Isn't Uncle Mike awesome?
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Things Little Girls Do
I'm always impressed when my kids do something that I used to do as a child, but they improve upon my basic idea. Especially when I've never even shared that basic idea.
For example:
I used to love to set out my outfit, especially (and maybe only, if I'm honest) if the clothes were new. Oooh. . . to plan what I was going to wear the next day, and imagine how beautiful I would look. It was so much fun.
I recently participated in a swap with a darling friend who lives in Maryland. I made her girls some dresses (and then sent them to the wrong address--Sorry, Amy, I'll make some more!), and she made my girls the cutest skirts and legwarmers.
The clothes are seriously loved.
But what are clothes without faces and hair?
Yes, much better.
The best part for me was the discussion and giggling that accompanied the project. Gotta love those girls.
For example:
I used to love to set out my outfit, especially (and maybe only, if I'm honest) if the clothes were new. Oooh. . . to plan what I was going to wear the next day, and imagine how beautiful I would look. It was so much fun.
I recently participated in a swap with a darling friend who lives in Maryland. I made her girls some dresses (and then sent them to the wrong address--Sorry, Amy, I'll make some more!), and she made my girls the cutest skirts and legwarmers.
The clothes are seriously loved.
But what are clothes without faces and hair?
Yes, much better.The best part for me was the discussion and giggling that accompanied the project. Gotta love those girls.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Another bad parenting moment
Yesterday, on the way home from church, Naomi declared that she wanted her ears "pier'ed". I responded, sweetly and reasonably, that our family rule was that you have to be 12 to get your ears pierced.
Mimi responded that she could "pier'e" her own ear with a pin, "It wouldn't hurt at all."
I thought this through for about 2.4 seconds and decided it would be a good lesson to learn, and said "Okay, Mims. If you want to pierce your own ear, go ahead." There's no way, I thought, that a four-and-a-half year old can pierce her own ear. It will hurt when she pokes it, and she'll decide not to try it again.
Score one for the four-and-a-half year old.
Here she is with her supplies. John made her get an alcohol swab, just as a precaution, from the first aid kit.
She's poised and ready for action.
Her will almost gave out, and she asked for help, but I said I wasn't going to help someone who wasn't 12 get their ears pierced.
So she did it. 
To clarify, this picture was taken a couple seconds after the deed was done, when I had recovered from my shock. That large hand is indeed mine, but I am removing the pin, not placing it.
Parenting Lesson #483: Don't give your children permission to do something you really don't want them to do. (Even if you think they'll never do it.)
Mimi responded that she could "pier'e" her own ear with a pin, "It wouldn't hurt at all."
I thought this through for about 2.4 seconds and decided it would be a good lesson to learn, and said "Okay, Mims. If you want to pierce your own ear, go ahead." There's no way, I thought, that a four-and-a-half year old can pierce her own ear. It will hurt when she pokes it, and she'll decide not to try it again.
Score one for the four-and-a-half year old.
Here she is with her supplies. John made her get an alcohol swab, just as a precaution, from the first aid kit.
She's poised and ready for action.
Her will almost gave out, and she asked for help, but I said I wasn't going to help someone who wasn't 12 get their ears pierced.
So she did it. 
To clarify, this picture was taken a couple seconds after the deed was done, when I had recovered from my shock. That large hand is indeed mine, but I am removing the pin, not placing it. Parenting Lesson #483: Don't give your children permission to do something you really don't want them to do. (Even if you think they'll never do it.)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Those little thrill-seekers
The Brady family has a fabulous tradition of visiting Michigan's Adventure (an amusement part that we will hereby refer to as MGA, or Michigan's Grand Adventure) every year, and this year we were invited along for the ride (no pun intended, seriously).
As only the third amusement park I have visited with my kids, and the first without my childless siblings along to help me, I have these suggestions for anyone else who attempts this:
1) Bring along a pregnant lady. Because Tracy couldn't ride most of the rides, I felt nearly guiltless in leaving her with the kids while I partied it hard with John and Matt.
