Remembering bix

Dear Andrew & Abby,

I found something in an old notebook today. It took me a minute, but I finally remembered that this was part of my big Birthday Newsletter plan. I envisioned a newsletter layout full of short news-blurb articles about all the things you two had been doing over the year. It would look great, and be sent out at exactly half-way between your birthdays (Februay 4th). That was just before Abby turned one and Andrew turned six. You are three and eight now. I guess I missed that target date by a little bit. Maybe I should start planning now for your high school graduations, so that I have enough time.

Interview with Andrew, Regarding His Upcoming Birthday

Mommy: How do you feel about turning six?
Andrew: Good.
M: What new things will you learn this year?
A: No pushing, no kicking, no bad stuff; crafts and projects and to make paper airplanes.
M: What were your favorite things about being five?
A: Learning to read the words at the bottom of my Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Taking care of Abby. That was my most favorite thing. And playing with Abby was my most favorite FAVORITE thing.
M: Did you do any fun things?
A: Where?
M: Did you go anywhere?
A: To Grandma Jamie's, opening presents (note from Mommy - that was for Grandma Jamie's 50th birthday). To Grandma Dottie's. I like to play Sorry with her. And to Michael's - you know him, the neighbor? I like playing with him and eating popsicles and watching TV. Can I tell you the poem yet?
M: Almost. Where else did you go that was fun? (whispering: Canoeing)
A: The frog swimming pool with Grandma Dottie. I'm so excited for my birthday party - it's almost here!
M: Yes. Where else did you go?
A: The zoo!
M: We didn't go to the zoo this year.
A: A long time ago!
M: But did you go anywhere fun with Mom and Dad?
A: No.
M: Did you go canoeing?
A: You don't have to tell me! I can think!
M: Okay.
A: The store! I went to the store with Mom and Dad! That was fun. Can I tell you my poem now?
M: Okay.
A:

When I was one, I just begun.
When I was two, I was nearly new.
When I was three, I was nearly me.
When I was four, I was just before.
When I was five, I just be five.
When I was six, I was nearly bix.

M: What is bix?
A: It's a name you can just name things. You know, I named one of my show-and-tell things B-B-Bix. You can name things that. Are we done?
M: Yes.
A: Am I still five?
M: Yes.
A: Okay, but just for a little while, right?
M: Right.

Love,
the Star Reporter of Your Lives, Mommy

Weekend, what weekend?

Dear Andrew & Abby,


Well, now that we've made it to Wednesday, we've almost recovered from last weekend. Of course, we've also been out doing things every night so far this week, so we haven't completely recovered.


This weekend we celebrated Andrew's birthday. We also attended the annual Cub Scout Blue & Gold dinner and Mommy participated in the Chili Cook-off at church (obviously, neither group consulted our family calendar before scheduling their events). And we had to finish up Andrew's Science Fair project. Gosh, am I forgetting anything? Mommy felt like a whirling dervish in the kitchen Saturday and Sunday - we made a corn casserole for the Blue & Gold (Grandma Jamie did most of that, thank goodness!), chili AND vegetable soup for the Cook-Off, and meatballs and roasted red pepper dip for the party at our house. Whew! And I haven't cooked since then! But really, Mommy loves to cook, so I had fun doing all of that, I just got a little stressed about trying to do it all at the same time!


Your Grandma Jamie (Poppy Ted had to work, so he couldn't come) and Grandma Dottie and Papa all came to visit for the birthday, and they got to go to the Blue & Gold dinner and to the Chili Cook-Off with us and that was fun. I'm not sure if they had a good time doing all of that or not, but it was nice that they got to go to Andrew's Cub Scout event. It's hard because we live about three hours away from both sets of grandparents, so they miss out on a lot of the stuff that other grandmas and grandpas get to go to. The Blue & Gold includes a Father-Son Cake Bake, which you and Daddy didn't enter this year, but there were lots of fantastic cakes to see. At the end of the evening, the winning cakes in each of several categories get auctioned off first, and all the other cakes are given away in a raffle. There was one cake in particular that Andrew had his eye on - a volcano cake made by a boy in his den. He put a LOT of raffle tickets in for that cake. It occurred to me that if we took home a cake from the dinner, I wouldn't have to make one (as I was planning to do that night after we got home - because Mommy had lost her mind somewhere when we were cleaning up the house). I got more raffle tickets for Andrew and we put them in for the volcano cake, but I still worried we would not end up with the volcano cake and Andrew's dreams - and Mommy's - would be crushed. Then the auction started and there was a beautiful tropical island cake up for bid. In another moment of insanity - and desperation to not have to bake a cake - Mommy bid on it, and won. Woo hoo! No baking! So when the raffle started, I was actually hoping we would not win the volcano cake - we no longer needed it. Except Andrew really did want it, so luckily, we won it. And then one of the last cakes went up for raffle, and they called Grandma Dottie's name. So we went home with three cakes. That is a lot of cake - and a lesson in Be Careful What You Wish For.

