Hey Harry. Whatcha doin? Yougonnaeatthis?
FORTHELOVEOFALLTHATISGOODWOMAN,LEAVEMEALONE.
I mean, I can only imagine that's what Harry might be saying.
Lucy woke up from her nap before Harry (which is why he's eating his lunch in these pictures and she's already finished), so we had a rare thirty minutes just to ourselves.
Lucy spent most of that time walking around the house asking "Where's Harry?" and "Is it time to go pick up Ellie?"
She asked about Ellie all day long actually.
"Where's Ellie? I want Ellie."
These two. Oh my.
"Mommy! Look at us!" they called to me, from the living room. (Ellie took her shirt off. So Lucy did. Because, of course.)
At this moment, in these days, Ellie can do no wrong in Lucy's eyes.
"Where's Ellie? What's Ellie doing? I want to go see Ellie."
I look at them playing Barbie Fairies or dress up, I watch as Ellie gives Lucy "pony rides" around the kitchen table, knocking into the back of my legs as I slice carrots for dinner. Two little girls. In my house. And I still can't quite believe it, that I get to witness this all as it unfolds.
Ellie is phenomenally, unshakably patient with the twins but it's Lucy who tries her the most (wrinkling Ellie's drawings just as she completes them, overturning her perfectly placed tea set. And yet. Ellie is unflappably calm with both of them. They destroy, she shrugs and laughs: "Oh Lucy!"
These days Ellie is a key player in bedtime for the twins. They wait for her to "tuck them in."
"Ellie! Come give me a kiss," Lucy calls, as Ellie climbs the stairs.
Some of Ellie's techniques are more effective than others: "If you don't lie down I'm telling Mama, Grandma and everyone I know!"
I think that I spent my whole early childhood pining for a sister, wondering what that relationship would be like, that constant companion, the never ending play date (not that that word existed in 1978). Of course I completely idealized it--there was never any grief about sharing or resentment about who got more attention. It was just, fun. All fun, all the time. Because I knew with a sister I would never be lonely.
Sisters or brothers, you can certainly say that much about our house. No one is EVER Lonely.
***
We were brave and left the house with all four kids last weekend. We even went really nuts and took them to a restaurant, of all places! I know!
The food seemed to take forever.
So we passed the time making silly hats. Butter packages and mini creamers, of course.
Classy. That's us.
Luckily the hot chocolate (and my coffee) hit the table right away. Lucy has a newfound love for hot chocolate (and by hot chocolate I mean barely warmed chocolate milk topped with whipped cream).
I think it's fair to say she approves.
I like to call this look "Cocoa Drunk."
***
It's finally here!
I'd like to take the big kids this weekend. I mean, they can't stop talking about it. They won't leave me alone, it's just "When the Sing-A-Long Frozen, Mom?" All. The. Time.
OK so I might be more excited than they are.
We showed Harry and Lucy some clips from "Frozen" last weekend and Lucy was completely riveted. Part of me thinks she might actually enjoy the sing-a-long version but another part of me is also afraid that she of the Many Opinions will not appreciate all the singing and will, in true Lucy "I'm The Boss Style" order the audience to "STOP SINGING!"
I've long been plotting to get the kids the "Frozen" plush dolls (damn you Disney store for being so close to my office and directly in my path every single day). Leo and Ellie were easy: they are both smitten with Elsa (did I tell you that Leo has decided he wants to be her when he grows up?). Lucy likes Anna. When I asked Harry who he liked, Anna or Elsa?
He answered, "Olaf."
I swear that Olaf is totally for Harry. Completely.
