Random Happenings in May

Meg reads to and tends Spencer for me.  She is such a little mother.  In fact, Grant sometimes refers to me as his "other mother" and to her as "mother."  She is a big time help with Spencer and I will miss her when she goes to school next year.

For a little while we took Spencer's binky away.  He took to sucking on this rubber duck instead.  I'm sure we'll get back to taking it away some time soon.  When he stops yelling at me about it. You know, when he's forty or something.

Everybody walking home from dropping off Ellie.  While picturesque, we didn't get far before Spencer had to go back in the stroller.  He doesn't really walk forward.  He wanders backward, goes into the trees and just plain stops.  We would never get home if we went according to his timetable.

Eating dirt:

Crazy day at school:

Pants that don't quite fit:

Around the house:

Furious that I took away the stamp pad he was eating.  Blue.  In case you didn't notice.

Helping plant our garden.  Oh, tomatoes.  How I love you!  Grow soon!

Caterpillars into Butterflies.... Justin and I were just as interested as anybody else.  They came out of their slumber when my mom came in town.  We never actually saw one exit.  Poof! And they were there.

80 cent ice cream.  Divine.

Dinner out to avoid the craziness at home.  At least I didn't have to sweep the floor.

Ellie wanted to make her own slide for her microscope so Justin took one for the team and stabbed himself to get a blood sample.  The kids were fascinated that Dad's blood looked that cool.

Swimming

We went swimming with the family before we ran away to Utah.  Once we arrived, Baby S did what he always does.  He spit up:

Talented fellow, isn't he???

At the Park

Bald baby getting swung by sister:

Boy with a stick:

Funniest face ever, even if it is fuzzy:

Check out that hair.  We've got to get this kid some Rogaine!

It's true, GQ is pretty much always whining these days.  But we still love him.

It's Getting Colder

I remember when E was M's age.

Almost every post was about her, it's a funny age.

Now, her funny stories are just as funny, but more subtle... and so I don't always feel up to telling them how they really are.

But she does still have them.

Like just now, when I told her I loved her. And then, I told her again.

And then, she said:

"Mom, I am in the middle of reading a book. Please go away."

Now, if that's not my daughter, I'll eat M's sparkle potty shoe.

Or earlier this week when, after reading several Chinese fairy tales, she told me:

"Mom, China is like Disneyland. No one is poor there and no one wears rags."

Who sent the Little Red Book to our house?

****

Meanwhile, GQ is sick. He only threw up three times, but now he just lays around the house. Very sad looking. I am hoping no one else gets sick, especially since my mom is visiting next week.

****

Yesterday, I finally bought some mouse traps.

For some reason (some reason = mental anguish over ever having to actually see a dead squashed mouse) I have had a hard time buying traps. Instead, I secured and moved most of our food, and made a board to cover the crack between the pantry door and the kitchen floor.

This solved most problems, but not all, so I finally bought the traps.

Then, I told Justin I wanted nothing to do with them.

Last night he went "hunting" and caught one perpetrator. Two of the traps were looted, but not sprung.

I stayed upstairs and said the ABC's over and over while he went to check the traps.

Yuck.

Mice

Today, while reading M the book: "Lilly's Big Day" by Kevin Henkes, we ran across this picture:


Says M: "Look Mom, that's E (on the right) and me (on the left).

An interesting visual of M's current understanding of the relationship between her and her sister, I think. Not that she doesn't dish it to GQ, you know. And not that he doesn't throw a train at her for good measure when she goes a little too far.

There's nothing like a sibling to keep you in line.

****

In other news:

Along with the box elder bugs who came looking for a home at our place when they cut the corn down, we have recently acquired some mice.

I am so not happy.

And I would just like to say that, unlike Cinderella - who made her mice clothes and let them sew a dress for her, I will be doing anything and everything to get rid of our guests.

I will even get a cat if I have to...

Or steal the neighbor's if that would be easier.

Because I do not appreciate the happy mouse dance. Not one bit.