Jelly Beans

Todd has grown bored with the old "look" of the blog... so I spent the better part of the kids' nap trying to untangle my frustrations from this morning (seriously long battle with Em which ended in a two-hour stand-off of Em NOT going to school OR swallowing her last bite of breakfast... note: last bite) and pouring over something new and fun and funky-looking for the background. What can I say, I'm a rebel like that. And what, to my surprise, do I find but candy!!! Somehow, this picture makes me feel like 11 going with a school friend to the Jellybelly Factory. So here's to pre-teenage bliss- hope the colors make you smile a little too :)

Executive Decision

I rarely make executive decisions, and when I do, they are 94% of the time about moving living room furniture. Our home groups/small groups can attest to my need to move things around from time to time, but there have been times when I get an idea in my head and just do it. The last time this happened, Todd was out of town and I was pregnant with Cooper. He came home to a vegetable garden and multiple large ferns removed. This time, my attentions were on these plants (which I despise, but I don't really have a reason for it, but I feel the same about most ferns as well).

Todd is a huge fan of succulents. I, on the other hand, had a VERY bad experience with a fuzzy-looking cactus as a kid (thank you Auntie Bubbie!) that turned out to NOT be fuzzy at all, but rather had spines the lodged between my fingers. Needless to say, I've got a thing against succulents in general and cacti in particular. I've never liked the look of this little corner of the yard, so I decided this morning to take it out.
Cooper and I went to my favorite local garden spot, which happens to open at 8am (wahoo!!) and by 9am, I was digging holes and putting these pretty things in my version of an English garden with herbs.

Cooper LOVED these yellow flowers at the shop, so we got them. My mom is a big flower person and my mother in law has two gardens that most would envy, but I on the other hand, seem to have been passed over in the 'green thumb' department. I can dig holes with the best of them, but knowing what to put in generally comes down to three basic principles.

1. The tag MUST say "hardy"... if not, I'll kill it.

2. In general, it has to be able to go in a vase. I love the look of lots of different flowers, but can't stand their lack of functionality. These all looked like they'd go nicely as "wild flowers" on a summer brunch table... if I ever starting holding brunches... or could wait to eat past 7am.

3. If the price is too high, I'm not buying it (unless it's a gift). I kill too many things to spend lots of money hoping they won't die, either by my hands, my dog's mouth or at the unmerciful plucking of my children.

Em is back in school now (can I get another WAHOO?!?!?!) so it was just Cooper and I. We had a ton of fun hauling out those two big succulent/bush things, and had plenty of opportunities to look at worms and other crawly things. Cooper even helped me "drag" the two beasts out of the way... and then crawled into them, and over them, and under them... each time with the dog trying to follow. It proved my theory that you don't need to spend a lot of money on things to entertain your children, at least not when they're still young!

By the time we were ready to plant the actual flowers, Cooper was covered in dirt, had eaten at least one worm (that I know of) and we was mysteriously missing a shoe. I was looking for the shoe when I heard shouts and squeals. At first, I couldn't tell if something had stung Coop, or he was thoroughly delighted with something. The latter turned out to be the case. He was THRILLED to be ankle-deep in red clay with colorful pretty things all around him (I still can't get over this face of his). So we planted, then watered, and when it was time to come inside, I was met by a tired, dirty, and sweaty little man who couldn't have been happier if had all the rice in China.

Extra Time

It's incredibly hard to believe that when Em was Cooper's age, we had a newborn (nearly a month old!). I'm daily reminded of how blessed I am to have both my babies, and also daily reminded of how blessed I am to NOT have Boo on the outside yet!

Sunday morning, for some odd reason, saw everyone ahead of schedule by nearly an hour. Don't know how it happened, but it afforded some great family time. The kids inundated Todd with books to read and they all (including the dog, who was promptly turned away) clambered up onto the couch and read.

It's the only time Cooper just relaxes and lets you snuggle with him... unless he's asleep of course!

Then, normalcy set in and the kids went about their usual frenzied chaos of pulling every book off the shelf and reading it to themselves. Cooper gets rather, er, proud (not sure what the technical word for that face is) whenever he finishes a book.

Em, on the other hand, has had these books read to her so many times, she's actually beginning to say the words as she flips the pages. It's amazing how much she's absorbed in the last few months... and how fast she picks things up!

28

Saturday was my birthday. I would have forgotten completely except for a wonderful skype call from my Mom and her students who sang "Happy Birthday" to me and a good friend's gift while we were out shopping. Sounds pathetic, but since I'm not much into birthdays (for big people), it's not really a big surprise that we would forget it. But we remembered in time and what a great birthday it turned out to be!

The family made the trek with a friend to the grocery store up north that is near an American school. As a result, they carry (randomly and never the same thing twice) some goodies from the States. We found some Reese's Peanut-butter Cups and a cherry Coke. Then, made our way home and sacrificed a long-treasured box of butter cake and tub of chocolate frosting for a cake. It was SO GOOD and so worth hoarding in the cupboards for so long to be able to just add a bit of water and eggs, throw it in a pan, slap on some frosting and be done! I love baking, but there are times (especially when making your own birthday cake!) that it's nice to not have to prepare ahead of time.

