Whoops...Time is slipping away

Has it really only been 2 weeks since my last post? Seems like I am further behind than that. Well, I've kept some things to myself. Mostly just one, I guess. I am now in my 4rth week of an online RN-BSN program. Things are a little hairy, I have 2 papers to complete before midnight on Sunday. I've already done 2, but there is a lot of reading (abstracts are such a horrible thing! :)) as well as discussion boards that we must participate in. It has paid off to be somewhat of a computer nerd (though not as skilled as other relative) but I can navigate my way around blackboard, powerpoint, as well as attaching documents with ease.

Last week was the end of school for this year. Sigh. Tavin brought out her 2nd journal for 3rd grade, this one started in March. I sort of flipped through it and found her entry for April 11th:
"Today is my mom's birthday. She is 32. She is old."
As for Tavin, she is grounded. Just kidding. :)
Lucy is so smart, she is not even 10 months old yet and already puts the phone to her ear to try to hear. Simon is still, well, Simon. At his preschool graduation last week, he was the only one to miss a step walking off of the stage. I guess that makes it sound like he tripped, he actually LEAPT from it. That reminds me of his Kindergarten assessment 2 weeks ago. I was helping his next teacher cut out some stuff (after Simon was done of course, I was not in the room for his assessment)and there were 2 girls at the table with the teacher. One girl was struggling, the other appeared to be "smart as a whip". The teacher asked "smarty" to draw various shapes, and when it came to 'diamond', she paused and said,
"I can't draw one, but I have an uncle and he has a 10 year old boy. HE can draw you a diamond."
Then came the letters. She (teacher) said "Now, we know 's' says 'ssss', can you tell me what sound 'a' makes?".
The little gal thought for a minute then asked, "Can 'a' say whatever it wants?". Mrs. Teacher said, "Sure."
"Then 'a' says 'yee-haw'".
"How about 'b'? What does 'b' say?"
"'B' says 'oink-oink'."
That was enough of the assessment, we laughed at that for a long time. The teachers' only comment afterwards, much to her credit, was something like how much she wished she could have a camera there!

A New Perspective for Mother's Day

Last night Kevin had several back to back meetings that prevented him from being home for dinner (actually until 8:30). The rest of us were partaking of a Walmart version of frozen lasagna, which really wasn't all that bad. The conversation turned to upcoming Mother's Day, because Simon had brought home his project from preschool. Tavin made the comment:

"On Mother's Day you get to be the dad." Now I wondered what she meant and thought it may be humorous, and she did not disappoint.

"What do dad's do?" I asked her.

"Sit on the couch and watch T.V.". Surely she must be mistaken! I should've asked her what mom's do. I'm sure Kevin will, after he reads this.

My late afternoon/evening with the kids was anything but QUIET. I decided Tavin needed a "strong trim"...Say haircut to her and she's likely to immediately begin seizing, otherwise known as "coniption fit". Lucy was in the living room, standing up to things, causing destruction of any paper product she could find. Simon was outside dumping copious amounts of catfood onto the back patio (all for the magpies to eat), and Tavin was upstairs checking out the damage done to her luscious mane. I was sweeping up the hair on the kitchen floor, Lucy (who had been placed in the play pen) was LOUDLY expressing her desire to be free, when I called Simon in to remind him NOT to feed the cat. He ran around the house and was effectively stopped and grounded by cement steps. (Luckily for him it was only a flesh wound in his big toe, as he was running with his shovel!) Tavin has began crying loudly upstairs, a true maiden in distress, Lucy is still yelling, and now Simon arrives dragging a bleeding toe wherever he sees carpet or any other stainable surface. This was about the time I contemplated running out of the house screaming myself.

Things did calm down, after about 15 minutes. Later Tavin sheepishly said "Actually I like my haircut." (I had layered it, making it seem like I'd cut a lot off, but she could still get it all in a ponytail. The true test.) So, I did what any smart mother does when she doesn't want to keep monitoring, chasing, cleaning, whatever. I took us all for a DRIVE. We went to an area off of the river, that was designated Wildlife Observatory (quite loosely in my opinion) where I found a killdeer nest and was able to show them the eggs and what the parental bird does to detract would-be predators from the nest site. It was fun. Of course, I also made it quieter by getting ice cream at Dairy Queen. :)

Tavin & Simon Find Notoriety

Last Saturday the local airport had an open house. They were offering free airplane rides to kids ages 8-17, so Tavin was the only one qualified (unfortunately for Simon and all those around him). When it was her turn, she got into the Piper Saratoga, the best plane available that day, along with some Eastern Oregonian reporters. 157 kids went on rides that day and she gets lucky enough to get in a plane with reporters, another boy, and a little girl named "Jimmy". I saw the article Sunday and was greatly relieved that they didn't print a majority of what I'm sure she must've said. :) She did ask them to take her picture and hammed it up, according to Kevin, but only the other two kids actually got their pictures in the paper. Tavin was just quoted a few times, stating that her grandpa was in a plane with her when she was 2 (her dad was actually flying the plane) but Kevin was glad to see "grandpa" mentioned. Now discussions here are finally back to normal after dreaming about "when we can buy our own airplane".

Simon had a less than ideal day at preschool yesterday, to say the least, leaving one of his peers with a bloody lip. Oh boy. Why they didn't call me is beyond me, but he spent all of the afternoon in his room, after receiving the merit of his behavior from his dad who was summoned home from work for a brief period. The preschool teacher has a behavior system of "bees" where each child has 6 bees to begin the day. A bee is "removed" for each infraction of the rules, and if they have all of their bees when class is done, they get a piece of candy. (Not my favorite, but works for her.) Yesterday was the first day all year that Simon lost all 6 bees, and reportedly made the remark to the teacher as he was being sent to remove his last bee, "I HATE bees." I chatted with his teacher today, with Simon in earshot, asking her to please call me if/when he loses even 1 bee, so I may speak with him. Luckily for all involved, excluding myself of course, they are done with preschool (pretty school) in 2 weeks.

Baby Story

Well, this is a first. Blogging with Lucy in my lap, "pecking" with one hand (otherwise known as typing like my dad :)) all because she has learned to stand and not yet to gracefully lower herself. We, as a family, watched her pull herself up to the couch for the first time just a few hours ago afteer learning the trick on mom & dad's stairs this weekend. Apparently the wall is her preference to laying down. Which means not only do we hear her yelling and screaming in anger and frustration, we get percussion. As do her better-trained older siblings who are truly asleep. At least for the time being. I can tell this session must end soon, Lucy wants to bang on the keyboard as well. From past experience I do expect this to be another short phase, one that like the ones before will end all too soon. (Better stop or I'll make myself all emotional.) Now she grows vocally louder and more unappreciative of lap time. So, goodnight AGAIN dear Lucy. I'm afraid she"ll be walking very soon. We are still a week away from 9 months!