Creature Bug

Sydney's Saturday Story

If there's anything that compares to the joy of reading, it's the joy of watching your child read. Even though Sydney doesn't exactly read yet, she has an excellent memory for books. I love watching her climb up into the reading chair in the living room, open a book, and start telling the story. One of these days she'll surprise me and actually start reading the words rather than reciting them from memory, but I'm in no hurry. She'll figure out how to read eventually, in her own timing. And when she does...oh boy. I have a whole shelf of books just waiting for her.

Until then, I wanted to record some of these fun moments of Sydney and her favorite books. I know these videos are longer than anyone will want to watch, but that's okay. They're still fun for me to listen to. And I bet Sydney's cousin Clover will probably like it too. They're crazy about each other.

Today's story is The Baby Beebee Bird, by Diane Redfield Massie, illustrated by Steven Kellogg. It's the story of a little baby bird who keeps the zoo awake with all his singing. The animals are none too happy to have their sleep disturbed, but they devise a plan to get back at the little bird for keeping them awake. All day long they "beebee bobbibobbi!" to keep the baby bird awake, so that in the end they all get to sleep through the night.

I've had a couple of baby beebee birds keep me awake a time or two. Life is certainly much better when everyone sleeps at night, yes?

*****

(c) Creature Bug 2008. All rights reserved.

Love in my heart

This morning I watched my neighbor go outside in the early morning and start up her husband's truck. While it warmed she went around and scraped off the ice on the windshield and other windows. Although I've never her seen her do this before--I always see him doing it--I was curious to watch how it played out. She went back inside the house, and when her husband walked out the door and smiled at his warm, ice-free truck, I smiled too.

That's love, I thought. I know my neighbor well enough to know she was doing something sweet, something romantic. Tomorrow is one of the most lovely days of the year. Sure, Christmas and Thanksgiving are great. But the one that's just sweet and thoughtful and reminds us to celebrate love? Valentine's Day wins. It's why I send out Valentine's Day cards instead of Christmas cards. I'm really not all that romantic, but Valentine's Day isn't just about romance, it's about telling people you love them.

As I watch Jules learn how to give us kisses, and see Sydney's attempts at teaching Jules how to hug, I am reminded that children aren't born knowing how to love.

They are born needy. They are born hungry. They are born crying. They aren't born loving you.

That's my job. To teach my girls how to love. We taught Sydney to say, "I love you," by saying it her to every day over and over. I taught Sydney to give me kisses, to snuggle next to me, to kiss my cheeks with her eyelashes. Now, on her own, she gives me unprompted hugs. She kisses me in the morning when she climbs into bed with me, throws her leg across my stomach, wraps her arms around my neck, tucks her head into my shoulder and whispers, "I love you, Mommy," before going back to sleep. It's one of the best parts of my day.

I love my children, and love teaching them how to love me back.

And I love my husband, who knows how to love me better and more than anyone. I don't have to prompt him to say "I love you." Don't have to ask for kisses. Occasionally have to hint for foot rubs. Still. He's nearly perfect.

Even a month and a half after our trip to Maine, my heart still warms at those memories. The Monday morning we drove from Camden to Logan Int'l Airport in Boston, it snowed and snowed and snowed. The roads were quiet, and Alicia Keyes' new album played in the CD player. I took out my camera, and captured a video of it just so that I could always watch it and remember that moment: my favorite song, with my favorite guy, giving me a smile as we drove away from one of the best weekends of my life.

(video 1:32)

I doubt anyone else will find the video as perfect as I do, shaky footage and all. On the surface it just looks like a trip down a snowy road, with music in the background. But to me, I watch it and smile because it looks and sounds like love might look. Yes. Just exactly like that.

Have a lovely Valentine's Day.

*****

(c) 2008 Creature Bug. All rights reserved.

One flu over the cuckoo's nest

It was bad enough that Jason had the flu.

But then Sydney got it.

And then Jules got it last night. Boy did she ever get. She got it all over me, many times. Even though I had my mind determined not to get the flu, even though I mentally said, "No flu! I'm stronger than this bug! My tummy is no place for a little bug. Go away! GO AWAY!" and then I drank some hot water and ate some carrots just to prove that I was healthy...I still got the flu. Maybe it was cleaning up all those germs (I washed my hands a million times, but I think it must have been airborne). Maybe I shouldn't have eaten those chocolate chips for lunch. That was probably the invitation that the flu bug was waiting for (because who can pass up chocolate?). Plus, I neglected to get a flu shot this year, even though I have been getting it for the past several years and it has kept me healthy. No reason for me not getting the flu shot, just didn't go in and have it done. I am a hearty believer in them despite the perilous warnings by some who say something along the lines that it's just a governmental scheme to insert tracking devices into our bloodstream and then when the time is right they'll allow the alien forces to invade.

