Popcorn Love

Pops and I have mused over the years over what great thoughts are clinking around in our little ones' heads before they could express themselves. For Superkid, it was all superheros and robots. Abizella was ponies ponies and ponies. David was obsessed with cars.
For 'Lil Chief it is Popcorn.
That's right. Bampa will be so proud. 'Lil Chief's first official sentence was, "I-wan-POP-cn". His annunciation has greatly improved, but the message remains the same. The kid wants Popcorn and nothing else will do. He pushes up a stool and points to where the popcorn maker is perched cruelly out of reach, looks you in the eye, and distinctly says, "I-want-POP-cun".
Make no mistake.
It is the most divine treat.
I can hardly wait to take him over to Bampa's this summer for a big 'ol bowl, Bampa style. A full cube of butter melted and smothered over the crunchy gems of deliciousness, with another softened cube on the side for dipping. Really, for Bampa the popcorn merely serves as a vehicle for butter. Nevertheless, I think a bowl of popcorn can serve as a bonding moment for Bampa and 'Lil Chief. ...well, so long as 'Lil Chief gets to hold the bowl.

Send in the Cleaning Ladies!

Seriously, with 4X the living area around here than we're accustomed to, it takes a crew to whip things back into shape. By the time the cleaning ladies get here on Saturday, we are in a desperate situation. Of course Pops digs out during the week, I try to keep the dishes moving and the kids are expected to do their chores but I'm sure the cleaning ladies can't tell that we lift a finger during the week.

I had Superkid sneak up on them and snap a pic.
As you can see, they are *TOUGH* on germs.
Especially that little one. She isn't afraid of the filthiest situations, and she has the tiniest of fingers to get in the smallest places.

Besides being TOUGH, they can be *PRIMA-DONNAS*.
For Real.
Sometimes they take the day off with no explanation.
It's like they have nothing to loose.

Ummmm....Maybe we should consider paying them?

February Heaven

Ahhhh..... school vacation week!
We kicked off the week with a shopping trip on Newbury street (okay, so we sat in the car while Pops made a speed trip to Cartier) and lunch in Cambridge. Trust me, it was not as fancy as it sounds, or there would be photographic evidence.

After all that fun, the kids have taken their fun into their own hands. They found a cool website (http://www.activitytv.com/) where they learned how to make puppets...
And literally spent 4 hours sketching pictures...
The weather has been amazing too!
Pops took the crew to the park for some dangling...
digging...
climbing...
swinging...
and just BREATHING!

The other benefit of School Vacation Week is that nobody seems to care if the kids find their way to their beds at a decent hour...

Okay, so Superkid is totally faking it in this one. Maybe we'll work on acting skills tomorrow.
Abz on the other hand is positively deflated.

Here We Go Again...

I'm just questioning the timing?

Why 3:00 p.m. on a Friday? I would personally choose 8:00 a.m. on a Monday.

But that is when 'Lil Chief denounced diapers. Pops peeled off a good saggy diaper and 'Lil Chief put down his foot and refused another. Pops slid on some of Tad's undies and called it good. 'Lil Chief ran to the bathroom and stood on his tippies but couldn't quite clear the top of the rim. Pops stopped at Wal-Mart that night and picked up a step stool.

Ugh. We were totally tricked.

Silly naive parents, so anxious to accommodate a sprouting toilet user, walked straight into the step-stool-trap. Nothing runs shivers down the spine more than hearing 'Lil Chief drag a stool

(or chair, or ladder, or box or anything)

across the floor to lengthen his grasp.

Now he has his own personal trouble making assistant.

And no, he has not sealed the deal in the potty yet either.

The Most Pathetic Toad of All

From croup to pneumonia, it has been one killer week.

On the bright side, for me it meant extra time at home to snuggle!

Happy Happy *HALF* Birthday Miss Abz

You see, when your birthday is in the summertime, your half birthday becomes extraordinarily important. When else are you going to celebrate your birthday with your classmates? Abizella's teacher mentioned this to Miss Abz about a month ago and Abizella rushed home and drew up her own half-birthday-countdown-calendar.

She also added a birthday ensemble to her wardrobe line-up. You see, she has a few outfits in the queue at all times. After all, who would want to be caught without the perfect leggings or bloomers to accessorize an outfit? When a particularly important event is on the horizon she makes sure she has all the important elements set aside for the big day. Her teacher was impressed with the pearl necklace and cupcake socks.

(In the line-up this week (left to right): Tropical day, Half-Birthday, new fun dress)

The BEST part of the day is when *MOM* gets to come to class and read a book that the birthday kid hand selected for the occasion. Abz went with, "The Marshmallow Incident" by Judi Barrett. It's also pretty cool that you get to leave first with your Mom and miss the whole bus scene

(pretty cool for the brother of the half birthday star too!).

And what is a HALF birthday without cake?!

Actually, Abz went with a "vanilla brownie" she has been craving. Her idea was to take a cake mix (she hand selected) and add brownie ingredients. I have to admit it was pretty tasty.

Thanks for sharing your big day with me Peachy Pie! I LOVE YOU TOO!

Champion of the World!

That's right! Superkid took first place at the Pinewood Derby! He won every single heat. This kind of victory was not left to chance. Superkid spent many hours researching aerodynamics and the physics of derby vehicles. In the end he came up with a winning formula!
Congratulations Superkid! We are all very proud!