Itty Bitty's Ten

It's nothing I would have wished on them or me two days after Little Guy left, but sometimes planets do not align on move dates. So today, the girls moved too, leaving a very empty house behind.

10. Best party trick ever = me: Who loves the baby??? her: Mama!
9. Sat at the dinner table with one leg up on her chair. If she could sneak it there, her foot would go up too.
8. Looked like Cindy Lou Who, only a few shades darker.
7. Had her favorite lift-the-flap ABC book that she chose to read every night.
6. Was, until the very last week, afraid of CC but adored Stubby.
5. Started talking up a storm in the past 2 weeks. Her longest, most clear utterance was: Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!
4. Never grew tired of pushing chairs around the house. It was anybody's guess what chair we might find in the middle of the hallway or bathroom.
3. Wanted so badly to be a big kid. Big kid bed, big kid shoes, big kid utensils, big kid puzzles....
2. Had a bib that caught food she dropped in a pocket. When she cleaned her plate, she would just stick her hand in the pocket and eat the "leftovers".
1. Developed a very random fear of flies which caused us to create many o' games and stories about flies, where they were, what they were doing, how to get rid of them, and how to be their friends.

Never, ever will I regret breaking my no-under-twos rule, Itty. I love you.

Little Guy's Ten

I am more confident in some kids' landing spots than others. More hopeful that they'll be ok, will never be involved in the system again, will live a good, good life. Little Guy will have that life, I am sure. I imagine he will miss us for a bit, and I know we will miss him for a long, long time, but in the end, he's gone somewhere good...to relatives who already love him.

What's not to love about such a sweet Little Guy who...

10. Had a favorite stuffed animal that he slept with every night. Only it wasn't an animal. It was a stuffed flower named "Flower."
9. Was a bit difficult to understand at times. He appeared to think that restating himself using a growling or squeaky voice would help to clarify his message.
8. Came in speaking one language, left speaking two others. Never learned the English equivalents of "aqui" or "mira".
7. Wore a pink princess dress around the house regularly and cried if he didn't get the better of our two magic wands.
6. Chose a phone book instead of a booster seat for meal time every night after going to a friend's house where the phone book was the only option.
5. Said "Thank You" frequently. Almost every time, it was with the enthusiasm of being given a hundred bucks, no matter if I changed his diaper, buckled him in, wiped his nose, or gave him some M and M's.
4. Went about a month where he said at least 20 times a day: Mom? I have Spider Man shoes.
3. Could not eat Teddy Grahams without pointing out that at least one had a missing leg and therefore needed to limp from his bowl into his mouth.
2. Most recently learned phrase of excitement: "Check it out!" pronounced: Teh ih ow!
1. Mastered, at the age of three, the sighed-out-may-as-well-be-accompanied-by-an-eye-roll "MOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!" if I didn't answer him fast enough.

Stay sweet, Mister. I love you!

Curly's Top Ten

10. If he learned anything while here, it was that "jeans can match with anything."
9. Was truly disturbed by vague phrases such as "the other day" and "most of the time". "Why did you say 'the other day' when we did that on Wednesday?"
8. Was not a very humble child. A compliment like: You did great on that. or I like your picture. would get "yeah" as a response.
7. One night at dinner, when Monkey had just moved in, observed that "there's no husband in this house." and then "You better get out there and find yourself one, Tammy."
6. Curly + Sequence for Kids + desert island would probably = eternal happiness
5. Could not multitask to save his life. I am pretty sure he heard: "Curly, you cannot brush your teeth and sing at the same time" at least once a day.
4. Got busted once for cussing at school. When I asked him which F word he used, he innocently replied: I don't really remember. It was the one that goes with Mother.
3. Dressed himself by putting socks on first. But then was quite content to only have socks on (and I mean ONLY socks) for a good long while before putting on the rest of his clothes.
2. Instantly became the best big brother to our new little friend. No one else has gotten a chuckle out of little guy yet.
1. Had me laughing on a daily basis, but not intentionally because he was sooo serious.

Wishing you a smooth ride from here on out, Curly. I miss you!

