Everybody loves Cort

Cort Catlett Solley

All in love

So, it turns out there was no need for my aromatherapy candles, it worked out fine that I had eaten all Bill's labor snacks (how many days can I just leave the chocolate covered pretzels and luna bars un-opened?) before we went into labor...I didn't have time to use my 'songs for birth' list on the I-pod...and we had the 'non-intrusive' birth we wanted. No drugs, no interventions, no fetal monitors. I can't say it was easy that way but we'd do anything for Cort and now we get to see all his little baby expressions. His thoughtful eyes wondering how all of this came into his little world and his sweet soft little hair spiked up all over the place, his mouth searching all over for whatever fingers, blanket, or clothing that he can get near enough to it.
Ahh...this is what we've all been waiting for and it's wonderful to finally meet him! I'm shocked that Sloane seems incredibly pleased with him, giggles at him, interested in him and clearly thinks he is HERS. Billie and Jackson are thrilled with him- Jackson is glad he's a boy and he's gotten back his usual gentle, protective cuddling attitude for newborn babies. Billie asks all the time if she can hold him and is happy when she's allowed, but is generally busy doing her own things and artwork.
Today has been peaceful, Bill reading while Cort naps on his chest, me having bagels with jam, knitting and nursing...the kids are playing around making things from cardboard and duct tape. Sloane wants another story. It's heaven - somebody stop all the clocks.

Jackson's Birthday party

Jackson is growing up faster than a speeding bullet. He's a bird..he's a plane...he's TURNING FIVE.

Here's what we've got lined up for Jacksons 5th birthday:
a backyard water slide ride
grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, carrots, raisins, & other healthy snacks
a superhero cake which will not be healthy in any way
popsicles

Here's what you need to bring:
yourselves with cape and or bathing suit (cape and bathing suit are optional)
towels (i think most of ours might be in use laying in pathways throughout the house)
no gifts, please

and we can almost guarantee:
a grossly muddy backyard,
a certain little girl in pigtails screaming her head off for any amount of time that she is NOT going down the water slide on her Daddy's lap,
Jackson speaking excitedly in his high-pitched squeal voice, which he assumes for moments of great excitement,
the birthday boy parents (I) will not have to think up or orchestrate any clever games, imaginative craft ideas and thereby avoid doing anything that would require effort
at some point you will be getting splashed in the face by people much shorter than you

All together...a superfun time that's sure to be the high light of your summer (or at least your weekend)!

the clock is officially ticking!!!

