tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25006694517668769842024-03-05T21:53:03.277-08:00And baby makes three...The Adventures of Rachel, Fiona and MatildaKirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-58679096708632372882011-04-08T19:11:00.000-07:002011-04-08T19:42:39.975-07:00Puppies and babies: a comparison<div>So, it turns out that having a puppy is quite a lot like having a baby. We brought Lily, our new labradoodle puppy, home on March 26 and I have been much, much busier than I expected. I've had puppies before but somehow I forgot that they go to the bathroom about once an hour or so. But I have had time to think about some of the similarities and differences between having a puppy and having a baby. </div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BiZktn6eTh6Y6nAL7gD28Pq5AM5bfebiLS4rWdu7Xh3gfmETS6AH1ByDbspparxqV79Yu3MbHFUX-qsT7qwTVFJxpxjpsaRio19wjd-fi4xc98S7fODXJmqi4fb8FD9h_8b941uRqNk/s1600/P1050411.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593408226057744786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BiZktn6eTh6Y6nAL7gD28Pq5AM5bfebiLS4rWdu7Xh3gfmETS6AH1ByDbspparxqV79Yu3MbHFUX-qsT7qwTVFJxpxjpsaRio19wjd-fi4xc98S7fODXJmqi4fb8FD9h_8b941uRqNk/s200/P1050411.JPG" /></a> <br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Ways in which having a puppy IS like having a baby:</strong></div><br /><div>1) There is a lot of pee and poop involved;</div><br /><div>2) They are very, very cute, which saves them time and again;</div><br /><div>3) Babies of all varieties cause explosions in the volume of laundry;</div><br /><div>4) They need a lot, and they need it NOW;</div><br /><div>5) Neither sleeps through the night very well;</div><br /><div>6) They cry the moment you sit down to eat;</div><br /><div>7) Both will try to kill themselves using common household items, like hair ties;</div><br /><div>8) The more you have, the less likely you are to be able to take pictures.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Ways in which having a puppy IS NOT like having a baby:</strong></div><br /><div>1) There is a lot of pee and poop involved, but with puppies you have to go outside, often in the middle of the night, even when it is wretched out;</div><br /><div>2) No one brings meals over so you don't have to worry about cooking. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Really, I think these are the only differences...</div><br /><div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-21057137791737788262011-03-20T18:50:00.000-07:002011-03-20T19:17:48.152-07:00ANOTHER trip to the ERI really need to read the story of the boy who cried wolf to Rachel. It seems I am always taking her to the doctor or the ER for something that turns out to be absolutely NOTHING. About 6 weeks ago we were in there for strep throat, which she really did have, and which really did need to be treated, so that was fair. And then, just before Matilda was born she went in for a neck injury, and then there was the time when we were in VA that we spent 10 hours at the ER chasing rabbits down holes. <br /><br />But today, Rachel received an injury to her back (I'm not really going into details about how she injured it, let's just say there was some sibling rivalry going on...), which made her sooooo miserable that I took her to the ER. We had the same gracious, patient and respectful doctor that we had for the strep business. I want to take a moment to say thank you Dr. Robinson, for not treating me like a) an over-protective, hysterical mother, or b) a mother with Munchaussen-by-Proxy syndrome. Especially because I am friends with your wife...<br /><br />OK, back to Rachel and her mortal injury. So, she got hurt and lay suffering and sobbing on her bed until I found her there. I called Ben home (he was at his office, working on his birthday, poor man). We hemmed and hawed, trying to decide what to do. I called the doctor on call, and of course he suggested that we take her in for an X-ray. So I did. By the time we got there, she was already acting much better, no longer leaning on me and limping pitifully. Something about the emergency room intrigues Rachel enough that she starts acting like a totally healthy person the moment she is installed behind a curtain, but by that time it's too late, we're in the system, bound for a deductible-breaking series of tests and procedures. Luckily, this time the doctor was sensible enough to suggest that we forego the X-ray. However, he was concerned enough that her kidneys might have taken some serious punishment, so he wanted to rule out anything there. Good thinking! Thankfully, she was fine and we were on our way home within an hour, even after waiting for a full U/A. Ahhhh, small towns are great!<br /><br />Tomorrow is another day, and it will be interesting to see how many times Rachel calls me from school. Rachel's teacher is on maternity leave and they have a substitute teacher, a butterball of a boy, fresh out of Ed School. Fresh out. Fresh, fresh, fresh out. So fresh that he is being eaten alive by Rachel's class of 28, which includes 16 boys, plus Declan who counts as three so that actually adds up to a total of about 19 boys and 11 girls, all eager to use that phone in the room. I think Rachel has called me 36 times in the last 2 weeks, and I have spoken with a few other class moms who are also receiving an unusual number of calls. This evening I sent an email to the teacher saying that unless she needed to call for a hearse, Rachel was NOT to use the phone tomorrow! We'll see how well that works...Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-50443095610996315362011-02-27T22:44:00.000-08:002011-02-27T22:44:00.802-08:00Baby #4<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH4OaZ4k-_mqK9WOlGvKLvGK6VrGEikg2qrBvwumTB32jTSAxZabaVqXjirtKXV63kDfK9niOLhFEGUffyvvgNbm5bQxquS2NtoT4JuVHQbE9GmigpDhx7IoB6x2qJmcfEX4YlFgQpsk/s1600/P1050280.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578569880124600146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH4OaZ4k-_mqK9WOlGvKLvGK6VrGEikg2qrBvwumTB32jTSAxZabaVqXjirtKXV63kDfK9niOLhFEGUffyvvgNbm5bQxquS2NtoT4JuVHQbE9GmigpDhx7IoB6x2qJmcfEX4YlFgQpsk/s200/P1050280.JPG" /></a><br />Congratulations are in order! I finally talked Ben into another baby - no, not a human baby (that probably would have been an easier sell, to tell you the truth) but one of the canine variety. Her stats first, then the story. The puppy is a labradoodle (half labrador retriever and half poodle), born Jan. 30, a girl, with a very curly coat and will probably mature to around 45-50 lbs.<br /><br />Here's the story: Fiona has been asking for a dog since she could ask for anything. We have been putting her off with a variety of excuses, but a year or so ago I told her that when Matilda was walking and talking we would look into a dog. So last fall, when we learned that the mother to my mom's dog (Barkley) would be having her final litter soon, we began the campaign to win Ben over. And let me tell you, he made us work for this one! He was not going to go merrily into dog ownership, no, no, not at all. Linda had taken on the task of gently introducing Ben to the idea, but he was not taking the bait. So when the puppies were born I stepped things up, showing him pictures of the puppies and making lots of meatloaf for dinner. We went last weekend, while we were at the Great Wolf Lodge, to look at them without the kids. Ben lasted another 5 days before finally giving the green light.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH4OaZ4k-_mqK9WOlGvKLvGK6VrGEikg2qrBvwumTB32jTSAxZabaVqXjirtKXV63kDfK9niOLhFEGUffyvvgNbm5bQxquS2NtoT4JuVHQbE9GmigpDhx7IoB6x2qJmcfEX4YlFgQpsk/s1600/P1050280.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTUk916P11V8ZVEkUZrqnT54ZDfxuPDVy8ra1T7IldNiRRK2nTqyedGKTjANojt-NDZiXF5bzMpPoo076berKZLxsIPpv_esaKSkDTdm4J8O-aGUvK_E2YlijJ1JfZiu81DzCm8tZijU/s1600/P1050284.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578569875675306130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTUk916P11V8ZVEkUZrqnT54ZDfxuPDVy8ra1T7IldNiRRK2nTqyedGKTjANojt-NDZiXF5bzMpPoo076berKZLxsIPpv_esaKSkDTdm4J8O-aGUvK_E2YlijJ1JfZiu81DzCm8tZijU/s200/P1050284.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Here's Fiona, holding Lily</em></span><br /><br />Before I go much further, I should explain why we want a puppy from Daisy (Barkley's mom) so badly. To put it in simple terms, she is one of the finest examples of a dog I have ever met. She has a marvelous personality, practically human, and seems to pass those traits on to her offspring. She is also cute as a bug and was bred to another doodle whose coat is really curly. My mom's dog Barkley, one of Daisy's offspring, is wonderful with the kids, and is very calm and sensible. And as a labradoodle, the puppy should not bother Ben's allergies. Also, the breeder is incredibly responsible with her breeding and raising of the puppies. They are inspected and certified for everything possible, and I have the utmost confidence in this arrangement. With young children involved, one wants the most number of guarantees possible to avoid heartbreak, you know? I realize that in many ways it would be vastly preferable to adopt a pet from the shelter, but at this point this seems like the best choice for us. Primarily because Ben is really allergic to dogs and he is already sacrificing enough for this whole enterprise. Anyway, enough on all that, on to the rest of the story...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRevSaSux-kafszpaQzeyL6L-xOCHEQAF4BpTeGcXLaUH452gtHrhOivBpdUrjR24XR7xu-65LOtkAJ2BrHiuh5Yc2M9UIc9OFxJ4D8g3Hsdg1MstKU6G9ThFpC9g4imdzEka4xNLY9o/s1600/P1050282.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578569883908418114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRevSaSux-kafszpaQzeyL6L-xOCHEQAF4BpTeGcXLaUH452gtHrhOivBpdUrjR24XR7xu-65LOtkAJ2BrHiuh5Yc2M9UIc9OFxJ4D8g3Hsdg1MstKU6G9ThFpC9g4imdzEka4xNLY9o/s200/P1050282.JPG" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Whose puppy is this anyway??</span></em><br /><br />Well, all this time I had not said a word to the kids about this possibility. We decided that this should be Fiona's puppy, and that she should pick it out and name it. The puppies are 4 weeks old today, so we went up to Traverse City to meet them and pick one out. Fiona picked a female dog, the largest of the females and also the one with the curliest coat, and named her Lily. Fi was so cute, she was so surprised she didn't know what to do. Rachel was a superstar - in the car, on the way to the kennel, we had told her what was going on so that she could be prepared. She was very gracious and hung back so that Fiona could have her moment in the sun. After 10 minutes or so, Rachel asked if she could come in the pen and hold the puppies, but she was really careful not to take away from Fi's experience. I was so proud of both of them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFDL5fr7JaHvIOqbBXDYMN_f5uXSOcVdWQFjuTx0hE2c_SUzAk7AymWfod0ZjrLxQb-IuqsXAZbWsK5j8Dudx1ezu2MErYp_vYNmcFFqKfyEETmFaL4wIWWGZigz8QnVqfePY4DHNIX4/s1600/P1050269.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578569895068840482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFDL5fr7JaHvIOqbBXDYMN_f5uXSOcVdWQFjuTx0hE2c_SUzAk7AymWfod0ZjrLxQb-IuqsXAZbWsK5j8Dudx1ezu2MErYp_vYNmcFFqKfyEETmFaL4wIWWGZigz8QnVqfePY4DHNIX4/s200/P1050269.