Sister's Top Ten

I thought I had a couple more weeks with the blondies, but today brought an express exit. Six-and-a-half months of things to enjoy about a used-to-be-quiet three-year-old:

10. Had the best sour face when eating something she didn't care for. One eye opened, one closed and a whole lot of squinting and pursing of lips.
9. Said 'um' backward: "muh".
8. Most uttered phrase? "Me too!"
7. Was obsessed with hair....Sister wanted LONG hair, ponytails, bows, mohawks in the shower, "unicorn horns" in the bath, and as many hair toys as her fine blond hair could handle.
6. Became my Friday morning breakfast date before speech. Same restaurant, same booth, same waitress, same food.
5. Was the best ever crosswalk kid. She'd go barreling toward the crosswalk as fast as her little legs could carry her, surely making all cars think that my wild 3 year old was running out into the street, and would hop right in front of the walk. Then her responsible self would kick in and she'd walk carefully across, while saying "Day Doo" (thank you) to the crossing guard.
4. Pretending to put hairspray on was a regular activity. Which is more a puzzle than anything else. I don't use hairspray, neither does birthmom. Where would one acquire such a skill?
3. Loved hunting snails in the backyard and sorting them by Mommy and Baby.
2. Her first final consonant was /m/ in the word "worm." Sister got a LOT of practice saying "worm" during the attack of the maggots in the carport.
1. Decided in the past month that she was a Big Girl and "not a baby", but stayed my baby at bedtime and while dropping the boys off at their daycares, when she remembered how great it is to have your feet never touch the ground.

Sweet, sweet Sister. I will miss you!

Monkey's Top Ten

10. Favorite phrase consistently through her stay: Uppie Mommy.
9. Put. A. Period. After. Every. Word. For. Example.: I. Brush. My. Teeth. Now. Mommy?
8. Had an obsession with toothbrushing. Snoopy toothbrush and bear toothpaste were out of reach for a reason.
7. Entertained Curly at dinner by making different animal noises on demand. Curly: What does a monkey say? ooh ooh ooh. What does a cow say? mooooooo. And on it went.
6. Brought out the envy in Stubby's personality. If Monkey was on my lap, most often, so was Stubby. Whether there was room or not.
5. Best seat in the house for storytime: my lap. Oddly though, she faced in rather than facing the book. Just laid there and listened.
4. Enjoyed taking her pj's off after bedtime and then yelling for me to come help her put them on again. What kind of game is this, my friend?
3. NOT a fan of veggies. Any kind, any shape, any flavor.
2. Loved the birds on the telephone wires on the way to daycare. "Look. Mommy. Birdies. Up. There.
1. Almost always gave me three sweet little pats on the back when I picked her up.

Your stay was far too short, Little Monkey. I will miss you!

Ten More

Ten months is too hard to condense into a list of 10. I have been missing Baby B so much. More to love about her:

1. Loved being chased up a slide. Could care less about the down part.
2. Helped me complete a 2000 piece puzzle. She would get a piece here and there over the course of two weeks, but got to put the last piece in. "We DID IT!"
3. Called CC and Stubby her foster brothers. "I have the best foster brothers EVER."
4. Sat with our friend Kathy every week at church. When I went to church yesterday without her, I found myself look down to see what she was doing on Kathy's lap several times.
5. Always wanted to be first one to buckle herself in her carseat. She almost always beat Bug, and almost always yelled: I beat y'all!
6. Chose one story each night for me to read and one for her to "read." Most typically: Wheels on the Bus or Goldilocks and the Three Bears
7. Put her hands over her mouth every night after brushing her teeth and said: I didn't brush my teeth. They are rotten. And YOU. CAN'T. SEE. THEM.
8. Loved, loved, LOVED hide-and-seek, but was admittedly, not very good at hiding.
9. Joy of Candyland equaled pretending to eat all the candy at the end. If she wasn't going to win, she'd say (maybe whine is more accurate): Will you PLEASE not eat all the candy?
10. Often looked over my shoulder as I played Scrabble on Facebook. "You could put that Z right here. Would that work?"
11. Pretended to be a lumpy, laughing pillow every night before going to her bed. "See how lumpy I am." Lumpy pillow was ultimately purchased from imaginary storekeeper and carried to the top bunk.

Eleven more. Oops. But who is counting?

