Z is for...

This week we stopped in to say hello to Connie, extraordinary sectretary at Marquette Elementary. Zibbi noticed there was a "z" on Connie's nameplate (her last name ends in a "z"). Zibbi was so excited and proud to make this discovery for the rest of the day she told everyone who would listen "Connie starts with z!!"

Alphabet Wars

Lotta and Zibbi were taking a bath. Lotta was pretending to write the alphabet across the wall behind the bath tub. Zibbi  got super ticked because Lotta had "written" on her side. After giving Lotta a verbal lashing, Zibbi began "erasing" the imaginary alphabet Lotta had "written". To which Lotta responded by standing up  and pretending to write her alphabet way above Zibbi's head. Zibbi then stood herself and reached as high as she could to erase the higher imaginary alphabet. Seriously. This is how wars start. 

No Mystery to What a 2-year-old Thinks

The other night at dinner, Lotta and Zibbi were arguing over something. Back and forth their words flew across the table, becoming louder and louder as the exchange became more heated. Suddenly, Zibbi jumped up from her booster seat, saying, "Hit now!" As she raced towards her sister's chair. I guess that's why they have high chairs, so parents have control of exits from the table (maybe that's why Zibbi hates them!)

Zibbi as a fashion "don't". 

Money Maker

Oh. Sweet Ben. So willing to help out when needed without complaint. Does his homework without being asked. Stays on top of his diabetes management. 

 Ben is an ideas guy. He comes up with great fabulous big plans. Often times just discussing them is as far as it goes. And we get a lot of enjoyment over these conversations. This summer he was once again planning a bake sale. A few years ago he did an impromptu yard sale with some toys which made him exactly $0. And a big mess to clean up. So when he mentioned a bake sale again, I suggested we make it a fundraiser for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund). We discussed what he wanted to make (limited this to 3 items to make it do able) what other items we might need and where we could go where people might want a snack (a park). It felt so great to actually be assisting him in his dream rather than just discussing it for a change. He ended up raising over $50! Which encouraged us to ask his teacher if there was a way his class could get involved. (Which turned into the student council donating half the sales from the school store the Friday before the walk.) And to start a t-shirt campaign. Once we began taking action it was like the whole thing snowballed. 

 

Wild Child

I was speaking with a friend at marquette elementary school. When I turned around Zibbi was standing on the pavement with only her diaper on. I inquired what happened. She'd taken a drink of water and spilled so she'd removed her wet clothing. So self sufficient that one. 

Tangles

Zibbi has been very into brushing my hair as of late. I know I know it sounds peaceful and wonderful. And I am kind of excited about the possibility that she will grow up and be a hair stylist. (If Ben becomes a chef and Lotta an actress I'm pretty much all set).

I could really use that professional help. Anyway. The reason the brushing is not so peaceful is because Zibbi also likes to brush my ears. When I begin to protest she says "tangles" with a heavy sigh. I think her favorite part of the whole activity is requesting for me to look up or down. Or put on my glasses or take them off. Or close my eyes. Hair styling is much bossier than I imagined. And is the youngest supposed to be this bossy?!?

The Attitalk Revisited

So this start of school has been particularly challenging as Ben has entered the last grade Ellie ever attended, 5th. And it occurred to me that quite soon her younger brother will be older than she ever was.  Once I am able to wrap my brain around the idea I will be fine. It's just the concept is so shocking. Wish I'd never thought it!

 Plus there are all those crayons on sale to not buy. Plus Lotta just started kindergarten and tells me every day how much she is missing me. Emotional time of the year. 

One week into the school year and things have simmered down a bit. It was a gorgeous fall day and Zibbi and I were hanging out at the capital after the farmer's market. 

Zibbi suddenly started, without any prompting from me, doing the attitalk.  The Attitalk was one of Ellie's favorite things. It is an attitude walk where you place your hands on your hips and walk like a model. With grace and style and attitude. Now Zibbi is carrying on the tradition and

working it like her older sister did. 

A good friend

We were at the MOMS Club ice cream social. I looked over and saw Zibbi pushing our 15 month old friend off the steps of a playhouse. I ran over telling Zibbi we needed to take care of our little friends and not hurt them. Zibbi explained that Hannah was in front of the door and she wanted to get inside, so it made perfect sense, in her mind to push her out of the way. 

Next Hannah and Zibbi went to play on a tiny slide. Zibbi decided since she was supposed to take care of her she would catch Hannah. The funny thing was since Zibbi is tiny, even though she's older she's much smaller. So catching Hannah involved Hannah basically falling on top of Zibbi. Then Zibbi proudly "holding" her friend. 

Tator Tots

As we sat down to dinner Lotta explained to us, as she is wont to do during dinner after a day of Kindergarten how her day went.  She told us, "I ate all my tator tots, even though Daddy's are better because I didn't want to hurt the teachers feelings."  So sweet.  So wrong.  And so sweet. 

Holding On

Lotta informed me the other day that she would rather be a boy. When I inquired why she said because boys have something to hold onto. 

Popping Balloons

Lotta and I have been working on figuring out how to do only two hours of screen time a day during the summer.  The challenge being, she's four and doesn't totally get the concept of time.  And then the challenge of screen time on my phone versus screen time on the computer versus television screen time.  There are just a LOT of screens with which to interact.  AND I really want a balance of utilizing these screens for fun and education and doing other creative, interactive activities.

