The Slide That Annie Built

A few minutes ago, Annie ran into the living room, clapping and saying, "Side! Side! Side!"

Assuming she meant, "outside," I said, "No, Annie, we aren't going outside right now."

She gave me her best, "Mom-Is-An-Idiot" look and repeated, "Side! Side! Side!" She clapped again and stared at me.

"Show me," I said and she ran to her room giggling. I followed her in and found her creation: Annie turned an empty diaper box onto its side and was using it as a slide.

She jumped on and slid down (which took all of two seconds), then stood up, clapped and said, "Side! Side! Side!"

I think we need some indoor play equipment around here...

Swimming With The Fishes

My favorite quote of the day:

"This is a perfect day to be a little boy." --Jake Quigley, age (15 days from being) six

I suppose it is a perfect day. Jake finished his swim classes this morning with a flourish. On the last day, the kids get to go down the monstrously big water slide, once they prove they can at least swim a little. Jake was nervous on the way to class, but he came down that slide like a champ. It was adorable. He was immediately followed by another boy his age, and while the two had hardly spoken for the two weeks they were in class together, they jumped off those slides and were instant friends as they cheered and ran back up to the top. It was an incredible display of boyness, all they needed to add were a few karate kicks or something.

After the slide, all the kids went back into the regular pool, where Jake was a new kid. He was suddenly brave enough to take running jumps into the pool, yelling, "Kowabunga, dudes!!" He was staying under water holding his breath as long as possible. He attempted an underwater flip. He was floating on his back and swimming. He'd yell to his new friend, "Hey dude! Watch this!" Of course, neither boy realized that each was ignoring the other as they performed his own tricks. They were secure in the knowledge that if nothing else, their moms at least were watching. :)

The water slide combined with McDonalds for lunch and friends over to play TMNT and Transformers makes the day complete. Yep, a perfect day to be a little boy.

Her Face

Dad has taken a few pictures of Annie recently that I love and want to share...

This is my favorite of all the silly faces Annie makes. It always makes me wonder if I smell bad...


Annie having a grand time giving Nana a bath. You think I've got that backwards? Then you've never bathed a baby (takes a shirt change every time).


Here's Annie eating what was once Jake's ice cream at a baseball game Sunday.

You Put Up A Picture of My Baby...

...and I'm sending everyone to your blog to see it. So, so tempting to steal the picture and put it here, but Woody took a (beautiful, perfect, wonderful) picture of Annie at last night's Summer Solstice celebration, THEN he put it on his blog. I am a happy Becky and a grateful friend.

See the picture here.

Happy Summer!

It's the first day of summer! I've loved this day since 1994, when I studied in Paris after my freshman year. In France, they celebrate the Fete de La Musique, which I remember as this incredible night of free music all over Paris. I wandered from street corner to street corner listening to different bands. It was amazing and something I would love for my kids to enjoy.

But if we don't have that, we'll go to the Summer Solstice celebration instead. Feel free to join us!

Annie is officially a girl. I know, I know, you'd think all the pink she wears and the My Little Ponies she carries around would have clued me in earlier, but now she's done something typically and disturbingly girl. Yesterday at the pool, she slipped as she walked into the zero entry side of the water. She wasn't hurt, but when I picked her up, she said, "Sorry!" She said it again this morning for something that also wasn't her fault.

It might seem like a silly thing for me to point out, and I know that she's gotten it from imitation, but I hate to think that she's already taking on the feminine trait of apologizing for things over which she has no control. I suppose it's too much to ask that my daughter push her way through life, apologizing to no one along the way...

Annie Turns to the Dark Side

Well, no one believed me, did they? I knew there was something about Annie. Just call me Yoda. I knew that even if she could bring balance to the family, something wasn't quite right.

And Jake figured it out yesterday when he dubbed her: DARTH ANNIE.

That's right, his baby sister is a Sith. This would explain why the other day, when Annie was attacking him (really, she was--I had to pull her away!), Jake started yelling, "My sister is evil! My sister is evil!"

Remember, Anakin Skywalker started out cute, too.

Seeing Yellow!

It's official: today Jake's sensei announced that he is ready to move up to his yellow belt. He knows his white belt kata very well and is ready to learn something new.

