A little bit me, a little bit you

Yea! My USB cable is back. Now you can see pictures of Amelia releasing her ladybugs. (There's actually a good movie of Amelia with the ladybugs, but I'm not sure everyone would tolerate it well.)

Yesterday morning Amelia and I went to see Amelia's dentist for the second time. I have to say that this dentist is exceptionally patient. It isn't easy checking Amelia's teeth when she refuses to open her mouth. Pulling out a cute new toothbrush Amelia's dentist asked, "Would you like a new toothbrush?" Her response was, "No."

It looks like Amelia's teeth are doing okay. One thing the dentist did notice is that Amelia has a very high and very narrow palate. I told the dentist that her mom has the exact same thing, and that I had four permanent teeth pulled because all of my teeth simply would not fit in my mouth. The dentist then asked if I had had orthodontic work done. I guess you see where this train of thought led.

So it looks like Amelia may need braces at some point, unless she has surprisingly small teeth that will fit in her small mouth. Thus far her teeth have been smallish and been surrounded by gaps. In fact the gap between her two front teeth is so big she actually got a lollipop stick stuck there. (Mommy helped pull the stick out.)

Yesterday was also the final day of Amelia and Diana's two-week swim course. Both girls received a badge and were deemed ready to progress to the next level. I have caught glimpses of Amelia floating and jumping into the pool and most of the time she looks like she's having a lot of fun. I have seen her cry on occasion (she is a bit moody), but when I ask if she likes her teacher and if class is fun she always says, "I have fun at class." Diana likes her class as well, though she seems more interested in socializing than swimming. On designated days parents are allowed to bring cameras and photograph and film their little ones in the pool. Diana smiles and stares at all of the parents and hams it up for all the cameras.

Diana also loves to watch the other babies and follow their actions. Yesterday a slightly younger boy started splashing the water wildly, so she joined in. Next thing you know two parents are getting drenched while their children laugh and splash.

But it isn't all fun and games. If there's one thing I don't like it's that the class interrupts our daily schedule. There isn't a lot that can be done about this, but Diana misses out on a lot of her nap time - especially on days when Amelia has gymnastics. Poor mommy and daddy miss out on proper, cooked dinners since the girls are hungry, tired and impatient after class. It doesn't make much sense to hurry and prepare meals for Amelia and Diana, feed them, then start the process all over again to make dinner for myself (and for daddy to reheat when he gets home).

But what's worse is that my over-tired daughters can't seem to sleep through the night any more. Diana frequently wakes at five a.m. now and refuses to go back to sleep. (Of course, she is also teething.)

So while swim classes for Amelia are available through October, I don't think we'll be enrolling past the next two-week session. I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge, logistically.

Lisa

Forgetful Jones

It seems that every time I leave the house I forget something. I think that comes from dividing my brain space between two children and day-to-day chores. I guess I just don't have enough firing neurons left to keep everything organized.

After leaving my dad's house last week he called to let me know that I had forgotten the USB cable that accompanies my camera. Knowing how much and how often I photograph the girls and transfer photos to my computer and blog, he mailed the cable to me. I received it just in time to bring it to my in-laws' house last weekend and guess what? I left it there, too.

So, be excited about the photographs that will eventually accompany the blog.

Yesterday, the girls and I went to Home Depot in search of a magnolia tree and possibly some roses. While looking through the gardening department Amelia and I saw that the store had live ladybugs for sale. There they were, walking around inside a plastic mesh bag - waiting to go home with someone.

A bag full of ladybugs was three dollars, so I thought it would be fun for Amelia to release them into our back yard. Boy was she excited about her ladybugs. She held them all the way home and talked over and over about releasing them in our yard.

After putting Diana down for a nap, I took Amelia and my camera outside to release the red beetles. The ladybugs were pretty quick to get out of the bag and were soon all over Amelia. I like ladybugs as much as the next person, but I thought she might be getting a little creeped out when she kept picking the bugs out of her clothes and off her arms. I told her that if she put the bag down the beetles could get out on their own. She never put the bag down.

After swim class that afternoon Amelia talked about visiting the ladybugs in the backyard. I hope a lot of them are still around. You can't exactly put leashes on bugs, so they could have flown off into any one's yard. I did plant one rose bush, though, so maybe that will be enough to entice them to stay.

If all of the ladybugs stayed on that rose bush, it would be the most pest-free bush in all of California.

Lisa

Ain't no mountain high enough

Last week I brought Amelia to a make-up gymnastics class for three and four-year olds. (Her usual class was full.) The big difference between that class and the one she normally attends is that her usual class is a parent participation class.

Yeah, I've left Amelia alone before. In fact, I've left her alone with the staff at her gymnastics school before. But for some reason I really didn't want to leave her last week. I felt a little strange when I walked out the door with Diana, and I was eager to get back.

Today I found out during Amelia's swim class that parents are not welcome around the pool while class is in session. We old folks are supposed to remain seated behind a six-foot picket fence while our children are learning to swim.

I understand why the policy is in place. I'm sure the instructors' main concern is that the kids will focus on their parents if they're nearby and within view (instead of swimming). That didn't prevent me from feeling quite put out when I was asked to leave the pool area while Amelia was in class.

It seems that regardless of how much work Amelia is, I just don't like being without her. I'm sure that's a good thing, when you consider that she IS my daughter. I just never thought I could be so attached to a child who has been known to, for example, make a toy bunny sing, "If You're Happy and You Know It," continuously for 15 mins.

And if that is an exaggeration, it is a very slight exaggeration. (No worries - the bunny is now cleverly hidden away in the garage where it belongs.)

