Wed - December 13, 2006
sick day
Today I was supposed to work in the morning and
attend a 1st grade field trip to the geology museum in the afternoon. But I
woke up with a fever, sore throat, achy body and all the other symptoms that go
with that sort of ailment. So no work, no field trip, no
nothing.
When I finally did drag myself out of bed, quite reluctantly, I saw Dana writing a note to her teacher:
"Dear Ms. L: My mommy is sick today and can't go on the field trip. From, Dana."
It's good to know that when I'm under the weather, Dana can take charge.
When I finally did drag myself out of bed, quite reluctantly, I saw Dana writing a note to her teacher:
"Dear Ms. L: My mommy is sick today and can't go on the field trip. From, Dana."
It's good to know that when I'm under the weather, Dana can take charge.
Posted at 09:20 PM Read More
Sun - August 6, 2006
Timmy and Tommy
When I was a small child, I had an imaginary
friend named "Timmy." Timmy looked just like my Raggedy Andy doll. (A Raggedy
Anne doll with pants instead of an apron dress.) Mostly, Timmy and I would
hang out in our back yard and swing together on the swing set.
Lately, Davis has been talking about "Tommy." I assumed Tommy was a friend from his new preschool. Yesterday, I asked if he could point out Tommy at school on Monday and Davis answered, "Mama, you can't meet Tommy. - Tommy is my imaginary friend."
So far, this is what I have been able to surmise about Tommy:
- Tommy is 4 1/2. (Davis will be 4 next month)
- Tommy likes to ride bikes, but he can't ride as fast as Davis. (Davis always wins the race.)
- Tommy likes to play soccer, but he often gets Yellow Cards and doesn't score as many goals as Davis
- Although he is older, Tommy is the same exact height as Davis.
- Tommy's mother lets him go down the water slide alone at the pool, even though he doesn't technically meet the height requirement
At least Tommy doesn't look like a giant stuffed Raggedy Anne doll with pants on? We've had some psychological progress through the generations, evidently.
Lately, Davis has been talking about "Tommy." I assumed Tommy was a friend from his new preschool. Yesterday, I asked if he could point out Tommy at school on Monday and Davis answered, "Mama, you can't meet Tommy. - Tommy is my imaginary friend."
So far, this is what I have been able to surmise about Tommy:
- Tommy is 4 1/2. (Davis will be 4 next month)
- Tommy likes to ride bikes, but he can't ride as fast as Davis. (Davis always wins the race.)
- Tommy likes to play soccer, but he often gets Yellow Cards and doesn't score as many goals as Davis
- Although he is older, Tommy is the same exact height as Davis.
- Tommy's mother lets him go down the water slide alone at the pool, even though he doesn't technically meet the height requirement
At least Tommy doesn't look like a giant stuffed Raggedy Anne doll with pants on? We've had some psychological progress through the generations, evidently.
Posted at 09:22 AM
Fri - June 30, 2006
Like Father, Like Son
We are watching the World Cup, as I
type.
Davis is routing for Germany. Why? "Because they are in Germany, Mama. All the World Cup busses go to Germany. And they are the white shirt team."
As we watched, he decided that #20 was his favorite player. Dana added, "yes, Germany is playing '4-4-2' and #20 is one of the 2s"
Davis wasn't content to just watch #20. He wanted to BE #20. So, we got out a fabric marker and changed his white Hanes T-Shirt into an official Germany Soccer Jersey.
Checking uniform in mirror.
#20 just got a yellow card. uh oh.
Back to play.
Germany almost scored!
Darn...didn't go in.
In 2 years, Davis will enter Kindergarten. If this continues, he will be the only boy in the class who will not be able to name a single Green Bay Packer player. (In Wisconsin, that is considered sacrilege.) But he'll easily rattle off the names of most World Cup "futbol" stars.
We are a family of geeks. It is official. Geeks beget geeks.
Back to soccer....
--Kristen
Davis is routing for Germany. Why? "Because they are in Germany, Mama. All the World Cup busses go to Germany. And they are the white shirt team."