Err...I guess maybe nobody says that. Except old reruns of X-Files.

So, yes, Jules and I are in recovery. Jason is mostly better. And Sydney's bout with the flu was only for a few hours. Today she was healthy enough to take care of her poor mama. She got me Sprite. She turned the lights off, pulled the curtains, and put a soft blanket on my pillow. She said, "I'll just watch a movie, Mama. And I'll be quiet while Jules is sleeping." She was. Sure, she did end up having a BOZ marathon, watching almost five hours worth (the teacher in me cringes), but we were in survival mode. Plus, she totally deserved a veg-out day considering that she wasn't feeling 100% anyway. We do what we have to do to make it through.

We have to because there's just TOO MUCH to do this week. Tomorrow we're meeting with our general contractor and designer for the new house we're building (far far into the future). Friday is Jules' birthday. Saturday a party. Sunday...surely something...oh yes, I'll have to go Christmas shopping because of course I haven't even started that. Too busy to be kept down with the flu. I'll even eat carrots for breakfast tomorrow if I have to.

On the upside, I suppose I am officially a 'mom' now that I've had to clean up after flu-infested children. I had a streak of three-and-a-half very good years, but all good things must come to an end. And all bad things must come to an end too.

As sweet Julianne would say to the flu bug: Bye bye!

(video: 27 seconds)

Merriment

It has been a holly, jolly week, even though the weekend hasn't actually been so jolly on account of illness. But I'm not sick, and I think my family is recovering, so let's celebrate.

::last Saturday::

(photo Timothy J. Gonzalez, Statesman Journal)

We went to the Festival of Lights parade here in town, and it was quite the thrill. Even though it was freezing (fa-reezing!!), it wasn't raining, so there were swarms of people along the parade route. In fact, I read in the newspaper that 100,000 people were there, which is a lot of people considering the city's population isn't even 150,000.

We were prepared with hot chocolate and bags of popcorn, as well as blankets (though not enough), and enjoyed the school bands the most. The pimped-out cars that had the fire exploding out the tailpipe was definitely too scary for our girl, although I think she'll remember it for the rest of her life.

::last Sunday::

As if Saturday wasn't exciting enough, we topped off the weekend with our church's Children's Christmas program. Last year, Sydney was so not into singing the songs and being on stage. This year we practiced. We did the hand motions in the car. We built it up to be THE event of the year, at which Grandma and Grandpa would be in attendance. You'd never think that little Miss Drama Queen me would have a child who is so anti-showing off, but our practice paid off and she did make it through the program with stamina and flair. I think it helped that she got to wear her new Christmas dress, which as it turned out was the same dress her friend Gabry wore.

She was pretty happy to see me in the audience (in this video you can see her tell her teacher, "There's my mom!"), but that pales in comparison to how happy I was to watch her. If there is one thing that Sydney loves doing, it's singing. And to see her overcome her fear of crowds and sing her heart out was a proud moment for Jason and me. If you happen to like watching kids sing, here's Sydney singing Who Was There That First Christmas Day?, and here she is singing Away in the Manger.

I love my girl. Especially when she's wearing little lamby ears and laying her head down for "the little Lord Jesus, asleep in the hay."

::last Tuesday::

Peppermint hot chocolate. Obvious merriment.

::last Wednesday::

Remember when I got together with some area bloggers? And I said I met a mom who loves to read? Well! She came over! To my house! With her adorable daughter Sawyer who had the grandest time playing with Sydney! Though you may not think it from my writing, I can be a bit of an introvert. But after talking to Rachel, and then later chatting with her at the library's bedtime storytime, I decided to be bold and invite her over. Of course, I'm so glad I did because we had a lovely afternoon talking about (as she said) everything but books. But we did trade books. And Sydney and Sawyer read books together. And Jules probably ate a book or two while we were all having fun. How about that. Thank you Rachel and Sawyer for a wonderful afternoon. Can't wait to get together again.

I love new friends, don't you?