Are you excited? It's JULY and you know what that means...this baby is going to arrive soon. Yay! Yay! Yay! I'm determined to hold him in (I had a dream it was a boy a few weeks ago, confirming my prior intuition) and yes, I do know that I'm setting myself up here by writing about it so that you can all see how wrong I was if this turns out to be a girl. But that sounds like a lot of fun in itself and we'll all be so surprised....but mostly i'll just be thrilled that someone else can wear all the clothes i've made for Sloane and Billie. If i DO have a boy i'm really optimistic that Meg will have my first little niece and once in a while she will make her sweet little girl wear some of my odd creations out of pure guilt, if nothing else, because i slaved over them with my own two hands!!!
Oh, you just don't know how i've been waiting for July. I know i wasn't this complain-y with my last pregnancies. And with each pregnancy I increasingly think that we were kinda made for doing this all at 20. Age 30? it's fine, i'm never sick, or bed-ridden or anything at all drastic. But man it was EASIER when i was 24. My body was all just fine with growing a huge belly and not feeling like a slug. I'm not saying this is my last baby...who knows what the future holds? but I'm NOT as up for getting pregnant again as I was after the last 3.
And spacing!!! That's another concern i have. It was all SO good with Bean and Jackson- 15 months...it's the way to go...I want to shout it from the rooftops. Have your babes CLOSE together. Sloane was so much easier a few months back. A 2 year old is all into "no!"and "ME DO IT!" and all crossing the boundaries. A 15 month old is all like not speaking so much and holding your hand and so manageable!!! Now if she's trapped in some grocery cart or sling Sloane sees something exciting and she's all "OUT! OUT! OUT! DOWN!" and then it's with the screaming if I don't let her get down and fondle whatever interesting piece has caught her eye right at that very moment. Not so manageable if you get my drift.
Stay tuned for how this will up the ante in the adventures of our daily lives. I've always heard that going from 1 to 2 kids= no biggie, 2 to 3 kids= MAJOR adjustment, 3 to 4= no biggie. And that always sort of made sense to me...because there has to be some point where it levels out...where it can't get any crazier. Like, there's 4 of us everywhere we go...3 car seats to get into, many snacks and water bottles to bring along, I haven't been without diapers in the car for like 6 years, i know some distraction techniques, i know some discipline stuff that works for 2 of my kids, i mean...how much will adding a little newborn; tucked into a little sling across my chest (much like the 27 lb belly i'm toting in my front right now) who just sleeps and eats, how much can that little guy add to the chaos that has become our daily ritual?
Is this just me trying to re-assure myself? Crap, yes!!!! because Sloane has never been EASY but now she's nearly 2 and she's SO WILD, she runs the show, she's the boss of everyone, the center of the universe and what on earth is she going to feel like when i'm holding some other kid?! She still gets mad if Bill puts his arm around me and forces Jackson out of my lap during story time and takes a swat at Billie for sitting in *her* rocking chair. It's not that she's clingy...she's ALL over the place running off on her own but she's POSSESSIVE to the nth degree. Once i saw her share, but that might of just been a mistake on her usual pretending to make an offer and then quickly renege so that she can laugh at the dismay on the face of the 'almost gifted' sibling or playmate....

photos!

The camera is not lost! If you know me, you know I don't really keep track of my things too well...and things go missing...and it's no big deal, things are replaceable and they mostly turn up again at some point. So, that happened to the camera for a while (no big loss because i HATE it) and then it appeared under the sofa so here's some pictures. Since the last post the kids have both turned into super strong swimmers on their own (floaty suits and noodles have been cast off) and we have been to the library like 8 times.

Here we have Jackson knitting on a loom (though he prefers knitting with sticks now...this was taken like, 2 weeks ago) while Sloane dusts him off with her duster and a shirt I made her from her old baby onesies. And Sloane in a dress I made her which is SO the best thing I've ever sewn. And Billie with her girlfriends who came over yesterday and played all afternoon

simple living...who knew it would actually WORK?