The Chili Cook-Off was fun for Mommy - I got to make my Chili Con Cheri and my yummy favorite Old World Vegetable Soup, but I don't think it was as much fun for either of you. Andrew was a big help at my table and helped hand out soup samples and Abby mostly sat with Grandma Jamie, so I don't think you hated it, but it was probably not the highlight of your weekend. Sadly, Mommy did not win Best in either category, but I did win Most Original Soup Recipe and Best Table Presentation. The funny part is that your daddy decorated that table in less than five minutes using leftover decorations from our Fiesta! VBS last year. He's so clever!


After the Chili Cook-Off was over, we went back to our house and got ready for your party. Originally, we were not going to have two pirate parties, but that's what we ended up with. Saturday night and Sunday morning, I finished up the new treasure hunt clues - I made TEN this time, since five didn't seem to be enough the last time. They turned out great, and I have to say, I do think our tricks to making them look authentic work really well. We had SO many more people at this party than we did your first party. Which is great and I think you had a wonderful time. The kids seemed to enjoy the treasure hunt and you got some very nice gifts.



And we all survived the entire weekend! Whew!

Love,
Mommy

Happy 8th Birthday, Andrew!

Dear Andrew Michael,

Today, you are eight years old. You have been counting down the days to this birthday all month long. And before that, you were counting months. The calendar of our lives revolves around holidays and birthdays. It's nice that Abby was born in January, because it was our only gap between Halloween in October and Easter in April (yes, or sometimes in March, but that's where Mommy's birthday is), although you are still a little unhappy that her birthday is "before" yours.

This year, you have just gotten bigger and bigger and you are learning so much in school. You are in second grade and your favorite subject (other than recess) is math. Like your dad, you just "get" it somewhat instinctively. I am amazed at how quickly you work through the problems. Usually, your mistakes come from going too fast, and I have to wonder sometimes if you're bored - if it's just too easy for you. English, on the other hand, not so much. We have struggled with punctuation to end sentences, particularly the question marks. But it is getting better, and you are much less frustrated than you used to be.

Tonight, you will spend your birthday participating in your very first Science Fair. Because your parents procrastinated (and because Daddy didn't believe me when I told him he was in charge and I was leaving it up to him), your project was put together pretty quickly. But it's a good project and I hope you gain something from the experience. Your dad and I want you to enjoy all kinds of learning and not be nervous about participating in activities beyond classwork. This year and next year the science fair is voluntary, but in fourth grade, it's required, so we want you to get excited about the experience now while the final outcome isn't as important and it can just be about fun.

You are getting tall and there are times when I think you might be all arms and legs. I look at you sleeping at night sometimes and wonder how you get into those strange positions. You are a heavy sleeper, and have been known to talk in your sleep. Occasionally, you still come into Mommy and Daddy's bed early in the morning. We're pretty sure you aren't really even awake when you do it, but you've gotten so good at it that we don't usually know you're there until we wake up. Of course, it helps that you always go to Daddy's side and he sleeps just as heavily as you do.

In many ways, you are a very typical 8-year-old. You like to watch SpongeBob and Power Rangers (when I give in and allow it) and you like those blasted Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Although I'm starting to suspect that the Yu-Gi-Oh fascination is really more related to what your friends are doing than what you really like - you have been grounded from those cards for over two months now with still a couple of weeks to go and have only asked about them a couple of times - when you wanted to play at a friends' house. Where you are different is that, unlike most kids we know your age, you don't have a gaming system of any kind and you don't have a t.v. in your room. I know, you think we're evil, ogre parents. But the truth is, you're just not that in to video games. You like to play the games on your WebKinz and some that we have downloaded from the Internet for you. Sometimes you'll hit the Disney or NickJr. sites, but for the most part, you would much rather get someone to play a game of Sorry! or Yahtzee! or Monopoly Jr. or Sleeping Queens, or your new favorite - Chomp. If all that fails, there's always the good old standby - poker. Oh, yes, you're quite the poker card shark. You have beaten Poppy Ted out of some money and have come close to beating Papa. I worry about your future with such a habit forming so early. Unless, of course, you get really good, win the World Poker Tour Championship, and support your parents in the lifestyle to which we only dream of becoming accustom...

