A couple of weeks ago Mr. Nathan, the lead teacher for T's class, asked the kids what they were going to do next fall. T's answer: "Eat crab!" Today Mr Nathan gave each of the families a very cute book about the holidays and as a memento of the first part of the year. He asked all the kids about the holidays, then added the remarks to photos and drawings from each child. It is quite a little treasure. Here is what T said:
I'm getting ready for Christmas. I'm putting wreaths up at my front doors. I get candy for Christmas. You get presents from Santa Claus. He's a man that has a big white beard and he only has a little bit of hair on his head. He has helpers to make presents. The helpers are elves. They are little people. They make toys with wood and clay and glue with hammers, screwdrivers, and wrenches. I celebrate Christmas; I get all my family together at my house. We eat chicken.
From remarks from other kids I learned Santa has a giraffe, blue and black motorcycle, and goat. He tells you what you want for Christmas and if you aren't good you may get a switch which is a stick to whack your ear with. Mrs. Claus brings the new lip balm.
Last night we started a draft letter to Santa. I started for T, "Dear Santa, T do you want to say anything to him before you request any toys? What toys would you like to put on your list?" "Dear Santa, tarantula," T said. "Just tarantula? Do you want to say anything before that?" I asked before B piped in, "What other things would you like T? Mommy said there toys at the Kroger that you liked."
We didn't get very far before B said we were out of time and T needed to get to bed. Before he left the table however T said, "This is what I want to say, 'And a very happy merry Christmas!'"
From Craftzine
- From Paul at DudeCraft, cool mini LP gift tags tutorial
- From an article about craft kits for kids, comes this blinky bug kit (blinking eyes on pipe cleaner legs)
- I'm not totally enamored with the final product, but here is a felt ornaments tutorial. It's the rounds bits in between I don't like but totally like the shape and 3D-ness.
From other
- Another from Skip to My Lou - stuff to do with kids when they say they are bored.
- She linked to Alpha Mom for a Christmas surprice ball - wrap little gifts up in creap paper and hang on the tree.
The scene: T's bedroom as he climbs into his Dad's lap and I turn out the light and prepare to leave.
T:: I want a sister so I can rock all the time.
B:: Why do you want a sister?
T:: So I can rock all the time.
B:: Why would you rock all the time?
T:: Because she would be in my bed and I wouldn't have any where to sleep.
B:: Oh. She would have her own bed. Would you like her to be in here or somewhere else?
T:: Here! But where would she go?
B:: We would find room for another bed in here.
T:: OK. Mommy you have to make a sister!
M:: OK, I'll work on it.
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T and I went to Kroger after I picked him up from school. They have a large tree with presents under it - unwrapped toys. T begged to look at it when we were there on Monday, so today we went by so that he could tell me what we should put on his list for Santa.
First up, some Fisher Price Imaginext Lost Legends (??) Dinosaurs with people. The ones they had were both Triceratops. "I want both triceratops! The skeleton and the regular." [edit: I was wrong about them being triceratops]
Next, he studied and wanted a frog game, and then he spied some Hot Wheels Big Rig Racers. He held one tight while he looked at other toys. Then he spied some Disney Barbie type dolls. "I want that fairy," he said with a little bit of awe in his voice as he pointed to a Disney princess doll. "But look they have an Ariel mermaid," I said. He stared at her. "I want Ariel! I want to take her home now." It took a lot to pry the box from his hands. (Ariel has joined Sydney as his story mommy when he requests mermaid stories, though yesterday he said he was done with mermaid stories and only wanted fairey stories)
"If you could only get one, which would you get, Ariel or the Big Rig?" T thought for a long time and looked at both toys. "Ariel," was the answer. (BTW Wednesday at Target he wanted me to go down the doll isle where he pointed out a Barbie 'in underwear' (bikini swim suit) that he wanted - to go along with the dinos and super heros he pointed out.)
We turned the corner where there were a lot of car racing toys - Hot Wheels things that shot the cars out to race down track or fly through the air and through hoops of 'fire'. He wanted several. Again I asked either or, this time these cars vs the dinosaurs. The cars won.
I put T back in the cart and we started back down the aisle. He was a little upset. "Santa is never going to come!" he pouted.
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I have put it off so now must go... on the way home, after drinking a small container of Horizon Organic Vanilla milk (which I got him cause he was getting very cranky - a sure sign of hunger) T threw up all over himself and the car seat. All the cloths that we had kept in the car for such purposes had been used so I had nothing to clean him up with. "Do you want me to stop of just hurry you home?" I asked. "Get me home," he wailed.
After a bath he was fine.
From Craftzine
- I Can Art - art kits in a can for kids, developed by artists
- I posted this before, but I love these wool felt log kits
- Partridge in a pear tree gingerbread from Not Martha, and MS's gingerbread recipe for houses (see this How-to and links)
- Pickling with kids
- Fernworks jewelery - great found objects
- Iram-Inal Designs Green collection and more - cool stuff.
