Still, it was part of the award, so maybe I'll suck it up and go to lunch there one day.

After she told us all of this, she started calling the students receiving the awards by class. Sonya's was the first class to be recognized, and her name was the second to be called. To say she was surprised would be an understatement. When the teacher called out Sonya's name, she jumped up from her seat with an audible GASP, with her mouth wide open, and her hands covering it, reminiscent of every Miss America winner I've seen. I once again, teared up. She climbed over her classmates to get to the aisle and walk up to the stage. The teacher handed her the award, and she took her place on the bleachers next to the little boy in her class. She held her certificate and beamed proudly looking over at us, as we proudly beamed back at her. It was one of those moments as a parent when you think, "Damn, I AM doing SOMETHING right!"

For me, the best part was what she got the award for. We know she's a smart kid and she could have gotten it for one of the other awards, like "Outstanding Achievement" or "Enormous Effort", and it wouldn't have been surprising. Instead she won the award for, "Positive Peace Builder". It means exactly the way it sounds. She's the kid who tries to help the other kids out. She's the one being nice to everyone, even if they aren't the smartest or the prettiest. She's the one trying to help others out of fights and other such situations. Now that's not to say she doesn't have her share of not being the kindest all the time, I'm sure. Trust me, she's not so into the Peace Building at home with her sisters. However, the fact that she's like that with her classmates at school, show what a great heart she has. I am so happy and proud to be raising a daughter that has such a capacity for kindness and, well, peace. Lord knows we need more of those kind of people in the world.

After the ceremony, we waited the ten minutes outside until her class let out. I had planned to take her to In-N-Out for cheeseburgers and french fries to celebrate. It's her favorite food and place to eat of all time. When she got out, Andy and I talked about about how proud we were of her and she told us how surprised she was. She proved how much she deserves the award when we asked her about her friends and what they thought. She said,

"Well, Lourdes was a little upset she didn't get an award and get to go up there too. I told her, don't worry Lourdes, next time you and Gwen will get an award and I'll be sitting with the other kids cheering for you. "

Like I said, we must be doing SOMETHING right.

Final Destination

Well it's official!  I only have ONE in diapers now.  ONE!!  That's only one more than zero, which might happen within the next year.  I can't even imagine zero, so for now I'll be happy with one.  For 18 months now I've been changing the diapers of two babies and it feels so freeing to only have to deal with one now.  Especially since I'll have to wash diapers less.  While I still like the cloth diapers, washing them EVERY DAY was getting old.  Quickly.   Again I'll admit, Lana was WAY easier to train than I ever expected, and even though we've had a few bumps here and there I think as of today I can call it.  

The past couple days she's been telling me when she has to go, and she hasn't had an accident since Sunday.  Maybe Monday, but who's counting? All the poop has gone into the toilet since last week, so I could care less about the pee-pee accidents.  She is sometimes resistant and stubborn when I tell her she needs to go to the bathroom, but that's just Lana anyway.  I think she's figured out how to hold it now, so I suppose I can back off on telling her to go. 

 All the prizes are gone and I told her this was the last day of the M&M rewards.  She only gets them when she remembers to ask anyway, which is surprisingly not all the time.  Thank goodness, because I am getting tired of the other two crying and whining about not getting a lollipop or M&M.  It was impossible to try and explain it to Georgia and Sonya just claimed it "unfair".  It didn't seem to matter that she got the same rewards when she potty trained.  I guess when you don't remember it just doesn't count.  Fair enough.   The sucky thing is I'll have to go through that again in a year when Georgia potty trains. 

 We've been on many outings to Target, the mall, the grocery store all without accidents.  She still wakes up with a wet pull-up or diaper in the morning, but that will end in time.  She was doing really well at nap time.  Her diaper had been dry every day since last week.  Well, until yesterday. She decided she didn't need to wear anything  other than her underwear for her nap.  I let her try it.  I changed the sheets.  Today she's in a Pull-up for nap.  

I suppose I decided to claim final victory when she went to the bathroom this morning telling me she had to poop.  I put her on the potty and she asked for her Elmo book.  I handed it to her, then she said,

"Mommy, can you get out?  I wan som pivacy." 

"Sure, Lana," I told her.  This is something she's obviously learned from both her parents and her older sister.  I started to walk out, then heard,

"Cose the doe too!" she shouted.  I walked back, giggling to myself and shut the door behind me.  

Not only is she now potty trained, but she's learned the meaning of pooping in peace.  

ONE!!

