Sorry, Officer

The great thing about all the safety education they do in elementary school now is that seven-year-olds know how to call 911.

The bad thing about all the safety education they do in elementary school now is that seven-year-olds know how to call 911.

You probably know how this one is going to go.

Saturday morning Erin woke to a ringing phone. Seems that Leo woke up early (as per usual), crept downstairs, and made a certain phone call. The call that Erin received was from a 911 dispatcher. Apparently someone from our number had called them?

Gee, I wonder who.

Minutes later there was a knock at the door.

Let me pause to say:

A) I feel incredibly safe in my town.
B) The high property taxes we pay apparently go to...something.

Erin went downstairs and opened the front door to find a police officer standing on our front porch. Seems that sending one out to the residence where a 911 call originates is standard. (Like I said, I feel safe.)

Erin called Leo to the door. Leo immediately burst into tears. He knew exactly what he'd done and that it was not the right thing.

It was sort of every parent's dream, really. Your kid does something wrong and a police officer shows up and tells them not to do it again.

We'll see if this one sticks.

Fail Again: Make-up

Another fail.

I SO feel that I'm not doing my part in "31 for 21" this year to increase/promote Down syndrome awareness. Sigh.

This year has been hard. The only time I have to blog is at the end of the day when everyone is in bed and I have to say that by then? I am just done. DONE.

The babies have colds again. I think the culprits are the big kids as I don't remember any of my other infants being this sick, this often, this young. I shouldn't be surprised as Leo goes straight from the bus to kissing and hugging his babies. Last night the babies tag-teamed and I feel like I was awake about every forty-five minutes. It was ugly.

Let's change the subject. What about this?

A seven year old boy who is WAY more typical than not. Lives to annoy his little sister while at the same time adoring her. Loves to play in the back yard, preferably in the dirt. Loves Legos, all things related to "Toy Story" and Super Heroes. Has also been known to rock a princess dress too (quite proudly).

He has a couple of new, hilarious moves. If he loves something (i.e. a particularly fabulous piece of cheese pizza) he falls on the ground, throws his thumb up in the air (in a "thumbs up" position) and says: "I'm OK!" (Translation: he fainted from the fabulousness.)

He's also cracking jokes. Or, his version of a joke. He asks for orange juice at dinner even though he knows full well we only have orange juice at breakfast. "Mommy! Pretend!" he says in his most exasperated tone, when I remind him of the no orange juice rule.

This boy surprises me almost every day, much as he has from the very beginning.

Two in a Cart: 2008

I don't have very much to say today except that I felt spectacularly unproductive. I know the whole "you kept four humans alive" is not insignificant, but sometimes I just get frustrated with my inability to concentrate and complete a task. Eh, no biggy. That's just the way it is right now.

Anyway. Since I don't have much of interest to say, how about an oldie but goodie?

Leo, 3 1/2 and Ellie, ten months.

This feels like it was both yesterday and a dozen years ago.

Time is a funny thing.

Four For a Day

Today, for the first time since the babies were born, we went out as a family of four.

It felt totally and completely normal. Barely five blocks from the house, it was almost like the babies were a dream.

We went to see a play, "Angelina Ballerina". Leo and Ellie loved it (they're experienced theatergoers).

When the play ended we purchased the requisite souvenirs ("Angelina" ears and wand) that cost more than the tickets (because you only live once).

Then it was off to a party. Again, just the four of us.

Later, Erin would describe me as "sitting alone at a table eating and drinking (wine)." It's totally true and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I enjoyed myself.

Ellie played four square with a couple of new found friends. Leo stayed with Erin and me and ate his weight in hot dogs and grapes and chatted up the ladies. He was having actual conversations and it was wonderful to watch.

There was just a lightness about the day, even when we couldn't find parking before the play and drove around in circles with the clock on the dashboard ticking down (there are few things in life I hate more than being late).

I don't think I realize how much work the babies are until I'm away from them (which is basically never). And I forget sometimes how easy "big" kids (like Leo and Ellie) are. But someday (too soon, I know) these babies will be big kids too. And the not so light days will feel like far away dreams. And there will be four little people instead of two, sitting in a darkened theater whispering "Is it over?"

Lucy modeling the Angelina ears.