- How to use wine corks
- My Recipes and Cooking Light Cranberry nut chocolate chip cookies and banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
- Apple Butter Apple Pie (crumb crust apple pie) from People and singer Michelle Branch (who?)
Overheard from a coworker conversation: "Imagine trying to stay remotely cool in junior high when your grandmom is the lunch lady (dentures, hairnet and all)"
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T is really the conversationalist these days. Last night we discussed the different meals B could make for dinner after taco night. "Tortellini," T said very seriously. "Yes, tortellini, that's a good one." "Fish sticks!" T added. "Fish sticks, yes, but mommy doesn't really like fish sticks," said B. "I could have a salad," I said thinking though that that negated B being in charge of dinner as he probably wouldn't make a salad for me or any of us. "Mommy, you should try fish sticks! You might like them, you need to try."
T was invited to a couple of birthday parties recently. He has a great time at parties so if we aren't doing anything in particular we always go. However, it feels at times that we are spending a lot on birthday gifts. Especially since T hasn't received any in return, not having had parties with kids the last two years. Maybe it is just my inner miser coming out.
Anyway Saturday was a party for his classmate Jake (4) and Jake's 13 month younger brother Luke(ie). Three weeks ago T and I went to the bookstore to get a gift for Jake and one for Zora, whose birthday party was right after Thanksgiving. Feeling miserly I decided that we didn't need to get Luke a gift since Luke would probably have friends from his class at the party. We spent $16 on a really fun book called Harry and Horsie. Of course after leaving the bookstore I felt guilty and kept questioning my reasoning of not getting something for Luke. I posted to my mom's group about birthday etiquette and everyone thought in my shoes they'd get something for both boys.
This past January we went to parties for two of T's classmates where I bought books and made a little puppets to go along with the book (here is the Grumpy Bird). So I decided if I ended up with the time I'd make puppets for the boys to go along with the book. Saturday morning T and I got busy. Or, I got busy and T helped for the first 20 minutes or so, then went on to play other things. At first he was quite upset that the rocket I made didn't match his vision of a sleeker looking vehicle, but later, while I worked on Horsie, he rocketed it around the house. I decided then these might work out as gifts. Although there are 'issues' on both puppets I am happy with how they came out.
As mentioned the book is a lot of fun. The story is sweet, the illustration fantastic - like old comics. I posted photos of the puppets to my mom's group and one mom replied this is a favorite book of her three year old. I think if I got it for T it would become a favorite of his as well. He enjoyed the story in the bookstore as well as when I pulled it out to make the puppets. Very cool about it, proceeds help other children through the child developed Free The Children.
Photos will come later, but T had a blast at the party. It was at a toddler 'gym' that had trampolines and a ball pool. T LOVED the ball pool.
This year we picked a little boy named Iziah from the angle tree at the church. His card said he is 2 and asked for puzzles, shape sorters, and picture books appropriate for his age. This is what T and I picked out.
Just to keep track of these kinds of things...
- we put some coins in the Salvation Army Red Kettle
- we will be giving to RRISA or Toys for Tots
- we will be giving to a family with the Bridge
- I made an extra dozen cookies that will be sent to soldiers in Iraq
'Just' came back from a craft show (must go back tomorrow as I didn't make it through all and it is worth it to try). Very interesting but I was greeted differently by the folks showing than I sometimes am. Pretty sure it was my outfit. A comment from one of the food purveyors sealed the thought, "I like what you are wearing; very great colors, I mean I like how you put that together."
I saw this outfit yesterday on Amanda's SoulaMama blog and it inspired me this morning (which also reminds me of this outfit from Betz White that I love - I want I want Frye boots! And this skirt that I have been thinking about). I finally took scissors to my 2004 ON orange wool sweater I accidentally shrank last year, stuck it back together with my dahlia pin from Oregon, pulled out tights from high school (yes, I have one pair from high school - quite amazing!!), added the $11 Old Navy t-shirt skirt I got this summer (with slip from 1994), Ann Taylor boots from 2004, and topped it with the suede jacket from Italy (circa 1997), and frayed rayon scarf I made in 2004 to create this outfit:
Was it the last piece of pumpkin pie? The home whipped cream? The dressing eaten at lunch? Was it a virus?
Whatever it was it laid me low Wednesday. Vomiting and diarrhea at 3:15 am or so (after rocking Tommy from 1:30 - 2 when he woke from a nightmare), then again at 6:15. I called in sick, got T dressed, then slept on and off until 11:15 when I got a call from work. I did a few things for work, then crashed in bed again - my hands fell asleep very strangely while typing an email so that I could barely type. By 3:30 I got up and lounged on the coach. First food at 9:30 at night still turned my stomach.
Today has been better. No vomiting, no diarrhea, though my stomach has been noisy. One piece toast w/ peanut butter, two crunchy granola bars, three pita points, two cups ginger tea, one cup decaf coffee with milk and honey, some water. I'm cruising for a dehydration headache...
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I lost at least four pounds - that's one way to lose without dieting and exercise!