I can't believe how big the kids have gotten in one year.

Here's what last year looked like.

Em had a difficult time understanding the difference between her birthday and mine, but she LOVED singing "Happy Birthday"... all... day... long!

Backyard Lessons

It always amazes me how quickly kids learn things that are never taught to them. For instance, no one ever showed Cooper how to scream that particularly high-pitched, piercing scream and fall to the ground to get his sister to stop harassing him, and yet, he learned very quickly how to do it. And no one taught Em how to throw her hands up and say, "Emme NOT naughty Mommy!" a split second before I yell at her for being naughty, thus making me choke on a laugh, but she knows it.

Tonight, while the kids were playing in the yard, we learned of a few... additional things that made us smile and love our kids all the more. Both of them spent the better part of an hour giggling and playing, which was brilliant in and of itself. But then I realized a few things that made the time even better. Cooper has learned that when Em cuts in front of him, if he hurries right behind her, he can lick her arm. This tactic gets her to giggle at him and gives him a fighting chance to beat her to the ladder the next time around.

Em has learned that by standing at the bottom of the slide and leaning against it, she can effectively block Cooper's descent AND make him laugh so hard he just might fall over sideways (off the slide that is). Either way, they both laugh at this, the grandest of their games.

And lastly, Cooper has learned that if he gets close enough to the camera lens, his mom doesn't know if she should laugh, keep taking pictures, or scold him for touching something he knows is off-limits. I swear, he does it just to watch the wheels in my head turn!

School Year 2011

The school year here in South Africa runs from January thru December. It's nice when writing a specific school year as only one date is required, not 2010-2011, but that also means that all the back-to-school madness happens RIGHT after Christmas. Not sure I'm a big fan of that one yet. But one thing is for sure, Em was super excited to be going back to her preschool. So here's to a happy school year!!!

Battle of Wills

Very early on in my "mommyhood," I came to realize that I have a... what's the right word...spirited little girl on my hands. I'm pretty sure she wasn't even able to roll over before I was sitting on a friend's couch lamenting that I had a very strong suspicion that all my mother's prayers had come true: I had a daughter EXACTLY like me. Yeah.

This knowledge made most family members laugh, me sigh in exasperation and innocent bystanders shaking their heads. So I've done what every other parent of a strong-willed child does. I bought the entire section of books about strong-willed children from the bookstore (yes, there are many books on the topic), bought books about how to raise girls, have been asking every mother I know for advice and help, and praying like my life depends on it (for some days, I truly think it does!). The overriding theme from all these influences has been to pick the battles carefully and encourage spirited behavior when it's appropriate.

In general, Em cracks me up. She's generally compliant and sweet, loves attention and is a people-pleaser. But, she unfortunately got my stubborn streak and her father's quick-to-frustrate-when-he-can't-do-something-perfectly-on-the-first-try nature. Put those two things together with normal toddlerhood and she's had more than her fair share of frustrations. So on the whole, I let a lot of general preferences slide. If she wants to wear a sweater when the rest of South Africa is sweating to death, fine. If she doesn't want to play with her brother, she can chose to sit on a pillow. It's not going to phase me. Breakfast, on the other hand, is my line in the sand. I have a few and sending her to school where others are in charge of her well-being, I want her fed. She can refuse snacks, lunches, dinners, all the rest. But breakfast is important and we sit down as a family to have a good meal. I value both the time together and the nutritional aspects to this start of the day. I let her chose what she wants, but even when it's a food she's die-hard sold on one day, the next may be a different story. Today was one of those days.

Em loves my pumpkin muffins. I rarely make muffins because, well, I hate to clean the pan. So when I found a recipe for pumpkin waffles, I was really excited and when Em said she wanted waffles for breakfast, I was even more thrilled. Needless to say, Em decided she did NOT want waffles, did NOT cinnamon (which works 97% of the time) and did NOT want pumpkin. So she sat. And sat. And is still sitting at the breakfast table, which will very shortly become the lunch table. Cooper ate three (entire) pancakes. I had one and a half, Todd had one. Em is still working on 1/8th of one.

But I'm following advice and intuition. I'm not arguing or yelling, simply reminding her of what her brother and I are going to be doing (which she could join if she chooses to eat her breakfast) and moving on.

I guess when the rest of the world moves on without you, it's rather tiring because I looked up from folding laundry to find my little girl like this... at least her face wasn't planted in the food I suppose!!

Two Years Ago...

This morning over breakfast, it occurred to Todd and me that we've been here for two years...today. So much has changed and so many things have happened that we weren't expecting. For starters, we didn't expect to move flats... or have another kid... or another... or get a dog... But we did, and we did, and well, we did!

I still can't believe THIS little girl was this little only two short years ago. Sad how fast they grow.

At least she's still totally excited about cellophane and bubble wrap packing!

The family looks a little different. Em has hair, but unfortunately, Cooper still doesn't. My belly is big and getting bigger, but thankfully, Todd's is still the same. :) God is good...all the time!