Quick Funny

I think I've mentioned recently that we are enjoying The Captain's sense of humor now that he is conversational.  He and Tink have regular conversations and they are mostly funny.  Last night at church, Pepper sat with me and the two youngest while Daddy took The Captain and sat in the pews. 

After church there was a big reunion with hugs and then we hustled everyone into the car.  As we are driving off, The Captain says to the Tink:

"Hi Tink."

(Tink) "Hi. I had fun in church."

There was a pregnant pause followed by a derisive snort..
Finally, the Captain says, "Noooooo you didn't."
Then they both laughed.

We cracked up.  Three years old and he already knows kids don't have fun at church. 

In other news, Sunshine will soon by heating up the bases -- Opening ceremonies for softball are February 27 and her first game is March 1.  We can't wait, actually.  It's so much fun to watch her play.

Pepper has her first track meet March 3.  No details on time yet.  She's getting in pretty good shape so it will be fun to see her strut her stuff.

Happy Monday!

Waiting is Such Sweet Sorrow

The Blitz is a huge cake lover.  He takes after Sunshine who loves all cake, but is particularly fond of a cake mix called "Funfetti."  It is pure and true junk food and a rare treat at our house.

I bought said cake mix and matching frosting for Sunshine because she is not a "scratch" cook.  It sat on the counter for three days and tortured the baby.  Finally the day came where we decided to make it, and the youngest two watched anxiously as I mixed the batter.  I allowed them each a tiny taste  (raw eggs you know) and popped it into the oven.  Thus began the 28 minute fit of a century.  When I got out the camera,The Blitz postponed his tantrum to talk to me, but spent the best part of the time lying on the floor in front of the oven moaning and trying to eat the box.  But I will let you hear it from him:

Finally, he got the cake.  I didn't even wait for Sunshine to frost it!

Trauma

Because we love The Captain, Tink and The Blitz so much, it's easy for us to forget their past.  They have been here 11 months in actual time, but it seems like they've always been a part of us.  They, however, can not so easily escape the reality of their early lives.

They have different ways of showing their stress.   A couple of weeks ago we were preparing to make a trip to North Texas to celebrate Grandma Clair Simmel's 100th birthday. 

As we were bustling around, packing suitcases, loading the car and shoveling breakfast into everyone, The Captain was stressing.  He kept dictating the movements of his younger siblings and intimidating the dog.  At every turn, he had a tantrum.  I kept pulling him aside to reassure him that all was fine, we were just going to Gram and Grandpa's all together and he would be okay.

  Paul missed most of this excitement as he was off on an errand.  So when he returned home to witness the Captain ordering The Blitz around, then getting sent to sit on the steps, then dissolving into a fit, he said, "What is going on with him?"  I postulated that every time we go somewhere, he thinks we are leaving him there -- that he is getting another new home.  Dear Hubby sat down by the distraught boy and said to him, "Are you worried that we are going to leave you somewhere?"

He nods mournfully.  "No, honey," daddy says.  "We are your forever family.  We are all going to be together forever.  We are leaving together and staying together and then coming home together."

That fixed it temporarily.  He needed to hear it from Daddy.

The Tink handles her stress differently.  She tinkers.  She gets into things, she drops things, she sasses, she refuses to eat or wants to eat all the time.  She was a little sass-pot at the in-laws house.  I mean sassy.  She dropped her milk cup 50 times.  She touched everything she got near.  She walked around with her hands on her hips.  She refused to say "please," or "thank you."  (To her credit, she never once wet her pants!)  She doesn't tend to outright misbehave, she just constantly pushes the boundaries.  This is how stress (or worry) shows up in her.

We got home Sunday night late, well after bedtime.  We popped them quickly and efficiently into bed and they all went straight to sleep.

Monday morning I was bustling around a bit getting The Captain ready for school.  As I threw on my shoes to take him to the bus, Tink grabbed my leg.  You have never seen a sadder face.

"Are you leaving me Mommy?"

"Oh, honey girl, never ever will I leave you!  I'm just putting brother on the bus."

"Okay Mommy."

