Revisionist History

from GG:
"Martin Luther King didn't like white people.  He said that all white people need to ride in the front of the bus. We (black people) want to be back here by ourselves."

Apparently, we still have some work to do. But she DID get this part right: "Even if people are not nice to us, we should be nice to them because we are all the same."

Good girl.

Planning Ahead

We don't even have an exit date yet. Sure, in our heads and in our hearts, we know it's somewhere down the road, but no one is packing. I suppose we have discussed that we have spent our last Christmas together, but we still have a ways to go. Yet the worrier is still worrying. Worrying her little heart out.

"Mommy, when (caseworker) comes to take me to live at (x) or (y)'s house, I'm gonna be so so so sad. I will give you a big, big hug so I will never forget you."

Right back at you, sweet girl.

Safety First

Maybe it stems from my constant explanation that the reason they live here is that they were not safe in their other home and that Mommies and Daddies are learning to keep their kids super safe.  Maybe it stems from the idea that at least 200 times a day, the kids hear me say: That is not a safe choice. Who knows.  But I am apparently raising a couple of ninnies at this point.

Example 1:
GG: "I have some jewelry at my Gramma's house but it's chokeable and I don't want Tiny to choke so I left it there."
Big Sister: "Well, did you put it high up on a shelf at your Gramma's house?"
GG: "No, it's in my jewelry box."
Big Sister: "Well you know, GG, Tiny can still reach it if it's in your jewelry box.  He can still choke on it at your Gramma's house. You don't want him to choke on a chokeable, do you??"
GG: Um, no.  I forgot.

Example 2:
When seeing a man walking on the 71/I-35 flyover, yes, flyover:
"Why do you think that man is walking there? That is a very unsafe choice!"

Example 3:
When coming back from a family visit:
"Will you please talk to my (x), Mamma? S/he is NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT in the car and that is NOT SAFE!!"

Happy Birthday, Big Sister!

Big Sister turned four last week and we've just stopped celebrating (though cake for breakfast, thankfully, remains). Big could not make up her mind about much to do with her birthday. Her cake went from rainbow to pink to blue to Rapunzel to "just chocolate." My kinda kid!

For whatever reason, despite the many many experiences and field trips this last year has offered her, Big Sister only wanted one thing for her special day.  Another trip to Chuck E. Cheese.(admittedly, it was much more fun than I anticipated).

Sister has let everyone she sees know that she is four now.  May it be a wonderful year!

Happy Birthday, Big Sister! Do I love you, my oh my!!

Google

Through Blogger's little stats section, I was made aware that one can google random things and surely unintentionally end up on this blog.

Today's best example:  Google images "I love you so much hand sign".

We cannot, for the life of us, get our speech therapy business to the top of a google search, but put a three year old's middle finger on your blog, and she's the 2nd photo of "about 523,000,000 results."

And that, my friends, is AWESOME.

What are we celebrating now?

We love celebrations here.  What are we celebrating today?

ONE DAYCARE + FOUR KIDS

for the first time in a year. Heaven!

Slacker Days

Anyone who knows me knows that I do not sit still.  Not because I have four kids, but because it's just not my nature.  There's so much fun to be had. Why sit around?

I learned the answer: Because you can.

We had eight stay home days over the holiday.  We got in the car only to go to family visits and to celebrate Christmas with friends. What did we achieve?
1. Jammies till at least 3 p.m. on more than one occasion.
2. Not a single day where the playroom was "closed" because "we don't have time to get toys out tonight."
3. Almost all of our new toys from Christmas have been played with. Not just for five minutes.
4. Multiple bike rides around the block.
5. We have rediscovered our sandbox.
6. We ate in every single meal except for Christmas day. (and not all of those meals were sandwiches)
7. Four kids played play-doh for more than an hour at a time.
8. We had time to get out the glitter because I had time to clean up the mess.
9. Almost every book in the living room was read.  At least once. 
10. The word "hurry" was (mostly) absent.

There were even a couple of times where all five of us were on the couch. Sitting. Doing nothing. No tv, no books, no toys. Just there, being slackers. I loved it.

Urkel

I asked one of the girls the other day to tuck in her shirt.  "Aw, Mommy! But I don't want to look like Urkel."

Poor Urkel. He's been a fan of ours for months yet now his name is mud?

It started months ago, when a onesie and a pair of shorts resulted in this:

I made an off-handed comment along the lines of "Oh Tiny, you look like Urkel."

Urkel became a compliment. Dressing like Urkel became a goal, especially for Big Sister who would run into school, shirt tucked in and skirt hiked up to her chest, saying: Look!! I'm Urkel.

Something has happened in the past couple of months though. Urkel is now NOT desirable.  No one wants to look like this anymore:

 Except for Little Sister, who pulled her undies up Granny Panty style today, all the way to her armpits and said: Take picture me, Mommy! I Urkel!!

At least he is cool to someone.