So...I'm feeling a little guilty about my post yesterday and when the kids grow up they'll know how totally slack i could be at times. I think i should write about some things i'm proud of. Lately, i've been feeling really good about our home and the amount of crapola it contains. I think we've FINALLY reached a manageable level (of crapola). For the most part; the house basically stays clean (not perfectly dusted or anything worthy of me sharing with Flylady). There are no toys upstairs, things get put in their place. The kids have a simple morning routine which involves making their own beds and getting dressed, putting their reading time books back on the shelf, etc. This can take 6 minutes or over an hour depending on how focused they are...that's okay...there's no time limit on it, they just can't get to lessons until it's done. They've been doing this since each turned 2 so the beds didn't actually look 'made' for several years..but that's alright too. I just say "Nice job!" if they've made the effort and let them wear whatever clothes they wanted. While they're doing this i have time for my own morning routine and our morning ritual makes for a good start to the day.
Mostly i give credit to having a small house. This house is the PERFECT size for us right now (and if the kitchen had major modifications and doubled in size i'd want to live here forever). There is no room to throw clutter and procrastinate sorting...and that's a very good thing for me. All the rooms stay pretty straightened and if needed we can do a quick run through for guests and have it looking quite nice (granted, my standards may be lower than yours 'quite nice' is a relative term) in under 10 minutes. Another thing that helps with is this is that my certain belief that Finished is better than Perfect. It makes for some pretty 'creative' knitting projects that i DO complete.
I'm proud that my weekly donations to the thrift store, not shopping, being VERY selective in my purchases, and weeding through all the loads of stuff we somehow constantly acquire has finally gotten me to the point where i feel control over the stuff and keeping house. I can hear some of you snickering that I never stressed about a messy house...this is true...because, honestly, i just don't care that much. But i still did wish for a house that stayed pretty clean and to not be a big job i dreaded doing.
I'm there! Yay! Thanks, Roomba- I love you!
Other things I'm proud of: The kids have never slept away from us until last weekend. In all 11 birthday parties no one has ever had one of those gross frosting, tacky, store-bought cakes. Most days I don't cry or yell at the kids and we have really lovely, wonderful days together. Some days are so much fun you wouldn't believe me if I told you and I feel like I could burst with love. I'm proud I taught Jackson to knit on sticks yesterday and he's sitting on the chair with a furrowed brow, working very hard on his SECOND animal cape creation right now. I'm proud that Billie just said "Jackson look at the kite I made...do you want me to make one for you? I'll need to cut off the string to your balloon...but it'll turn out to be an excellent kite."
There. Some good things. I'll get out of the hammock again in August, I won't keep up reading four books a week forever. And it won't really hurt Sloane if she grows up and when reading Anne Tyler books somehow, they remind her of Curious George.

Billie, enterprising as she is, created a 'Rootabega stand' hoping for some pocket money at the playground. Sloane finds herself in the mirror and sadly waves goodbye to the tent and Grampa Les as it's time for us (the lame members of the family to go home and sleep in air conditioning). Sleep is hard enough even with my 1000 thread count sheets...i'm NOT attempting anything else. Seriously, sleep is just something i NEED more than other people. So two nights ago when Billie woke up with her first ever ear ache and I had to rub her back and tell her stories in a 300 thread count bed...well, it was just not the most fun. When we finally moved downstairs to watch a movie on the computer (the only TV is in the basement) so that she could be distracted. Then i had to curl up on the love-seat with NO SHEETS and wonky pillows...so the next day...well, was probably one of the worst days as a Mom i've had and i did not get through it without tears and yelling at the kids. Billie is sort of the same way (affected by any upset in her nightly 11 hours of sleep) and was SO ROTTEN to Jackson and myself that I could not believe my ears. Thankfully, today she's been kind and friendly...helpful even and I am going to be more appreciative of what I thought was brattiness before yesterday. She's not really bratty...so much.