Baby Beignet's Ten

10. Phrase of the summer: This is freakin' me out!
9. Swore off brussel sprouts very soon after moving in. Just the other day though, she told a visitor that she used to like sprouts but "now they just don't taste right anymore."
8. Had the best kindergarten class and teacher. We both loved that part of our community.
7. Often repeated phrases she learned from other people in unexpected contexts. "Let's get this party started" one morning while climbing out of bed comes to mind.
6. Thought it was the most special thing to come to work with me.
5. Was undie sorter and recycler extraodinaire.
4. Was the most nurturing baby magnet on earth. Friends Kay and Renee let Beignet mother their infants to no end. She was in her piggy glory.
3. Named any animal, doll, character she drew, anything that was worthy of a name: Leah.
2. Learned to swim this summer after being terrified of the pool. "I even put my face in that time!"
1. Has nothing but a whole lotta love in her heart and is willing to share it with anyone--from babies to little old ladies in wheelchairs. Beignet is one of the most compassionate children I have ever had the privilege of knowing.

Ladybug's List of Ten

10. Insisted I say "Rise and Shine" (ala Guy Russell) every school day. The absence of rise and shine got "It a stay home day?" for a response.
9. Distinguished busses as: city bus, city bus with a bike on front, school bus, and charter bus.
8. Spent about 2 months throwing a fit if she did not get to hold my "watch hand," yes, the one with the Timex.
7. Frequently, perhaps too frequently, walked around the house saying: I so cute!
6. Was the absolute worst back-seat driver I have had. "Tammy! Go! What you waitin' for???"
5. Favorite dinnertime game: Place napkin on lap. Make it crinkle. "You hear my napkin?"
4. Declared the Ben White to North I-35 flyover her "favit bidge". "I wish we go my favit bidge 'gain sometime."
3. Every night at bedtime made us go into the bathroom, lights off, and triggered her light up ball. At this point, we sang Old McDonald, passing the ball around for THREE verses, no more, no less, but always including a pig. Song ended with a giant CHA CHA CHA! and then we could go to bed.
2. Was a walking song. Nonstop singing, all. the. time. Our solution to "no singing at the dinner table" was "you can sing in your head." I assure you, she did.
1. Said I love you like this: "ah wub shoe." Ah wub shoe too, baby girl.

Little Bit's Ten

10. Claimed that she twitched her nose to make the lamp go on. In reality, it was a light timer. Also in reality, I don't think she ever KNEW it was the light timer.
9. Insisted that we do "This Little Piggy" on both feet at bedtime each night.
8. Anytime she forgot part of a routine, would hit her head and say: "I gof' about it." But if she remembered, she would say: "I bemembered. I'm a good memberer."
7. Was an expert at pretending to be a cat, down to playing with a catnip mouse, crawling around the floor meowing, and pretending to eat from the cat dishes.
6. Chased a plastic sea horse in circles in the tub, leaving little water IN the tub by the end of each bath.
5. Apparently had the counselor at school teach a lesson to her class about getting along one day. If she picked up on tone that Sass and I were having a "discussion," she would pipe in: Using words, using words, you have to talk about it!
4. Got a stuffed cat from Build A Bear for her last hurrah. She named her Tessa after a classmate yesterday, but today changed his name to CC.
3. Asked almost daily to have her hair put into "dog ears," aka piggy tails.
2. Called her new glasses "eyeballs." When we forgot said eyeballs at home one morning for school, she told the crossing guard: We gof about my eyeballs and had to go home!
1. Snuggled in fast and deep into loving Sass and me. Bit didn't let a day go by without telling us both that she loved "her Sass" and loved "her Tammy."

Sass' Ten to Remember

10. First showed her ability to be a kid when watching the turtles at UT and when playing in the fountain in front of the LBJ library.
9. Devoured books. Came in reading "a" and "the". Left reading "Henry and Mudge."
8. Was aptly described by a friend as being LOQUACIOUS.
7. Used phrases such as "first and foremost" and "It's my understanding that...." on a regular basis.
6. Had an adoration for rocks. Sass could not walk by a bed of rocks without putting one in her pocket.
5. Called Stubby to the couch every night so that he could sit on the back of the couch, sniffing her hair to "be sure I washed it good" while listening to her read.
4. Though it was difficult, Sass accepted Little Bit into our home and treated her like a little sister.
3. Spent three and a half months telling people I was an aunt, stepmom, real mom. Spent the last two weeks fessing up during her transition.
2. Adored going to church. When she heard there was such a thing as daily mass, she gasped: Really? Why don't we do that?
1. Came in like a lion who thought she was 20 and left like a lamb who, more often than not, knew she was eight.

