Camera on fritz. Be back soon.

Hello! I wrote an entry the other day, but didn't post it because it was just too grumpy. We've been sick, and there isn't a whole lot of lite 'n cute that goes on when we are all sick. But! We are getting better now, enough that the six hours we spent at the park yesterday appears to have no ill effects other than mild sunburn on my part. Oh well, it's Seattle, I'm sure the sun won't reappear for another 6 months, and I'll have time to heal.


Making hot chocolate after a good afternoon digging in our backyard, and SOMEONE about 3 feet tall was caught transferring hot chocolate mix from my cup to hers. Not a very good poker face there. Her diversionary tactic, other than squinting, was to order me to hop like a frog. CIA here she comes.


Today we got Betty a new bed, and everybody tried it out. It's purple, and matches the purple Original Art in Marker and Wall we have all over the living room right now. They are so fast when they get ahold of nonwashable markers.


Little mister language spurt. Today I taught him to hold up 1 finger when asked how old he is, which I expect to accomplish exactly nothing since neither of them answer questions in public. Yesterday, however, he put two words together on two separate occasions. 1) "Cat up!" which translates to "Cat please come down here!" as "up!" means both up and down in Simonese, and 2) "Mama no!" (pronounced Meme naynay) when said mama plucked him off a 6 foot ledge he was enjoying leaning off precariously.


Claire Helen, indignant at bedtime one night, demanded to sleep on Betty's bed. So she did, and I took pictures to frame and show off to all her edgy, sophisticated college friends. I think she thinks she won.

Does anybody but me think Britney Spears has Post Partum Depression? I'm surprised Brooke Shields hasn't gone knocking down her door, it seems so obvious to me from all the little pamphlets I read at my doctor's office* and various New York Times Styles section articles I've read over the years. Possibly Ms. Spears is not as big a fan of Modern Love as I am.

Last week we had our first ever parent teacher conference. You will all be pleased to know that Claire Helen is on track for such auspicious preschool goals as "putting lunch chairs back after lunch" and "cutting with scissors." It is always nice to have people besides yourselves who not only are willing to talk about your child for half an hour, but are in fact required to by their job. We're happy that her teachers seem to like her and think she is a very bright and kind child, though we are still wondering what exactly being "mature" for a two year old means.

After an exhaustive search and several fretting phone calls with her playmate's friends, we've decided to sign her up again for this same school next year. She's happy there, and they do some awfully cool projects (and are having an art fair this weekend! Pretty neato for a preschool, if you ask me). And really, the fact that she is learning about Jewish holidays and counting in Hebrew is kind of a bonus. Next December I'll have to make latkes for you all, as I made 200 for her class last Hanukkah. Fried potatoes, mmm.

A couple weekends ago I went on my first ever weekend without the kids- 36 whole hours of non nose blowing and non snack making and non plastic-dinosaur-picking-up and non hostage level negotiation over bedtime. Instead my friend Latika and I did all kinds of adult things requiring quiet and not touching walls. It was really really fun, and I hope she comes to visit us soon, because who wouldn't want to read Jemima Puddleduck 46 times in one afternoon? Mat's mom came to visit/help while I was gone, which was great fun for everyone involved, I think. I hope. Supposedly we have pictures, but those are on the big computer in the living room, and as we are having our first low key weekend since, oh, November and the kids are napping SIMULTANEOUSLY I am keeping my behind attached to the couch, and you all will just have to visualize grandparent bonding for the time being.

Lately whenever Simon hears music, he bounces his butt out and tries to snap in time, all while walking around in a big circle. He's actually doing it, snapping, rubbing his third finger against his thumb, but he doesn't make any noise.


*You all read all the pamphlets at your doctor's office, too, don't you? Otherwise what do you read? 5 month old issues of FitPregnancy or Fisherman's Weekly?

So, the thing that took the fight out was apparently a double ear infection and pneumonia. Man. He's a stoic little guy. I never would have guessed. But I feel terrible, so we all spent the day in pajamas, putting mohawks on all available members of the family, and allowing our holier than thou No TV In Our Home rule to be broken EXTENSIVELY. And also I spent time being a White House chef making any food His Royal Illness might deign to whiff, as he had apparently lost 3 pounds (down from 26 to 23) since we were last at the ped's. Rice pudding, cheesy bread, banana pancakes, peanut butter cookies...he'll gamely fling the food around his high chair before whining the saddest little "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup" ever. Betty and Claire Helen are eating well, at least.

Conversations you are probably not supposed to have with your two year old:

Mommy can I eat this?

Sure..................What is it?

I'd offer pictures, but Si is still so sick he is allowing me to wipe his face after eating and sleeping in more than 20 minute increments. All the fight's gone out. I doubt he wants this memorialized. Poor poppit.