#bighairdontcare

On Saturday morning Cece looked in the mirror, gasped in surprise, and said, "Oh mine hair so big and so curly!"

First Piano Recital: A Success!

Maggie did not seem a bit nervous for her first piano recital, part of her teacher's annual Holiday Showcase.  She played "Up On the Housetop" and "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas." 

Logic

A few weeks ago Maggie picked out her Easter dress at Target --- a hot pink fluorescent dress that will wake up any tired parishioners on Easter morning.

Stumbling across a "Buy One, Get One at Half Price" sale at Target this week, I allowed Maggie to pick out two pairs of sandals for the summer---one silver and the other gold with lime and turquoise flowers.

"Mags," I said.  "I think the silver shoes will look perfect with your Easter dress."

"Nope," came her immediate response.  "I'm going to wear the other pair."

"Hmm," I said, trying to sound diplomatic. "I think the silver shoes might be a better match--your dress is pink and those shoes have blue in them.  I'm not sure they go together very well."

"Oh Mom," she said.  "Pink and blue make purple, don't you know?  They're perfect together!"

And, at that, point it was clear that I had lost this argument.

Jump!

Cate was super excited to participate in Jump Rope for Heart this year.  This was the first year she could participate and she was very motivated to raise money for the cause.  She set a goal of $200 and was thrilled to turn her packet in today---having raised a total of $330!

Chris and I stopped by for a few minutes this afternoon to see the third graders in action. 

Kindergarten Round Up

It was touch and go for a while.

Despite being too excited to sleep the night before Kindergarten Round-Up, coming face-to-face with the actual event made Mags a little nervous.

As we toured the Kindergarten classrooms, the very classrooms she's been in numerous times visiting Cate and Ben, she clutched our hands tightly in hers and avoided eye contact with the teachers that she's known for years.

After the tour, everyone returned to the gym for "A Day in the Life of a Kindergartner" slideshow.  When it was time for Maggie to go back to the classroom, with the other kids but without the parents, she turned to us in a panic, "What if I can't find my way back to you?"

(Oh, sweet Maggie!  You have such a big personality that I sometimes forget just how little you really are!)

We gently reminded her that she has spent quite a lot of time in the school already and could probably find her way back to us blindfolded.  And, we pointed out, one of the Kindergarten teachers would surely lead the kids back to the gym.

She had tears in her eyes as she joined the line of kids leaving the gym, but when she came back she couldn't stop smiling.  She stopped just long enough for me to snap a quick picture before she ran off to chase her new friends around the room.

I have a feeling the first week of Kindergarten will be a little rough. 

For Maggie and for me.

I'm not ready for her to be in Kindergarten!

A Matter of Perspective

Ben:  Mom, how did your class go tonight?


Me:  Well, it wasn't great.


Ben:  It was bad?


Me:  You could say that.


Ben (nodding sympathetically):  Did someone throw up on the floor?

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Ben:  Hey Mom.  Is "Pierre" a name in France?

Me:  Yeah, it is.  Why?

Ben (laughing hysterically):  PEE-AIR?  That's a really gross name.

Cece's Latest Selfie

Cece and her Bubby

Sisters in Jammies

Maggie turned 5 earlier this month and she received a Barnes and Noble gift card from her grandma and grandpa in Idaho.  She couldn't wait to spend it and so we headed out to the mall one night last week while Cate and Ben were at their activities.

"Mom," Maggie said to me on the way there. "I"m going to be a cowgirl when I grow up."

"That's great," I replied.

"Actually," she continued. "I'm going to have two jobs."

"What will your other job be?"  I asked.

"Oh, I'll be a baby doctor too."  she said.

Sisters in Jammies

"Cool" Steve

There are a lot of people named "Steve" in our extended family.  And because our extended family is so big the kids often have a hard time remembering who is who---confusing great aunts and second cousins.  Keeping track of all of these relationships is even confusing for the grown-ups!

We were talking about where to go on vacation last week when Ben said, "We should go visit Uncle Steve."

Ben has been dying to go fish with my Uncle Chris, who lives in Washington, so I assumed he was referring to him.

"Oh," I said.  "You mean Uncle Chris, in Washington?  That would be fun."

"NO,"  he said. "Uncle Steve!"

"You mean my Uncle Steve who lives in San Francisco?  That would be fun too."

"NO," he said.  "Not that Uncle Steve."

"You mean Grandpa Steve?  In Idaho?  It would be fun to visit his cabin again."

"NO," he said.  "UNCLE STEVE.  The cool Uncle Steve."

Suddenly it all made sense.  He was referring to my cousin Steve, who is really cool---young, tall, good looking, flies helicopters and has an awesome dog named Rosie---and who made a huge impression on Ben when we saw him at Christmas.

"Oh," I said.  "You mean my cousin Steve.  He lives in Florida."

"That's what I said!  Do you think he has a pool?"

"I don't think he has a pool but he probably lives close to the water," I said.

"Cool,"  Ben replied.  "I bet he has alligators too."

And when you're 7, nothing could be cooler than having alligators.

Baller

Ben is playing basketball through Iowa City Parks and Rec right now.  It can sometimes be a challenge to get him excited about new activities but Chris and are thrilled that Ben seems to enjoy basketball. 

He is a very active and very social kid so it helps that he has friends on his team and can socialize while running up and down the court!

His team, the Celtics, had their first game on Saturday.  Ben is a ferocious defensive player (as seen above!).  He was thrilled to make two shots during the game as well.

The rest of us passed the hour cheering for the Celtics and trying to keep Cece off the court.

Go Hawks!