Lisa

Swim school

Both of the girls love swim class. When we arrived for Amelia's first class she couldn't wait to get into the water. When I told her that class wouldn't be starting for another few minutes she became upset and said, "No, I want Amelia's turn." She asked repeatedly to jump into the swimming pool.

I was a little concerned that Amelia wouldn't be able to wait her turn during class, but she did a great job on her first day. She sat patiently while her instructor worked with another boy in her class (there was only one other student on day one) and didn't seem to notice that she was in the water without mommy.

When class was over, Amelia didn't want to leave. I finally convinced her that class was over and reassured her that she would be able to swim again the following day. She asked to spend some more time in the pool as soon as we got back into the car. In fact, she requested that we drive immediately to grandpa's house in Fresno so she could play in his backyard, inflatable pool.

Today both girls got to play in the water. Diana had class with mommy within eyesight of daddy (the photographer) and Amelia. Amelia became jealous both of the fact that Diana was continually with mommy in the pool and that Diana got to swim after floating toys like rubber balls. I heard her suggest to her instructor, "We can play with balls, too."

Diana enjoyed class. She isn't very good at kicking or paddling yet, but she likes being in the water with mommy and a bunch of other cute babies. At the end of class we encouraged our toddlers to bounce off their seats on the sides of the pools and into our arms. I didn't think Diana would want anything to do with this exercise, but she seemed to like this most of all.

Tomorrow Amelia gets to go to her gymnastics class AND her swim class. She is already excited. I'm not sure how I'm going to get anything done tomorrow, but I love to see Amelia so happy.

Lisa

P.S. Diana's instructor assures me that I will not have to get my face wet during class if I don't want to. This means I can wear my make-up in the water and maybe be less scary-looking in the future.

sierra lima echo echo papa

Amelia has never liked sleeping. She doesn't eat much and doesn't like to sleep.

Last night I had a very difficult time getting Amelia to go to bed. It was a little easier getting the baby to sleep, but not much. I was exhausted and happy to sleep, but Diana woke me up with her loud fussing and crying around two in the morning. Diana woke Amelia and she came to join the party. It was difficult to get Amelia back to sleep because all she could think about were the toys grandpa had scattered around the house (many of which are actually ceramic figurines).

Eventually I got Amelia back in her bed. I gave Diana a bottle and she seemed pretty happy. I lay in bed, in the room I was sharing with Diana, and tried to be as still and quiet as I could be until I felt sure she was asleep.


Then something terrible happened - my nose started to itch. The horrible itch turned into a loud sneeze which was followed by Diana crying. Diana's crying was quieting down when I heard a sound at my door. At that point I thought to myself, "If I get up to see if that's Amelia, Diana will stir and I'll have to start over again." So I lay still and waited for everyone to go back to sleep.

And here's the punch line: Diana woke up at six and I brought her into the living room with me for an early breakfast. After several minutes of mucking around and heating formula I noticed Amelia's "toys" re-arranged on the table and scattered on the floor. Then I saw Amelia asleep on a living room chair. I guess she got up and played with grandpa's toys until she fell asleep. Why sleep in a small chair when a comfy bed is available? No one knows but Amelia.

Lisa

Cat tales

Well, it looks like we have finally convinced a neighborhood cat to stop hanging out in our backyard.

Those of you who read this regularly probably already know the story. You know that while I do not dislike cats, I could no longer tolerate this particular cat because he kept trying to bite my daughter. I had been assuming that Amelia was hassling the cat and he was simply trying to send her a warning. But one afternoon, while we were all out in the yard together I saw that mean ole cat bite Amelia for, as far as I could tell, nothing.

So the cat had to go.

I actually went so far as to look at the local animal shelter for a good dog. But I decided that I wasn't ready for that kind of a commitment just yet.

I finally settled on a super soaker loaded with water and a touch of vinegar.

Amelia loves our neighborhood cat despite the fact that it keeps hurting her and scaring her. She's very forgiving. I was worried that she wouldn't like my chasing after the cat and pelting it with water. On the contrary, she loves spraying him and now refers to him as the "mean ole cat."

Yes, we have explained that most cats are nice.

So, we have our yard back. I still feel a little uneasy about letting Amelia out in the backyard without me, but I have the super soaker by the door, just in case. Since we always accompany water spraying with loud calls of "Git, cat!" it's now generally enough to move toward the kitty and just shout, "Git!"

Lisa

Mommy's shrinking comfort zone

There was a time when all I had to do to keep something out of Diana's reach was to put it on a desk. The desk could be as low as a coffee table - it didn't matter since Diana couldn't see or reach anything a foot off the ground.

Those days are over. Diana has recently figured out how to stand and she loves to stand up over and over again. No location is too perilous to prevent her from rising to her feet.

My worst experience with this so far has been, you guessed it, giving Diana a bath. No matter how often or how carefully I would set her bottom back down in the bathtub she would clamber up to stand at the side. In fact, she very nearly pushed herself up and over the side of the bathtub as mommy was still filling it with water.

Though she doesn't always stop what she's doing when I tell her, "No," I believe Diana does understand the word, "No." Just as I did with Amelia I have been trying to teach Diana the head motions associated with "Yes" and "No." However, unlike Amelia, Diana does a very funny and very obvious head shake when she hears mommy say, "No." Today I had to stop Diana from eating bark and grass on a couple of occasions while working with Amelia in the backyard. Diana eventually got to the point that when I would say her name and give her a stern look she would look down and shake her head, "No."

Now that's something I need to get on film.

Lisa