I should mention Jackson here- because I write (complain) a lot about Billie. Jackson is super nice and good. He's smart and says the funniest things and he has the most clever thought process for figuring things out. Jackson can come up with a possible outcome for the stories we are reading "maybe he could disguise himself as a dragon and when Ruggedo tries to attack him he will be frightened off at the sight of a reliable dragon" His vocabulary is the funniest because he knows all these outstanding words but can't really place them all correctly in a sentence. He is totally into games and asks me at least 4 times a day to play a game with him. "Wanna play candyland? Can we play chess? How about a convincing game of scrambled states of 'merica, Mom?" Get ready for another (yes...another) Mom confession. I am TOO tired to play the games with him (which would involve really nothing more than sitting on the floor or at the table and lifting my arm to move my piece when required). So, I say "okay, I'll play...you set up the game" and then he just ends up sitting at the table in front of the board...so eager that he starts without me...thrilled with the game I get a fully commentary "Mom! You got a moose! You just need one fox and a zebra or I'll have to block you with my giraffe if I'm so sneaky for you...you'll be pretty amazed at that. My turn! I'm just so pleased I didn't get a penguin!" and he proceeds to finish the whole game of Sequence by choosing cards for me, placing my chip, and then himself...and then getting totally frustrated if i win!
What am I doing while all this goes on? I'm on the couch reading, of course, while holding open a kids book that Sloane forces at me each time I sit down. Then I just hold my own book in the other hand and make silly voices reading The Secret Life of Bees aloud so that Sloane is under the impression that these are the words of her book. Ha ha ha! Her book doesn't even have anything about South Carolina racial tension in 1964...but she thinks it does. So easily fooled, I'm embarrassed for her.
So...are you wondering if there is anything...anything at all that I am willing to get off my selfish bottom for (butt is not polite)? Well, yes there is. There is one thing I jump up for and it's a plastic baby. We have two main baby dolls here; Peach and Lola. Sloane calls them both 'Ma Ma' just to be ridiculous and she has decided that they have a lot of needs. She comes to me saying "change...change" "should we change your diaper?" I ask. "ma ma! ma ma!" "change the baby's diaper?" "yeah" (she says yeah ALL THE TIME) rather than learn more words she just makes us guess at what she wants and when we finally get it right there is an instant one-syllable "ya!" So, I jump up and we lay down the baby and change the diaper and then I have to go get a cup of cheerios for the baby with a baby spoon so that we can feed the baby. Sometimes the baby wants to nurse and sometimes to read "Book! Ma Ma!". Nursing is the most absurd but i hold the baby and nurse each time she asks. What do you mean that's retarded?!!! It's so good for her to see me taking care of some other baby...holding someone else in my arms and taking time to do things for some random baby who is not Sloane. She hasn't really seen me do anything for anyone else in the last 6 months. Billie and Jackson are fully functioning at managing the house and coming up with their own games by now (see above how Jackson plays a game with me without me even participating). I hope this is making some kind of impact on Sloane so that when the baby gets here she will allow me to hold and cuddle someone else. Oh Sloane...your world is about to change. I have to go narrate Ina May's Guide to Childbirth over the pictures of Ferdinand the Bull right now and hope Sloane understands.

camping

Grampa Les and Nana Carrie took the kids camping last weekend. The first time any of the kids has spent the night away (yeah, six years and we're still not ready to vacation without them). They had the best time ever- as you can see from the Joy of S'mores photo.

too tight

So, here's this shirt that I REALLY REALLY want but i know when it arrives I'd just force it over my belly and stretch it all out because some people have patience and i just do not. I do not wait for sales or, go home and *think about it*. If I love it, I buy it. So, this is a problem for several reasons- I don't look at the price, I don't budget, I don't comparison shop, I haven't used a coupon since...ever, I don't recall the price of things in my head so that when you say "that's a cute hat" I can say "3.50 at the thrift store or $350 at Nordstrom." I usually know which store it came from (because I never go to Nordstrom or the mall and it helps that I haven't been inside a store other than a thrift store in like, 8 months, except in Paris). So, chances are...it's from the thrift store or from Etsy. The other problem with me not being able to get this shirt right now ("Daddy, I want a goose that lays GOLDEN eggs!") is that I'm crafty and make things for myself and I'm tempted to just write the phrase on one of my huge maternity shirts with a sharpie...but somehow I don't think it would have the same effect. I can just see us all at Trader Joes me...pregnant and sweaty trying to keep track of what organic goodies are going into the three mini-carts the kids are all pushing...and I'm wearing a shirt with a furiously scribbled "I hate children" on it. No. It's just not the same as the innocent shoppers smiling at me and my adorable brood, striking up a conversation and then taking a closer look at my sweetly embriordered shirt and I get to see their horrified faces. That would be much more fun.

I guess i'll have to *sigh* wait.

