Movin' On Up

The draw of the top bunk. It has been calling Baby Beignet's name for a few weeks now. The bottom bunk is bigger but the top bunk is higher. She tried it out a couple of times for nap and loved it, but wasn't willing to commit. On Wednesday, a foster friend spent the night so Baby B took the top bunk, feeling most honored to be the one trusted to climb the ladder in the night for a bathroom break. Finally, B has made the permanent move. For me, it is a pain....sheets are harder to change, I have to climb up to tuck her in, but it has happened just in time....New kiddo is coming on Monday.

Easter Dresses

How did this happen? How did I get the girliest girl in the world in my house? Is this because I wore dresses every single day of my fifth grade year? Or is this because I am NOT a fan of shopping?

Baby B has been counting the days. Not the days till Easter, but the days till I would take her to the mall to buy a dress. B tried on about 10 dresses. She loved every one of them and would have brought them home if allowed. What we ended up with makes her look like a flower girl. Shiny white dress with polka dots, a delicate sweater in case it is cold, white mary janes and a pink headband. Yikes. Beignet is beside herself. "I look like a princess." Yes, tis true. I have given in to the Princess gods and allowed this frill to happen. When's the tomboy moving in?

Fantastic Fun for Spring Break

1. Shamu Express with Kate and Sarah at Sea World. Pink cotton candy and the "boat ride" came in as close seconds. "Sea World make us so busy." says Baby B.
2. Sprinkler fun with "our" new friends at the house. Cheap entertainment (especially compared to Sea World).
3. IHOP breakfast with Grampa. I have to remember to thank him for giving us a SINGING scottie dog for our 3 hr car ride home.
4. Waco's Cameron Park Zoo. Yes, Waco has a zoo. Yes, it is awesome. Giraffes, elephants, rhinos, you name it. "That giraffe is so tall, he can reach the tree."
5. Baby B's stick garden. She has yet to wonder why the garden that she spent over an hour planting by finding sticks and digging a hole for each one to stand tall has yet to grow.
6. "Camping" in Bastrop. We got in our car when everyone else got in their tents. Roasted marshmallows, nighttime hike, zip line and walking sticks personally named by our hosts. What more could a camper want?

The Blondies

Word is in. All five blondies--the three brothers and their two sisters--are officially home. They have trickled their ways back to mom over a three month period. I believe if anyone is deserving of a second chance to raise their kiddos, it is this mom. Sass' mom asked the judge why she had to take parenting classes. The Blonds' mom asked the judge for MORE parenting classes. Where I have seen other mothers try to get out of things on their service plans, Blond Mom has done it all and again, asked for more.

I can't imagine it's going to be an easy road for her. In fact, having three of those kiddos in my home, I KNOW it's not going to be easy. I am hopeful for all five kids and mom that this is their new beginning.

I was thinking today that if the first two blond brothers had stayed here the whole time, they would have been here for 15 months. I think things are meant to be though. Had they been here that entire time I would never have...

...seen the third blond in a tutu.
...found a kindred spirit in the sugar-toothed Princess.
...learned that I am flexible enough to take a 21 month old.
...realized that kids, in the form of two lovely gentlemen, could creep into my heart in less than a week.
...watched Sass age from a 20 year old down to an 8 year old.
...laughed as much as I did at Little Bit's antics.
...and acclimated my ears to the New Orleans accent sleeping in the next room right now.

How many times...

do I have to tell you?

More importantly, how many times will I ask that question before I remember that there actually IS an answer. Sass was certain the answer was one more than however many times I had told her to do something. Baby B was convinced she knew the answer tonight at dinner. "B, drink your milk please." "B, drink your milk please." "Please stop playing and drink your milk."

Big sigh.

"B, I have told you four times to drink your milk. How many times do I have to tell you?"

She picked up her cup, drank some milk, smiled and said: FOUR.

Celebrations

Baby Beignet has broken a record. Somehow her honeymoon period lasted a whole month. To the day. Not a day longer. Someone flipped a switch in the angel child this week. Did I expect the emails from the teacher discussing behavior? Did I really just have to repeat myself FOUR times to get something done? This is not the February kid in this house. Welcome March.

Things needed to turn around quickly. Teacher and I were unwilling to tolerate rolling under the tables at lunch and fighting with friends. We quickly implemented a behavior chart with smiley faces. Beignet was excited. She caught on fast and knew that green happy faces were the ultimate goal. She turned it around by the end of this week and was back to her February self. In celebration, we went to Sonic today for an ice cream cone. "Thanks for giving us reason to celebrate today." I told her. Her ice cream covered face looked up at me and said, "Don't you worry. We can do this again next week. I'll make us celebrate again." Can I have a round of green smilies please?

Lights Out

Daylight savings starts tomorrow. I love everything about a longer day of sunshine, but am going to miss the magic of the lights in my house. There's a trend in this house, no matter the kids. A wonder about the "magic" lights around our home. Blond Brothers raced to the carport every morning to see who could trigger the security light first. In their short time here, the two gentlemen invented a game around the light sensor on the night light in the bedroom. The most magical, mysterious light though has been the lamp in the living room. At 6:17 every night, it clicks on. When Sass and Bit were around, Bit would look at us both and say, "I wiggled my nose." Baby Beignet waits for the click and says: CC did that! Neither Bit nor Baby B have known the real secret.

I love the magic of the lamp. I love the wonder that comes with it. While I will also love daylight until 9pm each night, I will miss the routine that each kid develops around a single light timer.