Travelingjenny

At ninety, a day of firsts

September 30, 2008

Last week, we spent every spare moment with my 90-year-old grandmother who came all the way from Texas, along with my aunt and uncle, just to see us.

It was a memorable treat to take my grandmother to our local apple orchard, made even more special by the fact that it was her very first time picking apples (apparently they don't grow many apples in Houston!). This was followed by a lunch of fresh seafood, eaten outside right next to the ocean. This gave Grace the opportunity to show her great-grandmother what happens when you hum to a snail (it comes out of its shell). How often does a 4-year old get to teach a 90-year old something new?
A newsworthy event (Tess, please forgive me)

September 29, 2008

For a few weeks now, Tess has been telling me when she has a stinky diaper, by declaring: "Mommy, poopy coming." Except that by the time she tells me, it has already arrived. And then she stands stock still, often refusing to sit or even walk, until the offending diaper has been removed. This kind of behavior is one of the markers of readiness for potty training. However, despite enduring countless readings of "Too Big for Diapers," featuring baby Ernie, Tess has basically been uninterested in the real use of the potty — until today. Today she stood in the kitchen and said, as usual, "Mommy, poopy coming." When I peeked in her diaper to verify the accuracy of her claim, and discovered that the poopy had not yet actually arrived, I excitedly asked her if she wanted to sit on the potty. She said yes, so I scooped her up, ran upstairs, and sat her down. Then she asked me to close the bathroom door (a cute, but somewhat odd request, since we have basically given up on privacy around here). I left, and closed the door behind me, assuming I would find a potty full of clean toilet paper upon my return. A couple of minutes later, Tess called for me, and when I opened the door, there she was, sitting on the potty — a stinky, full potty. I jumped up and down, squealing with excitement, until I realized she was looking at me like I was crazy. Certainly, she was pleased with herself, but she was much more excited about flushing her, um, hard work down the toilet, and waving goodbye to it.
Cuties!

September 27, 2008

Of course, the beautiful beach setting helps, but I have a pair of awfully cute subjects!
The brave one

September 24, 2008

After years of watching Grace play and marveling at how we had not yet needed to take our bundle of energy to the emergency room, it finally happened. She fell off the swing in our yard the other day and had to get TWO STITCHES in her face. And she had THREE SHOTS of lidocaine. And while the doctor was stitching her up and I was averting my gaze, I told her she could close her eyes, and she responded: "Why would I do that?" But the most amazing part of all was that our brave little girl never complained, winced or cried the entire time we were at the hospital. And I can't even find the words to describe how awestruck I am by her.
Bed initiation

September 21, 2008

Today we set up Tess's brand-new "big girl" bed. We have been talking about it for quite some time, and she is very excited about it. It's the same bed her big sister has, and I think she really likes the idea of sleeping like Grace does. So it was only fitting that her big sister helped her get used to her bed today. They did some jumping and some pretend sleeping — you know, the usual "big girl" bed initiation stuff.

And when bedtime came, Tess didn't hesitate at all. Although her crib is still in the room, she definitely wanted to sleep in her new bed. So I placed her in it and haven't heard a peep since. I guess I shouldn't be surprised — this kid loves to sleep (unlike her big sister!) — and besides, the bed had already been broken in a little.
Getting prepared

September 18, 2008

The other day, I decided to take stock of the girls' winter gear so that I can actually be prepared this year when the temperature plummets. The previous two years I was totally caught off guard by the chilly weather when it arrived, probably because I was living in denial. But this year, I refuse to be humiliated by sending my under-dressed preschooler off to school with a bunch totally winterized mini-Mainers. So, I sadly rooted through our box of winter hats and mittens, and the girls were oddly excited to see their gear again. Tess even insisted on wearing her hat and mittens around the house all morning. Unfortunately, as much as I love fleece, I just couldn't share her enthusiasm. So for now, the winter gear is stashed away on a shelf in the closet while I ease into the change in seasons. We're still picnicking after school, splashing around at the water's edge, and eating ice cream — we just sometimes have to do it with our fleece jackets on.
Flashdance

September 17, 2008

Tess picked her own outfit this morning, but before we left the house, I insisted that she put on a skirt. I'm all for having independent children, but we must maintain some decency.
Performances

September 16, 2008

This afternoon, while I was preparing dinner, Grace and Tess played very nicely together. They got dressed up — Grace was a very flamboyant cowgirl, and Tess wore an evening gown, which she proceeded to trip over several times (hence the alternate outfit seen below). Then, each kid did a song-and-dance routine for me. They even pulled a chair to the exact spot from which I was to view the performances. Adorable. Perhaps I should buy a piano so I can accompany them — that would make winter afternoons a lot more interesting.
Chicken update

September 15, 2008

The chickens — all six of them — are alive and well and seemingly happy. They spend most of the day wandering around the yard, pecking at the ground and eating bugs. And following each other around, sometimes flapping their wings and running to keep up with the flock. They give themselves dirt baths and stop to rest under bushes. They're fun to watch — just ask Maggie. And when it starts to get dark, the chickens put themselves back in the coop. Their good behavior is rewarded at the end of each day with fruit, vegetables and oatmeal (or fresh corn cut from the cob, as seen above). What constitutes good chicken behavior, you wonder? Staying in the yard, not wandering into the scary woods or down the driveway, returning willingly to the coop at night, and most importantly, staying alive. After all, they're our pets — or as Grace says: "They are all my daughters."

I'll provide another chicken update when they start laying eggs — sometime in the next month!
Tess’s tomato

September 11, 2008

On our visit to the island, we stopped at the Friends School community garden to wander amidst the huge pumpkins and towering sunflowers. Tess picked up a tomato — she still loves them as much as she did last year — and held onto it during our walk. Actually, she cradled gently it as if it were a baby bird. And then, in the car on the way home, she ate it like an apple. Next year I'm going to plant more tomatoes in our garden.

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