So, yeah, i don't price stuff, it's a flaw. But i'm KINDA thrifty cause i really don't go to the mall, or target, and if i must shop i try to go to a little local business, we don't use paper towels (much to the frustration of all our visitors), have never ever paid for cable TV, don't buy garbage bags (we use grocery bags and minimize trash), don't buy much individually packaged food stuffs, the kids don't wear bibs, (this is a really cheap thing i do- slightly embarrassing because i used to be a waitress and would be so ticked if someone did this at my table) me and the kids go to Bennigans for lunch and i order the monte cristo and 4 glasses of water- the kids occupy themselves with moving around the ketchup, sprinkling salt & pepper around the area, and 3 sets of crayons and puzzle menu that our waitress has so kindly provided, they drink from their hard-to-assemble-with-lid children's cup (which they do not need- even Sloane can drink well from a glass) and need refills. Then we all split the monte cristo sandwich and fries, "3 extra plates and mustard, please". Which amounts to a TOTALLY not healthy, oh so irresistible, filling lunch for the 4 of us at less than $10!
Because I am not cheap i do leave a big fat tip. It would just be wasteful to order more food, kids meals or something- I find they are usually a waste. It's much better to split the american sized meal for 'one adult'.
So that's my inconsistent money policy- but I'm sure it all balances out and i know i shop less WAY WAY less than most people i know...but more frequently than my Dad. He hasn't been to store (other than home depot) in the last 12 years...i'm serious.
I haven't spoken to my mom today but i can bet she's been at a store within the last 12 hours. So, that's where I'm coming from...and i have parts of each.
The confession is that I'm REALLY AWFUL about waiting for things- the upside is that i'm rarely late because i wouldn't make anyone else wait. So, at least that's a good thing, right? And it would be really funny if I wore that shirt and that's a good thing...making people laugh is nice.

that's my girl

This morning Billie was in the hammock with her book- which is actually a children's encyclopedia...because normal people just read encyclopedia's...don't they? and that's something bill and i spend at least 1 hour a day doing...reading in the hammock. Bill and I do not read while we are swinging, though...maybe we do...but we don't usually swing superman style. i just had to snap a picture. and then there is Sloane...wandering the yard while pouring bubbles on her dress (it's early so she wore that for a full half hour before dumping something on it- and i swear she really does have a nice face...when she's not doing a toothy fake camera grin).
i am so happy with the way the kids rush home from the library and we just have an hour of silence while they both head to their chairs, couches, or spot on the floor with their new books. They can't wait to dive into them all and see what the stories will be about. there was a time when we'd come home and they'd both be asking for the video we'd chosen from the library...now they never do that.
books are so much fun right now...and that's especially good because i'm not one of those 'active' moms at this point. I'm a bench mom at the park; reluctantly dragging myself up only to catch Sloane from perilous heights and distant wanderings (i'm cool with heights that could cause only minor injuries and wandering within 200 ft- hey, it's the third kid...you can't be that concerned for 7 years straight).
I really want to write about(and photo showcase) my crafty projects but i'm trying to fill you all up with kid- information so that you might be able to stay awake while reading it.
at least bill is active- he's been biking to work and hitting up the gym several times a week...even drinking water...so you know that's drastic and he's determined to get in shape. I, on the other hand, am hoping to loose at least 10 lbs at some point in August and i gave Sloane a ride in the wagon last Tuesday- hopefully that will tide her over for 8 more weeks because i am NOT doing that again for a while!!! things that involve movement are so beyond me at this point. it's not like i don't get enough sleep. lights were out at 9:30pm last night...yeah, i'm ready to have a baby and not a belly!!!

disturbingly distended

Here are some, slightly disturbing photos of my belly- taken by Billie and the reason we do not own a full length mirror. I guess this is why people keep assuming that I am due this week.