Three's Company

I'm not sure if the three friends rule happens to boys, but it's certainly a thing with little girls.  When I was in second and third grade I had two best friends, Maryann and Kelly.  Only Kelly and I would fight over Maryann.  I mean Kelly and I had our own friendship too, and our mom's were good friends. For some reason, though, Maryann was the one we wanted to sit next to, or be partnered up with for school projects.  God forbid one of us had a sleepover with Maryann and the other one wasn't invited!  The sickness I felt in the pit of my stomach when I saw Maryann's overnight bag on the bus on a Friday, was not unlike that of finding out you'd been cheated on.   So, I had two good friends, but one I liked a little better.  The funniest part about this story, is that Kelly and I have stayed friends our entire lives, and seh remains one of my best friends even two thousand miles away.  She was in my wedding and she's Lana's Godmother.  And Maryann?  We have NO idea where she is.  The way Kelly and I figure it, she either became a nun or a prostitute.  I'm not sure why we thought she went one extreme or the other, but that's what we decided at one point.

ANYWAY!  The reason for that little background info on me was  to talk about Sonya and her own little threesome friendship.  She, Lourdes from down the street, and Gwen seem to be best friends.  They are in the same kindergarten class and those are the two she talks about all the time.  I guess there's the same kind of trouble with them that there always was with me, Kelly and Maryann.  

When we were walking home from school one day last week, Sonya informed me that Lourdes had gotten upset and hurt her feelings.  I dug a little deeper for the story and here's how it went from as far as I was told.  

They were getting ready to sit down and do something in class. Usually Lourdes sits next to Sonya, but Sonya decided,

"I've been sitting next to Lourdes for like 100 years!  I wanted Gwen to sit next to me."  

Gwen was eager to sit next to Sonya, and Lourdes got upset.  Apparently, Lourdes told Sonya she wasn't going to be her friend or play with her anymore.  Then Sonya told Lourdes she couldn't come to our house.  Then Sonya cried.  This is no surprise, because Sonya is a crier.  As was I.  Ask Kelly.  This was all during class from what I could tell. 

Somewhere in the middle of this Sonya's teacher, Mrs. Lombardo, came over assessed the situation and pointed out that Lourdes could sit on the OTHER side of Sonya.  Oh.  You mean Sonya has TWO sides and all of this could have been avoided?  Five year olds.  Just because they seem smart for their age, you still have to keep in mind, that age is five.  So Lourdes sat on the other side, they hugged, made up and were friends again.  Ah, if it were only that easy for adults to settle arguments.  

Sonya hasn't talked about it since that day, and she, Lourdes and Gwen still seem to be three best friends.  I moved away after third grade and Kelly got another year of Maryann all by herself before she moved, which killed me. However, there is a good chance these three could stay friends for a long time.  So, I suppose this is only the beginning.  Right now Sonya seems to be the "Maryann" of the three, but I guess that could change too.  Who knows how my friendships would have turned out with Kelly and Maryann, had we all stayed living in North Carolina.  Maybe we'd all still be friends and fighting over who got to bunk with Maryann on our girls trip to Vegas.  Although, I prefer just Kelly and I being great friends, while joking about the possibility of Maryann being a "working girl" in Vegas instead.

The Pottytrain is Halfway to Lanaland

I decided earlier this week that it was time to really concentrate on getting Lana out of diapers.  Yes, since I've tried unsuccessfully with her twice already, I figured third time's a charm.  Plus she'll be three in March and this is about when I trained Sonya.  I haven't said anything up to this point on here, because it seems to be going really well and I was afraid of jinxing myself  I'm feeling more safe now since it's been a few days.  I was worried Lana was going to be my more challenging of the three, because well, she's more challenging.  However,  I may have underestimated her.  In some ways she's been easier to train than Sonya.  Here's how it's gone so far.  

Day 1-I told her we were going to try wearing big girl underwear and put some on her.  She was very excited about it.  For those of you who have potty trained recently or are going to potty train and are wondering about pull-ups, no I don't use them.  Why? Because they don't work, that's why.  Great-they can pull them up and down by themselves, but that doesn't stop them from peeing or pooping in them since, they FEEL LIKE A DIAPER.  Just my opinion, but yeah, that's what I realized with Sonya.  Now, they are good for a nighttime or napping option, because it is sometimes harder to get them to stop peeing while sleeping.  If you don't want to change sheets twice a night, they are a good idea.  Other than that, no.  