::last Thursday::

Gave my students their final exam, and now have four weeks off for Christmas vacation. It's bittersweet because I do love teaching that class.

Also, I got my hair highlighted. The week before I got it cut short again, and so happy am I to have found a new hair stylist that I love. At the aforementioned blog party, Ona gave me Nikki's phone number along with a hearty recommendation, and so I made an appointment for a haircut. I was so smitten with her I had her do my eyebrows. And then she highlighted my hair. I think I've run out of things I can have her do, so now it's your turn, all you local girls. Nikki. Studio 554 on Ferry Street. I have her number and so does Ona.

::last Friday, aka last night::

Well, not to say that there's no more merriment going on, but it ran a bit short in the middle of Friday night, whereby I make a 9-1-1 call and find myself with a firetruck and ambulance in the driveway and paramedics in our bedroom tending to my poor sick hubby. That story, however, will have to wait until Monday.

Until then...

All 50 States

You have no idea how many times I have captured Sydney's 50-State song on my camera. Singing in her jammies. Singing in the dark. Singing it on a Monday. On a Tuesday during breakfast. On a Wednesday during lunch.

Here she is singing it on a Thursday. As in, this morning. (video length: 1:17)

She was getting ready to leave soon for Grandma and Grandpa's house, that's why she has her backpack on. And somewhere around the "M"s, Jules grabbed the camera. The conditions we directors have to work under! Maybe I should go on strike.

Especially when my actors can't stay focused on the task at hand: (video: 20 seconds)

But I know, it's hard work memorizing all those states. So much so that Sydney needed to do a warm up lap for practice. (video: 1:07)

I think we're about ready to take this show on the road. Maybe Fox will pick us up since "24" has been postponed. We could write an episode for each letter of the alphabet. I don't know if we could compete with "Gray's Anatomy," but it might be better than reruns of "Two and a Half Men."

Not exactly compelling television, but we find it highly entertaining around here.

Week 180: It isn't saving me energy

You dear people. You dear dear people. I'm just tickled that you are leaving your comments and raising money for a good cause! If you haven't yet left a comment, don't be shy. I know I get shy sometimes at blogs. Feel like maybe I'll write something goofy. But I hope you aren't feeling that way because if you are, clearly you are forgetting who you're dealing with here. I tell corny jokes to college students and eat chocolate chips for lunch. There's no such thing as too goofy.

I'm feeling a bit extra loopy today because of the time change. I know there was some sort of talk about this time change saving energy and whatever, but I'm not feeling extra energetic. Truthfully, I'm feeling rather less energetic because my girls are waking up at 7 am instead of their other leisurely wake-up time of 8 am. I need that hour. If I were a good person, following all the rules of "me time" and "mommy time" and "solitude," I'd get up at 7 and revel in my hour of me-ness. Yeah, maybe someday. But for now I'd rather sleep. And you know I need it because I didn't put it together until this weekend that my girls have been sleeping in until 8 since last spring when the clocks did their spring forward business. Essentially they wake up at the same time, but the government is messing with me and this clock stuff. I really need to move to Hawaii where they don't adjust their clocks (and have nice weather and palm trees).

So, because I'm exhausted and can't manage to finish the post that I've been working on for a week, I'll just leave you with a video of Jules walking around in her new shoes. (video: 57 seconds)

Week 179: The Howl

Part One:

(video length: 1:41) (beware: it's loud)

Ever since Sydney was old enough to make sounds, she was old enough to antagonize Daisy. No one had to teach her that she had some strange power over the dog; she just felt it instinctively, in her little tiny baby bones. For the past few years, I have had to endure the insanity that ensues from the Howl. Sydney especially loves to get Daisy going when I am on the phone. Naturally.

It was, of course, par for the course that Jules learned that she too could influence our beloved pet. She starts howling, Daisy starts howling, and then Sydney starts howling. When one of the girls pauses a moment to catch her breath, the other one picks up stronger and louder to fill in the gap. It's like a little choir. Orchestrated by Edvard Munch.

Today's Howl-fest was no different than other days, except that I was able to distract Sydney from her task by getting her to sing Stage Two of her US state song (Stage One here). Even though there are days when the last thing I want to hear is two kids and dog making more noise than an angst-filled teen band, today I wasn't trying to hurry them to go somewhere, wasn't trying to talk to somebody on the phone, wasn't paying bills at the computer. In short, I wasn't trying to get anything accomplished. Which means that I can handle quite a bit more than the usual fare.

