Morning

This was from a couple week-ends ago. It was memorable because at 6:30 in the morning, Pippin woke up and said,

"Mommy, I'm hungry".

"Come snuggle mommy and we'll get up in a minute"I said, trying to buy a few more minutes.

"But Mommy, I'm STAHVEEN" hr insisted. So we got up and made him three pieces of toast and warm milk. Kateri came down soon after and ate two cartons of vanilla yogurt. I guess they were both growing. On a normal day they get up between 7:30 and 8:00. But I was able to manage because I had 1/2 and 1/2 for a latte and the Wall Street Journal has a Saturday edition.
This morning Kateri came into the library at 7:30 carrying her new notebook.

"Mom, can we do letters now?"

"Why don't we get some breakfast first and then we can do some letters" I suggested.

"How bout we do letters first and then breakfast" she answered.

I guess I can't complain when they want to work. I helped her with one page and then I got up to make breakfast. She came in a little later and had gone through all the letters from E-Y. We didn't get to go over the sounds as she wrote them but I was impressed with her work. I might have to get a few more of these as they only have one page per letter.



This is last night's dinner. You can't see the broiled chicken breast underneath but its there, topped with mango, bleu cheese, bacon and a basil vinagrette. Very tasty. And of course our old standby Root:1 Cabernet.
Speaking of wine, we are going to be staying at the Salish again and I'm looking forward to the Snoqualmie Reserve we had last time. We can only find the 2004 in the stores now- after Shane bought all the 2003s he could find- but I am hoping the Lodge will still have some. We decided to use our free night- and of course we booked massages and dinner so it was well worth their while to offer it-and have some time before Shane leaves for Tahiti. It worked with Grandma's schedule so when she offered we grabbed it. It helps get through some rough spots to remember it some days.
Some funny kid conversations
Kateri -Cyril, can you pass me the bottle?
Cyril slides it across the table.
Kateri- NO, not like that, like this.
Cyril- You can't tell me how to do it. You're not my mother.
Kateri- No, a mother means a sweet bird.
Cyril- NO it doesn't. It means your mother. Like you're my mother.
Kateri- I mam?
I was explaining to Kateri how nice it will be for her when she learns all her letters. She got all animated and had an amazed look on her face and said,
"Then I can write? and I will be big like you and I can have e-mail? and I can drive, and do the dishes, and drink why-un?"
Because I know my letters.

ABC'S

I'm not sure what I was thinking today, but I ended up taking the kids to toysrus and the mall. Actually, I was thinking Cyril really wanted a dinosaur he saw there before and had been saving up for it and I told him this morning I would take him. And then I was thinking, while we are out I should go by L'Occitane and get some bath soap and another shaker for shakes and then I might get some face powder because sometimes I like to dress up.

The dinosaur Cyril wanted was not there but he found a T-Rex skelton you can assemble so he got that and Audrey added to her herds of horses. And I actually found something useful- some work books for Kateri and Cyril for writing. I was getting tired of making dots and printing things out so these were perfect.

Kateri was thrilled. She loves pens and paper and doing writing exercises. She did amazing when I sat down with her and traced and then wrote on her own very well. If she started in the wrong spot she would drape over her page laughing "That's not how you do it Ooops"

Unlike Cyril, who if I reminded him to start at two o'clock would take the opportunity to defend his individualism and vehemently respond,

"You can't just make your kids do their letters just like yours. Not everyone's has to be the same."

I think he is the kind of student the schools would suggest medicating. Some days it does sound tempting. Some days it is difficult and other days its completely entertaining. Like when we were walking throught the grocery store and he was carrying a baguette and suddenly went all raptor like- laying the bread across his forearms and hunching over like a t-rex while baring his teeth to the other customers. I never know when or what mood will strike him until it does.

Cyril was upset I didn't take a picture of him while he was working and was sure it was because I didn't like him. I gently reminded him of the many occasions when I pull out the camera and he hides and protests- "No, you can't take my picture"
So here is Cyril helping with the hasbrowns. I think he is really growing. Yesterday he ate 5 slices of pizza for lunch. Today for dinner he had hashbrowns, then scrambled egg whites, and an orange, and then asked for toast.