Nothing quite says I love you like Chef Boyardee

So as you know from previous posts, Goo has been swimming for 3.5 years and is now on her 9th swim teacher. The school is wonderful but the turnover rate is incredible. The teachers are often college students who work only for the summer or around their college schedule. I understand but it doesn't make it any easier on the kids. Emma has liked most of her instructors (with the occasional exception) but this past teacher, Erin, although Goo didn't have her long, she really, really liked her. The feeling was mutual. Erin told us that she would only have a Tuesday/Thursday schedule for now on and that Goo was switched to a new instructor. While telling us, Erin started to cry and said that she was very attached to Goose and was really upset about leaving her.

We left after class but I brought Emma back later in the afternoon to bring Erin a picture and card Goose made for her. As an addition, we had to put a can of Raviolis in a gift bag for Erin. Goose said that Erin knew it was her favorite lunch and then Erin could always remember her. :) I am sure it is a gift that Erin will remember for a long time.....a gift bag with a card, picture of Goo and a can of raviolis!!

I'm sleepin' here

A very good friend of ours is in town from Germany for 2 weeks. During his visit it happens to be his birthday so we have a birthday party for him at our house on Friday night. Goose is very excited because her good friends Alex and Pickle will be here. The 3 play hard all night and she ends up staying up well past her bed time. She puts up no fuss when I finally put her down, although her friends are still here.

After Goose gets into bed and I kiss her good night and close her door, Alex thinks she may have left her shoes in Goo's room. It's only been a minute or two but Goo is almost asleep as I open the door to look for the sneakers. She raises her head slightly off the pillow (plillow if she pronounces it) and says with only one open eye, "I'm sleepin' here. Jeez Louise, you're killing me mom. I'm sleepin' here. Are you trying to kick my but or somepin'". It took every ounce of concentration for me to not laugh right then and there. I just kissed her softly and said "Sorry sweetie go back to sleep."

I walked out of the room and lost it. The girl is a character, even passed out, she is a stitch.

Brain don't fail me now.

So yesterday Goose had a rough afternoon and evening. She was very fussy, crying on and off, yelling, getting lippy (just overall not a fun person to be around). She spent sometime in and out of "timeout" throughout the day. The final straw was when she bit her baby brother while in the bathtub on his finger. She was immediately taken out of the tub, was not allowed to watch Jimmy Neutron before bed (this was devastating to her) and put to bed early.

This morning Mary Sunshine arose from bed to declare, "Morning Mamas (with a huge Goosey smile). I am going to be sweet all day. Do you know why I wasn't sweet yesterday?" I said, "No why?".
She then pointed to her skull and explained, "My brain just didn't know what it was doing yesterday." Sadly enough, I can relate to that statement.

Confidence

So we are driving in the car and Magoo asks from in the backseat, "Mom, why do people always stare at me when we are out?" Not knowing what prompted this question or where she was going with this or what event gave her this complex, I said, "I don't know honey?" And then she replied, "I think it's because I am so beautiful." Well, relieved that nothing made her self-conscious, I simply agreed, "That must be it!"

This may sound like conceit on her part but she is just as complimenting to others as she is to herself. She describes people as gorgeous, adorable, beautiful and handsome. While going to see her sister dance in a ballet performance she said, "Mom, I need to look as beautiful as Dev." She then put on her fancy purple tights and matching ballet skirt. After I dressed up for my hubby's 20th high school reunion, she said, "Mom I cannot wait to be as gorgeous as you." Every day she tells me how adorable her little brother is and how handsome and strong her daddy is too. Everyone is her "friend". She makes friends with people everywhere she goes. It is amazing to watch. I am not so outgoing. It takes me awhile to warm up to people, not my Goo. She is very outgoing and friendly. Standing in line at the water park, she instantly was holding hands with another little girl and having a ball. Wouldn't it be great if adults could be so friendly to each other (I don't mean holding hands with random starngers...that would just be creepy) butinstantly make friends with people who happen to be near you. The world would be a much better place if adults were more like children in this manner. No preconceptions, everyone is a friend and beautiful.

Goosey, you are right, people stare at you where ever you go because you are beautiful (inside and out).

"I DO"

So, Sunday we were invited to our friend's house for an afternoon of swimming and bbq. Magoo was beside herself in aniticipation because she was going to spend the day with "The Twins". They are 4 years old and Goo gets along GREAT with them. Have it be known though, that she does favor one over the other and is often caught holding his hand throughout the day. Yes, "The Twins" are boys. The one she favors is a little blonde cutie who will do just about anything Goo wants him to.
Goo let me know that morning that she really likes Little Cy BUT he was not her boyfriend. She was very adamant about that. Well, I was relieved to hear it :) As we walk into their house, Little Cy's grandmother informs me that he was just in the bathroom telling her that he loved my Magoo. Too Cute! They immediately squeal their hellos, hug, and are off to play in the pool for the next 4.5 hours.
Little Cy would not go in the pool at the start of summer, he would stay in the jacuzzi and watch all the fun. Since Goo has been going over every couple of weeks, he has gotten braver each time and on Sunday he was playing in the deep end with his floaties on and not even thinking twice about it. It was very cool to see. His grandpa said it is amazing the things a boy will do for a woman :)
Anyways, after awhile of swimming and squirt guns in the pool, I look over just in time to see Little Cy and Magoo giving each other a HUGE hug and plant a "movie" kiss (as Goosey calls a kiss that you move your head exaggerately from side to side as you kiss one on the lips) on each other. Before I can say anything, I hear the other Twin proclaim, "Now you are married. You are going to keep kissing because you are married. Kiss again " typical instigating brother. Cy and Goo then realize that they have been caught in the act and they both get embarrassed and say in a defensive tone, "we are only pretending to be married." They quickly release their embrace and jump back into the pool. Although they temporarily acted as if the other was gross right after being caught smooching, it didn't take long to be back to holding hands and sitting next to each other eating ice cream and acting smitten.