As we watched, he decided that #20 was his favorite player. Dana added, "yes, Germany is playing '4-4-2' and #20 is one of the 2s"
Davis wasn't content to just watch #20. He wanted to BE #20. So, we got out a fabric marker and changed his white Hanes T-Shirt into an official Germany Soccer Jersey.
Checking uniform in mirror.
#20 just got a yellow card. uh oh.
Back to play.
Germany almost scored!
Darn...didn't go in.
In 2 years, Davis will enter Kindergarten. If this continues, he will be the only boy in the class who will not be able to name a single Green Bay Packer player. (In Wisconsin, that is considered sacrilege.) But he'll easily rattle off the names of most World Cup "futbol" stars.
We are a family of geeks. It is official. Geeks beget geeks.
Back to soccer....
--Kristen
Posted at 10:23 AM
Sun - April 9, 2006
Weekend Photos
We went to an egg-hunt at the Governor's mansion.
The kids wanted nothing to do with the Easter Bunny. But they were very excited
to see Bucky Badger.
Egg Roll. Dana won. Davis, well, he barely got past the first 2 feet.
Only in Wisconsin would you get to meet "Alice in Dairyland."
After the hunt: Baseball season begins!
Bedtime stories.
Egg Roll. Dana won. Davis, well, he barely got past the first 2 feet.
Only in Wisconsin would you get to meet "Alice in Dairyland."
After the hunt: Baseball season begins!
Bedtime stories.
Posted at 08:39 PM
Fri - April 7, 2006
Good thing someone's on the ball around here.
About a week ago, I was talking to someone (Doug?
a friend? I don't even remember) and I mentioned how different it is with the
second child. I said something like, "When Dana was Davis' age, I had taught
her all her letters: uppercase/lowercase/sounds - you name it. But with him,
I'm just not as worried about that stuff. We still read constantly, but I'm not
as neurotic about learning specific
things."
Please note that I did not say this sentence to Dana. I didn't even realize she was in the room.
Yesterday, she got home from school and pulled out a booklet from her folder. It was 26 pages (double sided) and neatly stapled together up and down the spine.
The first page said, "A is for Apple" (in her very best handwriting) and was covered with upper case and lowercase A's front and back. The second page said "B is for Baseball" and of course, was covered with B's. The book continued all the way through "Z is for Zebra." She's been working on it all week during her Free Choice time at Kindergarten.
She politely informed me that since I was not teaching Davis his letters, that she was going to have to do it. "He's going to have to know them before Kindergarten, Mama..." And with that she disappeared into her room with her little brother to go read him her book.
L is for Love.
Please note that I did not say this sentence to Dana. I didn't even realize she was in the room.
Yesterday, she got home from school and pulled out a booklet from her folder. It was 26 pages (double sided) and neatly stapled together up and down the spine.
The first page said, "A is for Apple" (in her very best handwriting) and was covered with upper case and lowercase A's front and back. The second page said "B is for Baseball" and of course, was covered with B's. The book continued all the way through "Z is for Zebra." She's been working on it all week during her Free Choice time at Kindergarten.
She politely informed me that since I was not teaching Davis his letters, that she was going to have to do it. "He's going to have to know them before Kindergarten, Mama..." And with that she disappeared into her room with her little brother to go read him her book.
L is for Love.
Posted at 01:48 PM
Mon - December 19, 2005
Move along, there's no one here but us Geeks
I've been prodding Dana to write a letter to
Santa. I know, I know, I'm a bad parent to subject her to such fantasy and
lies. But it's so darn cute watching them on Christmas morning.
As of this morning (6 days before Christmas), she had refused. Understandably. She asked for a big present for her birthday last month (a treehouse from Hearthsong) that she received from my parents. She also got the Kaya Doll from my aunts - which was more than she ever expected to get - ever. With a birthday so close to Christmas, it is often hard to drum up the requisite greed again so soon.