And then her joyful play resumed.  Simple as that.  No sass, no cup dropping, no touching everything in sight.  Just normal life.

These two will likely not have conscious memories of their other homes.  They were pre-verbal when they got here, so those memories will largely be inaccessible and inexpressible to them.  The trauma of those moves and broken attachments, however, remains in their subconscious.  Sometimes that's heartbreaking . . .  for all of us.

Oh, No

Today in my best "lazy mother" voice, I said to Sunshine, "Please go check on Tink in the bathroom."  

I had that nagging feeling she'd been gone too long.

"Mom, come quick -- Tink flooded the bathroom."

Shoot.  I knew it was too quiet in there.  I shift into Dictator mode and in minutes have used kitchen tongs to remove the 1/2 roll of toilet paper, plunged the beast and used the carpet cleaner (thanks, honey) to suck up the water.  Then the young mistress was called in for a little lecture and quite a bit of frowning.  It was a minor disaster, averted due to Sunshine's quick thinking in turning off the water to the commode.

An hour later, Tink, comes in from outside to go potty.  I trail a few steps behind and lurk outside the door.  I hear talking.

"Don't break da toi-wet.  Don't  break da toi-wet.  Pull up your pants.  Don't go bare bottom.  Fwush da toiwet.  Now fwush da toi-wet."

I hear her hand on rattle the handle, and then in the most deflated voice you have ever heard,  "Oh, nooooo."  

I peek around the corner and she nearly jumped out of her skin.  "What's the matter, honey?"

 She puts her hands on her head.  "I don know." 

"Don't worry.  Mommy fix it."

 It was fine.  I'd forgotten to turn the water back on , but it's safe to say, I think Tink has learned her lesson.  She was the best girl ever for the rest of the day.

Please Pass the Pepper

I never knew how great it was to have a high-schooler.  No, I am not (for once) being facetious.  It is truly fun.  I can see Pepper more and more coming in to herself.  I see her working less at what she thinks she should be and just relaxing into who she is. 

She is so funny and clever.  I love sharing humorous movies and books with her because she gets it on a deep level. She enjoys slapstick, sure, but she also loves dry wit and irony, in particular.   Her sense of humor is what earned her the nickname "Pepper."  She just has a bunch of zip.

She's well read, and I think that will stand her in good stead in the future.  In addition to having a broader, better-informed view of life, well-read people make interesting conversationalists.  I read a lot of books when I was her age, but they were mostly junk.  She reads the good stuff;  the challenging, complicated literary works that exercise her brain and her imagination.

I did not know that part of mothering would be this almost clairvoyant ability to see one's childrens' abilities and capabilities.  As she talks about her future career paths, I can see the possibilities.  There is so much potential for her;  she's a good student so academically, she has a lot of choices.  And she has a lot of creative possibilites too; cooking, art, needlework, writing.  I can see it all.


 

I especially appreciate her choices early on not to be a conformist -- but also not to be a rebel.  She is -- simply --herself, and most of the time, she is great with it. 

Several years ago, she made a decision "not to be embarrassed."  This is a huge relief to a high school mom.  I can't embarrass her!  Whew!  If she trips over the door frame or blurts out something "untoward" -- she forgives herself.  She wastes no energy on embarrassment.

Sure, from time to time she doubts herself -- she thinks she should be more popular or whatever -- but mostly, she is a gal with her feet on the ground.

She's a marvelous creature, "wondrous to behold."

  I'm immensely blessed to walk this path with her! 

On the Table, if You Please.

First things first.  I cannot thank the Round Rock school district enough for the automated call yesterday letting me know school was canceled  and would be made up on May 30.  Oh and they called plenty early, too, so I wouldn't spend unnecessary time getting The Captain ready.  5:20 a.m.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Oh and thank you so much for waking up all the Littles too.

Yesterday The Tinker was running around with the wooden alphabet blocks while I was cooking.  She loves to play with them right at my feet (of course) so I said to her, "Please play with those on the kids table."

Here's a very short video about her interpretation of what I said:

Finally, it snowed yesterday.  Yep, it was beautiful.  But I ran out of battery so the only real pics are Sunshine's on Facebook.  Sorry!