Iowa vs. Wisconsin

I don't have any photos of Ben because he was curled up on my lap for the entire game. Knowing how few opportunities like this I have left with him made me treasure every second!

Pinewood Derby Debut

Cece watches intently.  (Such a big girl!)

Talking Shop

Just happy to be here...

Waiting at the finish line

Ben's car is number 14

Although his car did not place in the top 3, he won the award for "Best Scout Spirit."

Family Fun Night

Face painting! And glow sticks!

And beads!

The reason we stayed in Iowa City and missed the gymnastics meet was because I was the co-chair of our elementary school's Family Fun Night.  Games, dancing, pizza, face painting, prizes and a photo booth ensured that our Saturday ended on a great note!

Ben and Maggie

Saturday was a very unusual day for our family.  Chris took Cate and Cece to a gymnastics meet in Illinois, while I stayed at home with Ben and Maggie.  I realized a few minutes after Chris left how rarely I have just Ben and Maggie by themselves.

We definitely packed a lot of activity into our day.  While Ben was at basketball practice, Maggie and I took advantage of the heat wave (40 degrees!) and spent time on the playground. 

Then we headed out to the mall.  Maggie was adamant that she wanted to get her ears pierced.  I truly did not think that she would go through with it---especially because the little girl ahead of us in line was hysterical.  Crying, sobbing and begging her mom to take her home.

When it was Maggie's turn I asked Ben to hold my phone and take a picture.  He quickly shook his head and said, "I don't want to watch."

But Maggie sat very still and, although she was scared, she didn't cry.  She was incredibly proud of herself and spent the next 10 hours telling anyone who would listen, "I just got my ears pierced.  I didn't even cry...and I'm only 5."

We planned on going ice skating but a hockey tournament led us to the Children's Museum instead.  The theme for the day was "Once Upon a Saturday" and Maggie enjoyed all of the crafts. 

Cinderella was helping make fairy wings at one of the stations.

"Why don't you have wings?"  Maggie asked.

"Well," Cinderella replied.  "I don't need wings.  I have a fairy godmother."

"Oh," said Maggie excitedly.  "I do too!  I have a fairy godmother and a fairy godfather."

This totally cracked me up because she was quite serious as she always refers to her godparents as her "fairy godparents."  Cinderella wasn't sure what to think.  

The three of us had a lot of fun and it made me realize how much Cate (as the oldest!) and Cece (as the baby!) dictate what we do and when we do it.  I think it was nice for Ben and Maggie to be able to call the shots for an afternoon.

Boys - Part 2

Having never been a boy I find some aspects of "boyhood" to be confounding (see previous post).


Yesterday Ben came home from school with a tale that had me perplexed from start to finish.


Me:  How was school?  Anything exciting happen?


Ben:  No.


(Conversation unfolds around us for a few minutes).


Ben (perking up):  Oh, I forgot.  I almost got sent to the principal's office today.


Me (betraying no hint of emotion):  Really?  What happened?


Ben (words tumbling out):  Well, me and [names of four friends] were playing "Cops and Robbers" at recess.  I was a cop and everyone else was a robber.  Then I decided to be robber too.  And my other friend.  And we were kind of tackling each other--you know, to go to jail?  Then this kindergartener came up and he wanted to play too.  But he knocked [other kid] down.  Then [another kid] dove at my boots and wouldn't let go so I almost fell.  Then Mrs. Alt-Farmer came down and yelled "What's going on?"  and the kindergartner ran away.


Me (thoroughly confused):  Um, so were you playing or fighting?


Ben:  I'm not really sure.  But Mrs. Alt-Farmer had us hug and say sorry.  She had to catch the kindergartener.


Me:  Oh.  Then what happened?


Ben:  We played it again at the next recess.

Baker's Bay - Bahamas

Trick Or Treat...FOREVER

Even though we're only two months into 1st grade, I feel like Ben has really matured.  Some of the things that come out of his mouth sound very grown-up and he's developing a very cheeky sense of humor.

The other day we were scrambling to get out the door (surprise, surprise...) and one of the kids asked me a question about why I was taking a particular item to the business school.

"Oh," I replied, just wanting them into the car. "It's a long story."

"Start now, finish in the car," was Ben's immediate response, a response which cracked me up at the time because of his nonchalant delivery.

While Ben is often impulsive and probably tunes out much of what I say 80% of the time, there is also evidence that he is listening a lot more closely than I realize.  (Or maybe he just doesn't listen to me...hmmmm).  He seems to pay particularly close attention to what his teacher, Mr. V, says.  And what Mr. V says is pretty much treated like Gospel at our house.

"Mom," Ben said from the back seat of the car earlier this week. "Mr. V. says you can trick-or-treat until you're 18."

"Really?"  I said, a little skeptical of where this conversation is going.

"Yeah, maybe even until you're 19," came the reply.  "You know, because you're technically still a kid."

"Wow"

There is silence while Ben and I both consider the possibility that he still has more than 10 solid years of trick-or-treating ahead of him.

"But I'll probably do it longer than that.  I'll even go when I'm a grown-up," Ben finished.

Jump!

I was worried that Cece might attempt the jump from the coffee table to the couch on her own after watching the big kids successfully execute the move on a daily basis.  

Anyway, fast forward to Saturday morning when I glanced up from the kitchen counter and saw Maggie, very helpfully, "helping" Cece make the jump.

The words, "Put the baby down!" were literally about to spill from my mouth.  Loudly.  But then I heard Cece roar with laughter.  Hysterical laughter.

She would rather be in the middle of the action, even if that means being smushed onto the couch by a sister that outweighs her by a good 20+ pounds, than on the floor watching the action.

Oh the life of the fourth child...