The Bear House

One of the joys of parenthood is sharing things you loved as a child. When I was little I loved my bear house. I saved all the furniture and the Bears themselves. Some came from Germany, some were Sylvanian Families.

I was going to wait until Lil Sis' birthday, but decided to bring them out one dreary winter day while Big Bro was at Kindergaten. It was so fun to watch her unpack it all and start to play.

Works of Art -Lil Sis Edition

Lil Sis is now a preschooler. She absolutely loves school and is sad when it's not a school day. Like her brother, she is becoming an artist. Here are some of her drawings so far.

Early October 2015: Lil Sis and mommy. 

I'm the blue upside-down person and you can very clearly see Lil Sis with her pixie cut on the left. She's very proud of her pixie cut.

October 2015: Daddy Giant, herself, a tracing of Baby Cheetah

I helped a bit...drawing legs on the two people and coloring baby cheetah yellow at her request, but the rest is her.

October 31, 2015: a portrait of her aunt who is pregnant and her son. They are swinging.

November 14, 2015: Lil Sis' "P-ata because it's made of Ps.

February 29, 2016: illustration for a story she wrote "A Silly-badilly Story"

February 29, 2016: Trash Man and Recycling man from her original "A Silly-badilly Story"

Watercolor painted deer

March 2, 2016

I remember struggling to teach Big Bro how to use water colors. Lil Sis picked it up well and fast!

March 18, 2016: Daddy at work in his office

"Guard"ening

Oh it's a cheesy title, but sometimes being cheesy is oddly satisfying. Here's the story, you'll understand the title by the end:

It was past Memorial Day and I knew we had to plant our garden quick if we wanted time to grow much of anything. The kids and I headed to our local plant nursery only to find that they were not growing any seedlings this year because they are closing (due to poor sales the last few years after 24 years in business total). A sad state of affairs for our little town to lose a valuable service. So we after buying some seed packets and shovels we reluctantly drove the 20 minutes or so to the next closest, locally-owned, garden center. We bought Early Girl tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, and kid-sized garden gloves.

I had put up the chicken fence already and dug the thick weed cover out thanks in part to Grandma playing with the kids so I could spend the necessary time with a shovel and rake.

I decided to mound the rows this year since the owner of the defunct nursery said it might help the cucumbers grow (I've never had any luck with cucumbers). Big Bro patted the mounds down as I piled them higher. Getting him to pull out stray weeds we turned over was like pulling teeth though. Eventually we got Lil Sis away from the kiddie pool and into the garden to help too. She has an aversion to getting dirt in her shoes which is why you typically see her in socks and sneakers. But in the garden even socks and sneakers couldn't keep the dirt out and she (we) grew frustrated with having to clean her shoes out every 2 minutes.

I convinced her she should go barefoot. Her feet would get dirty but we would wash them at the end. At least this way the soil wouldn't be trapped between shoes and socks. She went for it.

It was her first year planting and she did great. She loved dropping the seeds in the holes then pinching them closed. Big Bro loved it too. We/I sang "The Garden Song" repeatedly. It was extra special this year because Lil Sis has been making big strides with her physical abilities this spring/summer: riding a pedal bike (with training wheels), climbing trees, hopping on one foot. Things that she has been more reluctant to try than her brother ever was.

We planted black beans, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, cilantro, basil, snap peas and radishes.

So why "guard"ening? Because all the while that we were having this nice time I was on guard knowing that 2 prisoners recently escaped from a maximum security prison across the lake. Just the day before authorities had refocused their manhunt in Vermont. Yes, logically the prisoners were probably not going to hang out in a town right near the NY ferry crossing. Nor would they lurk around a population center (small as my town is). But whenever I ran to the barn to grab more tomato trellises or look for the next seed packet in the basement, I wondered if I should be more vigilant about locking doors to the house and not letting the kids out of my sight for even a minute. It was an odd contrast of sweetness planting with my kiddos, and creepiness from the outside world seeping in ever so slightly. I hesitate including this part because this is a journal of sorts so why would I want to remember this? But it is what it is. 

OMG, you guys...

Lil Sis is potty trained! and it happened in one day.

It's been a while coming... we've been talking about the potty plenty and she even used it on a handful of occasions. She also also peed on the floor plenty of times though and didn't really care. 

So why now, at age 2 years and 10 months, on a snowy February Sunday did she decide that this was the day? I have no idea, but I can't tell you how happy I am that she did!

I suppose it started last week in Florida. We were swimming in the pool and she told us twice that she had to pee. As soon as she was out of the pool she peed on the concrete (shhh, don't tell the association). I joked that we would have to use the pool as her potty training tool, which would mean waiting until summer. Once we were back home in Vermont she told me twice while in the tub that she needed to get out and sit on the potty (though nothing happened). She was showing definite signs of readiness.

I recently bought a bulk pack of diapers and silently wished that this would be my last diaper purchase. I didn't actually believe it would be.

