A teachable moment

(a month ago)

Gemma, William and I got to the bus stop and another kindergarten student was waiting.  There is a blue square painted on the cement near the corner which has been designated the unofficial "bus stop" (I think it is something the street crews left behind from a storm drain project over the summer?).  The other (female) student (let's call her E.) was already standing on the square.

E's mom:  E!  Come here!  Your clip is falling out of your hair.
E: (Conflicted look on her face.  She looks at her feet planted on the blue square and back and her mom.  If only she could hold her coveted place on the blue square and still listen to her mom!)
E's mom: E!  Come here!
E: (big sigh and trudges over to her mom, looking sadly over her shoulder)
William: (jumps triumphantly only the blue square)  HaaaHAAA!  I AM THE FIRST ONE!!

I tried to ignore it.  I really did.  It didn't work. 

Mom: William, you need to let E have the first place in line back.
William: NO! Why?  She left!  It is MINE now! HahHAA!
Mom: (sigh) William, the polite thing to do is to let her have her spot back.  She had to leave the line to listen to her mom.  It wasn't her fault.
William: NooOOOOooo!  I don't want to let her have it back.
Mom: (thinking....what a little gentleman I am raising....hmmmm)
Mom: William, did you know that the polite thing to do is to let girls go first?  There is a polite saying that says "Ladies first"
William: Whaaa?  Are you making it up?
Mom: No.  The polite thing to do is let a girl go through the door first.
William: It is?
Mom: Yes.  The right thing to do is let girls go first.  Especially when the girl was in front of you in line and had to leave for a minute to listen to her mom.

E came trudging back to the bus stop and her face lit up when William let her have the front spot back again. 

Moments later the bus pulled up.  E. turned to wave to her mom and my perfect little gentleman went around E and hopped on the bus.  What a proud mom moment!


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Update: We talked about being polite, waiting your turn, sometimes letting a friend (girl or boy) go in front of you as a way to be kind.  A day or so later, we made it to the bus stop as E was walking up.

William: E, you can be in front of me. (turns with his most charming grin to his mama)
E: (big smile)
William:  You can be in front of me because you are my friend.
E: (big smile)

The bus pulled up.  E turned to wave at her mom and William waited patiently.  For a minute.  Then he jostled E's elbow and chest bumped her toward the bus.

Baby steps.  A little progress?

Just like daddy

I am reading books to Gemma on the couch and I can hear Amelia rattling around in the kitchen.  If I stood up, I would be able to see exactly what Amelia is doing.  However, I'm lazy, so I just call into the kitchen for a report.

Mom: Amelia?  What are you doing?
Amelia: I'm good Mom.*


*This is a classic Daddy response.  For example:

Kelly: How were the roads on the way home**?
John: My day was good.

So, the big question is: Is this a genetic trait or a learned behavior?


**My theory is that he listens to the first word of the question when he is busy doing something else and answers the most probable question.

Ick-merican

We were driving home from dance lessons last week and Amelia piped up in the backseat.

Amelia: Mom?
Mom: Yes?
Amelia: For my birthday, I want a doll.
Mom: You do?
Amelia: Yes.  I want a beautiful Ick-merican doll*.
Mom: You do?
Amelia: Yes.  Ick-merican dolls are the most beautiful dolls.  I want the one with the beautiful long yellow hair and white clothes.
Mom: Oh, she sounds pretty!
Amelia: She is so pretty.  Then I will bring my Ickmerican doll to dance like the other girls.  I will get her a dance clothes to wear.  I will name my Ickmerican doll Elise.  Okay mom?

Mom: (stumped**).......
Amelia: is that okay mom?
Mom:......ummmm.....I think we need to just wait and see what happens Amelia.


*American doll  a popular doll in the girl set
** The lower end of doll costs somewhere in the $100 range.  Not something I am willing to promise to an almost 4 year old.  Not yet anyway.

Dadada

This video is roughly a month old. But, it is still sweet to hear our girl babble away!

More valentine goodness

I am loving the stuff that comes home from kindergarten! I love the spelling and crooked handwriting and the deep eraser marks that show how hard our son is working at his job of learning.
In celebration of valentines day this week, I offer up:

1). Be mine, Valentine!

To: my fammie (family)
From: William

Note the little red hearts and the completely yellow heart. My guy strongly dislikes coloring. Hates it. This little red hearts just make me giggle and at the same time melt my heart.

2). The top 10 things I love

Dinosaurs
My cat
My tethr (teacher)
Alec - school friend
Diana- school friend
My Phi- school friend
My mom - I rate at 7!?!?!?
My dad
Gemma
My Kyra - school friend

I know Amelia should be on this list. The two are as thick as thieves and best friends. Apparently not on this day.

Happy valentines day!

We had a quiet valentines day. I worked and John had daddy duty, so we are celebrating tonight. I managed to catch a picture of all 3 kids yesterday is the morning chaos, but it is on my other camera.

We ate asparagus and gruyere ravioli with marinara sauce. The ravioli had a red pepper stripe, so they were very festive for the occasion. John made these totally over the top cookies. They were chocolate chip cookies sandwiches with cookie dough in between. Over the top.


Yesterday morning, I invented Valentines day oatmeal. Largely because my kids needed to eat breakfast and they were cooperating. I needed to get to work and get kids to their various schools and sitter. Luckily the mention of very special oatmeal did the trick. If you'd like to make something (very) sweet for your sweeties, here's what you do:

Ingredients;
1 packet of oatmeal (1/2 cup?)
Water
1 tablespoon chocolate chips
1-2 tablespoons dried fruit (I like cherries)
Milk
1/2 a packet of hot chocolate mix

Directions
1. Pour oatmeal into bowl. Put water over oatmeal so you can swish it around. It should be more oatmeal than water, but make it so you like it.

2. Cook in the microwave about 1 minute.

3. Pour half of a hot chocolate packet into bowl

4. Put in other toppings (dried fruit, chocolate chip)

5. Add a splash of milk, maybe 1/4 cup?

6. Stir and serve to your sweetheart/ kiddo!

Enjoy these silly pictures of the bean. She is in constant motion these days and not all that easy to grab a picture of!

Mamamamama

Gemma has started full force babbling in the last few weeks. I'm starting to fully realize our home is not going to be quiet for many, many years.

Here is the one I've been waiting for: Mamama!

Such a sweet, sweet sound to my heart. Before we had kids, I always worried the milestones would be less exciting after the first baby. And Gemma, if you're reading this someday- it was just as exciting and sweet as when both William and Amelia said it for the first time. Your sweet babyhood is appreciated and enjoyed. It is from a different perspective, but we certainly are cherishing every moment of you.