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Rachel, with one of the little boys<br /></em></span><br />So, we'll bring home our Lily on or around March 25, the first weekend of our spring break. I am sure we'll have much more to say on this subject, and many more pictures, but we are all looking forward to her arrival. I am absolutely positive that Lily will be a great addition to our family. Once she is housebroken and has stopped eating our shoes!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-36630966577314528162011-02-22T18:07:00.000-08:002011-02-22T18:13:27.087-08:00PrioritiesRachel brought home some work they have been doing in school, learning about needs vs. wants. Here are Rachel's lists of needs and wants:<br /><br /><strong><em>Needs</em></strong><br />Bananas, food<br />Fire<br />Shelter<br />Cell phone (spelled selfon)<br />Wood (presumably for the fire)<br /><br /><strong><em>Wants</em></strong><br />Toys<br />TV<br />Candy<br />Toilet (with a cute little drawing of a toilet next to it)<br />Chair<br /><br />What a hoot! You can't get along without a cell phone, but a toilet is optional! Those of you who have lived life with neither are probably having a pretty good chuckle right about now :)Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-89188791858068739242011-02-22T17:02:00.000-08:002011-02-22T18:06:18.248-08:00Teeth, teeth, teeth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TqC80zL1PoMNXK_smQXI-NoV1dZZ8tZdKgNsu0jfgo7pJD1pArk9JptOwwd1wmfIo_7AegrETO_gBNT9i8RKB-EIYM7d54rPXxttOSErC-Smtcy0Y7XM26oLNTEYffQxsLej7quCPV8/s1600/P1050242.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 196px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576685041901179922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TqC80zL1PoMNXK_smQXI-NoV1dZZ8tZdKgNsu0jfgo7pJD1pArk9JptOwwd1wmfIo_7AegrETO_gBNT9i8RKB-EIYM7d54rPXxttOSErC-Smtcy0Y7XM26oLNTEYffQxsLej7quCPV8/s200/P1050242.JPG" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> <em>Fiona and her beautiful teeth. She hasn't lost or gained any in years, but I </em></span><div><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">couldn't leave her out!<br /></span><br /></em><div>We have had a lot of tooth action in the Willis household in the past 9 months or so. It began last summer when Rachel lost her first tooth just days before Matilda's first one came in. When I showed Matilda's new tooth to Rachel, she exclaimed, "Hey!! The Tooth Fairy recycles teeth!" Anyway, after the first batch of new teeth (6 for Matilda in the space of a few busy - and sleepless - months, and 4 for Rachel), we had a little hiatus during which time I caught up on my sleep. But a few weeks ago, Matilda stopped sleeping again and started being really antsy (can't say she was fussy, for she is never genuinely fussy), and one day I noticed that she had two bright shiny top molars! Or at least, half the molar had erupted on each side. She is now working on the other halves, and a bottom molar has erupted too. So, no sleep for us until they are completely up, I'm afraid. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhJgcLH9DIKSd_-rmEXP8z3GQwN_rJqw1hmkms5DUAgfJyq60F7yd8mUUA9-rJgBaEkMCHFjwVzavE4G2-3_nESAwWOyWtFEBEyNvQAillCl3jS8kAPaNvfCmsLCW8JDgDRDFlzvUvwk/s1600/P1050251.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 197px; HEIGHT: 74px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576685045545508514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhJgcLH9DIKSd_-rmEXP8z3GQwN_rJqw1hmkms5DUAgfJyq60F7yd8mUUA9-rJgBaEkMCHFjwVzavE4G2-3_nESAwWOyWtFEBEyNvQAillCl3jS8kAPaNvfCmsLCW8JDgDRDFlzvUvwk/s200/P1050251.JPG" /></a></div><div><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Here are Matilda's beautiful top teeth. She really has a cute smile, very buck-toothed!</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></em> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQHTO_qTuEneWTo2Dmku4h_jnbmx2-kpimjYcSBj7_StVZlw2ERJvvp_YahMWLL7XBnJLugzwDFXRyVGqKfl7kjHStmAVghttoczl1InSOjyBAJFjAn3OT5mDrYn_Wex5OU-rB28tR2c/s1600/P1050248.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 188px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576685037366686850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQHTO_qTuEneWTo2Dmku4h_jnbmx2-kpimjYcSBj7_StVZlw2ERJvvp_YahMWLL7XBnJLugzwDFXRyVGqKfl7kjHStmAVghttoczl1InSOjyBAJFjAn3OT5mDrYn_Wex5OU-rB28tR2c/s200/P1050248.JPG" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><em>"Show mama your teeth!"</em></span></div><div> </div><div>Thankfully, the process is much easier the second time around. Rachel's top and bottom teeth, the ones to the sides of her new permanent teeth, have been getting pretty loose but they haven't fallen out yet. Well, just yesterday she noticed that she has two more bottom teeth that have erupted, well behind the milk teeth they are supposed to be pushing out. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5wajQjkhlfbCV5UEW7XsGASjqoHYajPp7kM8xultNmoBLEEKODslAcbbz_X68ewgKFmKErb_sCNclUThae_q-yfQx321Q8VUsAWBgmCQmR1s8tWsVj6kr-S4mzlK_gGmUqxUmUWElWE/s1600/P1050252.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576685046845445090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5wajQjkhlfbCV5UEW7XsGASjqoHYajPp7kM8xultNmoBLEEKODslAcbbz_X68ewgKFmKErb_sCNclUThae_q-yfQx321Q8VUsAWBgmCQmR1s8tWsVj6kr-S4mzlK_gGmUqxUmUWElWE/s200/P1050252.JPG" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><em>Here are Rachel's new teeth: 2 on the top, and 2 on the bottom.</em></span></div><div> </div><div>Where's the entertainment in all of this, you ask? Well, Rachel is, that's what. That girl is so impatient. Her first tooth to fall out, a bottom one, came out naturally last July. She was eating a black olive when, oops, out it came. Well, the second one seemed to take forever because, like its companion now, the permanent tooth erupted well behind it and didn't push it out. Apparently there was some competition between Rachel and her friend Solana to see whose tooth would fall out first, because all of a sudden Rachel started wiggling that tooth non-stop. And when Solana's tooth fell out first, well, all bets were off then - Rachel wanted her tooth out, and she wanted it out NOW. She must have known better than to ask me for help, because the next thing I know she and her father (yes, Ben. I do have to say, in his defense, that she really launched a full court press to persuade him) were in the bathroom cooking up a scheme to pull out the tooth. Here's the dialog I hear as I am sitting in the next room, nursing the baby to sleep:</div><div> </div><div>Ben: "OK, Rach, we can tie some dental floss to the tooth, and then tie the other end to the doorknob and close the door."</div><div>Rachel: "That sounds good Papa. Will it really work?"</div><div>Ben: "Yeah, hold still..."</div><div>Slam!</div><div>Rachel: "Uh oh, it didn't work...Do it again!"</div><div>Ben: "Hmmm...alright, one more time."</div><div><strong>SLAM!</strong></div><div>Rachel shrieks and says, hand over her mouth muffling her voice: "Papa! It's out! It's out!"</div><div>Ben, in total disbelief: "Really? It worked? Uh oh, it's really bleeding!"</div><div> </div><div>It turns out that Ben agreed to try this because he really didn't think it would work and was not at all prepared for a bloody tooth dangling from a length of dental floss. He vowed then and there that he would not be doing anymore home dentistry and Rachel would just have to let nature takes its course next time. Well, now it's "next time" and, while Rachel hasn't said a word to Ben about pulling her loose tooth, she hasn't given up. Now she's trying to get Fiona in on it. I heard Rachel saying to Fi yesterday, "OK, it's alright if I get a bloody nose if you miss, just punch me hard, right here on this tooth." </div><div></div></div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-61261184243764846722011-02-20T18:39:00.000-08:002011-02-20T19:04:44.078-08:00Great Wolf Lodge 2011For Christmas 2009 my mom gave us a 2 night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge, and what a fabulous time it was. Matilda was 7 weeks old, and something about the place made her sleep like a rock. We all (my mom, Ben and me) took turns holding her while the others played with the big kids. It was such a great success that Mom repeated the gift for this year. It was a leeeeeetle different, but no less fun. For one thing, whatever that magic sleep potion was that made Matilda snooze the weekend away last year is gone, gone, gone. She could not be persuaded by any means to take a nap in the hotel room (all successful naps took place pool-side, in someone's arms, hence no pictures because someone was in the water while the other was holding a baby. Oh well!), and she was up and down all night, both nights. Oh, the joys of toddlerhood, when they are old enough to be interested in their surroundings. Fiona was more interested in the hot tub than anything, though the two of us had LOTS of fun on the lazy river, spending hours paddling around and around. She obediently went on a few of the big water slides, but much preferred to swim. <br /><br />Of all the kids, Rachel is at the sweet age for stuff like this. She is old enough to go around and do things by herself and she does not yet really get bored by anything. The first hour we were there she said she was going on the slides, and I thought she meant the little slides. But, after a panicked 30 minute search during which I finally alerted security (Rach showed up while I was talking to the security agent - boy did I fell dumb!!), I realized that she had gone on the really big (really fast!) slides, over and over again, all by herself. Little daredevil! But she had just as much fun swimming and playing with us in the pools, and kept right on going until she dropped. Rachel is really my party girl, and a whole lot of fun. Fiona has a much different, lower key pace, and was ready to leave much earlier. But she is easier to keep up with, that's for sure! And Matilda is entertained by anything that her sisters do, the little cutie.<br /><br />So, thanks Gramma Gail and Gramma Linda, for the fabulous weekend! We're glad you made it possible and could share in the fun with us!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-86248455443315381832011-02-20T18:27:00.000-08:002011-02-20T18:39:02.716-08:00Another difference between the first and the thirdI really could devote a whole blog to the differences between how things are with the first baby versus the third, but here's just one little example: peanut butter. For those non-parents among you, for a very small number of children peanut butter is such a dangerous allergen that it can kill them pretty much on the spot. So you are supposed to wait a year or two, or even three or more, depending on your doctor's recommendation and your own personal inclinations. Or, as it turns out, the birth order of the baby in question. It goes like this:<br /><br />Baby #1 (age 2): you offer a teeeeeny weeeeeny amount on each of several successive days until it is clear that the child is not going to have an allergic reaction.<br /><br />Baby #2 (age approx. 18 months): Oh, thank goodness you're old enough to have peanut butter. Finally! Here ya go, babe, eat up!<br /><br />Baby #3 (age 12 months): "Hey Mommy, I gave the baby my peanut butter! She really likes it!"Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-32568979687953775212011-01-12T13:44:00.000-08:002011-01-12T14:24:29.190-08:002010: The Year in ReviewAfter some months (oh, really? Well, I guess it has been few years actually…) away from blogging, I’ve decided to try to get back to it. The kids are really growing and changing so fast, it might be a good thing to get it all documented, with a few pictures thrown in, especially for grandparents and relatives far away. So, by way of a beginning, I thought I might recap the last year or so, and then move on from there. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up with it regularly, as much as I can with anything! This is a really long one, so go get a cup of coffee and make yourself comfortable…<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rQqbGe2V-UsoolfyCFTppR02JTSlTfKXCaons39GG6OFXWvn_L43GIbXErTzWo4QJOyj7N9SNwVUn-Qb-55JzPkSyqQpSO7yLcUqPos1cTiK1uEKzasF9Ang3N1DxEClzght46wv3Po/s1600/P1040789.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561424360738935218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rQqbGe2V-UsoolfyCFTppR02JTSlTfKXCaons39GG6OFXWvn_L43GIbXErTzWo4QJOyj7N9SNwVUn-Qb-55JzPkSyqQpSO7yLcUqPos1cTiK1uEKzasF9Ang3N1DxEClzght46wv3Po/s200/P1040789.JPG" /></a> <div><div><div><div><div><div><strong>2010: The Year in Review<br /></strong>Last year, as you probably know, we had our third daughter. Matilda Jane Willis was born in January (though we had rather expected she would come in December, at least that’s what all those fun little due date calculators said, Dec. 24th. She had other ideas.), so that makes a good place to begin.</div><div><br /><strong>January:</strong> 2010 began with me pregnant. I had rather expected not to be pregnant by that point, so you can imagine the mood around our house was a little tense. But we rang in the new year and I hoped fervently for some sign that I might someday soon be holding a baby. The first two weeks of the year were spent in what now seems like a rather humorous program of activities to bring labor on. Every few days I went to the chiropractor, the masseuse or the midwife. </div><div> </div><p align="left"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 197px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561421216871582546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCea97hK0A5HwwcdJq6-K0xCeM6jdCPzxrfZ-Ta9TAE1L8V48y6W2NvS1gd1v1B95BjoqoFDUUF4AWNew1QF-qiZV_YcfUhX3Ws80wAM41kGaQBZyj2GURQZ1mzQ4fr6MLm0Zg0i1BuhQ/s200/IMG_8000.JPG" /></p><div>My sister and her partner Amy had planned a trip to Michigan to meet our new baby, and it was beginning to look like they would either witness her birth, or just sit around looking at my belly. They arrived on January 15, just in time to be with us for Matilda’s birth on the following day. I will write that story and post it separately for those who like birth stories. I wrote down Rachel and Fiona’s stories, and I owe it to Tilda to do the same. It was such an amazing and precious day, but I am sure it will fade from memory and I should have it written down. Anyway, in summary, she was born at home at 7:29am on January 16, weighing 9lbs, 3 oz and 21.5 inches long. And she’s been pure joy ever since! </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrz3ZhbISUgG5ylcsAApN43kJH3hP39QyXMAiPmtTnCg-UIaHj3FSuZWE7P8yXZGOrZicfFuVjLmjIYtDRvhj7ScUJPZtXuElWPYkgv-ydj0brKmxMEpqsBemz8Gu-cZx7MA3HfgY14o/s1600/IMG_8107.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561422314389863986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrz3ZhbISUgG5ylcsAApN43kJH3hP39QyXMAiPmtTnCg-UIaHj3FSuZWE7P8yXZGOrZicfFuVjLmjIYtDRvhj7ScUJPZtXuElWPYkgv-ydj0brKmxMEpqsBemz8Gu-cZx7MA3HfgY14o/s200/IMG_8107.JPG" /></a><br /><br />The remainder of January and all of <strong>February</strong> was just a pleasant haze of new baby love. In <strong>March</strong>, when Matilda was 6 weeks old or so, we went to the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City for the weekend. This was a Christmas gift from my mom and we had a blast. The baby slept right through the whole thing, and Fiona was a little overwhelmed, but Rachel was in her element. We are planning to go again this February, so stay tuned for a post on that!<br />At the end of March we all piled in the car and drove to Oklahoma City for Spring Break. Wow, what a trip! Ben’s dad had had some very serious heart problems during the winter, and was still recovering. It was a particularly precious moment in time because all of Ben’s siblings and their children gathered with us there for Easter. Matilda was a super good traveler, just like her sisters, and we all had such a great time. </div><div> </div><div>After we returned, in <strong>April</strong>, our friends the Hales visited, and life just kept rolling along. School let out at Memorial Day and <strong>summer</strong> began. Oh boy, what a summer! It was so hot for so long, we really got a full dose of summer. Lake Michigan warmed up faster than it ever has, and we really swam as much as possible. Believe me, it is not easy to take three kids, one of them a small baby, to the beach, but we did it a lot. Rachel and Fiona were capable enough in the water that I could just sit in a chair under the umbrella, hold the baby while she slept and watch them splash around. It was really blissful. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0rfWjYqxNNhXEdZw2Dc1Z-Q0lKKr_9Aqttbu-ZAZVo2701_7pAUSDO25VekgMBuuKHULsFJdszTyjFveOXGFJlTpLAQZijrSzFxLaYpMwgAnpG5NzqX7EhrJ7m1DwLzyVUvOP1bpDh4/s1600/P1040733.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561423248344314882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0rfWjYqxNNhXEdZw2Dc1Z-Q0lKKr_9Aqttbu-ZAZVo2701_7pAUSDO25VekgMBuuKHULsFJdszTyjFveOXGFJlTpLAQZijrSzFxLaYpMwgAnpG5NzqX7EhrJ7m1DwLzyVUvOP1bpDh4/s200/P1040733.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaPMZRENd0KEDGQIZuE0J5sktXP08rJCIQs3wfJgwTlnM0WJ0yHvTSI167ti06jUWLgjuTq78Zs64aOBoy29Wl2iles5j1tJ2d0MxwVvHe4qeOXxK4GIAxqY0zpnnEieQNDnjZhwtaY4/s1600/P1040732.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561423584200582882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaPMZRENd0KEDGQIZuE0J5sktXP08rJCIQs3wfJgwTlnM0WJ0yHvTSI167ti06jUWLgjuTq78Zs64aOBoy29Wl2iles5j1tJ2d0MxwVvHe4qeOXxK4GIAxqY0zpnnEieQNDnjZhwtaY4/s200/P1040732.JPG" /></a><br /><br />At the beginning of <strong>June</strong>, Ben and I got a wild hair and decided to rip out the built in bookcases in our living room (don’t panic, they weren’t original to the house), patch our cracked and bumpy plaster walls and paint the living rooms and dining rooms. We planned to be done in time for houseguest season, which usually begins in July. Well…anyone who has been to our house in the last little while knows just how far that project got. I guess we grossly overestimated what we could get done while caring for three young children. There’s always hope for this year!<br /><br />In <strong>July</strong> we took a trip down to Ypsilanti to visit the Hales (who had been up for July 4th), and watch their daughter Kenzie in her first play. She was great, and enjoyed it so much that she was in a fall production as well. Later in July we camped with the Manchester family at Otsego Lake State Park. Ben had to work, so it was just me with the girls for 4 nights. Exhausting! I really don’t have any pictures of that week, just because my hands were so busy with other things. We had a fabulous time nevertheless and hope to make it an annual tradition. The kids are big enough now that they were allowed to roam the campground and find friends – they loved it! </div><div> </div><div>We rolled right from our camping trip to the McKinney family reunion, the first weekend in <strong>August</strong>. We hosted it in TC, and Beth and Amy came up for the occasion. The, toward the end of August, Ben’s parents visited us too. Bob was still recovering, but was so much stronger and really enjoyed the time with the kids. </div><div><br />On <strong>Labor Day</strong> weekend, a big wind storm blew in, the air temperature dropped and the lake temperature plummeted about 40 degrees. Good bye summer! School started – Rachel in 2nd grade and Fiona in her second year of 3 year old preschool. The previous year, Rachel had loved school and Fiona was not so wild about it. This year, it was the opposite. Rachel, for the first time in her life, hated school! Apparently, the fun and games are over in second grade! Her teacher this year is very, very good, and runs a very disciplined classroom. It took Rachel a few weeks to get used to her teacher’s style. Also, Rachel’s reading ability was really not up to the task. So she’s been working very hard with reading specialists and a tutor, and her work is definitely looking excellent. It was a real struggle in the beginning, but she is consistently bringing home stars, smiley faces and A plusses. We are very proud of her and how hard she has worked to turn things around. Hooray for Rachel!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFjY-nNpMIwWC9NxrvEU-Yhyphenhyphen2F3-Ijvi5pet_QVZ4LJAoKcXqrDmZ4ihu3Y65GM9INWir49u2bodZzywTeBAjBPro_akdy0n3hxnhsNy15tfgyHcWpLE7qDw8EBnQ7F3pAvrOm4vr4yY/s1600/P1040855.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 199px; HEIGHT: 201px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561424345520452258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFjY-nNpMIwWC9NxrvEU-Yhyphenhyphen2F3-Ijvi5pet_QVZ4LJAoKcXqrDmZ4ihu3Y65GM9INWir49u2bodZzywTeBAjBPro_akdy0n3hxnhsNy15tfgyHcWpLE7qDw8EBnQ7F3pAvrOm4vr4yY/s200/P1040855.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Halloween</strong> was super fun. My dad joined us for the party, as did my mom, her partner, and her partner’s mom. And Barkley the dog, of course! Matilda wore the same bumblebee costume Rachel and Fiona had worn on their first Halloweens. Rachel was a vampire (I actually made a cape for her on my sewing machine! I know, go figure…) and Fiona was a princess (not a Disney princess – I haven’t fallen that far from my principles! No, we’re talking garden variety fancy dress – Easter, Christmas and the like. I pick them up for next to nothing at Goodwill and then let her wear them to death.). Actually, Fiona has been a princess everyday for several months – she’s in that fancy dress phase. It’s getting kind of old by now, but I’m trying to go with it. She even wears dresses to bed. It can just be a little frustrating, since these phases always seem to happen right after you buy a bunch of really cute back-to-school clothes and then they won’t wear them because they aren’t a princess dress. I guess that’s what I get for letting them dress themselves. Whoever wrote that chapter about fostering independence by letting them choose their own clothes in the Little Kid Manual didn’t have girls! I’m pretty sure the Little Kid Manual was written by someone who has no children, but that is another post entirely.<br /></div><div>Back on topic… At <strong>Thanksgiving</strong> we all piled back into the car and headed to Oklahoma again. And once again had a great time. The girls get to ride horses (which Rachel loves and Fiona endures), and this time we went to the zoo. The weather was unseasonably warm during the first part of our visit, so we got a lot of good quality time outside, at parks, the barn, the zoo and so on. We returned in time to begin preparations for Rachel and Fiona’s birthday on <strong>December</strong> 3rd. Each of them had a separate party on the day in question, in addition to the cupcakes and such I felt obliged to send to school with each of them. And, to top it all off, Ben selected that week (OK, it was the only one available, but still…) to surgically end our childbearing years. What a stressful week! I think next year we’ll go somewhere else instead. At least, I know<em> I</em> will be going somewhere!!!