2) Don't believe Matt Brady when he tells you the "Frog Hopper" is the best ride ever. He is lying. Believe the faces of the kids riding it instead.
3) (But go on the "Frog Hopper" anyway. It's good for a laugh.)
4) Don't underestimate your size when you consider whether or not you will fit into a child's boat with your baby. Long legs are an asset in many situations, but there are times when you should recognize you will simply not be able to slip your knee past a steering wheel.
5) Wear earplugs when you wait interminably for your children to get sick of the 10,001 motorcycle, bus, car, boat, and helicopter rides. They didn't consider the sanity of the ride attendant or the parents when they installed horns on every vehicle. (However, they probably considered the delight of the kids, and that just may make it worth the migraine.)
6) Always put your arms in the air. It makes everything more exciting. Even the 2.2-mph generic version of Disney's Autopia.
7) Prepare for tears when it's time to go.
Thanks, Bradys!
As only the third amusement park I have visited with my kids, and the first without my childless siblings along to help me, I have these suggestions for anyone else who attempts this:
1) Bring along a pregnant lady. Because Tracy couldn't ride most of the rides, I felt nearly guiltless in leaving her with the kids while I partied it hard with John and Matt.
2) Don't believe Matt Brady when he tells you the "Frog Hopper" is the best ride ever. He is lying. Believe the faces of the kids riding it instead.
3) (But go on the "Frog Hopper" anyway. It's good for a laugh.)
4) Don't underestimate your size when you consider whether or not you will fit into a child's boat with your baby. Long legs are an asset in many situations, but there are times when you should recognize you will simply not be able to slip your knee past a steering wheel.
5) Wear earplugs when you wait interminably for your children to get sick of the 10,001 motorcycle, bus, car, boat, and helicopter rides. They didn't consider the sanity of the ride attendant or the parents when they installed horns on every vehicle. (However, they probably considered the delight of the kids, and that just may make it worth the migraine.)
6) Always put your arms in the air. It makes everything more exciting. Even the 2.2-mph generic version of Disney's Autopia.
7) Prepare for tears when it's time to go.
Thanks, Bradys!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Our Neighborhood Heroes
(I'm trying to catch up after a week of painting, a visit to Indianapolis, a week of family, and a computer breakdown. My apologies to Annie for the slacking of my single duty: blogging enough to keep her entertained.)
Our Wives' Club made a recent jaunt to the neighborhood fire station where the program was MUCH better than anticipated. Clay Township may just have the nicest, bravest, and best firefighters in the world. We were treated to a tour of the station, starting with the one enormous bedroom and ending in the beyond enormous kitchen. (Note Brooke's admiration of the three refrigerators.)
Then the fire marshal allowed all the kids to try on the firefighter uniform. It was a little large, but quite comfortable.
(Forgive my pictures. The camera didn't know how to deal with the reflective tape on the coat, and I am entirely at the mercy of my camera.)
But the best part of all was the shooting of the firehose.
It was large enough for the kids who were not aiming the stream of water to use the hose as a pony. I was very impressed.
We ended by climbing through and around a fire truck. The firemen assured the kids they could come back at any time, just for fun. They were awesome.
Our Wives' Club made a recent jaunt to the neighborhood fire station where the program was MUCH better than anticipated. Clay Township may just have the nicest, bravest, and best firefighters in the world. We were treated to a tour of the station, starting with the one enormous bedroom and ending in the beyond enormous kitchen. (Note Brooke's admiration of the three refrigerators.)
Then the fire marshal allowed all the kids to try on the firefighter uniform. It was a little large, but quite comfortable.
(Forgive my pictures. The camera didn't know how to deal with the reflective tape on the coat, and I am entirely at the mercy of my camera.)
But the best part of all was the shooting of the firehose.
It was large enough for the kids who were not aiming the stream of water to use the hose as a pony. I was very impressed.We ended by climbing through and around a fire truck. The firemen assured the kids they could come back at any time, just for fun. They were awesome.
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