I'm so proud of him! He said a few months ago that he wanted to earn his yellow belt by his sixth birthday, and here he is, a month early, earning it. Yay Jake! I'll have a picture for you once we have the new belt. Actually, I have a white belt picture for you too, but Ike has it saved on the laptop he's using for the movie...

Shameless Plug for my Great Friend Woody

Sorry, Woody, you're right. It's wrong to only plug Jake's friends' moms. So this is for you: if you don't ever read another blog (besides mine), you should also read Woody.

He has the latest on the Carolina Phoenix Women's Football team, knows everything there is to know about fencing, and knows everything else too.

:)

Jake Joins the Polar Bear Club

Jake had his first swim lesson this morning. While it may not have been as cold as the Boulder Polar Bear Club's swims (whose motto is, "Freezedom for All!"), it was certainly cold enough to bring an almost-six-year-old to tears.

But before the tears began, he did great. Today they learned to kick with their head above water, then to paddle with their arms. They worked on floating quite a bit, which I remember as a scary thing as a kid. It's hard to trust that if you lean back and relax...you won't actually sink. Jake did so well at this that the instructor had the whole class watch him as an example. Yay Jake!

After class, I promised him that if he makes it through the whole week without crying or quitting because it's cold, I'll give him a membership in his own Polar Bear Club. I'm not sure if that bribe will work or not...

Here's a picture from the Farmer's Market Saturday.

Summer So Far: Partying too late & up early for donuts

I was wondering why my kids are both sitting around like bumps on a log this morning when it hit me: whoa, we need to slow down. Well, that and coming down from a sugar rush is hard on a kid.

Since school ended Friday, we've been to the pool, gotten up early for a few hours with Nana at the Farmer's Market (where she took some great pictures I'd love to share...ahem...), gone to a birthday party (more on that later), and stayed out late at a barbecue at our neighbors' house. Oh, then this morning we got free donuts at Krispy Kreme, thanks to Jake's great end-of-year report card.

So, no wonder when I said, "Jake, let's go the Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park tonight," he looked at me like I was crazy. When I first suggested that I'd ask his current crush (a repeat offender, the girl he always comes back to with his crushes) and her grandparents to come, he said he'd like to go. But when I called the grandmother and found out they had plans, he said no thanks. Actually, he said, "Mom, I don't like concerts anyway." Oh. No suggestion of any other friend will do. I guess we're staying home tonight.

The birthday party... Jake was invited at the last minute to be "the friend" for the little sister of the birthday girl (little sister is also current crush) yesterday. We went to Tumblebees, and let me tell you: it's birthday party boot camp. We've been to all the bounce places for parties, we've been to the Little Gym for parties, but nothing works a kid like Tumblebees. Other than the rope swing, from which Jake got to jump into a pit of foam blocks, the rest of the party seemed more like work than fun. They had an obstacle course with the party people yelling, "Go! Go! One more lap!" It was weird to watch and exhausting for the kids. I asked Jake if he'd like to do his birthday party there, but before I'd even finished the question, he was asleep in the backseat. Maybe we'll stick with the "water party" in the front yard.

At our neighbors' barbecue last night, Jake and Annie lived it up. There were kids for each of them to play with, so they hardly wanted to be with me at all. Finally at 8:15, I pulled Annie home to bathe and go to bed. Jake, however, who'd found a big friend (a nine-year-old) to play with and who also had his favorite girl there, begged to stay later. So someone brought Jake home close to 9:30, after I was practically asleep myself. It was a strange sensation to have my child come home later than me--a bit of a preview of the teen years, I guess. The first thing he did when he came home was write a note. First he drew a heart and colored it red. Then he wrote, "I love Molly" on it and said we need to mail it to her.

I suppose I'm lucky. When he actually is a teenager, I won't have any idea who he loves...

By the way, if you missed it in the first paragraph, Krispy Kreme awards kids for good grades with free cholesterol specials. So this morning we headed over to KK for donuts. Jake presented his report card to the cashier, and we got SIX free donuts. I ate one (7 points for a chocolate glazed custard filled, but well worth it), Jake ate one, Annie dropped most of one on the floor, then we came home. That's right, there's a chance we'll have enough to save one for Ike...but the end of the day is a long way away...