 I put the big girl pants on her and explained she had to keep them dry.  She seemed to get it more this time around.  I was making her pee every 20 minutes or so, but she drinks a bunch in the morning. So, there was a point where she had three accidents within 20 minutes.  The good news is she told me when she did it.  Well, actually she came to me and told me she had to pee as the dark wet spot was forming on her jeans.  No biggie!  Change everything and move on.  She did go in the potty a few times that day and, AND the BEST part was that she pooped in the potty!  On the FIRST DAY!  Sonya held it for three days, because she was so scared of doing it.  Already, I felt ahead of the game.  

Day 2-NO accidents all day.  None, zero, zip!  We even went to Target and she didn't have any.  On the flip side, pooping in the potty must have freaked her out a bit the day before, because she didn't do it at all the second day. She's a regular kind of gal, if you know what I mean, so she should have gone.  

Day 3-We did a bit of a back slide and had three pee accidents, but also three poops in the potty.  Must have been all that was stored up from the day before.  Now if I could only combine this day with day 2...

Day 4-Well, we're still in the middle of the day, but so far, so damn good!  No accidents, one poop in the potty and we even went to her gymnastics and Georgia's  for almost 2 hours.  Of course, I didn't really give her all she usually has to drink this morning.  Maybe I cheated a little, but I wasn't up for taking chances going to gymnastics.  I was pretty sure the other moms wouldn't look to kindly if my daughter peed in a puddle on the trampoline.  I didn't want to put her in a diaper and confuse her, so I chanced it and it paid off. Right before lunch she came to me frantically declaring she had to pee.  This time her jeans were dry and ALL the pee ended up in the toilet.  At this moment she's napping with her underwear and a diaper over top.  Again the sleep peeing takes a bit more time to control, but I'm so okay with that.  I'm even okay with the pee accidents if the poop at least makes it to the potty at this point. 

So as it seems to be turning out, Lana  may not be the most difficult with everything, which makes me extremely happy.  This also makes me extremely nervous, because that could mean my easiest, GG, may end up being the most difficult to potty train.  Isn't there usually one?  Then again perhaps not.  Perhaps this is just good karma coming back to me for the blurry year I went through juggling three kids under the age of 4.  Although, maybe I shouldn't get to excited, because Lana isn't completely there yet.  I guess, I could have waited another week to write this post.   I was just so very excited to share with everyone the fact that I only have to change one kid's diaper right now!  ONE!  The only thing better than one is none.  Soon enough, my friends, soon enough.  Only then you'll have to hear me cry about how I have no more babies.  There really isn't ever a time you feel "settled" in this job, is there?  Crap.

Give it to GG! She'll Try It! She'll Try Anything!

In the world of kids, there are about four things that most will eat without hesitation.  Chicken Fingers, Mac and Cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and cheeseburgers.  Most of the time grilled cheese can be added to that list.  In my house we do have those things, but I also try to introduce the girls to new things, not to mention vegetables at lunch and dinner.  Sonya has always been a pretty good eater.  She'll usually try something, even if she has preconceived notions about not liking it.  I don't mind, as long as she tries it.  As I've mentioned on here before, Lana is my VERY picky eater.  PB&J and grilled cheese are about the only things she will definitely eat.  Everything else is a crap shoot.  Even mac and cheese she won't touch.  What kid doesn't like mac and cheese??  Mine.  To the point of gagging when I was trying to feed it to her a few days ago.  Then there is Georgia.   This is about the age they start to select what they will and won't eat.  For what Lana won't eat, Georgia will.  That kid will eat just about anything I put in front of her.  She doesn't love veggies, but she's even getting used to those.  I realized just how UNpicky an eater was on New Year's Day, when we had dinner.

 I guess I should first clarify what we had and why.  I'm sure some of you have heard of the "good luck" kind of dinners people prepare on New Year's Day.  If you eat it you're supposed to have a good year.  Me, being slightly superstitious, and our family in need of some good luck, I decided to make it.  We always had one of those meals when I was a kid on New Years.  It was my most dreaded meal of the year, because I didn't really like it.  It was especially painful after having a week long period of everything I LOVED to eat.  New Year's Day was some sort of pork roast, which I don't hate, but don't particularly love, and sauerkraut which I did hate.  We'd also have some kind of potato and veggie which I was fine with, but weren't the good luck part.  I had no idea what the meaning of it was, just knew I had to eat it.  My mom told me recently the pork was eaten because pigs root forward for their food, so we can go forward in the New Year.  She had no idea about the sauerkraut.  It's kind of like how I can never get anyone to give me a straight answer as to why we don't eat meat on Fridays during Lent.  It's just something you do and that's that.  