I have loved watching your relationship with your sister blossom over the last year. Now that she is bigger, you two play together. You have even starting teaming up against your dad and me, which is frightening. You have recently started learning how to use Abby as the pawn, thinking she'll get less harsh retribution than you might. Unfortunately for you, Daddy and I caught on to that game pretty quickly, because you are not yet very sly with your sister manipulation. Our day is coming, I'm sure. But for now, it is obvious that Abby absolutely adores her big brother, and you kinda like her being around, too. Someday soon you two probably won't want anything to do with the other. We've seen brief glimpses of that already when you need a break from a little shadow and tell Abby to stay out of your room. I will be sad when that time comes, but until then, I am going to enjoy watching and documenting you both love each other and I will count on the fact that the closeness you have now will survive the years of puberty that I already dread.

Some of your favorite things right now:

board games - especially Sorry!
card games - especially Chomp and poker
dice games - Yahtzee
Pirates of the Caribbean
WebKinz
cinnamon toast
cooked broccoli with cheese
watching movies on your portable DVD player
your snow boots and snow pants (you want to wear snow boots EVERY day!)

Sweet boy, little Buddy, I know we are quickly reaching a point where you will become too old for me. My heart aches a little on the mornings when I drop you off at day care and you won't hug and kiss me. It's not every day, yet, but I know we're getting close. I hope that you will at least let me snuggle you when we're at home for a while longer. You will always be my first Sweet Pea.

I love you,
Mommy

Missing pirates

Dear Andrew & Abby,

This weekend, we had Andrew's birthday party - the first of two. Why two? Well, we've talked about this before, but your Mommy is a touch crazy in the head...and that's pretty much the reason for lots of strange things that go on in our house. You see, Mommy's thinking went like this:

Andrew's birthday is February 27th, so his birthday party would normally be the weekend of the 24th/25th. Except we already have things going on both Saturday (Cub Scout Blue & Gold Dinner) and Sunday (Chili Cook-off at church, which I am entering). The party will have to be moved up a week to the 17th (at the point when these thoughts were happening, that was about a week and a half away - your Mommy is a bit of a procrastinator). There are 24 students in Andrew's second grade class. Invitations taken to school have to be given to everyone in the class, so no one gets hurt feelings. We also have family who will come from Illinois and church family, which could potentially add 40 more people (only slightly more adults than kids). That's too much to deal with in one weekend, plus we only bought enough pirate-themed party favors for 12 kids - I hope we don't have more than that come from school! - and they were kind of expensive. We should split it up and only deal with the kids from school (who I don't know and whose parents won't be there to help wrangle their kids) on the 17th. Then we'll have family come and church family over on the 25th after the chili cook-off. It's just family and we'll keep it low-key, no problem.

That's what I thought. Funny, huh?!? I think Daddy tried to talk me out of this whole mess, but I didn't really listen. This is the point in the story where your Daddy, if he was reading this, would laugh and say "Hah! See! I was right!" And then he would dance around and point and laugh at me some more. Maybe not really, but he does that in my head for sure.

So we sent Pirates of the Carribbean invitations to school for the 17th, this past Saturday (except we ran out of Pirates invitations and when Mommy went to Wal-Mart they didn't have any more, so some of the invitations were Disney Cars). Friday night we cleaned the house and Mommy made some wicked cool treasure hunt clues (photos here). Saturday morning we hung up our pirate decorations and put together the treasure chest goodies. We only had two RSVP's, but I've found that is not unusual for kids' birthday parties. It's nice to know there are other parents out there who are just as scatterbrained about responding as I usually am (but I'm trying to be better, and you should both live above and beyond my example!). So we didn't really know how many kids to expect. Ashley's mom called and talked to Daddy on Friday to see if we were still having the party, what with ALL THE SNOW coming. Yep, that's right, MORE SNOW! I don't want to turn this diary into the weather channel or anything, so I won't go on and on about it, but we did get about four more inches of snow. On Saturday. Party day. After the dumping we took last week, I think the sight of more snow must have freaked people out and made them scared to leave home because only two kids showed up: Jonah and Ashley. Yes, two. One, two. Daddy and I felt pretty bad for Andrew, but Andrew didn't seem to notice or care. Jonah was actually way more concerned about it than Andrew. Still, the three of you had a good time playing swords and looking for the treasure. I made five clues and that apparently was about a third of what I should have made - the hunt was such a HUGE hit that you took turns re-hiding and re-finding the clues several times. We had Pirate cake and you played Pin the Flag on the Pirate Ship. You had fun and got a couple of presents. Daddy bought you a bow with suction cup arrows (grrr!) which you loved (double grrr!), but it broke on Sunday (yay!).