The Younger Gentleman

10. Woke me up at 1am on his first night here and said: Ok, I am ready for you to take me home now.
9. Thought the 18 inch long pencil from the state capital was the coolest thing in the world.
8. Came in screaming because he was afraid of animals, but left kissing them both on the "lips".
7. Wore the same size clothing as the 21 month old before him.
6. Asked me to drop him off at his daycare before dropping off big brother so that he could give us BOTH a "hud and tiss" before we left.
5. Like his brother, assured me that I would "learn to cook better rice."
4. Bowled three strikes (though not in a row) in one game. Thank God for bumpers!
3. Was the first kid here to choose a different book every night.
2. Spent over 2 hours one day crafting "I love you" papers for his family.
1. Said he was terrified of swimming, though you couldn't tell by watching him in the water.

The Elder Gentleman

10. When it came up that he had a different last name than his brother, said: "It's because I'm a special boy! That's what my mama told me!!"
9. Was so incredibly impressed that I bowled three strikes in a row. He told his aunt in court: She got a turkey!
8. Was the sweetest big brother ever.
7. Tried to tell me that my rice (steamed in a rice cooker) was "almost" as good as his mom's Mexican rice. "I can help you work on it. Don't worry."
6. Sat in a laundry basket in front of the frontload washer, watching it go around and around and around.
5. Saw a picture of G. W. Bush in the capital building and said: "I do NOT like that man!!"
4. On day one, told me that only his brother could call him by his nickname. On day five, invited me into the circle.
3. Thanked me for "taking good care of me and my brother" when he heard that he was moving.
2. Liked making a whirlpool in the backyard pool by quickly walking around the perimeter in circles.
1. Had actually talked me into letting him get a mohawk for the rest of the summer. Luckily, that was the day they moved!

The Town Crier

10. Earned his name for a reason. He cried so much the first week, I almost became the town crier.
9. Did not eat for the 1st two nights in my house. The first thing he actually did eat, despite the fact I was told to give him Veggie Tale fruit snacks and chocolate milk in a bottle, was a veggie burger.
8. LOVED dogs. We went up the block every night to 1. delay crying, 2. bark at the neighborhood dogs and 3. get licked down by Roscoe.
7. Slept (though sporadically) with a bed full of books he had pulled off of the shelves.
6. Learned to say "Elmo" and "Thank you" while here.
5. Was a fish in the water.....pools, bath, sprinklers.....
4. Liked to carry around clean diapers.
3. Was the first kid I had to practice my first aid skills on. Now I feel OK that that is a requirement of fostering.
2. Was yet another fan of cat toys. He collected all of the balls in one pile and the mice in another. Early categorization skills emerging in this 21 month old.
1. Was the first indication that I have "sucker" tatooed on my forehead, as I have sworn that the youngest kid I'll take is three.

The Princess

10. Turned feather sticks for cats into magic wands and played house with the catnip mice.
9. Exclaimed "Oh look! My mommy's a princess too!" to her daycare friends when I walked in wearing a dress.
8. Could unhinge her jaw to give the 3rd brother a bite on the arm when she got mad.
7. Frequently directed us in the following manner: "Princess went potty. Clap your hands and say: Good job, Princess!!"
6. Had a sugar radar that spanned for miles. The girl made a meal out of a bright blue frosted cupcake and got not a lick of it on her dress.
5. Somehow convinced Stubby that it was safe to jump up on her bed and to be used as a pillow.
4. Said, "See, there he is. He hurt his eye." every night while reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, when we got to the part about the "black eyed P".
3. Occasionally made me wonder where the rhyme "sugar and spice and everything nice" came from....
2. Called roly-polies "Holy Polies" and often called her dinner "delicious and Moo-tricious".
1. Once requested to hear the Wiggles' "I want to wear the jacket" song 13 times in a row.