Dusk arrived and an exquisite fall day came to an end and it was time to return home to the babysitter and the babies. When we walked in the door, the babysitter was holding Lucy and Harry was jiggling away in his bouncy chair. Both babies turned to look at us and smiled as if to say "It's you guys! We know you!" Leo and Ellie showered the babies with hugs and kisses and squeezes as they are apt to do when apart from them for more than three minutes. Ellie tried the ears and wand on her little sister and squeeled "She's holding the wand!" (see above and below).

Our babysitter described the babies as "so much fun." She said it twice so it must have been true.

Mouse ears AND wand.

Four for a day was fun. But six is more like it.

Holidays: The Good and the Bad

Ellie is in absolute love with Halloween. Every car ride or walk is a search for decorations. "Mommy did you see those ghostas?" She calls to me from the back of the mini-van. Not sure where that pronounciation came from but that's it. The other day as we were pulling out of the mall parking lot I pointed out the "haunted house" to her (one of those pop-up places that go up every year that caters to teenagers and people who actually like to be scared). She was fascinated and pummeled me with questions about it all the way home. Was it real? What's in a haunted house? Why is a house haunted? Is our house haunted?

So. Many. Questions.

It's a total cliche but the whole holidays through the eyes of a child thing? It is pretty great.

Sidenote: I went to Target on Friday in search of an orange or "fallesque" kitchen rug. Couldn't find any because all the kitchen linens/rugs were CHRISTMASY.

Are you kidding me?

Speller

An addendum to my last post about Leo in second grade:

I forgot to mention that he consistently scores one-hundred percent on his spelling tests (he has one every Friday). I hope I'm not jinxing anything by kvelling about it here but I just have to mention it. And I love it because I was a total spelling fiend in elementary school. Yes I was the kid who actually looked forward to spelling tests. So I love that Leo seems to be following in my spelling footsteps. (My expertise peaked in elementary school, I assure you.)

And full disclosure: we don't always study. Shhhh.

When No News is Good News

Wednesday was Leo's parent-teacher conference. Gone are the days when I used to blissfully shuttle one kid (Ellie) to daycare and the other (Leo) to school (a few minutes early) so I could chat quickly (though meaningfully!) with Leo's teacher, all the while in the back of my mind hoping against hope that I would still make the last express bus to New York so I could not be too late to work.

This parent conference day was a little different. Sure I could have taken the babies, but I really wanted to have a full block of time to focus just on Leo. It's bad enough that I missed back to school night this year (first time missing it in history of parenting and I am still wracked with guilt about it).

My life is such that these days? A drive to an elementary school in the rain, where I can listen to what I want on the car iPod (Delta Spirit's "Devil Knows You're Dead") is a downright vacation. Seriously, it was so relaxing. One of the highlights of my week. And when I got to stop on the way home for lunch? I was ridiculously giddy. I got in an out of a car without having to load and unload the giant twin stroller. Party!

But I digress.

I was a little nervous about the conference. I mean, not nervous, just a little concerned that I hadn't been heard much from Leo's teacher so far this year. In year's past she's been chattier (emails), there's been more writing in Leo's communication book. This year? I got a note asking for a painting smock and for more money in Leo's lunch account. I had this whole scenario cooked up in my head that I'd get reports of Leo struggling "with all that's going on at home."
I've been facing with some pretty obstinate behavior (not exactly new). What's new is that I'm usually trying to enforce some kind of rule while holding an infant and a certain someone therefore seems to have a hard time taking me very seriously. I was curious if any of that behavior had bled over into school.

Apparently not. According to Mrs. L., Leo is doing great. He's well mannered, polite, does what he's asked to do. He's almost finished with the Edmark Reading Program Level 1, is taking Spanish and, well, she honestly had only good things to say about him. The only concern is the speech which is not a surprise of course and we're being proactive about that (the private therapy is taking longer than I'd like to get started but that's another story).

I for one am seeing some great things in Leo lately. He's definitely maturing. Just today, while Ellie was at swim class, a group of preschoolers (cute little girls, Leo's favorite target) passed us, like ducks in a row. Rather than lunging in for the hug, Leo held his hand out and said "High Five." One little girl looked concerned but gave in, and fived him. And the fact that I was able to take Leo to Ellie's swim class and he sat with me and stayed with me and the babies, all the while having a long and quite involved conversation with some of the employees of the community center where all those Ellie classes take place? Also huge. I'm very proud of him.

So all in all, second grade is off to a good start. Pfew.