Eileen: Squeeeeeel! That's what I'm talking about! These bubbles are enormous!
Eileen: Where's Dave?
Me: Um. You don't call him Dave. You call him daddy.
Eileen: Well they both start with "d".
Robin: I call dada "Boba Fett."
Me: Eileen you're not wearing underwear.
Eileen: I forgot.
Me: Go put on underwear. (Eileen leaves and then comes back down the stairs)
Eileen: Okay. I'm ready.
Me: Did you put on underwear?
Eileen: Yup.
Me: So if I check, am I going to find underwear?
Eileen: Ummm. I think I have to go potty..... (slinks back upstairs)
Robin: It's so yumbly in my tumbly.
Linus has a regular kid bedtime of sometime between 7:30 and 8 pm based upon the day's behavior. However he often has trouble falling asleep. Usually he will read for an hour to an hour and a half (I think he is setting a first grade reading record at school). This past week Linus has mixed things up a little. Instead of just reading, he's been creating detailed pictures for our viewing.
I think this first one was part of a plan to earn an extra star on the behavior chart. I like how he even included Robin's bunny lovey and the annoying singing dinosaur toy.
4th of July Parade. There are kids on a float throwing candy, a marching band being pooped on by the birds above, and a band on stage.
Pirate ship. Man blindfolded and walking the plank. Many hungry sharks swim below.
This last one is by far my favorite. There is a hungry crocodile in the corner, a guy on a boat with a gun and a cross bow who is smoking a cigarette, an opposum handing upside down, windchimes, and a tv antenna, a rocking chair on the porch. The guy's wife is inside doing dishes. The house is on stilts above water. Apparently, it's set in a bayou in Florida.
We asked Linus where he is coming up with this stuff. It's not like he has internet in his room. He is drawing these under a nightlight, using a Where's Waldo as a hard surface. Linus says he decides on a theme each night and it all just comes to him.
Dave was joking Linus was like Ira Glass on This American Life.
"We have stories today told in four themes. What happens when a boy can't sleep and is given a piece of paper and a pencil? I'm Ira Glass and you're listening to This American Life."
Linus started karate about a year and a half ago. It's been really good for him. Karate helps Linus to focus, breathe, and calm himself. His teachers run a tight ship. Linus does well with systems that provide for advancement and that allow him to have some control over his life. The karate belt process was made for kids like him.
This weekend Linus participated in his first competition. Linus is currently a yellow belt. He has worked hard and gets to class early just so he can get extra training from his teacher. To my surprise Linus will be testing for his advanced yellow in a week, about 4-6 months earlier than I thought he would test.
The competition was open to all students who knew at least one kata. Linus chose to do Taikyoku #3. He quietly rehearsed his moves in his head while waiting his turn.
Linus did very well. He knew his kata and performed it with precision and confidence.
Linus was one of only two yellow belts in attendance so he automatically advanced to the finals. The other yellow belt was at least 3, if not 5 years older than Linus. The older yellow belt struggled during his preliminary round and was allowed to choose a kata to compete against Linus. Of course he chose a kata that Linus knew, but had not been practicing regularly. Linus did okay. He struggled, but never gave up, corrected his mistakes and kept going. I was so proud of him.
It was a split decision of 2-3. I told Linus that while the older boy may have done better in the finals, Linus did better overall. That may have contributed to the judges' decisions. Interestingly, during the green belt competition there was another split decision. The two judges who voted for Linus were the same two who voted for the girl who I thought should have won.
Linus handled himself well. I could tell he was upset, but he held back his tears and took his place with the other students against the wall. After all the kata competitions, Linus and I stayed to watch a little bit of the sparring. You have to be a green belt to spar. Linus cannot wait.
Before we left, one of the judges came over and congratulated Linus on the way he conducted himself as well as his katas. If anything, that older boy better be worried because he almost got bested by a very determined 7 year old.
I pointed out to Linus that at this rate, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the karate world in just a few years. Hi-yah!
Mother's Day is probably my favorite day of the year. Christmas is fun (but stressful). My birthday still requires me to work/go to school/carry on with the usual. Mother's Day is MY day. I love my babies, but I relish the opportunity to be able to do as much or as little as I want.
Today involved sort of sleeping in (I still was awoken by Eileen at 6:20 in the morning, but I was not responsible for getting up). I just stayed in bed, watched a movie, and read a magazine. Dave brought me coffee. The kids picked out flowers for me the day before.
Once I rose, I was not responsible for helping any child get ready. We went to opening day at the Lake Forest Park farmer's market and then out to brunch where I drank a very strong mimosa. Then it was back home for a nap. Eileen played quietly by herself for close to two hours while Robin and I slept and Dave and Linus went to Linus' football game.
This morning with the kids. They don't understand the concept of looking at a camera.
Nap was followed by a pedicure date. Eileen and I picked up vanilla steamers for ourselves and a chocolate milk for Robin. We were pleasantly surprised to be joined by Grandma, Aunt Sally, and Uncle Tim. It was Tim's first mani-pedi. Eileen and Robin were perfect little angels. Eileen didn't even ask to play with my phone. Robin sat contentedly on my lap, excited to get dark blue nails of his own. The nail ladies loved him.
I followed up more nails by relaxing in my room before dinner. I couldn't help myself, and eventually did a load of laundry as Dave bathed the kids.
Thank you Dave for our babies. And thank you so much for loving me enough to just let me be a woman of leisure for the day. It was marvelous.
Oh my goodness, I don't really know what to make of all these gorgeous spring days. The heat and dry weather brings out my anxieties about global warming and climate change, yet at the same time a shiny sun, fresh air, and birds chirping makes my heart leap with joy. This weekend has been no exception.
Yesterday we played outside, water plants, rode bikes, and watched Eileen's soccer game. Dave and the big kids went to a bonfire at a friends house. Another dad planned it as a way to give moms a night off. I stayed home with a sleeping Robin, watched a really bad movie, and got a ton of work done and out of the way.
This morning I woke up and knew God would understand if we took a family hike instead of going to church. We ventured out to Woodinville to the Paradise Valley Conservation Area. It's great, easy hiking with miles and miles of trails.
Robin hiked for the first part of the trip as well as the last quarter mile. He played red light, green light with himself.
Of course I did plant identification with the kids. They are getting pretty good. Linus wanted to find the "butterfly" plant, aka salmonberry. When he folded down the top leaf to make a butterfly, he asked Dave if he did it right. Dave correctly informed him that I was the one to ask, as I am the one who taught daddy.
Robin preferred thimbleberry, what I like to call "Nature's toilet paper."
Robin eventually relented and climbed into the Ergo when he got to tired to continue.
We hiked a little over three miles. Eileen walked the whole way! Even more amazing was the lack of whining. Normally, Eileen's legs get too tired after about a quarter mile. Linus took the trail at a brisk pace. I had to work to keep up with him.
I love this guy.
Back on the trail, Robin was kind enough to read the trail interpretation signs for us. Robin has been watching me teach Eileen to read and likes to mimic the process.
We all had such a great time hiking. Given how today went, I feel encouraged about the possibility of other hikes. I'll hopefully go back to Paradise Conservation Area. There is a lot left for us to explore and it is really only 20 minutes away (with no traffic).
In the afternoon, I watched Linus' football practice and game. This really meant I sat on the sidelines and read my book. His team got pummeled, but Linus handled it well. We finished off the evening with Dave grilling. I made milkshakes for dessert.
Some days you can't help but think, "Life is good."