Yet this morning she decided to wear underwear. I think it was actually Big Bro who suggested she wear them on this particular morning. He brought a pair of cowboy Woody (from Toy Story) boys' undies downstairs for her to put on. They were size 2T/3T with lots of different character designs that I bought for him years ago. He never wore them because they were too small by the time he trained for real. Lil Sis loves them and picks all the boy undies over the "Tangled" princess undies I bought for her months ago.

All morning Lil Sis told me she had to go to the potty and I would whisk her to the potty and help her pull down her undies. I had her sit on the potty while reading stories and drinking milk and water like I did with Big Bro when he potty trained. After several false alarms I suggested she go bare bum so it was easy to sit on the potty whenever she wanted. The potty was in the same room as her all day long. She would often go sit, realize there was nothing, then try again later all on her own.  All day long she continued and each time she succeeded she got tons of praise from me, Big Bro, and Daddy, plus a sticker and a chocolate. For #2 she also got to pick from a selection of toys that I had when I was little. 

She was so proud! Not one accident all day. It's done! I don't want to jinx it, but WE ARE A NEARLY DIAPER FREE HOUSEHOLD! 

(except for the nighttime, but that's a whole other ballgame)

The Great Elsa Ploy

Since holidays are always more fun with kids, I am thinking about Christmas. For me, it's incredibly early to be thinking a Christmas in early November. However, with kids I do need to start planning ahead. Doing last minute shopping Christmas week just won't cut it.

My kids are really into the movie Frozen, just like so many little kids these days. One night I went shopping on Amazon on my phone to start making a wish list. I found Elsa and Anna dolls from Disney. There were single dolls and there were sets that included both sisters. The prices range from $25 for one doll to $50-$70 for two dolls or a tiny set of sculptured figurines for all five main characters (Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and Kristof). My husband, understandably, was disgusted by the prices.

Then I remembered that someone said there were Frozen dolls at Costco for $15. I had seen them when I went week or two ago but didn't buy any since the kids were with me. Plus that was before Halloween so I definitely wasn't thinking about buying Christmas presents. There was a good chance that the dolls sold out. 

Nevertheless, I thought Lil Sis and I could go check. We went to the toy aisle and I didn't see the princesses where I had seen them weeks earlier. Looking down the aisle I saw there was a display of Disney princesses. They were the "toddler" versions of the princesses with bodily proportions more accurate for very young children. Totally appropriate for Lil Sis.

There was just one Elsa doll left. No Anna dolls, but plenty of Belles, Cinderellas, and Rapunzels. I hesitated. Does Lil Sis really want this doll? Would she like something else better? Then an old couple pulled up behind me with a shopping cart. I overheard them say, "Here's some Frozen stuff! I know Frozen is on their list…"

That decided it. I snapped up the last Elsa doll and hid it in my coat. Luckily Lil Sis was looking at another toy at the time. I called to her and we went down the next aisle. I was grateful for her two-year-old lack of observation and suspicion. She didn't care that I now had a box shaped jacket. 

We looked at other toys and I made the mistake of suggesting we go back to look at the dolls one last time. As she browsed I took a picture of the Elsa doll to send my husband to get his opinion on whether I should buy the big Elsa doll or the little figurines of both Anna and Elsa.

Lil Sis had been looking at toys again but turned around and caught me in the act. "Big Elsa is in your coat!" she giggled happily.

Now that I was caught, I thought I could at least get verification of whether this doll was the right choice. "Is big Elsa your favorite?" I asked. "Yes." She answered. I showed her all the other choices again but she still insisted on the big Elsa doll.

"Good." I replied feeling a little panicked. Now what?

"We can ask Santa to bring you big Elsa!" I suggested enthusiastically.  "But for now I have to put her back."

Lil Sis was visibly upset. I secretly re-stuffed Elsa in my jacket and hoped that she wouldn't notice (again) even though she now knew something was up.

I led her by the hand up to the registers. I put Elsa, still under my coat, on the cashiers conveyor belt. "Hey, Elsa's under your coat!" Lil Sis said.

"No, I had to put her back." I answered.

Lil Sis responded with cries of I want big Elsa! I handed her my smartphone to soften her disappointment.

Thankfully, the cashier has evidently seen this scenario before. she saw the item under my jacket and immediately said, oh this must be a secret purchase. She only lifted a tiny flap of my coat so she could scan the doll, and wished me good luck. The guy manning the exit door was also experienced with secret purchases and was very understanding when I showed him my receipt and my jacket wrapped around a box.

Lil Sis fussed all the way to the car "I want big Elsa!" On the one hand felt terrible for making her sad. On the other hand I felt secure that I had made the right doll purchase and relieved that I had pulled off the great Elsa ploy.

Big Haircut

I gave Lil Sis a haircut last night.

She was in the tub and I had just washed her hair.

It hung down in long tendrils.

I watched her play with it and dunk the ends in the water.

Is it too long? Do you want it shorter?

"Uh huh, shorter." she answered.

I got out a brush and scissors.

I cut the first bit.

Then another.

No turning back now.

It wasn't her first haircut. 