But today, she acquiesced. And what is on her list? one thing.....and one thing only:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A math workbook. She'd like it if Santa brought her a math workbook so she can practice more math.
God, I love that child. (And I suspect that my list next year will also include a math workbook. I'd better start now if I have half a chance of keeping up with her.) The geek gene is strong and lives long!
As of this morning (6 days before Christmas), she had refused. Understandably. She asked for a big present for her birthday last month (a treehouse from Hearthsong) that she received from my parents. She also got the Kaya Doll from my aunts - which was more than she ever expected to get - ever. With a birthday so close to Christmas, it is often hard to drum up the requisite greed again so soon.
But today, she acquiesced. And what is on her list? one thing.....and one thing only:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A math workbook. She'd like it if Santa brought her a math workbook so she can practice more math.
God, I love that child. (And I suspect that my list next year will also include a math workbook. I'd better start now if I have half a chance of keeping up with her.) The geek gene is strong and lives long!
Posted at 03:07 PM
Mon - November 28, 2005
Stand Tall
Davis had his 3 year old apt today (a bit
late...)
As they measured him, I said, "stand up as tall as you can!" because he was holding his chin down to his chest.
As the nurse plotted his height on the chart, she exclaimed, "Wow, he's really shot up. He's at the 98th percentile for height!" I gave her a puzzled look and told her that we'd better measure him again. He just isn't that tall, compared to his peers.
Turns out that Davis hears "stand up as tall as you can" and immediately goes on his tip-toes (unbeknownst to the nurse or me). When we re-measured him, he was almost 2 inches shorter. He'd cheated a bit on the first measurement. He's back down to the 75th percentile, where he belongs.
I always forget that they are so literal at this age.
Either that or someone in my mom's family (where the tallest member -male or female- clocks in at about 5'2") taught him the tip-toe trick....
As they measured him, I said, "stand up as tall as you can!" because he was holding his chin down to his chest.
As the nurse plotted his height on the chart, she exclaimed, "Wow, he's really shot up. He's at the 98th percentile for height!" I gave her a puzzled look and told her that we'd better measure him again. He just isn't that tall, compared to his peers.
Turns out that Davis hears "stand up as tall as you can" and immediately goes on his tip-toes (unbeknownst to the nurse or me). When we re-measured him, he was almost 2 inches shorter. He'd cheated a bit on the first measurement. He's back down to the 75th percentile, where he belongs.
I always forget that they are so literal at this age.
Either that or someone in my mom's family (where the tallest member -male or female- clocks in at about 5'2") taught him the tip-toe trick....
Posted at 05:11 PM
Mon - October 3, 2005
Crash
Doug was out of town last week and brought back a
Lego Airplane for Davis. He was so excited (Davis, that is.) He has not let it
out of his sight since
acquisition.
Today was a record-breaking 86 degree faux-summer day here in Madison. As soon as we got home from work/preschool/kindergarten and finished lunch, we headed outside. Davis clutched his new Lego airplane and ran as fast as he could into the side yard. As soon as he had enough speed and tree clearance, he launched his brand new airplane into the sky to watch it fly.
Instead, (being made of Legos and all), it crashed to the ground and broke into a thousand small pieces.
Poor Davis. He's not quite ready for the concept of Legos.
Today was a record-breaking 86 degree faux-summer day here in Madison. As soon as we got home from work/preschool/kindergarten and finished lunch, we headed outside. Davis clutched his new Lego airplane and ran as fast as he could into the side yard. As soon as he had enough speed and tree clearance, he launched his brand new airplane into the sky to watch it fly.
Instead, (being made of Legos and all), it crashed to the ground and broke into a thousand small pieces.
Poor Davis. He's not quite ready for the concept of Legos.
Posted at 10:41 PM
Wed - September 28, 2005
My Kid is a Genius
One thing that drives me crazy about parents
today is that we all think our kids are little geniuses. Everyone thinks their
offspring are brilliant. It's a Lake Wobegon
existence.
Statistically speaking, that's not possible. Some of our children must be simply "above average" or *gasp*...just average.