I got my eyes on you two!

The Witching Hour

Wikipedia: The witching hour is the time when supernatural creatures such as witches, demons and ghosts are thought to be at their most powerful, and black magic at its most effective. This hour is typically midnight.

Well, in my house, it is between the hours of 4 and 6 pm! This is typically when hubby gets home from work, dinner is on the stove, D finishes her homework, and my mom calls to check on how the day is going. On top of that, Magoo is feeling extremely tired since "outgrowing" her naps. The typical scenario plays out as such.....D comes out of her room from completing her homework, Magoo notices and immediately asks her if she wants to play, occasionally the answer will be, "sure" but more often than not it is, "not right now". Magoo's feelings then get hurt because she has been waiting as patiently as humanly possible for a 3 year old for her to exit the closed bedroom door. Goo then has a meltdown and starts to cry and continually asks, "but please!" as her voice progressively gets higher and louder with each plea. I feel badly but cannot force D to play princess or tea party or another game of Dora Candyland. While this is happening, the phone will ring and I will try to have a nice conversation with my mom while stirring whatever happens to be cooking on the stove. At this precise moment, Little Man will decide to do one of 3 things: either fall and bump himself on something (resulting in his crying), try to touch whatever it is that Magoo is holding in her hand while crying over her big sister's neglect (which will result in angry cries of NO NO NO NO NO) , or get a nice handful of Goo's hair wrapped in his cute little fist (which will result in an even more blood curdling scream from Magoo). As I quickly hang up the phone with my mom (who I am quite sure believes my house is usually in disarray), my hubby will walk in from work, (whom I am also quite certain believes that I let the household run wild all day long).

There will be slight variations to this scenario however the result is predictably the same....witches and demons at their most powerful! AND then the calm after the storm - dinner is done. The family then sits as a unit at the dining room table and eats together in an orderly and civilized fashion. Actual conversation takes place and the tears are gone. I breathe a sigh of relief for I have again survived the witching hour ( all be it a close call). The rest is cake. My angels are back and ready for dessert, bath, snuggling, book and then the comfort of bed. "Only good dreams mama, only good dreams", Goo proclaims as she starts to knod off to sleep.

More Fish

Magoo has been swimming since she was 6 months old at the Murray Callan Swim School. She really is an amazing little swimmer. Her teachers over the years have referred to her as Fish. She loves the water and swims 3 times a week for the past 3+ years. She dives in, takes breathes and can swim the width of the pool unassisted. She is now working on (what they refer to as zippers). Her teacher is truly impressed at how quickly she learned the technique and how beautifully she executes the stroke.

Little Man started the same program about 2 months ago. He too appears to love the water and has never felt uncomfortable being in the pool. He goes under the water, glides from his teacher to me with head in the water, and goes off the side of the pool from the sitting position. It is incredible to watch this little 10 month old learn to swim.

It was very important to me that my children feel comfortable in the water and be strong swimmers. I am not. With us living so close to the ocean, I know I will not always be with them when they go to the beach. I want them to be water safe (as safe as one can be). I would never force them to swim if they did not enjoy it, so I am so happy that they both appear to be water babies.

Birch Aquarium at Scripps

Today is rainy and 70 degrees. I decided to take Goose and Mr. Moose to the aquarium today. Both kids are fascinated with daddy's salt water tank and Goose always has a billion questions about "Mr. Krabs" (thank you Spongebob) and the fish. I knew she would really enjoy Hall of Fishes at the aquarium.

I was not disappointed. They had a ball. Goose loved all the marine life, especially the jellyfish (again I am sure thanks to SpongeBob). They were both in awe of the 70,000-gallon natural habitat. Little Man loved standing at the large tank and laughing and screaming at the fish while they swam by him. He would especially start yelling at the leopard shark who kept circling in front of him.

There were fun displays set up with sand and one with water & toy boats to display how currents work in the ocean. Goose enjoyed those a lot.

It was shark week at the aquarium so they had a shark exhibit where you could touch them but Goose wanted no part of that. She didn't want to touch the plants or animals in the living tide pools either. I tried to get her to touch a sea cucumber but she wasn't buying it. She enjoyed observing everything but the touching was not so appealing.

I remember taking D to the aquarium when she was about 2 years old. At the same huge tank, she stood pointing at one of the large fish and saying, "Oh You Yuck!" everytime he swam by. It was hilarious.

After looking at all the fish, and exploring the hands-on exhibits, we wandered into the gift shop. Goosey left with a small mermaid and bracelet and Moose had a book and was chewing on his new plastic fish. As we walked back to the car, I turned to Goose and said, "Thanks for going to the aquarium with me today. It was fun" She replied, "You don't have to thank me for that" and gave me a smile.

Summer Intensive

D has been dancing since the age of 2. She is now 12 and seems to love ballet more every year. This summer she was invited to participate in the summer intensive program at City Ballet. Her day of dance begins at 8:30am and she goes until 2:00pm. Her day consists of "bar work" for form, ballet instruction with 3 top names in the ballet community, pilates and jazz. It goes without saying that D is in very good physical shape. This program lasts 3 weeks and is an honor to be invited. Yesterday she came home, had a snack, took a nice long epsom salt bath, and promptly passed out on the couch.