So after your friends left, we started talking about the party for next weekend. You said you wanted another Pirate cake (thank you, Kroger for saving me from making a cake!) and wanted to do the treasure hunt again and the pin the flag game. Basically, you wanted to do the same thing all over again. I told your dad that and he said, "Yeah, that's what I figured we were doing." Oh. I guess Mommy was the only one who thought next weekend's party would be just a nice get-together where the kids ran and played and the adults sat and talked, kind of like most of our gatherings, except then we'd have cake and ice cream. So now I needed to think party thoughts. Oh, and we didn't have invitations! Which we needed to deliver the next day, on Sunday, at church!

Since the treasure clues turned out so cool, I thought we'd do that for the invitations. Saturday night, I made the invitations. Sunday, we passed them out...Now I have to order another cake and make a trip to the party store to buy more of the expensive treasure hunt goodies that I was trying to avoid buying and we have way too much going on this weekend, which I was also trying to avoid. But it's going to be fun. Mommy might have to make some Pirate Sangria to help her actually relax and enjoy it, but it will be great!

Oh, I also forgot to mention that on Friday night, Mommy's best friend, Jody, called. Jody is Fairy Godmother to both of you, part of our church family, and Zack and Alyssa's mom. Zack is best friends with and lives next door to Jonah, who is in your class at school and one of the two kids who showed up. We didn't invite Zack to the first party, because he is coming to the second party (you see what a bad idea this was? Why didn't someone stop me?!). But Jonah's mom called Jody, who didn't know about either party yet because we hadn't decided all the details, to see what Zack was getting for Andrew for his birthday. Jody called me because she was concerned that there was some issue between our family and hers that she didn't know about and wanted to know what was wrong that caused us not to invite Zack to the party. Ohhh....noooo....Luckily, Jody likes me, and once I explained it all - and apologized as many times as I could in the span of three minutes for making her worry - I think she forgave me for my stupidness. Erg. Mommy can be so dumb sometimes!

So let's make our goal for next year's birthday to just have one party that gets mostly planned at least two weeks ahead of time. You might have to help.

love,
Mommy

Happy 3rd Birthday, Abby!

Dear Abigail Ann,

Yesterday, you turned three years old. Wow! I just can't believe it. You had stayed the night with Grandma Dottie and Papa at their hotel so you and Andrew could swim and when you got back to our house in the morning, you ran through the house yelling for me. When you found me, you held out your three fingers and said, "I three now!!" You were so proud.

I looked over at you sitting by Daddy last night and couldn't believe how tall you are, it seems to have happened over night. You were just my baby Sweetness the other day and now you're a Little Girl. I think you had a fun birthday. Since your birthday falls during NFL playoffs, this is the second year in a row that you had a celebration during half-time of the Colts playoff game (Yay, this year they won!). This year, you also had a little party (and lots of presents) on Sunday with Mommy, Daddy, Andrew, Grandma Jamie, Poppy Ted, Grandma Dottie, Papa, and Great-Uncle Sam. You were pretty good the whole weekend, though you did look pretty tired last night after everyone left.

This year, you have grown so much. You are almost completely potty-trained, and have been at this stage for about six months - dry during the day, but you still need a Pull-Up at night. In the last two or three months, you have had hardly any accidents, even during naptime.

You love to sing and dance and there are many many times when I ask you what you are doing and your answer is "Spinning!" as you turn circles in the living room. You haven't hit your head on anything yet, but I'm expecting our first trip to the ER any day now.

It is so hard to leave you to come to work. When I am away, I can't wait to get back to you and your brother because you are both at such a great stage right now. You play together and love each other as I only dreamed you would. It may not last, but right now, it's pretty great. Recently, you discovered puzzles and are starting to learn a few games and your relationship with Andrew has blossomed even more.

These days, we laugh every day. You are so funny and have a wonderful sense of humor. You make the cutest and funniest faces, sometimes unintentionally. And I think you are one of the most beautiful little girls on the planet. I envy your hair. I am in awe at how it can be so similar to mine and yet so very very different.

At times, I'm a little afraid of what the adolescent years are going to bring to us. I am especially afraid on days when you are in a bit of a mood and put up your hand when I'm talking and say, "Don't talka me!" Oh, the teenage fires are going to burn bright...

Here are some of your favorite things right now:

• your new pink cowboy boots
• macaroni & cheese
• Cinderella
• Smarties candy
• M&M's
• Little People
• playing kitchen
• puzzles
• Dora
• Laurie Berkner (especially "We Are the Dinosaurs")
  

And we are STILL listening to the Veggie Tale version of Feliz Navidad several times a week - it would be multiple times a day if I allowed it. Christmas music knows no season for you and your brother (who's current favorite is the Veggie Tale rendition of Go Tell It On The Mountain). I have to find a new favorite CD soon!

I love you, my Sweetness.

Love,
Mommy