<br /></div><div>The day after the girls’ birthday, Mom, Linda and Gramma Gramma (Linda’s mom) came down for the annual Victorian Sleighbell Festival and Parade in Manistee, as well as to celebrate with Rachel and Fiona’s. While they went to the parade, Ben and I escorted Matilda to the ER for her first ever hospital visit. Poor little thing, she touched our wood burning stove and burned her little hand. She was fine, thought nothing of it, and the burns healed in no time. She really enjoyed flirting with the hospital staff and they put a funny bandage on her hand, which kept her well entertained. Needless to say, our woodstove now has a cage around it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFGBuix3EycKH-F9x-AT5f8BwFMdolyYXAIm5zP5ogsWe8Wv1mJ24WjQakJ4kN8tfVFmPMx8WCfawqpD59FE8ybJxNSm0eErvd98ufcYx6Ho0sL8-Lvmrt2xmqqTegwlZmWRvCyfFgzc/s1600/P1040887.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561424351474360946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFGBuix3EycKH-F9x-AT5f8BwFMdolyYXAIm5zP5ogsWe8Wv1mJ24WjQakJ4kN8tfVFmPMx8WCfawqpD59FE8ybJxNSm0eErvd98ufcYx6Ho0sL8-Lvmrt2xmqqTegwlZmWRvCyfFgzc/s200/P1040887.JPG" /></a></div><div><em>I hate this @&!% BOW! Pictures for Christmas cards did not go so well...</em></div><div><br />We stayed in Michigan for <strong>Christmas</strong>, which was so magical. We had Christmas morning at our house, and then went on to my mom’s for a few days. Uncle Dan was with us, and both Rachel and Fiona felt that getting to spend time with him was the high point of their holiday. We missed the family that we could not be with, and that was the only hard part about the holidays. We rang in 2011 with a little party in the living room. Fiona and Rachel stayed up to watch the ball drop, and we played games, ate popcorn and watched a movie all snuggled on the couch. In a few years, Matilda will be able to stay up and what fun it will be then.<br /></div><div>I always love to make New Year’s resolutions, and I’m pretty good at keeping them. We’ll see how it goes, but I hope to a) take more pictures of my kids, and b) blog regularly. Wish me luck and stay tuned! </div></div></div></div></div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-70977495962853255852009-04-23T17:37:00.000-07:002009-04-23T17:44:07.425-07:00Words of Wisdom<div>Last weekend, we went with friends to a minor league baseball game. It was really fun, there were a jillion little kids there so no one noticed that ours were running up and down the steps and rough-housing with each other because all the kids were. After the game (and the girls somehow made it until the end) they had a fireworks show. It was Fiona's first time, and she was completely mesmerized. Overall, we had the time of our lives. </div><div> </div><div>Anyway, at one point Rachel had to use the little girls’ room, so we went downstairs, waited in a long line and eventually got into an open stall. It wasn’t bad, as far as baseball stadium bathrooms go, but Rachel was not impressed. She said, “Mom, this bathroom is ewey.” I agreed but, being a practical person, I replied, “Well, look on the bright side, at least it’s not an outhouse.” Rachel considered this (while still perched on the toilet) and very gravely said, “Yeah, I don’t like outhouses, ‘cuz if you fall in, you have to know how to swim…”</div><div></div><br /><div>And here's a picture of Rachel, doing her homework on (yes, that's exactly where it looks like she is) the kitchen counter...</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVEFDtCtUjnmoyuJq4hrSDwP5JtCGQNhDFy0uVyDGsM6grN-cH9FypBIjfBEHcsEYL-ax36F8yq-R_0lymJVd7o6ECqAoM4DHOEE5F0vYorTNALYmMl-Qsaw0gnDLeyHM9c9zJ7muf-M/s1600-h/P1030717.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328051171688823554" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVEFDtCtUjnmoyuJq4hrSDwP5JtCGQNhDFy0uVyDGsM6grN-cH9FypBIjfBEHcsEYL-ax36F8yq-R_0lymJVd7o6ECqAoM4DHOEE5F0vYorTNALYmMl-Qsaw0gnDLeyHM9c9zJ7muf-M/s200/P1030717.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-43118526787128411052009-04-20T10:58:00.000-07:002009-04-20T11:22:47.342-07:00Back from OKC and into the big girl bedWe are back in the beltway after our trip to OKC. We had a fabulous time there, as always. Rachel and Fiona's grandparents (these are Ben's parents) are truly lovely, kind, and generous people, and the girls and I just relax and settle in to everyday life while there. Their grandad was struggling with serious back problems, but he has since had surgery and seems to be doing really well. Thank goodness! <br /><br />While in OKC we spent a lot of time with family, we went to the zoo, rode horses, got cowgirl boots, saw Gramps and Nana (that was a big day!), and had a visit from the Easter bunny. Fiona is still talking about this, and we are still enjoying the proceeds of said visit. The weather was unpleasant much of the time - windy and cold - but the one hot day we had lead to wildfire storms that made national news. They passed just a few miles from us, and caused a lot of worry. Not to mention damage and heartbreak for the people actually impacted by them. Oh yeah, and days and days and days of local press coverage...<br /><br />While there, Fiona decided to give up her cherished privacy of her own bed (for a day or two it looked like the diapers might be a thing of the past too, but no, one thing at a time), and started climbing out of the pack-n-play and into bed with Rachel and me. What a crowd! I ended up sleeping at the end of the bed for several nights - I think I'm a few inches shorter than I was before we left! <br /><br />So I called Ben and had him take the crib down and put up the big girl bed for Fiona. The shift is going pretty well, although Fiona insists on lying on my tummy (mine, not hers, just to emphasize) to fall asleep. This has mixed results, as I get really impatient with a 30+ lb. child flopping around on me like a big fish. Rachel also is not a big fan of this new plan as it ends her 6 year reign as the sole recipient of my bed-time attentions. See, time was, I could read a book or two to Fiona and plunk her in her crib. She'd flip through a book and roll over and drop off to sleep. I would then read to Rachel and lie down *next to* her while she fell gently to sleep. So easy. Sigh...<br /><br />Rachel was supposed to take a walking field trip to the book store with her class today, but it is pouring down rain so I'm guessing they cancelled that trip. Ahhhh, I get to spend the afternoon with two kids who have been cooped up all day. Lucky me!!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-63514058210240038762009-03-15T16:12:00.000-07:002009-03-15T16:36:21.504-07:00Liar, liar, pants on fireFiona is fibbing! It's always about the same thing - poop - which, overall is a good sign, I think. Of course, a mom of a toddler in diapers will see anything as a sign that using the potty is just around the corner. But anyway, tonight I asked Fiona if she had pooped (I knew full well that she had - everyone in the house and very likely several of our neighbors knew she had - it was a bad one) and she said, "No." She's been doing this, saying "no" when you ask if she's pooped. She also hides away to do the deed. BUT, she is unable to resist the opportunity to brag about the poop, and her ability to lie isn't all that sophisticated, because if you say, "Is it a big poop, or a little poop?" she always answers proudly, "Biiiig!" But tonight she caught herself. After she told me it was big, she said, "Not 'ere, poop." I let Ben change her...<br /><br /><strong>Health Food Junky</strong><br />Rachel is taking swimming lessons. Again... She has taken them in the past, usually with disastrous results. The first time, she accidentally lost her grip on the side of the pool and slipped under water. She was never in any danger, and never has been, but from that moment on she has regarded swimming lessons as a death sentence, sure that she will not live through the half hour. We have had fits, screaming, loooots of crying, and plain old refusal to do anything but sit on the edge and watch the other kids swim. Lengthy hiatuses from lessons have had no effect. Until this time. I signed her up for lessons at the YMCA in the neighborhood, and told her that it was her tough luck, she couldn't get out of it so she might as well enjoy it. That was really what I said, and you know, she bought it. She still complains, but she is really having fun (BIG smile on her face the whole class) and doing very well. She is somehow the strongest swimmer in the class and after two classes the aquatics director has suggested that we might just move her on up to the next level. Wow! <br /><br />Anyway, I am not completely insensitive and have offered her treats after class for a job well done. After the first class we went to the chocolate shop in Del Ray. Mom had more fun there, and it was a bit pricey for a weekly treat. I was casting about for some alternative (and thinking about the cupcake shop in Old Town I'd heard about). But when Rachel made interested noises at the vending machine, I capitalized on it. So, did my dear daughter choose the granola bar? The animal crackers? The baked chips? Oh no, she chose (I can't even believe this) the TWINKIES...<br /><br />Someday she will be a total health food nut and I will taunt her with this tale. I tried one, they really are ghastly, but she snarfed down the other three in the package. She hasn't popped out with a tumor, but I'm sure it'll happen any minute.Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-47276203199441470262009-02-27T11:34:00.001-08:002009-02-27T12:01:54.489-08:00Pictures from Michigan and Other Times<div><div><div><div><div>I am such a hippy! I have been in the kitchen all morning, aside from a lovely walk to the playground. It’s very warm, 60-ish today and here’s a shot of Fiona on our way out the door.<br /><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghw0kCUF8lFSsGklC8k6ovufoHPZ18VFJg0h2VCL7UEOPsTypWcxB1zxX-FxklXDJrCmvk51Twvltw6ydAODPpPLtQqeP5mlZ9dqRZAipJr9zpQw4m_nmG8h5yvAU_K4u9SFg3GwifuiQ/s1600-h/P1030486.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307563156293110114" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghw0kCUF8lFSsGklC8k6ovufoHPZ18VFJg0h2VCL7UEOPsTypWcxB1zxX-FxklXDJrCmvk51Twvltw6ydAODPpPLtQqeP5mlZ9dqRZAipJr9zpQw4m_nmG8h5yvAU_K4u9SFg3GwifuiQ/s200/P1030486.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Don’t you love the accessories? She insisted on wearing the backpack so I had to tie it up in front so it wouldn’t pull her over backwards. But she wore it all the way to the park. </em></div><div><br />So far today, since our return from the playground, I’ve made granola, hummus, and baked tofu. Is that some hippy food, or what?? Fiona is getting pretty good at helping with the hummus, but she really got in the way with the granola so I sent her out into the backyard to play with the neighbor’s cat. They were so cute together, but something got out of hand and Fiona came in with a big scratch. But she was just in time to help me marinate the tofu (which I have since baked and it is now cooling. Baked tofu is just super yummy on salads and the kids love to munch on it). Then we ran up to the school with some gloves for Rachel (more, later, on why Rachel needs gloves on a 60 degree day), then came back and Fiona went down for her nap. So now I am taking a crack at getting our pictures of the cameras and into some sort of a blog. </div><div><br />They are so late, but here are some pictures from our trip to Michigan and Christmas. </div><div><br /> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GIyfiborI01dA79Hm-7wgdTDv_d3kzfPlaVpCU1omMaV6HHDaHFq99CHYhhEt2RvPAT6f2i-zKYQ0x7LpW5W-tbfBZ0uZvdLmrFtO6r708WyicCOrAn76rJtry5SPVaIh1_k17uhFjA/s1600-h/P1060192.