SO!  There I was with our meal on New Year's Day of pork, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and veggies.  I was pretty sure the mashed potatoes would be the only thing the girls would eat.  Oh well, there was always breakfast the next morning!  True to form, that was all Lana would allow pass her lips.  Well, that and a bit of roll I let her have.  Sonya had some of the pork and potatoes, but barely tasted the sauerkraut.  I looked over at Georgia's plate about half way through dinner and she had eaten most of the potatoes, half her pork and ALL of the sauerkraut.  Then she pointed to the pile of sauerkraut on my plate and said, "Mo pease!"

I didn't think she was talking about the sauerkraut so I pointed to the potatoes and she shook her head.  Then I pointed to the kraut, she got excited, smiled and said "ES!" So I gave her a bit.  She immediately ate that and pointed again at my plate asking for "mo".  Again I gave her more, until all of it was gone from my plate.  Then I gave her some from the serving plate.  She just continued to eat it.  She must have had at least a quarter of  the can on her own.  I couldn't believe it.  What 18 month old likes sauerkraut??  Mine.  

I do hope she continues to try new things and her sisters don't keep her from liking anything.  Already I have Sonya "eeewwww"ing her when she eats something, she decides is gross.  I'm sure she will eventually fall prey to what they think, but in the meantime, at least I can try new recipes and know one of my kids will eat it.  And whatever luck it is that the sauerkraut brings, Georgia will definitely have it for 2010.  Hopefully it has something to do with money.

Same Delivery Zone

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the regularly scheduled program!  I'm sure things have been as off track for you as they have been for us the past month.  As much as I love Christmastime, I love when it's over and can get back to a normal routine.  I thrive on the routine as much as the kids do.  We did have a fun holiday and I hope you all did as well.  Anyway, I have a few stories from over the break, naturally.  I know some of us just played Santa for our kids a couple weeks ago, so I thought I'd talk about another fictional character we play in our kids lives, the Tooth Fairy.  

Let me start by telling you, Sonya did not get her first tooth until a week before her first birthday.  Consequently, she probably won't start loosing her teeth until she learns to drive.  Unfortunately, she already has friends in kindergarten who have started losing their baby teeth.  Five year olds.  Losing teeth.  ALREADY.  Of course, the little girl who has lost a couple teeth is her best friend, Lourdes, who lives down the street.  If Lourdes is losing her teeth then she should be too, right?  Oh poor Sonya.  It's gonna be a while, baby.  

Let's be honest, the only reason she wants to lose these teeth is because of this tooth fairy she's heard about who gives out money.  Or in her friend Lourdes's case, TOYS.  

A few days before Christmas, Sonya started talking about Lourdes losing her teeth.  When was she going to lose hers and did I know the tooth fairy brings makeup, and crayons and TOYS??  Wait- WHAT?  And now... a tangent!

Parents of young kids, listen up!  We need to get together on this.  We can not have some of you handing out toys and makeup for your kid losing a tooth, while the rest of us hand out a dollar.  There was one little girl  who told me once, the tooth fairy gave her twenty dollars.  TWENTY DOLLARS!  FOR A TOOTH!  I need to find THAT tooth fairy, because I'll knock out my own damn teeth and put them under my pillow, if that's the going rate.  I remember getting a quarter or maybe fifty cents.  I understand about inflation, but toys?  I mean don't our kids get enough for birthdays and Christmas?  Do we really need to give them that much for losing a little tooth?  I say not!  Who's with me on this?  We all have to do the same thing, because it doesn't work if we don't.  Here's why.  

After Sonya informed me that Lourdes got all these wonderful things for losing her tooth, I told her,

"Well, the tooth fairy doesn't give everyone makeup and crayons for losing a tooth.  Most kids just get a dollar."  

She sat, looked at me, thought for a minute then said,

"No, Lourdes just lives down the street, so the tooth fairy is the same."

How the hell do I respond to that??  She thinks the tooth fairy is like the mailman and the one assigned to our street happens to bring good shit.  My only response I could think of was,

"Yeah well, we'll see what happens when you lose a tooth."

"Yeah, but Lourdes is only down the street," she says to me again, just in case I didn't hear the first time.  See it's the same tooth fairy mom, so she'll bring me the same stuff!!  Great.  

The only thing I have going for me at this point is, it'll be at least a year, or more, before she looses her teeth. When she does, hopefully she'll have forgotten about Lourdes prizes.  If not, I'll just have to tell her that the other tooth fairy retired and we got a new one in the neighborhood.  This one just brings dollar bills.