Anyway, so as I was saying - my kid is a genius. At dinner the other night, Dana blurts out "64+64 is 128." I eyed her strangely....who is this 5 year old offspring of mine who can add numbers in her head better than I can? She claims that I told her that figure and she just remembered it. Who remembers strange numbers like that? Not me.
At Kindergarten, for the first 15 minutes they can chose "reading" or "writing". Reading is looking at books and for most kids, writing is drawing pictures and writing a few words. But Dana...she does math. Seriously, she does math. Without any prodding or direction. She comes home with pages and pages of sums. Nothing fancy - "1+1=2" and the like.
She told me that she wants to write a math book. I said, "OK, when you are grown up, that would be a great thing to do!" She corrected me and informed me that she wants to write a math book now. With a sharpie. She wants to staple pages together and write down everything she knows about math in it. With a sharpie. (I don't know what the sharpie signifies? permanence of numbers?)
I told her that her grandmother was very good at math and that sounded like a fun project for them to do together. Sadly, everything I know about math would not make a very long book.
She's already started a notebook in which she plans to write all the numbers from 1 - 1000. That's it. no words, just numbers. I told her it might not make the best seller list. She'll sit an hour and do nothing but write numbers. Many of them are backwards, which makes for some interesting reading.
OK, so here's the genius part: she has also figured out that she can extend bedtime by a good 10 minutes if she asks me to quiz her on math problems. Who can say no to math? Isn't the lack of a passion for mathematics in girls one of the biggest problems in our elementary school system?
So, she gets me every time. I gladly end up spend an extra 10 minutes each night reviewing math with her. (Tonight, I even stumped her. She thought 11 + 11 was 21.)
Statistically speaking, that's not possible. Some of our children must be simply "above average" or *gasp*...just average.
Anyway, so as I was saying - my kid is a genius. At dinner the other night, Dana blurts out "64+64 is 128." I eyed her strangely....who is this 5 year old offspring of mine who can add numbers in her head better than I can? She claims that I told her that figure and she just remembered it. Who remembers strange numbers like that? Not me.
At Kindergarten, for the first 15 minutes they can chose "reading" or "writing". Reading is looking at books and for most kids, writing is drawing pictures and writing a few words. But Dana...she does math. Seriously, she does math. Without any prodding or direction. She comes home with pages and pages of sums. Nothing fancy - "1+1=2" and the like.
She told me that she wants to write a math book. I said, "OK, when you are grown up, that would be a great thing to do!" She corrected me and informed me that she wants to write a math book now. With a sharpie. She wants to staple pages together and write down everything she knows about math in it. With a sharpie. (I don't know what the sharpie signifies? permanence of numbers?)
I told her that her grandmother was very good at math and that sounded like a fun project for them to do together. Sadly, everything I know about math would not make a very long book.
She's already started a notebook in which she plans to write all the numbers from 1 - 1000. That's it. no words, just numbers. I told her it might not make the best seller list. She'll sit an hour and do nothing but write numbers. Many of them are backwards, which makes for some interesting reading.
OK, so here's the genius part: she has also figured out that she can extend bedtime by a good 10 minutes if she asks me to quiz her on math problems. Who can say no to math? Isn't the lack of a passion for mathematics in girls one of the biggest problems in our elementary school system?
So, she gets me every time. I gladly end up spend an extra 10 minutes each night reviewing math with her. (Tonight, I even stumped her. She thought 11 + 11 was 21.)
Posted at 09:06 PM
Wed - May 4, 2005
And I was doing so well...
I was feeling proud: I had made it a whole day
without breaking down in tears about our beloved
preschool.
Then I arrived at FUMP to pick up the children this afternoon. One of the parents had made buttons and the kids and teachers were all wearing them.
So much for 'no more tears.'
Then I arrived at FUMP to pick up the children this afternoon. One of the parents had made buttons and the kids and teachers were all wearing them.
So much for 'no more tears.'