exposed

something is up with blogger- i know, i know...you've been telling me that for weeks and i've been too busy laying in the hammock to do anything about it. maybe i'll change to a cooler blog site....one day when it's rainy or something.
we're all good. baby Sprout is all good and has about 10 more weeks to grow before making an appearance outside the womb.
Sloane is cute and dirty. I love sewing dresses for the girls and we are reading Tik Tok of Oz and swimming all the time.
as you may have noticed (especially if you look at the last picture) one thing i have avoided teaching the kids is modesty. neither of them have any idea that people aren't supposed to see you running around nudey booty. When we were in France, in the metro, all the billboard ads are right at eye level so you can't avoid them and there was this lovely one at least 30 times at each station of a mom and daughter tanning on the beach- the mom was laying stomach down on the sand and her sweet little girl was laying on her back, thereby rendering her mother's attempt at a golden back tan ineffective, the little girl was spending her beach day in her undies. The ad made me want to go to Greece and seemed like a happy beach vacation. But i only thought of that after i was shocked to see a 'revealing' ad so life size of a child. That's my inner American prude.
What is the deal with everyone acting like a 4 or 6 or even 8 year old has some bits and pieces they have to keep under very close wraps. Though I do cringe when Billie goes down the playground slide wearing a dress and hangs one leg over each edge...I haven't been willing to tell her to keep her dora the explorer underpants out of sight. I mean, who is going to be scandalized by seeing some dora undies? That's my bikini hang up. Why do little girls need a bikini top? And why do their moms bother to do all the adjusting it takes to keep 'covered' after every jump in the pool. A kid hops out of the pool with her bikini top around her neck and her mom rushes to her as if she's janet jackson at the superbowl or paris hilton at...well, anywhere!
puh-leez.
so, that's just something i was thinking about.
on the other end of things though- i wouldn't let my kids wear a belly exposing shirt, or a shirt that said something skanky like FLIRT that i've seen other 6 year olds wearing, and i wouldn't let them wear pants that had something written across their bottom so that attention would be drawn to look there. is that contradictory behavior? i don't know...i'm sure i can reason that into sounding like i have a principle that makes sense.
i'll be better at keeping up with the blog. lately it's just been more doing and less blogging about doing.
Ha! Isn't it appropriate that i follow up my last blog about stuff i won't let my kids do with more stuff i won't let my kids do?! i did that without even thinking about it. basically, i'm just all in love with my little world where the kids don't go to school so Bill & i spend more time with them than anyone and they get to learn what i think is important. (they're brilliant, artists, be kind, be polite, earth worms, building, imagination, reading, math, science, nature, art in all it's forms, bugs, geography and all the fun stuff)

