XMAS 2007

Thank goodness it went better than Thanksgiving did!

Actually, I can't imagine it going too much better for us. The kids both did great, making it through the whole morning of presents!

Although, I wouldn't have minded getting some more sleep. I imagine normal people's sleep schedules look like:
10:00 pm - get ready for bed
10:15 pm - get in bed and start going to sleep
10:30 pm - sleep
6:00+ am - wake up and enjoy Christmas

Someone else decided I should have a modified sleep schedule. Last night was fairly typical, although I think the thought of Santa may have made it a bit worse:
9:45 pm - fall semi-sleep on couch
10:30 pm - get ready for bed
10:31 pm - read in bed, remember none of it because I'm too tired, finally fall asleep
2:30 am - wake up hearing "Fix my blankies please!" Go tell Ellie to go back to sleep (after congratulating her on using "please")
4:30 am - wake up hearing "I'm siiiiick. I need to barf...I need a barf bowl." RUN into Ellie's room to see her smiling at me. Tell her to go back to sleep
5:30 and 5:50 am - wake up hearing "I'm ready to go downstairs!", call out to Ellie to go back to sleep
6:11 am - wake up hearing "It's a six," meaning that it's finally after 6 am and I can now wake up and get her out of bed.

Still, if that's my biggest problem, I'm happy. Tired, but happy.

"Bits of Wisdom," by Ellie

Sometimes I hope Ellie randomly says these things at preschool...

On Diet Mountain Dew:
"Never, NEVER, spill Daddy's drink."

On home safety:
"If we leave the door unlocked, strangers will come in and eat our food."
"If we dial 911 and it isn't a 'mergency' the 'mergencies' will get mad."

On poop:
"We don't eat poop. It tastes yucky."

I'm becoming my Dad

When I was a kid I helped Mom fold the laundry - well, at least once - and the only thing I remember is that we had to turn all of Dad's underwear, socks, and undershirts right side out. Why? Because apparently Dad wouldn't turn them right side out before he wore them. Clearly Dad must have suffered from some disorder, right? I mean, come on...how hard is it to check that?

Twice this week I've gone out with one sock inside out. I understand now that the disorder is called "children."

OK, so it's not the worst thing in the world to figure out while you're in public...

The next thing you know I'll be adding the phrase "turkey-butt" (as an expletive) to my vocabulary. (I'm actually trying, because it now makes me laugh, but it just won't catch.)

Better stock up before the hoarders get them

Is it wrong that I had all these (no, not the toaster oven too) in my car at the end of last week?

Preschool Naps

We finally did it - Ellie is now doing full days, including naps, at preschool.

She's only been going part-time since she started, mostly because I figured that (a) she wasn't ready to spend the whole day away, and (b) it wasn't worth paying them to watch her take a nap. But as Matthew's schedule began to become more and more disrupted by having to bundle up, get in the car, drive to and from preschool, and get back in the house, I figured it was probably time to try it.

Tuesday was Ellie's first day sleeping at preschool. I wasn't planning on having her do it yet...only on Monday did I ask the principal if she could switch to full days. But when I was there to pick her up after lunch today, and Ellie found out that it involved sleeping on a blue cot with a blue "preschool blanket," I had no choice. Of course I didn't - blue is her favorite color!

She went flapping (hopping with her arms waving) over to the teacher practically shouting, "I WANT TO SLEEP ON A BLUE BED WITH A BLUE BLANKET!" Then she walked around the room looking at the other kids' cots asking "Is that one mine?" When her cot was finally set up, she got in and couldn't get the smile off her face. It was a little touchy when she figured out I wasn't staying, but when I reminded her that "of course Miss Vanessa and the other teachers will stay" she seemed okay.

Remarkably, she's done well with 4 days of naps at preschool. Wednesday night she did announce that she didn't want to sleep at preschool any more, but has done well despite that. Friday I didn't even go to tuck her in at nap time.

I'd like to think my luck is going to hold out, but if past performance is any indication of future results... *laugh*

"He said not yet, Daddy!"

[Editor's note - if you aren't me or my wife, you'll probably find this post pretty boring! :)]

Ellie's nap was over as soon as she heard Matthew crying as he woke from his nap. Usually I take Matthew into Ellie's room and get everyone ready to go downstairs, but today Matthew was freaking out and he I was not ready to deal with it - so I put him back into his crib to let him calm down.

While I was getting Ellie some water (I forgot to put on her pull-up but dodged a bullet and her bed was dry) she went into Matthew's room and asked him a question. I couldn't hear what she said, but she came out and closed the door while he was still crying.

"He said not yet, Daddy. "

"What?"

"Matthew said he doesn't want you to come in yet."

"I'm using my butt to make bubbles!"

Ellie's knowledge of the digestive system consists of:

1. We eat food. It goes to our bellies, then it goes to our butt and comes out as poop.
2. We drink water and it comes out as pee.

During her bath tonight, she announced not only that "I'm using my butt to make bubbles," but also that "We drink bathwater and it comes out of our butt as bubbles."

It must be wonderful being 3.