Speaking of Ike, he has two days off from the movie shoot Monday and Tuesday. We can't wait to have him home! It's hard to have this schedule without him here with the kids, but I think it's worth it because he's happier than he ever was coming home at 5:30 from a "day job." All that being said, I'm looking forward to his break for the next two days!

And Annie...

...now has a definite opinion of what's gross. She'll say, "eww" and "yuck," just like a toddler now. Just now she said, "eww," and proceeded to hand every single slice of squash and zucchini on her plate back to me. Saying, "eww," to each one. She did the same thing with turkey bacon at breakfast.

Oh well. Maybe she's doomed to be a picky eater after all...

Post #400 on the last day of school!

Well, it seems appropriate that I would have a momentous number for this post (I don't know why it's momentous, but 400 seems like a good number), as Jake is now in the middle of his last day of kindergarten. I can recap this year in one word: WHEEEEE. He's loved it. He loved his teacher because she was gentle and kind (I mistyped and said she was a "gentile," but I don't think he actually knows or cares about that) and very good for his personality. He has a great group of friends (especially Luke and Matthew...whose moms are the only ones who read my blog...), so he can walk through the school as if he owns it. So can I, incidentally, which is one of my favorite parts of being in the underground mafia at the school...

He's learned a lot, surprising me last night when he showed me the multiplication tables he's been working on. Really, multiplication?? I remember stressing out over those in third grade! Wait, I still stress out over some of them...

Anyway, it's been a great year. Jake seems to have grown quite a bit since last year, when we were worried about not being able to repeat preK.

So now, we're moving on to summer. We're doing "Summer Homeschooling," with a few activities to keep him thinking, and we're spending as much time as possible at the pool. We've gone to the pool twice this week, with plans to go again this afternoon if those thunderstorms they're threatening will hold off. Jake's already decided he's a great swimmer and has now started teaching his friend Josh (whose mom also reads this--see, I plug the kids whose moms read me) how to swim. I am adequately alarmed by his sudden bravery after only two afternoons at the pool, so swim lessons start at 8:30 Monday morning. :)

It should be a fun summer, and we'll be ready for first grade at the end of it!

New Free Drink from Java K's

Java K's now has a new free coffee drink coupon, this one for a "Funky Monkey." It's a latte with Chocolate, Caramel, and Banana. Expires June 13. Go to the website and click on Coupons for how to find the coupon.

Guess where Annie and I are headed before we pick up Jake... :)

Mickey Mouse poops in Annie's crib...

This afternoon Annie woke up from her nap yelling, "Mooka! Mooka!" This is how she says "Mickey," for Mickey Mouse.

I walked into her room and found her standing in her crib, looking concerned and staring at me. "Mooka," she said seriously and nodded her head. That's when I noticed the poop on one side of her sheets and the wetness on the other. And the Mickey Mouse diaper she'd been wearing was now off of her, sitting in the middle of it all.

What I think she wants me to believe is that "Mickey did it," a defense I tried myself at a young age with an imaginary friend. However, what I believe may have happened is that Annie got so excited at realizing Micky Mouse was on her diaper, she yanked it off (post-poop) to look at it.

Or perhaps she really blames Mickey. Whatever may be the case, she'll no longer be sleeping in just a diaper, no matter how hot it is...

If only I'd thought of it sooner...

So, recently Ike and Caitlin each taught me this new phrase (new for me): Emo. You know it? Here, educate yourselves. Or just read my quick definition: Emo is Goth, only sad instead of angry.

After hearing about this bizarre young person trend, I said, "Wouldn't it be funny if someone designed, 'Tickle Me Emo,' who cries when you tickle him?

Wouldn't you know it, MadTV beat me to it.



Seriously, though. Emo? Is our culture really that lazy and pathetic? Do our kids have that much time on their hands? Why aren't they getting jobs, working with Habitat for Humanity, being useful??

Of course, how useful was this post? :)

More on bad beans

You're right, I didn't tell you. The jelly bean I had was booger-flavored. I was just too grossed-out to think clearly, I guess. :)

Today

This morning we attended Jake's Moving Up Ceremony, in which he graduated from Kindergarten and the Primary building of his school. I'm happy to say that despite how teary I was at the beginning, I made it through the entire ceremony without embarrassing myself or our son.

This post and the next are pictures from today. The first pictures are of Jake and his friend Brooks, who are really both too cute for words. And I'm not at all biased...