As Zibbi was napping, Lotta finished a movie and wanted to watch a television show (a "short" one of course...)  I explained that she needed to find something else to do.  She was not happy with this idea and stormed out onto the front porch.  I wasn't sure where this was leading.  Was she running away?  Just checking for neighbors?  I went back about my business when suddenly the doorbell starting ding dong ding dong ding dong.  Right below where Zibbi was slumbering.  I was instantly momma bear furious.  Nobody wakes up my baby!

I flung the door open and started whispering furiously to cease the bell ringing.  But before I started in, I saw Lotta's face, so excited and filled with joy at finding something fun to do with her time, at being so grown up as to be ringing a door bell.  And as I began to "yell" in a whispery way, her face and entire body deflated.

She came inside, and told Ben and I that she would play in her castle.  She crawled in.  Ben and I then heard sobbing sounds.  I responded, "That sounds more like crying than playing...."  I went over and gave her a big hug, explaining how disappointing it is when you are so excited to share something and then you get in trouble instead.

We decided because it was Ben's last day of school we would make brownies together.  I want her to learn the value of chocolate now...Just kidding.  Kind of.

Nailed It!

After much research, Zibbi decided she wanted an Elmo cake for her birthday.  Every time I would mention her birthday, she would say, "Elmo" meaning she still wanted an Elmo cake. 

Originally, I thought I'd have the professionals at Hy-Vee Bakery create the masterpiece.  Having recently discovered Pinterest, however, I decided I would make the cake.  Ben and I looked up You Tube videos on how to make a cake.  One chef promised us it would only take an hour as she went through 65 easy steps to an Elmo cake...it was as if part of her instructions were in a completely different language.  The cake she made was gorgeous.

Finally, I decided on a cupcake pull apart cake.  It is a bunch of cupcakes squished together to look like Elmo's face.  Because Zibbi's two favorite Madison people could not attend dinner on the same evening, we were having two celebrations.  I thought we could just take cupcakes from the bottom of the face the first night and it wouldn't even look like we'd actually eaten anything the second night.  Sneaky. 

With the craziness of after school and the day in general, I was rushed to get the project completed before our first guest arrived.  Then I realized we had a function at Lotta's school that night rather than the next night as I'd previously thought.  So I raced through the cake baking and then frosting making. Needless to say, the Elmo cake did not turn out the way I had anticipated.  I texted a friend that I was hating on Elmo after my fail.  She told me that I couldn't possibly hate Elmo, he is after all, all about love. 

I did learn some valuable lessons that day.
1.  It is so much funnier to fail than to succeed.  Go to pinterest failures for loads of laughs.  Here is my pinterest "nailed it".  I mean, yes, not even Zibbi recognized my attempt as Elmo.  Still, it will be a story to tell for years to come...

2.  You can't rush.  Part of the problem I had was feeling rushed, putting the frosting on too early.  Rushing to make the frosting before the butter was softened, etc. etc.  Apparently, "they" have all those baking "rules" for a reason...

Our great friend Brittany kept saying, "It tastes great and that's what matters!"  Lotta, on the other hand, decided she will have brownies for her birthday. 

Big...Little...

Zibbi and I were reading a book about big and little.  (By the way, Zibbi LOVES reading books.  We seem to have a houseful of book lovers!)  I read the first couple of pages which went something like...Big Bear.  Little Bear.  Big Dog.  Little Dog.  We arrived at the third page, I said, "Big Cat..."  allowing Zibbi to join in on the fun.  To my surprise, instead of saying, "Little Cat", she exclaimed, "poop". 

Unmentionables

Lotta is not into wearing underwear right now. She will wear all other clothing just not undies. 

She does not however like to wear anything when she uses the potty. Thus going to the bathroom is a very lengthy process she avoids as long as possible. Even after sleeping all night she will wait hours before she goes. Lotta is very into taking a bath. Sometimes in order to get her to go potty I sometimes suggest a bath. Which is sort of funny as this was a technique I also used on Ellie. 

Sucky

Every Wednesday evening Thom plays badminton.  So every week after Thom leaves, Ben baby sits Zibbi while I put Lotta to bed. One Thursday afternoon Ben shared with me how he loved having special time on Wednesdays to connect with Zibbi. He felt like it was excellent for their relationship. 

Last week Ben had a friend attend family fun night at Warner park. This event is amazing. For five bucks the entire family can go and play basketball, bounce in a bouncy house, do pottery, do an art project, play air hockey, they even have special classes each time such as hula hooping and zumba. Makes me so glad to live in Madison Wisconsin!! 

After FFN (that's family fun night to you non Madisonian) we dropped Ben's friend off.  I commented on how impressed I was with his conversational skills.  He was asking great questions and listening really well. I suggested that this most likely made his friend feel really good.  Ben explained that at school they have been studying how to have a conversation. However he didn't feel like he needed the instruction because he has the opportunity to converse with me every day during our walk home. 

What other 9 year old boy talks this way about connecting with his little sisters and having conversational skills?  

I feel so lucky. Or sucky as Ellie would say.