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307564163341080610" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GIyfiborI01dA79Hm-7wgdTDv_d3kzfPlaVpCU1omMaV6HHDaHFq99CHYhhEt2RvPAT6f2i-zKYQ0x7LpW5W-tbfBZ0uZvdLmrFtO6r708WyicCOrAn76rJtry5SPVaIh1_k17uhFjA/s200/P1060192.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><em>Decorating our Christmas tree – Ben and Rachel found the LAST Christmas tree in the city of Manistee. It was an unclaimed tree from the Catholic Central tree sale, and they let us have it at no charge. </em></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQEDAhvpBeMrk_S3qXkUN2VRHEniECYS-Go1CEctfoDRaQnjJb_Zv7Bt9Vd8g8JeCSDEJov1a_hdsZMQAQUFbb-Sx00-Wwh2Eo1zKLb-RbFHfEEhMxXoJs0njSPNMlYItRGnWDo09AOM/s1600-h/P1060222.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307564505226064162" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQEDAhvpBeMrk_S3qXkUN2VRHEniECYS-Go1CEctfoDRaQnjJb_Zv7Bt9Vd8g8JeCSDEJov1a_hdsZMQAQUFbb-Sx00-Wwh2Eo1zKLb-RbFHfEEhMxXoJs0njSPNMlYItRGnWDo09AOM/s200/P1060222.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Reading on Christmas Eve</em> </div><div><br /> </div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6SWFcxkJw2n-vNoLXFhknUShoB5fspuXvdWDbBIesToeb_NG3IBErgqhU34npeUFQgFLBC4VMzBWQlaCP-pPEyFb9yF29yJXeLwePYF-0CYIzc9YPJXvp_QX7oY4TZViBW4x2tIf8Dw/s1600-h/P1060257.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307565043903870226" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6SWFcxkJw2n-vNoLXFhknUShoB5fspuXvdWDbBIesToeb_NG3IBErgqhU34npeUFQgFLBC4VMzBWQlaCP-pPEyFb9yF29yJXeLwePYF-0CYIzc9YPJXvp_QX7oY4TZViBW4x2tIf8Dw/s200/P1060257.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Christmas Morning – playing with the loot!</em> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtfqAxD9YFWM06pvGVY_B2k-ct6cOJBD1xNannRrGQI1BAhf_P0Hg7id7QPUMAoS_d6c07XMVrH-9KX6lMp1qNfTWWix-ran-DfjH5wvg4aFW2VndQDDwku59Bxin1cYLJy9yV-If2Y8/s1600-h/P1060245.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307565284771279106" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtfqAxD9YFWM06pvGVY_B2k-ct6cOJBD1xNannRrGQI1BAhf_P0Hg7id7QPUMAoS_d6c07XMVrH-9KX6lMp1qNfTWWix-ran-DfjH5wvg4aFW2VndQDDwku59Bxin1cYLJy9yV-If2Y8/s200/P1060245.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Peace on Earth…</em> </div><div><br /><br />Here are a few other pictures of the girls since the holidays...</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwphgotDuGfPxAp95KoenTrCEf3La8CBMrkiKVRtyOWnhBNCxU18kIF0Iz6H7-nMvkCQkoHxJUSSHgrg0yG3InQYm8UG2-AvFdGv9rLzY1dbKrA3hp9jVfDSL0kgK304eHE8KjigaGIQ/s1600-h/P1030418.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307566546135251810" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwphgotDuGfPxAp95KoenTrCEf3La8CBMrkiKVRtyOWnhBNCxU18kIF0Iz6H7-nMvkCQkoHxJUSSHgrg0yG3InQYm8UG2-AvFdGv9rLzY1dbKrA3hp9jVfDSL0kgK304eHE8KjigaGIQ/s200/P1030418.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Rachel at the zoo with some friends</em></div><div><em></em><br /> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7kgLdpCtury8yAQsTG6Ev_I_VMmLlStTK8n_sPtB5LMxBnKvCUPcL54f57Af2ALidD4xKu9UCWG0c1x4VTHjtqBOcSPcWLH8pikcXfUfP9XY3AqA0_ePNGZgbCTYqOx65tk4INkrELs/s1600-h/P1030430.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307566719890902306" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7kgLdpCtury8yAQsTG6Ev_I_VMmLlStTK8n_sPtB5LMxBnKvCUPcL54f57Af2ALidD4xKu9UCWG0c1x4VTHjtqBOcSPcWLH8pikcXfUfP9XY3AqA0_ePNGZgbCTYqOx65tk4INkrELs/s200/P1030430.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><em>Fiona during the big snowfall of '09 - the 1.5" that closed school!</em></div><div><em></em><br /> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NfE8x6Rup8kQv1nI3J_Wc50kYGwe_0npQ0s8U7qU5VAzciLRUp4oBhXKP8AyaGLJQ7alsfuM-dfSipSoSw97mUu-SqgEgNR0fmcN7CmzEXJbcDde7eQJqEJW2wgYILYjmtA1AOyAD5I/s1600-h/P1030440.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307567059824912242" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NfE8x6Rup8kQv1nI3J_Wc50kYGwe_0npQ0s8U7qU5VAzciLRUp4oBhXKP8AyaGLJQ7alsfuM-dfSipSoSw97mUu-SqgEgNR0fmcN7CmzEXJbcDde7eQJqEJW2wgYILYjmtA1AOyAD5I/s200/P1030440.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><em>The girls and their friends at Mt. Vernon on Presidents' Day</em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><br />OK, time to go start cleaning up from my cooking spree. Then I have to make the whole wheat pizza crust. It’s pizza night at the Willis’, don’t ya know?!? That's after we pick Rachel up from the Environmental Kids' Club, of course. They are going to clean up the playground, hence the gloves for Rachel on a 60 degree day. OK, I have really stopped laughing my head off now. I sound so earthy crunchy! If Ben keeps eating this food (which he actually doesn’t, of course) he’s going to grow his beard really long and start wearing sandals! </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-31071513920113599932009-02-05T12:57:00.000-08:002009-02-05T13:05:07.941-08:00Unthinkable! (or, maybe, Unpinkable!)Today, I was at Costco and they had some really cute outfits at, of course, good prices. So Fiona helped me pick out one for each girl. I passed up a couple of ensembles I really liked for Rachel because they lacked a certain, well, feminine flair that we all know appeals to Rachel. We finally settled on one that was pretty frilly, but not screaming pink - a good compromise, I thought.<br /><br />Well, I had the outfit hanging up, waiting for Rachel when she got home. She took one look at it and said, "I don't like it. It's too girly." Whaaaaat??????Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-28805075015004561002009-01-16T10:47:00.000-08:002009-01-16T11:16:04.261-08:00Rachel has a pet!Yes, it's true. Last week at church (now, I'm still not sure what sort of spiritual meaning this has, but anyway...) the kids in the 5-year-old class made worm houses. So each kid came home with 2 worms of their very own. I cringed when I saw this, not sure what life would be like with a 2-year-old and a big container of dirt, but I was a good sport and went along with it. My idea of donating the worms to the garden at Rachel's school was a non-starter, so it seems were stuck with these guys for a while. <br /><br />But it's been fun. Our earthy friends seem to have found a spot in the middle of our dining room table, as the kids love to observe them during meals. The container is clear plastic so we can see them periodically, and once in a while they come to the surface. They say a child needs to hear a word 500 times before they can use it, but not in this case. Fiona took one look at Rachel's new pets and said "MERM!" She's a big fan, and keeps up with them the most. Rachel enjoys renaming them every few days, first "Earth" and "Worm" and then we've moved on to things like "Squirmy" and "Wormy" and other such appropriate monikers. In general I'd say the worms are working out better than our friends' hermit crabs. Santa brought our friend Kenzie a hermit crab for Christmas, which barely survived the new year. <br /><br />Perhaps it was the hunk it took out of Rachel that poisoned it, or perhaps it was an overdose of love, but it died. And so did the poor guy that succeeded it. My heart goes out to Kenzie though, cuz she is sad about her hermit crabs. Anyway, I wasn't sorry to see the first one go, after the vicious attack it laid on on my daughter. We were at the Hales' for New Year's Eve, and the girls were holding the crab. Rachel had it in her hand and all of a sudden she started SCREAMING at the top of her lungs. We rushed to her, and thank god for Aileen's level head. While I was laughing my head off (OK, this is not my proudest moment, so it's amazing I am confessing it here for all to read, but for some reason when I saw that little crab clinging to my kid's hand with all its might, it just struck me funny. Really funny.), so while I was trying to paste on a straight and sympathetic face and tend to my daughter, Aileen was doing the right thing. She rushed Rachel to the bathroom and put her hand (with crab firmly attached) under running water. This caused the crab to let go, revealing a pretty small but deep dent in Rachel's little hand. We washed and bandaged it, and Rachel milked it for all the sympathy she could for a week.<br /><br />Aileen has rescued me from these situations before, times when I was busy laughing my head off over some minor injury or transgression. Like, for instance, the time when Rachel was three and she peed and pooped in the shed and then blamed it on our dog. When we discovered the mess, and Rachel very earnestly pointed the finger at Tulo, I began laughing so hard I had to go inside the house while Aileen had Rachel help "clean up" and talked to her about why we don't poop in sheds and blame it on the family dog. Thank goodness for true friends!<br /><br />OK, so it's time for me to sign off and get Rachel from school. We have a 4-day weekend ahead, since both MLK Day and Inauguration day are government holidays. My sister and her friend are coming to celebrate the inauguration with us. And celebrate we will! Oh, Happy, Happy Day!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-40128722548559865262009-01-06T10:18:00.001-08:002009-01-06T10:20:25.068-08:00May lightning strike me...I found an apostrophe error in my most recent post...<br />Ugh, it'll haunt me forever.<br /><br />Forgive me, everyone!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-90686400758105295012009-01-06T09:33:00.000-08:002009-01-06T10:16:35.334-08:00Hello again!Happy New Year to all! We are back in the beltway after our holiday adventures, Rachel is back in school, and Fiona has graduated to the 2-year-old playgroup. I think my last post was after Halloween (I hope there are still a few readers out there - add a comment, or send me a message so that I know you're still reading), so I'll just give a quick recap of our activities since then. November was a blur, lots of days off school and not a lot of real excitement. We had a truly lovely Thanksgiving with our friends Bill and Patti and their kids. For those who don't know, Patti and I have been friends since kindergarten. She and Bill live in Delaware, have 3 kids who are tweens and teens, and they invited us to share Thanksgiving with them. Patti could teach Martha Stewart a thing or two, and the meal, the table, her kids (and my kids too, believe it or not!!) were just perfect. It was a really beautiful day, and we are so grateful for their friendship and the invitation.<br /><br />The Sunday after Thanksgiving, we rushed Fiona off to the ER for a suspected broken thumb (an almost tragic toilet seat accident...) where she must have picked up the virus that hit her hard, right on her birthday. Poor little thing, she was soooo sick. High, high fever was the most worrisome symptom, and it lasted for 6 days. In the meantime, we had a nice visit from my sister and her friend Amy (and their 2 dogs, Jackson and Beebles). We gave Beth the virus, and then, once Fiona was feeling better, Rachel came down with it. Unfortunately, Rachel ALSO got the stomach virus going around at school at the same time. And then, after the fifth day of a really high fever (and by high, I mean 104 - 105) and 2 trips to the Dr., I called them again and they had me take her to the ER. After a NINE HOUR visit with the fine staff of the Fairfax ER, we learned that she also had a urinary tract infection that was prolonging and elevating her fever. And indeed, within 6 hours of the mega-dose of antibiotics they gave her, she was feeling much better.