She got a couple inches off at the start of the summer too.

"This is fun!" Lil Sis giggled.

Definitely the first time she declared a haircut "fun."

Big Bro begged me to cut his hair too.

Many, many times.

I finished up.

Her hair was so much lighter.

She looked like her baby self.

Dada of Ma 'at was less amused but held his tongue.

I was glad to lighten Lil Sis' load.

I was glad to not define her by her pigtails, though they are beautiful.

I was glad to let her be 2.

To let her play not be bogged down by long, thick hair.

To relieve myself of some hairdressing duties too.

You don't need long hair to be beautiful.

You don't need long hair to be feminine.

Her grandma did love braiding it though.

The good thing is, hair grows back.

My daughter the raccoon

Sometimes I wonder, is my daughter a girl or a raccoon?

She has known how to use a real cup at the table since she was one, because I can't stand sippy cups and their unwashable crevices.

I don't know when she started exactly, but she always dunks her food in her drink. She dunks her watermelon in water, she dunks her toast in milk, she puts her noodles in her milk and then fishes them out with a spoon. Whatever food item she has she will dunk it in whatever beverage she has.

She eats some of the dunked food, but soon you know she is done because she dunks it and then starts painting the table.

I guess as long as she doesn't start pulling things out of the trash, I know she is a girl, not really a raccoon.

The Disappearance of Baby Pepper

Several nights ago my husband and I were putting the kids to bed. All of a sudden Lil Sis said, "I want my Baby Pepper!"

"Have you seen her?" I whispered to my husband. "I haven't seen her all day."

"No, haven't seen her either." he whispered back uneasily.

Thankfully I was able to distract Lil Sis with two other beloved stuffed friends, a mommy fox and baby fox just like her big cousin has.

We looked around that evening and over the following days in the house and the car, but Baby Pepper was nowhere to be found. I started wracking my brain to think when was the last time I saw her?

Then I realized, the last time I remembered seeing her was almost a week ago when we went with to Friendly's with some cousins. We had left the restaurant in a bit of a rush as kids were getting restless. Maybe I forgot Baby Pepper there? It was a late night realization so the next morning I called the restaurant.

"Have you seen a little black stuffed dog?" I asked hopefully to the guy on the other end of the line. He asked the other staff if they were working on Sunday (the day we went) and had seen the dog in question. 

No one had.

"I lost my son's little snuggly lamb once." said the guy on the other end of the line. "I let it fall out of the stroller in a store and my wife never let me forget it even to this day. My son is six years old now!"

I appreciated the commiseration, but it was no real comfort for me. I left my name and number just in case Baby Pepper did turn up.

After not seeing Baby Pepper for over a week I started searching online to see if I could find a replacement. I didn't know if Lil Sis would go for it, but I had to try. She was asking about Baby Pepper more and more often but each time I just redirected her to something else.

I found a look alike online, and asked my husband if he agreed that I should order it. "Let's wait until tonight ," he said.

We forgot to talk about it later that night. But, as we returned home from music class this morning, Lil Sis reached down and picked up Baby Pepper from the middle of the hallway! She was so happy! She gave her beloved friend a big long hug, and cooed "Baby Pepper! I found Baby Pepper!"

Oh what a relief! I'm glad I didn't order that replacement. Turns out my husband found Baby Pepper squished in between our bed and the floor. I don't know when or how she got there, but boy am I glad she came back!

¿Legos y Mega Bloks? ¡Muy bueno!

I recently wrote about wanting my kids to have a non-commercial childhood, and I really do believe that, but I also don't want to deprive them of popular culture entirely. With most things in life, what we really need is balance.

Lil Sis has been really into Dora the Explorer for quite a while. She calls the both the show and the character Boots the Monkey "Ooh Ooh ah ah!" She even says it with the same intonation that Boots himself uses. It's very cute, but I digress…

If you read my Jumping off the Brandwagon post, you know that I didn't buy her Dora bedding because I don't want her room to look like an advertisement for a certain franchise. Even so, I still wanted to get her something of her favorite TV show because I knew it would make her happy.

In a box of hand-me-downs I found a Dora T-shirt that was just the right size. We gave it to her on the morning of her second birthday. She promptly got her breakfast on it. Ah, to be 2!

I also browsed the internet for Dora paraphernalia worthy of being her birthday present. I found some beanie babies and other stuffed versions of Dora and her friends. They were kind of expensive and wasn't convinced that she would play with him all that much.

Then I found Dora the Explorer Mega Bloks. We got her an adorable set with Dora's house that you can reconfigure anyway you want, plus furniture, a Dora figurine and a figurine of Dora's lizard-friend "Issa." We got a second set with an RV type van because it came with Dora's best friend Boots, (a.k.a. "Ooh Ooh ah ah!") the van can also be reconfigured. It's figurines and dolls, playing house, and building things all in one!

As another big bonus, Mega Bloks are compatible with Lego Duplo. We have a lot of Lego Duplo, so now Lil Sis' Dora adventures can get even more creative.