you can do anything you want...except THAT

it's been a while. i know...i know...but we had REAL stuff happening here. Auti Di had a medical scare and family came in from all over, cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents. There was a quick recovery and the fun family meals ensued.
So, what I've been thinking about lately (because Nanna Pat is here and my friends have been talking about their parents) is why daughters & sons turn annoying with parenthood. we're all "No McDonalds! No candy! No soda! Car seats! Organic apples! No movies, no TV and absolutely no soda! Stop giving them too many toys! and for the love of pete don't offer them caffeinated beverages"
My one friend told me her Mother-in-law said she felt criticized when she told her she didn't want her son to have the Easter Egg kit that comes with wheels and excessive accessories (how many accessories does an egg need after all) that turn your eggs into cars, trucks and fire engines. She just wanted him to have fun coloring eggs, hiding them, seeking them, mixing colors, turning his fingers blue and being creative. "He already has cars and trucks...why does everything have to turn into a car or a truck?" she asked me.
We are all so fascinated with a traditional, simple holiday. We've grown up with so many choices that just plain old regular sounds pretty fun. I myself have tried the purple glitter option and now non-glitter sounds nice. You can do more with a paper doll you made yourself, get inventive with colors & egg designs, come up with amazing stories to act out when it hasn't already all been done for you in the boxed kit from the store.
When we were little they had us in riding around in back of the hatchback with our friends (seatbelts? who needs 'em?), we didn't wear bike helmets, who cared if our shoes gave us blisters- you 'broke them in', we listened to Michael Jackson & i, for one, knew all the words to Like a Virgin by Madonna. We saw people smoking on TV, saw our Moms smoking (gasp!), we had Barbie role models and knew our Moms were on diets, Dad went to work just like Mom and mostly everyone's parents got divorced. (That's a word we s-p-e-l-l so that the kids don't even know a thing like that happens sometimes). That's how protected my kids are. A few times they've asked how I have 'two Dads' and we sort of gloss over it. Bill has told the kids that a step-Mom is a Mom who lived on the stairs in the olden days. We'll tell them when they're older and we can afford to send them to therapy for all the damage we've caused in providing them with this 'happy bubble' for their formative years.
I do think our generation is a little TOO kid focused and I totally feel like I'm on the super-lenient side of letting things slide with the grandparents overlooking our 'rules' because I'll look the other way during candy in the morning rituals, let them see an un-approved movie (not repeatedly on video or anything- but once, as a special treat...it won't stick in their head if they only see it once right? Jackson is watching Stuart Little as we speak which has to be the WORST kids movie ever with more demerits for having the same name as a super fun book which it does not resemble at all, the adoption story is DISTURBING and there are lines like "are you ready to handle his 'uniqueness'?...we don't usually encourage adoption outside of your own...species" like, what IS that? but i'm just going with it...see, how laid back i am??? i don't mind if they roll around in the mud...just don't tell them about d-i-v-o-r-c-e...and don't mention that Santa Claus isn't real...and pick them up when they cry...and don't inhibit their artwork by showing them how to draw a stick figure 'correctly'...and do NOT give them soda...and yes, you do have to bring a carseat...and make sure they say please and thank you...and get them a healthy snack...and don't say that you're putting on make-up so that you can look 'pretty'...and don't make them pick up their toys, i don't care about that...and don't give Sloane juice because she'll have diaper rash...and she needs her white noise machine to have a good sleep...
well, i guess there are a few rules. so, this blog is dedicated to Nanna and Nannou- who have to deal with them most of all. Bob takes them to whatever movie he wants, Dad is a hippie so he has more rules than i do, and George lets us be the guide and shrugs it off. (is a blog dedication even a thing?!-- let's pretend it's something special...for Mother's Day, ok? you're with me right?)

Nanna and Nannou- thanks for putting up with Bill and I. Thanks for being wonderful and finding a way to get past all the 'no's' and make sure the kids fall magically in love with you so that they have all the fun I had with my doting Granny, Paca, Grams and Gramps. Geez, I loved those summers when I would get anything my heart desired and was loved no matter what I did.

I just thought I should add- it's not just to be bratty. I really AM trying to teach them love, respect, avoid advertising, keep them from getting cancer via bovine growth hormone, trying to let their imagination be their best 'toy', letting the world be their classroom- learning happens all the time here, and helping them not to judge others based on the way they look or just because they don't have a Britax car seat (though, I'm pretty sure everyone who reads this does). Mostly just love, it's a holistic approach.

something interesting

my kids are so funny. billie is SUCH a teacher's pet type and all her motives are selfish ones but she really wants to please everyone and earn compliments so she does it all in a very clever (sneaky so that you don't realize you're turning into her personal slave) way. this is how she asks for things "Would you be so kind as to fetch my shoes for me, Jackson? I think they're downstairs....thanks."
Jackson does not care if you like him and he certainly doesn't want you calling attention to him with compliments about his gorgeous eyes or anything else embarrassing like that. If he doesn't want to do it...he's not going to do it just to make you smile. He is not out for number one and often thinks of others and comes out of nowhere with really kind things and ways of helping me, Sloane, and of course...his sister (the queen) Wilhemina. but for God's sakes don't point that out or he'll stab you with his sword and flash off to another room where he can study his comic book heroes without the nuisance of fans.
Then there's Sloane who I thought had maxed out at cuteness at 4 months. She's STILL irresistible x 10. She waves and smiles at everyone, blows kisses and makes you think she's sweet. Until she wants something or you try to pull a 'trade' on her. Some people might refer to this as the 'ol switcheroo'. She's NOT falling for it- this shovel is way better than the crap you are offering her and she will hold on to it for dear life no matter how many things her brother and sister bring to her alter as offerings. She has the heartiest chuckle and always wants to play. I vaguely recall there was a time when she wasn't up to the play level of her older/wiser siblings. Now she rules them and they can often be heard out in the backyard pleading with her. "Please Sloane...please! I'll give you a ride in the wagon? Pleeeeeeeeeease share, Sloane!" i
thought B & J were smart but Sloane has just blown them out of the water with her signs and games and all the astute things she recognizes in the world.
Here she can be seen doing a 'posed camera smile'...isn't it nice that she learned that so ealry?! ugh!!
digging up the yard and installing our new climber and taking her place among the kids to check out the Daniel in the Lions Den painting at the National Gallery of Art (yes, we do go there once a week!)

