Why haven't we done this sooner?

We woke up and Q2 suggested we go to the beach. Wow. What a great idea from a girl who only likes being in the water for about 5 minutes!

So we packed up and went to Sandy Point State Park with a gorgeous view of the Bay Bridge. Stopping along the way to get bagels for breakfast. Bagels and cream cheese for 3 of us, and a bagel with mayonnaise for Q2. It gave the cashier and the lady behind me pause to hear that I wanted a blueberry bagel with mayo. But whatever, I choose strange looks over crusty arms for Q2, since she doesn't tolerate milk protein well.

After that, we were on our way. Q2 she didn't go into the water, really, she loved the giant sandbox that was the beach.



She even loved being buried in the sand. We made "mermaid legs" for her, which cracked both C3 & Q2 up a bit.*



C3 enjoyed the water with C38, but also enjoyed the sand a lot ... she made sand dogs, and rolled around and generally just like running around in it. Although this photo makes it look like she ready to go home (she is), she really did have a great time.



*normally, we call "mermaid legs" the situation when both legs get stuck in one leg of an item of clothing ...

Check her temp, already!

We must remember: Cranky Q2 = Sick Q2
We must remember: Wild mood swings = Sick Q2
We must remember: Waking up in the middle of the night and staying up for 2 hours = Sick Q2
We must remember: Meltdowns over things like how mumma opens the trashcan = Sick Q2
We must remember: Clingy, crying, crazy Q2 = Sick Q2

102.4 F last night. A dose of ibuprophen or acetaminophen and BOOM, 20 minutes later life was good again.

And then the rest of the week

I can't say the rest of the week went quite so smoothly.

Well, actually, it did for C3. She kept comparing how summer camp and nursery school were different. Starting with the important stuff: Snack time.

C3: Snack time comes AFTER playing outside!
C3: And summer camp has no circle time!
C3: And no show and tell.

So, C3 has settled in and is doing fine. She enjoyed the 2 days of camp, and then the 2 days of babysitting. No problems. She came home covered in teal marker and about 1,000 drawings of teal things. Dogs, words, dogs, words.

Q2, however, isn't adjusting quite as smoothly, which isn't a surprise, considering this is her first time at any care opportunity.

Q2's teacher told me a few things:

Miss A: She's really difficult to handle when she's upset, difficult to calm down.
Me thinking but not saying out loud: Ya think? She kinda flails ... I wonder if she kicked her?
Miss A: Kicking around.
Me still thinking: Oh, she got kicked.
Miss A: She peed on Miss S while sitting outside.
Me: I'm sorry. Haha. No, that's not nice.
Miss A: Is there anyway to help her adjust?
Me (still thinking about the pee): I have her go to the potty during any transition time ... so before she goes out, when she comes in ... etc. I don't know if she really can hold it all morning.
Miss A: I mean, does she have a lovey or blankie or anything you could bring in?
Me: Oh, maybe not her blankie, but a stuffed animal we can bring in.
C38's response to this later was: She'll just throw it if she's mad! (So true)

And then the two days of being babysat ... crying happened. The first day she cried on and off the whole time (1.5 hours) and the second day she did OK until the end before C38 picked her up. But she was good because I offered her a chocolate if she didn't cry when I left. So, she didn't cry and she got the chocolate!!! Whew.

I like the whole day care concept. I'm thinking next summer we get them into day care or camp for the mornings, I work, then we do the pool in the afternoon, or something. But I feel very free without them. Lovely.

I just read in Newsweek that children make their parents less happy. I agree to an extent; you can't focus on your own needs and desires when you have a child to look after. And no, picking up after them doesn't make me happy. Their laundry sure doesn't make me happy. But they themselves do. On the whole, I think children are a good deal.

But, I still did relish the freedom!!

Summer Camp

Day one. Extra long day because they went to the pool. All seems to have gone well, although I was informed that Q2 wasn't keen on the pool. She got in, 2-3 minutes, and got out. Stripped down, and didn't want to put a bathing suit back on.

She was told she had to, of course.

So, she went for her clothes, not her bathing suit, and got those wet (which is OK).

Now, the story from Q2 went like this:

Q2: I went underwater and I cried cried cried cried!
C3: Mumma, Q was a TURTLE!
Q2: And I cried cried cried!

So, I'm thinking there was more to the story than the day care let on. Although her hair wasn't wet ... maybe around the edges.

C3 said she had to stay in the baby pool, which is fine with me.

No issues from either child; I only hope tomorrow is as smooth.

Sleep rules part 2

Q2 has taken the sleep rules to heart. Or actually, she really really really is motivated by getting a red lollipop or a popsicle first thing in the morning.

Probably the latter.

Last night I put her to bed, we went over the rules:

1) Nurse Mumma
2) Lie down in bed
3) Be quiet - no crying
4) Close your eyes
5) Fall asleep

About 10-15 minutes before she ended up falling asleep last night I heard her start to wimper. After two wimpers, which sounded like the beginning of a full-fledged cry, she stopped suddenly and I heard this:

Q2: I not cry. Daddy, I not cry. I close my eyes.

And I know exactly what was going on hin her head ... I WANT AN ORANGE POPSICLE FOR BREAKFAST.

Well, she got one.

Prodigy ( & a graffiti artist )

Also know as little hellion who gets into everything. C3 didn't figure out doorknobs until she was about 3 years old. Q2 ... just figured it out this week.

And it is usually the little prodigy also known as a hellion who gets into everything who usually draws on all surfaces ... the floor, the table, the legs, the feet, the hands, the pants, the shirt, the lips, chin ... whatever she can get a magic marker on.

But today, it was C3 who colored her windowsill her favorite color, brown. Brown like her eyes. Brown like what the hell is that shit on your windowsill?? And windowpane?

Oh, crayon. Got it. Now I understand. How did she explain herself, you wonder?

C3: I was trying to do white on white but it didn't work.

Oh, of course ... so if the white on white doesn't work, go for the brown on white, that does make sense. It did work.

information age

Q2 & C3 now have their own e-mail addresses. I'm a little weirded out by this ... but of course they'll be typing circles around me sooner rather than later ...