<br /><br />Ten consecutive days of illness (poor kids, and also, lets hear it - poor mom!) meant that Rachel didn't get to have her birthday party, or really much of a celebration at all, but she was really OK with it all. We were planning to have a "Pajama party" with everything but the sleeping. All her party guests were really looking forward to it, but we had to postpone once, and then finally cancel. <br /><br />The week after they recovered, we left for Michigan. We had good driving conditions, but when we got to Manistee there was TONS of snow. It was so exciting! Of course, the good people of Manistee were much less excited about it than we were, because the white stuff had been dumping down on them since opening day of deer season (Nov. 15). In fact, by the time the holiday break rolled around, they had had FIVE snow days. FIVE! That's a record, I'm sure, and you know they don't call off school for just anything up there. We got some pictures of the kids in snow piles and things like that, which I will post on my next entry, along with a complete description of our holidays. It'll be very exciting, including an account of a vicious hermit crab attack, so stay tuned! Probably sometime later this week or early next. Ah, it's great to be back in the saddle again! Cheers!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-3414449827071019302008-11-05T10:02:00.000-08:002008-11-05T11:09:31.599-08:00Halloween 2008<div><div><div><div><div><div>Halloween is supposed to be a holiday of surprises, but more of the "BOO!" variety. In our family, though, it seems to be of the Surprise Family Visit variety. Last year (2007), Ben showed up in Manistee unannounced (at least as far as the girls were concerned) to spend Halloween with us, and this year it was the Grandmas who showed up on our doorstep! Seriously! Grandma Gail and Grandma Linda decided they missed us soooooo much that they just had to jump in the van (with the dog, of course) and come our way. Mercifully, Ben shared the news with me beforehand (though they had sworn him to secrecy) but we did not tell the girls. Fiona was confused, but since all of life is pretty confusing these days, she just took it all in stride. Also, it was the dog that she was really excited about - the Grandmas were just transportation for Barkley, and therefore appreciated. Rachel, however, had the biggest surprise of all...</div><div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Mystery Reader</strong></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6-KzE4L3j2PTc5rAljA8nSD_KQ-V3XZsYdHG-TJS1nrn6wmEPpqSJzjyFSn71BDCpk6G18TYHjrtEp5MTw3um62PzH6XchrQvpz5vGQ2zJlapbTRPrSNoS4US2sppuAKHtuXoG0UNgE/s1600-h/P1030267.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265246655370609618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6-KzE4L3j2PTc5rAljA8nSD_KQ-V3XZsYdHG-TJS1nrn6wmEPpqSJzjyFSn71BDCpk6G18TYHjrtEp5MTw3um62PzH6XchrQvpz5vGQ2zJlapbTRPrSNoS4US2sppuAKHtuXoG0UNgE/s200/P1030267.JPG" border="0" /></a>A few weeks ago I had signed Ben up to be the Mystery Reader for Rachel's class on Friday afternoon. This is a weekly event, on Friday afternoons, in which a parent comes in to read to the class. Only the room mother, who organizes this event, knows who will be reading. The kids love it, and Rachel had asked me several times when one of us was going to be reading. So Ben took Grandma Gail along with him, and they shared the reading fun. Rachel was beside herself with joy, and the whole class caught her excitement. They were all apparently thrilled that Grandma was here, and you can tell from the many pictures Rachel took during the reading, that there was much bouncing up and down and general merriment.</div><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYAu5Rg2rNS9rmxA6xZuImp-pL1i0kSeyjmieebG5Rvxy8nolNtcE0GETwWT2kcgZcV1yZPrpxZfaWNJqdpnc3T9q8_Du2XrrsRqW1Ej-jK75wVRZUbo9u-gZhKJVOwioCBd8GLPxTZg/s1600-h/P1030283.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265247105519114162" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYAu5Rg2rNS9rmxA6xZuImp-pL1i0kSeyjmieebG5Rvxy8nolNtcE0GETwWT2kcgZcV1yZPrpxZfaWNJqdpnc3T9q8_Du2XrrsRqW1Ej-jK75wVRZUbo9u-gZhKJVOwioCBd8GLPxTZg/s200/P1030283.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Trick or Treat</strong><br /></div><div>After reading, Rachel, Grandma Linda and Barkley walked home together, took a little nap, then we had a simple dinner, and got ready for trick or treating. Rachel was a fairy, and Fiona was a mouse. We headed out at about 6:30, and it didn't take long for the street to fill up with kids. It </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKf_Whu_79QvavPepCkw6-7DaSbx8KCXKQ6mW_9EdgF3bOKFYZHd3nbTnPau8rUaJlQGgLf4Y9-hUBRiCGxlU6hRi-vxbwcjHN6CMc-L5fWv024gmlEcx-si65kZ9Im_2JfIURXvQhxA/s1600-h/P1030289.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265250564295132322" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKf_Whu_79QvavPepCkw6-7DaSbx8KCXKQ6mW_9EdgF3bOKFYZHd3nbTnPau8rUaJlQGgLf4Y9-hUBRiCGxlU6hRi-vxbwcjHN6CMc-L5fWv024gmlEcx-si65kZ9Im_2JfIURXvQhxA/s200/P1030289.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>also didn't take long for Fiona to figure out what this Halloween gig was all about. She watched Rachel, the old pro, go up to a door, knock, holler "TRICK OR TREAT!", hold out the candy bag, and get the goods. Well, after two houses Fiona took over. She proudly carried her bag up to the door, knocked, did not say the words, but held out her bag. Then, following Rachel's polite example, "Thank you (which sounds more like Di Doo)" and "Buh-bye."<br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265248956811307954" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRpRc58JUbQ48s7IUa6K-DgofiYHpV_s_bbnkjXG9AR2k86BT4-KtdtOKXIGXTQuA6lI5yYUiX81auT2C6_MvJnRcCcmI3zPaL4RaWiFxmuUjunijf48cs0OMUBMVpF1i9sC-Nyo1afY/s200/P1030296.JPG" border="0" /><br /></div><div>For some reason, I gave them each really large bags. Rachel didn't have too much trouble, but Fiona's was much too big for her. Nevertheless, she insisted on carrying hers, <em>All By Herself</em>, thank you very much. As it got heavier (we ended up going 3 blocks up our street, then all the way back on the other side - a good stretch for a toddler, I'd say), she had to hold it up and out, away from her body. This caused some strain on her muscles, and she began to complain of pain in her chest, near her arms. I offered many times to carry it, but Fiona flat-out refused, saying quite firmly, "Mine, MINE, <strong>MINE</strong>!" </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Rachel was off and away immediately. Ben accompanied her, as she quickly outpaced Fiona and me. Especially when we happened along some of her friends from school. They took off together, leaving parents to just try to keep up. We all ended up back at home, happy and tired. Our neighborhood is perfect for Halloween, and we all had fun, but I was expecting a lot more visitors, so we had a lot of leftover candy.<br /></div><div> </div><div> </div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJH_hifEXmc8NIQ11QqvZ9clnk_rqil6fSMVHhnV70Yc9XhE33LUwe_oRjpHh_tHB2_u71slFgTaKB7gfM_-X5SoC_jv65Lpv9tWXJEUtnBuaAIjaQpLB8sB4GE6Wq-ZWWmCSsgHQcEg/s1600-h/P1030302.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265249570349139090" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJH_hifEXmc8NIQ11QqvZ9clnk_rqil6fSMVHhnV70Yc9XhE33LUwe_oRjpHh_tHB2_u71slFgTaKB7gfM_-X5SoC_jv65Lpv9tWXJEUtnBuaAIjaQpLB8sB4GE6Wq-ZWWmCSsgHQcEg/s200/P1030302.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><strong></strong> </div><div> </div><div><strong>The Rest of the Weekend</strong><br /></div><div>...passed much too quickly, of course. On Saturday I did my last long run before next week's half marathon on the Outer Banks. Then we went to IKEA in the afternoon, and Five Guys for dinner. Everyone should have a Five Guys burger before they die, so you can call to arrange your visit when you're done reading! On Sunday, we went to church, and Mom and I spent the afternoon just hanging out together, goign to various local shops including the Crate and Barrel Outlet. The girls and Barkley had a great time, playing and walking and generally being kids together. They left Monday morning, and the house was very empty after they were gone. I kept Rachel and Fiona home Monday, then Rachel didn't have school on Tuesday for election day. So, today was our first day back to our normal schedule. And oh, what a happy, happy day it is...</div></div></div></div></div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-71688338773211021942008-10-30T10:34:00.001-07:002008-10-30T10:43:34.301-07:00If you can’t beat ‘em (which, of course, you can’t)……then you might as well join them. At least that’s what we’ve finally decided about Fiona and her sleep habits. Really, I am using the word “sleep” very loosely, because she has never slept well. We’ve tried everything from letting her cry it out to giving her bendryl. And nothing has worked. Sooooo… we decided to give in and accept the fact that, despite what my mother and all the other sleep experts out there say, the girl just doesn’t need as much sleep as other toddlers, and learn to enjoy getting up at FOUR AM! Or, if she’s sleeping until 6am, that hour or so that she spends awake at 2am. It’s always been either or. Either we get up somewhere between four and five o’clock in the morning, or we rock her back to sleep in the earlier hours of the morning. <br /><br />For awhile it was a family affair. Ben (who has sleep habits that resemble Fiona’s) is getting up with her. Thank goodness, because after a year and a half of this nonsense, I was losing my good humor with the program. Anyway, Ben and Fiona would get up and go downstairs and share a cup of coffee, a cup of milk, and an Atkins bar. Well, I finally had to put the kabosh on the whole “bar” thing, because it didn’t take Fiona long to figure out that when she woke up, she got to have a yummy chocolate bar. So she would wake up at four o’clock or so ("or so" being the operating concept here), and before her eyes were fully open, she was calling out, “Baarrr, baaarrr…” It was her most clearly, carefully pronounced word, believe me! And, of course, it didn’t take long for Rachel to get in on the act too. Rachel, who has slept the dead for a good 12 hours a night for a couple of years now (thank goodness we have one good sleeper! Besides me, I’m a good sleeper, honest I am, I just need a CHANCE…), a sleep that usually would not be disturbed by a 24 piece brass band, would somehow spring instantly awake at Fiona’s first “Baaarrr!” So, we would <em>all</em> be awake at FOUR AM eating Atkins bars (the girls) and drinking a LOT of coffee (Ben and me). Ben thought this was kinda fun, but I could NOT see how it could come to a happy conclusion, so I put an end to Atkins bars at FOUR AM. Fiona still wakes up ridiculously early, Ben still gets up with her, but Rachel again sleeps until I cajole/threaten/harrass her little behind out of bed at 6:45. <br /><br />So, we have a resolution of sorts, to the whole non-sleep thing. We, the adults, have finally decided to be happy about what we have been doing all along, which is getting up with Fiona at absurd hours. She will certainly grow up to become one of those people who needs very little sleep, and therefore accomplishes a great deal. President Fiona… kind of has a ring to it, eh?