did i say i'd write something interesting?! and you believed me?? ha! what i meant to say was "I promise next time I'll write something." period.
interesting things can be found here and here.
If you're into that sort of thing.
I like to set myself apart by being un-interesting and having NO life outside my children so there.

by the way- did you spot billie in the museum group shot? she's the one wearing 20 times the colors and patterns in her clothing. isn't she just perfect?!! oh how i dread her finding out that things are supposed to 'match' and look 'pretty'.

just pictures

loof toof

Billie has been looking forward to age 6 for a long time, not for any normal reason (why would Billie do anything ordinary?!) but because she wants mo' money in her piggy bank via the tooth fairy. Promptly a week after turning six she has worked a tooth loose and is THRILLED...like, this is way better than a Nimbus 2000! She's devised a plan to eat corn on the cob tomorrow "because sometimes, if you're six, when you're eating corn on the cob your tooth suddenly pops out!!"
And, just in case you were wondering what's up in the latest of our relentless adventures as Prof. McGonigall, Hermione, Harry, and Neville Longbottom (Sloane plays Neville, because he's hopeless at getting anything right and requires constant supervision). (I know how this is probably one of the things you're always thinking about...the Solley's who attend all their regular museum trips; this week to view all the Bible story paintings, playgrounds, a science musical at the library, story time and the grocery store, in character). As we came into Chapter 10 of book 3 (beware of chapter 10 and beyond!!!) things get especially creepy with goblins that suck the soul right out of you so that you wander the earth as an empty shell until death and Harry replaying the moment of his parents murder in his head hearing his Mom scream "Have mercy! Save Harry and take me!!" perpetually...i mean...sheesh! There's only so much a protective mom can take!! I like my children safe in their little bubble of emotional well-being where no one ever dies and the biggest problem one can imagine is losing the privilege of choosing a new library book that day. Yes, the imaginary world of wizards is very fun and exciting but I think we'll take a break for now.
I made calculated moves to steer us elsewhere as I read the remaining chapters without emphasis and changing "Harry was filled with so much rage he wanted to kill" to "Harry was really REALLY mad." Right now we are reading: A Series of Unfortunate Events, The BFG, and Captain Underpants (3 chapter books all at once) and our listening ears are tuned to Winnie the Pooh audio books at night so that we can think of all the silly, happy doings at Pooh corner as we fall asleep. I have had to fend off requests for book 4 but the kids are totally caught up in the BFG by Roald Dahl and I think the Lemony Snicket stuff has a lot of the weird, creepiness of Hogwarts...hopefully with less of the death/fear factor. If all else fails I can get the video of Unfortunate Events and that's sure to peak their interest.
Of course, every book we read is about a kid with no parents...what IS up with that as a theme in children's literature?!
I have to admit...I'm a little worried that both kids will learn to read major words next week just so that they can start on book 4. Billie did make that tooth loose by sheer willpower. What can a 6 year old not accomplish when she sets her mind to it?
I promise next time I'll write something at least slightly interesting and not just kid stuff. really, i'm not a total loser...i do stuff...like knitting...and also picking up shoes off the floor, and knitting outside, and learning how to knit and I build forts too.