This last picture is Jake with his teachers. He's had such a great class this year, we're really going to miss them. :(

Jake's Moving Up Ceremony

More pictures...


Annie with her friend, "Omi." See what a good school it is? They're both already reading!


Jake waiting patiently. I love how his shirt brings out the red in his eyes...


The almost-graduated kindergarteners, holding their memory boxes. Each box was decorated with some of the student's work for the year and contains things to remind them of being a Primary student.


Jake at the picnic after the ceremony.

Sneaky Little Booger...

Remember last week when I posted my friend's warning about her son? Well, he struck today after karate.

My friend and I occasionally take turns driving the boys to/from karate. Today was my day to bring her son home so his grandparents could take him to dinner. Well, my friend--whom we'll call Lynda as that is her name--had already warned me about these things: Bertie Bott's Beans. I've read the Harry Potter books, I know they're gross. I just always assumed Jelly Belly used it as a marketing ploy. You know, call it booger-flavored, but actually make it popcorn-flavored.

Well, Lynda tried to tell me. But then I got to her house with her son...and he was so excited. "Jake's mom, just try one, come on Jake's mom!" Okay, okay. Really, how bad could it be?

Hmm...it could be very, very bad. So bad that I spit it out in front of Lynda's father, a man I had only just met. So bad that I opened my son's car door and yelled, "Spit! Spit!" to Jake as he turned green from his jelly bean. So bad that I found myself gagging all through dinner. Yes, it was very bad.

Sneaky boy. Anyone seen Charlie?
I feel like I can sympathize with him in some strange way tonight*.

*And I've been dying to work this into my blog since Caitlin first showed it to me.

Ohana Means Family...And Family Means We Wait Up For Daddy

It's a good thing we're in the home stretch with kindergarten, with only five days remaining of the school year. Otherwise, it might be a very bad thing that Jake has been waiting up for Ike every night...

As many of you already know, Ike started working a new movie shoot last Wednesday. He's only had daytime shoots so far, meaning he leaves here at 6am and gets home between 7 or 8pm. Which really means he gets here closer to 8:30pm.

Because Jake isn't up when Ike leaves, I've been letting him stay up to spend time with Daddy each night for a few minutes. His normal bedtime is 7:30, so 8:30 isn't too terribly late.

Tonight, however, when I realized it was 9:30 and Ike still wasn't home (and isn't yet at the writing of this post), I told Jake it was too late and that he should go to bed.

"But Daddy's not home yet," he said in his saddest little voice.

"I know, honey, but I don't want you to be tired."

Sad face. Ohh...okay, fine.

"Ohh...okay, fine. You can stay up to see Daddy."

"Yes, I have to see Daddy. He's a part of my family too."

Well, I certainly can't argue with that logic. He's now asleep on the couch, but he'll most likely wake up as soon as Ike walks in the door.

Jake also wrote me two notes today. The first reads,
"My favret culr is blew. My scket [second] favret culr is red. My uur [other] favret culr is gren. I lik my favret culrs."

The second note is one I'm going to post beside my side of the bed to read every day. "Sumetims I get frustrtd, but I stel love my famle. Sind [signed] Jake"

At least I know I'm not the only one...

Warnings in my Inbox

I just checked my e-mail and found this subject from a friend: WARNING! WARNING!

Now this friend is my Coupon Queen, so I thought that either a) she was passing along one of those false e-mail virus warnings (unlikely), or b) there was something wrong with one of my rebate forms.

Instead I found this e-mail that has kept me laughing for ten minutes:

Be on the lookout for a cute 6 year old boy. He goes by the name of
Matthew. He spent the morning drive to school plotting how he could
convince someone's mom to drive him to playgroup. His main plan was to
find the mother of Jake or Nick or Brooks or Luke or Wesley/William and
ask/beg for a ride and "to look cute". Or ask if his Nana & Papa
can
follow to Brooks' house.

Be careful: he is bright, logical, and secretly sneaky.

He is not armed with any physical weapons.... but mentally he might be
dangerous.

If you are attacked, just simply repeat: "Your mom said NO."

This is your warning.

Good luck,

Matthew's mom

What I love about Jake and his friends is that they are all adorably dangerous. Our future is in their hands. Be ready.