<br /><br /><strong>First Field Trips and Other Adventures</strong><br />Last week, (again, all of you who knew me 20 years ago, pause to remember…) I chaperoned Rachel’s first field trip. Fiona and I went along with our three Kindergarten classes on their trip to the pumpkin patch. This was no ordinary pumkin patch either. They had a “playground” with about 20 giant Halloween-themed play structures on steroids: giant (really giant, like 2 stories high) slides, tunnels, trains, hay heaps; they also had hayrides (well, tractor rides, as there was no hay and no horses of course) through a spooky woods and a petting zoo. There were about 5 other schools there on fields trips, and I have to say, it was lunacy. Fun lunacy, but lunacy nevertheless. The kids got to pick out a little pumpkin on the way out the gate, just to preserve the illusion of the pumkin patch. I learned 2 important things about field trips: 1) sign your husband up also/instead of yourself and, if that fails, 2) leave the toddler at home! Fiona had fun, but she was always going in the opposite direction of the 3 kindergarteners of whom I was in charge. And of course, none of them was going in the same directions as the others, either. <br /><br />So, after that exhausting adventure (pictures after halloween, I promise), I fortunately had a chance to rest up. I had… drum roll, please… a WEEKEND AWAY!! A whole 36 hours with which to do exactly and only what I wanted. Wow! I took the train to Richmond, VA and met up with my dear, dear sister. We walked (a lot!) and talked (a lot!) and had a generally awesome time. We took the walking tour of Richmond, the canal tour, went shoe shopping, went to a few museums, found a couple of yarn shops (of course!), went to the farmers’ market, spent the afternoon eating and eating and eating at a fabulous Ethiopian restaurant and so on. I can’t believe how much we did! And somehow, it was really relaxing despite all this crazy activity. And, at the end, I was ready to go home to my wonderful family, and they were happy to see me (especially my wonderful, wonderful husband!!). <br /><br />And now, we are all ready for Halloween. The pumkins are carved, the costumes (fairy and mouse) all laid out, the candy bought, and the plans laid. Oh, I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but we’ll have fun! I promise, pictures next week! Happy Halloween to all!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-7370133939322841802008-10-08T07:25:00.000-07:002008-10-08T07:32:23.535-07:00I knew it couldn't lastI must have spoken to soon! Yesterday (remember, everyone, The Perfect Day?) went a little off the skids, I have to say. After school, Rachel was positively mutinous and had to spend much time in her bedroom contemplating her choices (you know, like giving the stroller a good hard push and letting it go down a hill - with her sister in it. And then she locked me out of the house...). <br /><br />Then, around the time I was making dinner (which turned out to be quite yummy for everyone but me - after all, it was still the perfect day), I started to feel a bit off. By bedtime, I was in the grips of a rather unpleasant flu. Still feeling very under the weather, with a fever, headache, and chills. Yuck! Next time I have a Perfect Day, I won't crow about it to the world, eh? This oughta teach me!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-76970829491098166132008-10-07T09:12:00.000-07:002008-10-07T09:40:27.017-07:00Ahhhh... The Perfect DayNow, most days I feel like I'm riding a runaway train straight towards a cliff. Usually, the kids and I look like one of those cartoons in which everyone is running in all different directions, usually right into the other guys. At least, it feels that way in my head. But not today! We started off with a sleep-in: Fiona slept until 5:50 am! We got up, got our coffee, etc. and about an hour later gently woke Rachel. Breakfast was prepared, but she got ready for school first, ate like a truck driver, and then finished the last few details before we all happily exited the house promptly at 7:45 am. No yelling, no whining, no fuss of any kind. Off to school with a skip, a smile and clothes that match! Yeah for us!<br /><br />Fiona and I then went for a 4-mile run, again no whining, only considerable complaining on my part while I pushed the stroller up, up, up that long hill on Russell Road. Then back home, whereupon I took up my Tuesday chores (inspired by my friend Phuong, who seems to be in a good mood all the time, I have put myself on a daily chores schedule). And this is where the miracle happened. For an hour, I cleaned while Fiona kept herself busy with a variety of clever diversions provided by dear old mom. An hour, a whole hour! Usually I start cleaning, or whatever, and expect the girls to find something to do to keep <em>themselves</em> busy. But, after almost 6 years at this gig, I am finally getting smarter. So, this time, I was ready with a few tricks up my sleeve. Fiona drew with crayons, then I got out the playdough, then the beads for her to sort through. Then, of course, she read to herself for a good 15 minutes. Done with the chores! Yeah for Mom!<br /><br />Now, things are going so well, that by this time it's only 10am. So we grab an apple (healthy snack! I am sooo on a roll this morning!) and head to the park. Fiona walked the whole way, about 1/4 of a mile or so, stopping only to pretend she was a crossing guard stopping traffic. Now, that was cute, and will please our real crossing guard no end to know she has inspired someone. So, to the park. We played in the sand box until Fiona threw a handful of sand down my shirt - again! This is her new trick. Whenever I am not paying careful attention, she crams a fistful of sand right down my shirt. Of course, she thinks this is hysterical, as do the other moms and nannies. And because they are laughing, I am laughing and cannot properly correct Fiona's rather funny bad behavior. So she thinks it's a great idea and keeps doing it. At this point we usually go play on the slides or something.<br /><br />After the park, we came back home, where I prepared a nutritious lunch with representatives from each food group (gosh, anyone feeling queasy yet? I am so good, it's sickening!), which we ate vast quantities of, before happily toddling off to what I hope will be a 2.5 hour nap. And here we are! I am feeling so smug about this day that I am beginning to look over my shoulder. It's going too well!<br /><br /><strong>One last note...</strong><br />Anyone who has known me for at least the past 20 years (or has seen pictures/heard stories from that era) will probably get a big chuckle out of the news that last night was my first ever PTA meeting. Yes, I am a card carrying member of the PTA now. What next? After today, who knows!<br /><br />All this perfection has worn me out completely and I must go take a little cat nap!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-35480633733203055202008-10-01T10:14:00.000-07:002008-10-07T09:12:37.171-07:00Dash for Dad<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252240408328086914" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D6dmGPQwINkntY9nnft2yF4Nl4J3vZnNvlHPeYTgeW2-qKLlKvwJ0R-kXvp4cfnoyt0O4WO3TZeZDNREzrbVgUmST5mVndfZUP7-GiXtCPVR39jTOGZOwFjkS5kPZq7kvT-aW-jc9BA/s200/P1030181.JPG" border="0" />On Sunday, I ran in the first annual Dash for Dad, a 10K road race to benefit an organization working on prevention/cure for prostate cancer. My dad was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, and Sunday was his birthday, so I thought it a fitting birthday gift/tribute. The girls both got up early (like, 5:15 am - on a Sunday! What's with that?!?) so Ben and I packed them up and headed out. They had fun waiting for me while I ran, and were there to cheer me across the finish line. It's such an inspiration to have them there, and gives me a good reason to smile as I cross the finish line. Goodness knows, my finish time was not making me smile, but I ended up 5th out of 13 in my age group, and 46th out of 172 women over all. So, not a total loss and I had fun. I do love to race, you know? Rachel also seems to thrive on the race atmosphere, and Fiona and Ben are mostly just hoping it's over soon! Above right, I am waving at the girls as I cross the line, and below, the girls are waiting, waiting, waiting... <div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div></div><div><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252242438176930082" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrHRAU_HEM4p_3v9pWyHOVqgIEs0Dp_rvI4BvAfWzBaSLiHLRHlzZWw7KueyM6d2RUf9jbOaSydH-HfrHJYqLLpTE1tGjc0eAI2IKNM3yXr6RAdTAXT94hplcWC-6gkABJkU-Y4l3Fa0/s200/P1030179.JPG" border="0" /></em><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CKSkJ0MGwaF0bLoPuCMP3CDp2bPqSUdaZyimt-owDljNyFrRcpoY29Oqs7xTDw0XRE-uhPBqYXPaygQ4RhxcKNZjO3wUlXLZl0I6OBNCt7422I_P6cfJxyR3It3xg4UUJFV-U0r1y1M/s1600-h/P1030076.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252241747442935538" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CKSkJ0MGwaF0bLoPuCMP3CDp2bPqSUdaZyimt-owDljNyFrRcpoY29Oqs7xTDw0XRE-uhPBqYXPaygQ4RhxcKNZjO3wUlXLZl0I6OBNCt7422I_P6cfJxyR3It3xg4UUJFV-U0r1y1M/s200/P1030076.JPG" border="0" /></a> Friday after school, Rachel's friend Grace came over for a playdate and dinner. They had a great time, playing dress-up, and making a considerable amount of art. Here's something Rachel did.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Saturday, we kept trying to get out of the house to do something fun (like Air & Space Museum again), but every time Ben got off the phone it was nap and/or meal time. How aggravating! For no one more than Ben, I must say. Anyway, we finally made our escape in the late afternoon, going down to the river to feed the ducks. Not very original, but fun nevertheless. We also played in the "sandbox," a beach volleyball court in the park. </div><div><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_AYm31kB1NoDHm9hpoLWXC_xJgP209TW3ba76lpHbKXeCVlUZ1lP7m_QkEQrGHHDefimPTwmSazLaj5VKR-70Y7GIsn7rI3VxNaM_0K8_WFUHRV3qwhIlxoh70OLOjG_zkJ2-KI9WyM/s1600-h/P1030135.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252242197442839074" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_AYm31kB1NoDHm9hpoLWXC_xJgP209TW3ba76lpHbKXeCVlUZ1lP7m_QkEQrGHHDefimPTwmSazLaj5VKR-70Y7GIsn7rI3VxNaM_0K8_WFUHRV3qwhIlxoh70OLOjG_zkJ2-KI9WyM/s200/P1030135.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqfBoGONi69j3m6N4ISzsssydzCr22Sc8oliMnh3PgHDzYrGIVz0KdmgmU96dnBdsXoEROdCJeX5YTu75vpgqxPtW4-HXjCNadAadqvVA78garwCCS662gpPl6iN_N7948-YloNpgXb4/s1600-h/P1030099.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252241906739922290" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqfBoGONi69j3m6N4ISzsssydzCr22Sc8oliMnh3PgHDzYrGIVz0KdmgmU96dnBdsXoEROdCJeX5YTu75vpgqxPtW4-HXjCNadAadqvVA78garwCCS662gpPl6iN_N7948-YloNpgXb4/s200/P1030099.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="right"><strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong>Kiss me, girl!</strong></p><p align="left">Everyone knows Rachel is the kissiest, huggiest girl on the planet, but Fiona is getting in on the act now too. She has recently discovered the power of the kiss. And boy, is she wielding it! She is all over everyone with those lips, and those arms, and she is NOT always gentle about it. She gives kisses to everything that she likes: me, Rachel, Maggie (cat), Ben, airplanes in the sky, other kids on the street, the TV, yummy food, you name it. And speaking of TV, Fiona has also discovered Thomas the Train. When the TV is off, she points to it and says "doo doo" which is "choo choo" and really gets upset when she can't watch it. She also gets a big kick out of playing with the train table at playgroup. And she even made a "choo choo" out of her big Lego blocks. It's an obsession. Now all we need are some Thomas books and we'll be all set!