As part of the Halloween festivities, I'm doing a 3-part blog post. Today you get The Howl. Tomorrow, you'll get an even more terrifying sound. Stay tuned.

Proof

In case you didn't believe me when I wrote about Julianne walking at a mere nine months, today I offer you proof. (video: 23 seconds)

It's not particularly in focus, but that's because she kept moving towards me. Who is this child walking at nine months, with eight teeth, and saying "mama," "dada," and "Daisy"? Part of me wants to say Slow Down! except that I really am not so fond of the pre-two years old stage. Yeah, yeah, cute and amazing and discovering things. Babies are neat. I know. But truthfully, I really want to give her a bowl of cereal, a spoon, and drink my mug of tea while it's still hot. Big dreams.

And in complete fairness, I present a video of Sydney singing a song that Jason is working on teaching her. (video: 37 seconds)

We'll call this video "Stage One," because as of today she has already moved on to "Stage Two," which includes the M's. Jason somehow got it into his head that it would be amazing if Sydney knew all 50 states. In alphabetical order. That it would make a really good impression on her kindergarten teacher (in two years), a teacher who will no doubt not know her 50 states in order, and realize very quickly what kind of demented parents this kid has. Let me take a moment to say here that I personally do not know all 50 states in alphabetical order. Clearly, I missed this day in school, and it has caused me nothing but pain and misery ever since, especially that day in American History my junior year in high school where we had to list all 50 states and I couldn't. If only I had been sitting behind Jason (instead of in front of him), I could have cheated off his quiz. Not that I was a cheater in school, of course.

Now that Jason has taken Sydney under his wing, I have to learn the song too in order to keep up. Just today I was trying to sing through the song and paused before "Kansas," trying to remember if it was "Kansas" or "Kentucky" first. Sydney quickly provided the answer. "Kansas, Kentucky, Wheezy-anna, Maine."

Forget being smarter than a fifth grader, I'm just trying to keep up with my three year old.

PS: If you're in the video watching mood, you really ought to check out this video of my brother's dog who is a genius at breaking out of their fenced yard.

Avast, me hearties!

We land lubbers are full o'the pirate spirit today beings as it's Talk Like a Pirate Day. There's even a song we've been humming:

I'm a pirate! That I be!
I sail me ship upon the sea!
I stay up late - till half past three!
And that's a peg below me knee!

Aye!

If you're a local scallywag who can't get enough of the pirate life, there's always the Portland Pirate Festival going on this weekend. Arrr! We might just be there. Parrots and pirates and swashbuckling, oh my!

Out of the mouths of babes

No matter what, this I know: some things are true. My sweet Sydney, may you find truth in your life. When you find it, hold it, hide it, and remember it when the difficulties of life press upon you.

You are loved.

You are loved.

Precisely

Reading books,
fixing mac-n-cheese,
making chocolate milk,
finding the favorite blanket in the middle of the night.

Wearing the purple clip in my hair to the library,
singing Amazing Grace as a lullaby,
knowing how to fix curly hair,
smooshing the playdough between my fingers.

Administering medicine,
applying bandaids,
kissing owies,
sending to time-out.

Tieing shoelaces,
snapping seat belts,
playing hide-and-seek,
taking naps in the middle of the day.

Loving unconditionally,
practicing patience,
modeling compassion,
living a life dedicated to God.

It's part of being a mom.

I'm a mom because of Sydney and Jules. My girls.

Happy Mother's Day!

(This post inspired by the writing prompt at Parent Bloggers Network and Light Iris. If you can squeak in a post today (Friday), send them the link to be entered to win a spa gc. Mmmm...spa day...lovely.)

Singing along

Yes indeed my dear Sydney, it's hard to concentrate on the ABC's when you're distracted by all that cuteness. Also, I hate to break it to you but Jules' birthday is still eight months away. It's okay. I'm sure she doesn't mind.

(As a sidenote to Ceylan, Sydney LOVES these ostrich pajamas that you gave her. She wants to wear them EVERY day. I told her once that her jammies were from Turkey and she said, "No, Ostrich!" Oh well.)

Length - 1:13

Who Do You Love

Twenty seconds of dance love.

And yes, we pretty much all dance like that around here. Who needs to watch real tv when we can just use it as a mirror to watch ourselves?