The 3rd Brother

10. Was so very excited to live in a house where his brothers had lived. "This was my brother's bed." "This is where my brother ate."
9. Was unabashed as he danced around the living room in his pink princess dress and blue painted toenails.
8. Chose a red pepper as his treat of choice at HEB.
7. Claimed the bottom bunk within 20 minutes of the princess walking out the door.
6. Showed me how fun it can be to take someone to the beach for the first time.
5. Listed each food on his plate during dinner time prayer. "Thank you God for my hot dog, my ketchup, my Ranch, my grapes, my peppers...."
4. Preferred to wear most shirts backward and sometimes inside out.
3. Selected "Everything is Different at Nonna's House" as his book of choice for 4 weeks straight.
2. Was the bank of unnecessary knowledge regarding all things that go: dump trucks, tow trucks, cherry pickers, back hoes.....
1. Learned to say "Stubby" instead of "Dubby" during his last week here.

The Second Blond Brother

10. Used a Thomas the Tank pillowcase as a lovey and thought his thumb tasted better than chocolate ice cream.
9. Ate one brussel sprout leaf the night before he moved out and said: mmm, that was good. I should have done that a LONG time ago.
8. Would spontaneously yell "Hey Tammy, I love you" as I left him at school. Or would tell me to "Tell so-and-so I love them" as I walked out the door.
7. Ran out the front door to the end of the walk and strained his neck to get a view of the train at the end of the block....almost every single time he heard it.
6. Could not sit through Mass to save his life but could retell the gospel story almost every week.
5. Loved "Go Dog Go" and "The Best Nest" to the point of two of us having both books memorized.
4. Woke up early every morning so that he could "read" before school. This Blondie would look at all the pictures and then declare: I read it in my mind.
3. Played "Dirty Towels" every night after his bath, a game where he hid under his wet towel and I pretended that he was missing but left his dirty laundry on the floor for me to pick up.
2. Had two favorite songs in the car: "The One Two Song" (aka, Ryan Adam's "Two") and "The Colorado Song (aka, Brett Dennen's "There is So Much More").
1. Was the hardest to keep here and in the end, the hardest to have move forward.

The Eldest Brother

10. Once stood on the street corner, wearing a camouflaged skating helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads, tried to break dance and sang a country music song at the top of his lungs. All of his worlds of fun in one 60 second period.
9. Decorated a chocolate cake for my book club's discussion of "All Quiet on the Western Front" by putting every last one of his "army guys" on top.
8. Didn't believe me when I told him drinking too much red Gatorade would make him throw up.
7. Wore one of two button up shirts, buttoned all the way to the top and tucked into his Wranglers as far as it could go, to church every single Sunday.
6. Came in with the strongest country boy accent I had ever heard in my life.
5. Won a 1st place ribbon at the city-wide science fair, but would tell anyone that "it's really because the judges could tell I did it all by myself."
4. Loved Harry Potter almost as much as I do. So much that he wanted his hair to be cut like Draco Malfoy's.
3. Said "tartar sauce" as his own personal cussword.
2. Was Scooby Doo's number one fan to the point of squishing his long 9 year old body into a pair of very small pajamas to display his loyalty.
1. Taught me the perseverance required to assemble Legos and showed me how far they have come in 30 years.

Tator Tots

This blog was created so that I could remember the kids who came through my door. Unfortunately, I started it on Kid #9. The question that has been eating at me this week is "who was it that didn't like tator tots?" I mean, what kind of nut of a kid doesn't like tator tots? The one who only likes green beans? The one that prefers ketchup to be the main course? I still can't figure it out. But in an effort to remember my kiddos, I will sum up the top 10s for each.

Shorty But Cutie
10. Shorty loved school busses. "Nother Bus!" We could not drive more than a block without a comment about a bus. As it turned out a "bus" to him was actually a bus stop.
9. Shorty liked raisins. Morning, noon, and night.
8. Shorty was the easiest kid to put to bed. "It's time for bed, Shorty." "Otay!"
7. Shorty and the cats were not friends. Not because he did not put effort forth. Being the first kid in the house, they were a little uncertain.
6. Shorty enjoyed running up and down the front walk repeatedly.
5. Shorty called any grown up "mama".
4. Shorty would eat cold canned grean beans as a treat.
3. Shorty was here for a really, really short time because the daycare didn't have space for him.
2. Shorty was the only kid I have tried to push around Town Lake in a jogger.
1. Shorty was mesmerized by the drums at the annual PowWow.