Sweet Dreams

Every morning when Ben and Cate wake up we ask them, "How was your good night's sleep?"

This question is, obviously, not grammatically correct but that's what we say. I can't remember exactly how the question came to be phrased this way but I'm sure it's a variation of something one the kids said to us at one point in time and it stuck.

Then I always ask them, "What did you dream about?"

For as long as I can remember Ben has replied, "Oh the sheeps in the meadow."

I usually reply, "Interesting. Anything else?"

Ben's response, "And the cows in the corn."

What Will She Think of Next?

Despite her criminal record, there is no denying that Martha Stewart is a pretty clever lady.

Wal-Mart carries a line of paper goods--paper, stickers, craft kits--that bear her name. I picked up a a few of her craft kits on clearance a while ago, saving them for a "rainy day" (translation: a day when I'm in desperate need of an activity to keep everyone in the house sane).

A few weeks ago Chris was traveling and Ben fell asleep at 5:15 p.m., meaning that I could not follow through on my promise to take the kids for ice cream. Cate was not pleased and through her tears pulled out the classic, "BUT IT'S NOT FAIR TO ME."

So...I whipped out this Martha Stewart balloon decorating kit and it was a hit. Each indiviudally wrapped package held a balloon and all of the pieces to create a very cute barnyard animal.

Cate was appeased and agreed to eat a bowl of ice cream from home while we decorated our balloons.

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

Yesterday we headed to the Elk's Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Cate and Ben loved every minute of it and were thrilled to see the Easter bunny in person.

Cate informed me that it wasn't the "real" Easter bunny.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Well," she said, "He's wearing a watch."

Happy Baby

Sisters

Suspicious.

Me: Ben, what are you doing?

Ben: Nothing. I bein' very nice.

My Week in Review

3.5 days of (much-needed) help from my parents

1 sinus infection (me)

2 ear infections (Maggie)

3 naps (Ben)

Massive dose of antibiotics (Me and Maggie)

And, finally, things are back to normal around here.

Mommy Needs a Sick Day

The winter was good to us. Despite the frigid temperatures, we were all pretty healthy for the season.

March, on the other hand, has not been so kind.

It started a few weeks ago when the stomach flu raged through our home. Knocking all of us off our feet and into the sanctuary of our bedrooms. We had one short week of good health and then Cate and Ben were again floored by low-grade fevers, coughs and runny noses that lasted almost a week.

And now I, too, have the flu. Not the stomach flu but the all-over-body-ache-chest-burning-cough-runny-nose-low-grade-fever-flu.

Thankfully, my parents are here to help.

Even with three other adults in the house, the baby still needs to eat. Cate is still clamoring to do art projects and Ben is anxious to fill the bird feeder. Mommy can rest, but only in short doses.

What I really need is an official sick day. You know, the kind were you lounge on the couch for an entire day and sleep, watching mindless movies like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," while you nibble on saltines and sip 7-Up. Alone. With no one to take care of except myself.

Yes, Mommy needs a sick day. In the most desperate way.

Adventures in Mississippi Living

Today we ventured to Dubuque to visit the Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium with some friends.

We saw river otters, giant catfish, an alligator, and a red tailed hawk. The kids got to touch crayfish, explore a cave, color pictures, and check out lizards, turtles and ducks.

Maggie slept through most of her first trip beyond the confines of Iowa City but did wake up in time for us to get at least one picture to prove she was there.

Afterwards.

After we painted, we celebrated the beginning of Spring with our first popsicles outside.

(And, just to give you an idea of how rotten they really felt--see previous post--no one even finished their popsicles).

You'd Think I'd Learn

I was saving the giant box for a day when the weather was nice and we were in desperate need of an activity.

Yesterday was the day. Sixty degrees, sunny and two very crabby children.

In their defense the crabbiness was justified. Low grade fevers. Runny noses. Coughs. Trouble sleeping.

Needless to say by 2:00 I shared their crabbiness.

So we headed out into the sunshine and started painting. After about 3.5 minutes it was obvious that this would be a messier activity than I'd anticipated. (I know, I know, after three kids I should have seen it coming).

When it was all said and done, the paint containers were empty. Ben's hair contained streaks of blue, orange and yellow. My driveway was spattered with paint. Cate's ruffled pants were speckled with red splotches. Maggie took a nap in the Baby Bjorn.

I looked at my watch. One hour closer to dinnertime. One hour closer to bedtime.

Hijacked

At one point I thought it would be nice we went around the dinner table and shared the best thing that happened to each of us that day. This, I thought, would be a lovely tradition that we could continue for years to come.

And it was pretty successful at first.