Posted at 08:16 PM
Sun - December 19, 2004
poor, poor child
To
D1:
I'm so glad that you are five now and asking to help around the house and do "chores" and all that.
But...
Truly, is it really necessary to sing "It's a Hard Knock Life" at the top of your lungs every time we scrub anything?
The neighbors are looking at me funny.
I'm so glad that you are five now and asking to help around the house and do "chores" and all that.
But...
Truly, is it really necessary to sing "It's a Hard Knock Life" at the top of your lungs every time we scrub anything?
The neighbors are looking at me funny.
Posted at 10:45 PM Read More
Mon - December 6, 2004
How to have a miserable night
Take one 2 year old boy with a 102 fever and a
nasty case of diarrhea.
Realize at dinnertime that you are completely out of wipes. Also realize that you don't have any of the 4 major food groups as dictated by doctor (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce or Toast.)
Decide to head to grocery store at dinnertime with sick boy and cranky hungry older sister.
Forget to bring diaper bag. Rush through the store to get the BRAT food and return home before the next major diaper explosion.
Almost make it.
Prepare dinner only to have sick 2 year old boy say, "I not hungry" and proceed to eat nothing on his plate.
Try to convince him that Pedilalyte is "tasty apple juice."
ha.ha.ha.
Give up and let him have apple juice.
Deal with the diaper consequence.
Collapse into bed. tomorrow is another day....and Netflix should be delivering Shrek One *and* Shrek Two tomorrow.
Realize at dinnertime that you are completely out of wipes. Also realize that you don't have any of the 4 major food groups as dictated by doctor (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce or Toast.)
Decide to head to grocery store at dinnertime with sick boy and cranky hungry older sister.
Forget to bring diaper bag. Rush through the store to get the BRAT food and return home before the next major diaper explosion.
Almost make it.
Prepare dinner only to have sick 2 year old boy say, "I not hungry" and proceed to eat nothing on his plate.
Try to convince him that Pedilalyte is "tasty apple juice."
ha.ha.ha.
Give up and let him have apple juice.
Deal with the diaper consequence.
Collapse into bed. tomorrow is another day....and Netflix should be delivering Shrek One *and* Shrek Two tomorrow.
Posted at 09:40 PM
Tue - November 23, 2004
Sing us a song
Entry on D's Preschool Daily
Note:
"D really seems to like music class. You can hear him singing above all the other children."
Note that there was nothing about any musical skill or talent. He's just another boy who likes to sing. Loudly...
The preschool holiday music concert is in 3 weeks. I can't wait.
"D really seems to like music class. You can hear him singing above all the other children."
Note that there was nothing about any musical skill or talent. He's just another boy who likes to sing. Loudly...
The preschool holiday music concert is in 3 weeks. I can't wait.
Posted at 09:05 PM
Mon - November 15, 2004
Dear Husband...
...Please tell me that the can of Mountain Dew on
the dining room table was empty. The one that D had to his mouth when I walked
back in the room just a moment ago.
Or else it's gonna be a very long night.
He just said, "I be Tigger. You be Winnie Pooh" and started bouncing around the living room. Not a good sign.
Or else it's gonna be a very long night.
He just said, "I be Tigger. You be Winnie Pooh" and started bouncing around the living room. Not a good sign.
Posted at 05:53 PM Read More
Tue - November 9, 2004
For I:
Some more samples of D's fine photo-journalism on
our trip to Massachusetts (With D's
comments):
"Hmph. the dog moved its face."
"Mama, why did you close your eyes? I was taking a PICTURE."
"Well, they must be too tall to be in my picture."
(the aunts will be glad to hear that one....)
"Hey, how'd that hand get in there?"
"Hmph. the dog moved its face."
"Mama, why did you close your eyes? I was taking a PICTURE."
"Well, they must be too tall to be in my picture."
(the aunts will be glad to hear that one....)
"Hey, how'd that hand get in there?"
Posted at 09:59 PM
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Published On: Dec 13, 2006 09:20 PM
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Published On: Dec 13, 2006 09:20 PM