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpIYYdumkuraJNBBmWYZjMZpD8y8j49JZA8135Qu5edJ1RSvFHf4qPx8NVksh87HapMxjdnHNbe2G0I469vPerCD8Gqnf0e_WkjQbZ9bksuNiU6O3_etPj9wSWcrkZ6B6EjxhtZ7N2NI/s1600-h/P1030074.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252242731148380050" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpIYYdumkuraJNBBmWYZjMZpD8y8j49JZA8135Qu5edJ1RSvFHf4qPx8NVksh87HapMxjdnHNbe2G0I469vPerCD8Gqnf0e_WkjQbZ9bksuNiU6O3_etPj9wSWcrkZ6B6EjxhtZ7N2NI/s200/P1030074.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbm56RLVSloEXSUMNmBHU7C0_EoDn3xpALEVXXbFgbiSNjHBTiaOZz6UPluyrFg3kb8scb1hgOVpA6r-tnA2ENHDi-uqifPIZ5YlUa7fm0w0sk0DrgcQcLs0eTc2lnUvKqUwgACWIbVQ4/s1600-h/P1030199.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252242622235791730" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbm56RLVSloEXSUMNmBHU7C0_EoDn3xpALEVXXbFgbiSNjHBTiaOZz6UPluyrFg3kb8scb1hgOVpA6r-tnA2ENHDi-uqifPIZ5YlUa7fm0w0sk0DrgcQcLs0eTc2lnUvKqUwgACWIbVQ4/s200/P1030199.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em>Above, Fiona is watching Thomas the Train (lazy bones! I thought this was funny, because I am so used to Rachel's aerobic TV viewing habits), and at right is the "choo choo" she made yesterday. I should say that she did this with absoluetely no influence or help from me. It is a 100% original creation. </em></p></div></div></div></div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-5628708412961754882008-09-26T10:19:00.000-07:002008-09-26T11:05:37.021-07:00Must…blog…must…blog…<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqyrM1_JCkpZle1uAXOEvyHkoDTqkJBg-0nGPK9SlrJRwxTZKG1FQFGz65OWeYX0f14EYxKXOnB9A3w3RyQS5VcRKixOjH8h0YL6ow6f7fjhUth4LrC-_LGIMxMrPAirB47DzvXi8mfQ/s1600-h/P1030027.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250392009104351458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqyrM1_JCkpZle1uAXOEvyHkoDTqkJBg-0nGPK9SlrJRwxTZKG1FQFGz65OWeYX0f14EYxKXOnB9A3w3RyQS5VcRKixOjH8h0YL6ow6f7fjhUth4LrC-_LGIMxMrPAirB47DzvXi8mfQ/s200/P1030027.JPG" border="0" /></a> This was me, murmuring in my sleep last night. It’s been hanging over my head, worrying me. As if there are multitudes out there, wondering where in the world the updates are. Ha! As if. Anyway, what keeps me so busy that I can’t blog more? We just keep going along, day to day - school, playgroup, playdates, school, playgroup, playdates… and so on, and so on.<br /><br />I have lots of new pictures of the girls, and maybe I’ll just put them up and let them lead the way. The first picture was taken by Rachel. She's getting pretty good at pictures, has her Aunt Beth's eye. We were hanging out, waiting for cousin Katie to come over, and Rachel was snapping pictures left and right. Here are a few more (one to prove Rachel may be a budding photog, but she's still a kid).<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rrTzguCSEuWED8-LAzW6J1MquPPtzrSCHVk6muAVCpQoT9ROuKX03obQZmo0BfWffMVFdfWDIFF0RjQPWK0O7XWGkUF5Xql52HiMc4cx46GCoFF9VlluoihkzvHzmhbBBwk9-78R9-A/s1600-h/P1030033.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250383653076565474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rrTzguCSEuWED8-LAzW6J1MquPPtzrSCHVk6muAVCpQoT9ROuKX03obQZmo0BfWffMVFdfWDIFF0RjQPWK0O7XWGkUF5Xql52HiMc4cx46GCoFF9VlluoihkzvHzmhbBBwk9-78R9-A/s200/P1030033.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiai9M72eR1kTeoP9FyPwNpiShqEvoP63FxvLbyNZOjwKG52O_c6IZa8AqvJ7mgECke3l-tyJRiL6dvmGfNComz74oen_r06adySv9NLdLEm2-9ry7INWCxSlLs3N_TSBaKSRr4IECE-z8/s1600-h/P1030036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250386998474250626" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiai9M72eR1kTeoP9FyPwNpiShqEvoP63FxvLbyNZOjwKG52O_c6IZa8AqvJ7mgECke3l-tyJRiL6dvmGfNComz74oen_r06adySv9NLdLEm2-9ry7INWCxSlLs3N_TSBaKSRr4IECE-z8/s200/P1030036.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="left">These pictures were taken two weeks ago, I'm afraid. Since then, we have just been trying to get our routines down. Homework has started - can you believe it? Homework in kindergarten. I've decided to be a bit of a hard case about it, insisting that we go home, change, snack and do homework before doing anything else. This is because I seem to be the mother of a procrastinator. Gee, any guesses on where she might get that? Yes, Rachel is the queen of "in a minute, Mom." So I've decided we will not even start all that business with homework.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4l8KFuKp_JvjwKe7tbqbo16ZU2aAHACDLefrEclMGcWGVrctekCsQ7083Ohxz8kdbWfpD7kJ0Z0GoZGIru7EoEcI-5vsuZ8Sf0TEMRL55YFqhnBp7-ZcIyBJlRdfyZ7ajTq1vaa-xXA/s1600-h/P1030062.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250387636665430962" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4l8KFuKp_JvjwKe7tbqbo16ZU2aAHACDLefrEclMGcWGVrctekCsQ7083Ohxz8kdbWfpD7kJ0Z0GoZGIru7EoEcI-5vsuZ8Sf0TEMRL55YFqhnBp7-ZcIyBJlRdfyZ7ajTq1vaa-xXA/s200/P1030062.JPG" border="0" /></a> Here's a tub shot. I just love those, you know? Maybe I have such fond memories of playing in the tub with my sister, so I have about a million of these shots. I love this one especially.</p><br /><br /><p align="left"><strong>The girl can accessorize!</strong></p><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2HZDj0UCdK8kexAClpzBEvoE0U7Pn8_TZHsggdffgAn87FrqVhaNEX9ZUlXlcH1_jCXCAduSgMOi_MYsoMA0wm-zvssCq1OCkpKCHFYug4lzicuseufVlOmWTzA5sNPZof2-dvdiibg/s1600-h/P1030067.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250390559286720370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2HZDj0UCdK8kexAClpzBEvoE0U7Pn8_TZHsggdffgAn87FrqVhaNEX9ZUlXlcH1_jCXCAduSgMOi_MYsoMA0wm-zvssCq1OCkpKCHFYug4lzicuseufVlOmWTzA5sNPZof2-dvdiibg/s200/P1030067.JPG" border="0" /></a>Anyone who has spent even a small amount of time with Fiona knows that she loves hats. When we go out, she always gets a hat to put on along with her shoes. And she insists on shoes, too. Huh, how strange. Well, anyway. Here are a few shots to demonstrate that Fiona will make a hat, if there isn't one immediately available. We were cleaning up in their bedroom, and she got out her favorite pajamas and started to put on the shirt. They are Teletubbies pajamas (Teletubbies is a truly frightening show - you should check it out sometime, it'll really give you the willies, but kids LOVE it), that have been handed down through the Hale family, through our family, and goodness knows who else. Fiona is at least the fourth child to be totally obsessed with these silly pajamas. Anyway, once she got the PJs on (ready for nap!), she found the swim diapers, and put one on, just to complete the ensemble... </p><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1K-rfGRNG_bB7Z8wY_ufN8a-qVdbJPQf44wOHm0At1YKdWNMbSuEChGBfesrK6AqJksYPL367-ulp89XRsSa5pn1vV5J4lhvI8HK9XnN2T7oS4Lr-2Fl458RiHiMn3lXZ3p-xsGa_olY/s1600-h/P1030073.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250387502918555282" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1K-rfGRNG_bB7Z8wY_ufN8a-qVdbJPQf44wOHm0At1YKdWNMbSuEChGBfesrK6AqJksYPL367-ulp89XRsSa5pn1vV5J4lhvI8HK9XnN2T7oS4Lr-2Fl458RiHiMn3lXZ3p-xsGa_olY/s200/P1030073.JPG" border="0" /></a>Clearly, I have no talent with the camera, nor do I have any skill inserting them into this so-and-so blog. Ugh, you have no idea the aggravation this is causing me today!!! In fact, I've spent so much time messing around with them that I have to go get ready to pick up Rachel from school now. We are bringing her friend Grace home for a playdate and dinner. Should be fun!</p><br /><p align="left"><br /></p><br /><p align="left"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-15435495899028204152008-09-17T09:59:00.001-07:002008-09-17T10:18:56.326-07:00A blog about a blogSince this is sort of a slow news week, I thought I’d offer a few words about, well, words. I’d been meaning to start a blog for a while, but after a bunch of gentle harrassment from loved ones (you know who you are!) I really committed to it. I hope everyone is enjoying it, but we really don’t do anything remarkable or worthy of reporting on a daily or weekly basis. Mostly, this is an effort to keep connected with grandparents and family when we cannot be with them and all the shameless baby brags are for the purpose of keeping the generations connected rather than to report on our exciting lives. So, thank you for your patience and I hope you’ll keep coming back.<br /><br />Oh, and one other thing. I’ve noticed what I fear may be the beginning of a trend. The, Oh-I’ll-read-the-blog-rather-than-call-on-the-phone trend. I hope this is not the case, because I still love to yack on the phone. So, call, call! And read, read!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-81443711370028526742008-09-17T09:59:00.000-07:002008-09-17T10:00:19.908-07:00A Mom's Delight!Big News! Fiona pooped on the potty! Now, she probably won’t repeat this feat until she’s 5, but maybe she’ll surprise us all. The reaction she got this time had to have made a big impression. So, here’s what happened: Fiona was in the bathtub by herself (Rachel having finished up), when she stood up, clutched at her netherparts, and said, “Boo!” This is her word for “poop” which she uses to notify me when she has peed or pooped in her diaper. Anyway, I said, “Do you have to poop?!?” (Now, let me just say here that one of my chief fears in life is poop in the bathtub. What a pain! Get the kids out, get the toys out, get the poop out, bleach the toys, bleach the tub, get the kids back in the tub, bleach the kids… no, just kidding, I wouldn’t do that.) <br />So, yes, Fiona nods her head. I ask her, “Do you want to go on the potty?” And yes, she nods again! I scooped her out, put her sweet naked self on the toilet, and she pooped!!!! She was mighty pleased with herself, but the rest of the family, now we were overjoyed. We cheered, we whooped, we jumped up and down, we hugged. Rachel was thrilled, Papa came upstairs and we all looked at the poop. We high fived, we low fived, we… well, Fiona got the picture too. Needless to say she was quite amazed at the fuss. So, everyone, send your positive potty thoughts this way, and maybe we’ll see a little more action out of Miss Fiona. Here’s hopin’!Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2500669451766876984.post-23673347947544889762008-09-11T08:44:00.000-07:002008-09-11T09:58:58.835-07:00Betrayed by my own daughter!Listen to this: it was at school dropoff this morning. We were hanging around waiting for Rachel's friend to put her bike in the rack. There were lots of other moms around, of course (including our family health care provider...). And one of those moms asks Rachel, "So Rachel, how is your morning going?" And Rachel, MY daughter, you know, the one I endured 17 hours of pitocin-induced back labor to bring forth into this world (not that we aren't still looking for credit for that one, or anything), yes, that very daughter says, "Oh it's going great. Mommy didn't even yell at me one time this morning!" WELL! The minute she said it, she knew she had said something very funny (gee, was it the moms doubled over with laughter that gave her the first clue???!!) and started blushing. Oh, I so very much hope that she hasn't yet discovered her power to embarass her mother deeply...Kirsten Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347400802734755940noreply@blogger.com1