However, somewhere along the way Cate and Ben took my tradition and hijacked it, creating their own tradition.

Now whenever I ask, "What was the best thing that happened to you today?" Cate always responds with, "Oh my favorite thing was when we went ice skating with Grandma." And then they both laugh hysterically.

Sometimes one of them will turn the tables on me and ask me to share my "best thing." Since we're now playing by different rules I have to be creative. Taking a rocket ship to the moon and riding an elephant to Hy-Vee are a few recent examples that come to mind.

Even though I can predict the answer the other night I asked Ben, "Hey Buddy. What was the best thing that happened to you today?"

"When I go ice skating with Grandma," he said, giggling.

"Wow. I didn't realize that you knew how to ice skate. Who taught you how to do that?" I replied in mock astonishment.

"I learn it in high school," he replied.

Never a dull moment around here.

Strike!

Last week while Chris was out of town, my dad and I took the kids bowling.

Cate and Ben bowled 5 frames a piece before becoming obsessed with the candy machine and begging my dad for spare change.

The lightest balls were 7 pounds each so it took some effort (and help from Grandpa) for them to roll the ball down the lane. Given our track record with the ER, I was convinced we would leave with at least one broken toe.

They were fascinated by how the ball returned to us after knocking over the pins. (I have no idea what the mechanism is actually called). Ben kept peering into the hole where the balls emerge, putting his little face dangerously close to the sign reading, "PLEASE KEEP HANDS AWAY."

They had a blast and I was pleased that we left with all our fingers and toes intact.

Maggie seemed to enjoy the outing as well. She woke up approximately 3.5 minutes after I put on my bowling shoes and announced she was hungry. Since my darling baby is rather finicky about the bottle (translation: will only consider bottle if damn hungry and Mommy is nowhere in sight) I had to nurse her in the bowling alley. Not my preferred mode of being in the world.

Iowa City is a pretty liberal place. But a bowling alley, even one in Iowa City, is still a bowling alley. Although I discreetly hid in the farthest corner of the room, perched on a broken plastic chair beneath a bulletin board about how to join a bowling league, people still noticed me. And did a double take. Or two.

Time for Earplugs?

Our conversation in the car on the way to gymnastics this morning.

Cate: Mom, look! I just saw a concrete mixer.

Me: Oh, I see it too. Good eyes, Cate.

Cate: Ben, I just saw a concrete mixer.

Ben: No you didn't.

Cate: YES. I DID.

Ben: No you didn't.

Cate: Mom, Ben said I didn't see the concrete mixer.

Me (thankful that Maggie does not yet talk): Cate, we both know that you saw the concrete mixer. Don't listen to him!

Cate (to Ben): I'm not listening to you!

Ben: Are you listening to me now?

Cate: NO.

Ben: Are you listening to me now?

Cate: NO!

Ben: Are you listening to me now?

Cate: NO!!!

Needless to say, I was pleased that we arrived at our destination within minutes...

Books, Books, Books

I love to read, and it is my fervent hope that I am able to foster a love of reading in my children.

An article in the Gazette today noted that the National Education Association (NEA) released the Top 100 Children's Book List as part of its Read Across America Celebration.

The top entries (compiled by educators in the US who submitted their favorite books) were as follows:

1. "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White
2. "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak
3. "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein
4. "Green Eggs & Ham" by Dr. Seuss
5. "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown
6. "Love You Forever" by Robert N. Munsch
7. "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo
8. "Oh! The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss
9. "Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
10. "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg

(Just typing this list makes me want to dig out my copy of "The Giving Tree" and read it out loud to my kids, although I think the message might really be for grown-ups. If you haven't read it, you should!)

What do you think? What other children's books are missing from this list? What books do your kids love? What books do you remember most from your childhood?

Baby's First Hawkeye Event

Last Sunday night we (Chris, Cate, Ben, Uncle Mikey and I) took Maggie to her first Hawkeye sporting event--the final men's basketball game of the season.

In the past (as in, prior to last Sunday) whenever I saw people carrying a baby in Carver-Hawkeye Arena I would nudge Chris and say, "Seriously! Who would bring a baby to a basketball game?"

I imaginged that these people were crazed Hawkeye fans. I envisioned Tigerhawk tattoos in black and gold ink across their shoulder blades and babies with names like Nile and Kinnick.

Now I realize that they are people like me. People with older children who have developed cabin fever from the horrible Iowa winter. People who need to get out of the house, particularly with the ease that a 1:1 adult/child ratio allows. People who realize that hot dogs and ice cream make a very tasty dinner.

Sweet Pea

Heat Wave

After this winter, a 40 degree day feels down right warm. We headed outside this afternoon to soak up some Vitamin D.