His Opinion

Aaron's school has Spirit Week this week.  Each day the kids are given a theme they can choose to incorporate in the way they dress.  One day is 60s day, so they can dress like people did in the 60s.  One day is school spirit day, so they can wear school colors.

I didn't realize it was Spirit Week until Aaron mentioned it on Sunday night.  He told me he didn't have any jeans clean for Monday morning.  Of course, it was about 8:00 p.m. when he had this revelation.  I went into his room and pulled a pair of pants out of his dresser.  This particular pair is more along the lines of Dockers.  I pulled out a sweater I thought would look nice and put the outfit on his bed.  I told him I put clothes on his bed he could wear tomorrow.  He generally has absolutely no sense of what matches or even fits.  He has put on pants that were five inches too short, but insisted they fit properly because they fit his waist.  He has tried to wear a thick vertical striped shirt with plaid shorts because, "They both have blue and red."  I have tried to relax and as long as I feel his choice won't get him beat up, I let him go with what he chooses. 

After he went into his room, he came to me.

Aaron:  Mom, can I please NOT wear that sweater tomorrow?

Me: (In total shock, because I have been quite certain to this point that he would let me choose his clothes until he has a wife to do it for him) What is wrong with that sweater?

Aaron: Nothing.

Me:  Don't you like it?

Aaron:  Tomorrow is Tacky Day.  We are supposed to dress tacky.  I don't have to find something that is tacky, I just think the nice sweater would really stand out on Tacky Day.

Me:  OK.

Aaron left the room and I looked at PK and asked, "When did he get an opinion?!?!?!"  He was the kid who was going to wear whatever I wanted him to until he left our home. 

I guess having an opinion comes with the voice getting deeper and the shoes that are the same size as his dad's. 

Forensics

Rachel received first place in her category at her forensics meet last night.  When I hear the word, "Forensics"  I think about solving crimes using science.  That would mean Rachel was hanging out with a bunch of other kids solving crimes.  Sounds exciting.  However, in this case, we are talking about Speech and Debate or public speaking. 

I do not like to talk in front of a group, so I am just floored that she would even attempt to do it.  Her category is impromptu.  She is given a topic and in a few minutes has to develop an outline and deliver a speech.  Sometimes she doesn't know too much or anything about the topic so in those cases she really has to think on her feet. 

We were discussing the meet last night after she returned home and I asked her if Speech is a required course in high school.  PK said he didn't have to take Speech in high school, but it was required for graduation at my school.  I did not like it one bit.  I also had to take Speech in college.  I didn't like it anymore then. 

Rachel has never been afraid to try something new.  She tried out for district band a couple months ago.  She didn't make it, but her attitude was, "If I don't make it, it is ok.  At least I can say I tried and learned from the experience."

Parents don't attend Forensic meets.  The competitors have to go into a room alone with the judges, so it is not conducive to having spectators.  Rachel was sweet enough to send me this picture of the team who brought home first place overall.



Can You Whistle?

We had dinner at Doug and Shannon's house on Valentine's Day.  Cynthia was in town and she, Shannon and I were hanging out in the kitchen.  I have no idea how the subject came about, but it was brought to our attention that Shannon can whistle using her fingers.  Neither Cynthia or I can do that.  I can do the regular old pucker and blow whistle, but I can't do the fingers in the mouth whistle.

Shannon began to give us lessons and Cynthia and I gave our best effort to produce a sound. 





This went on for a good thirty minutes.  One of the many reasons I love spending time with Shannon and Cynthia is because we never know when one of us will fall into a fit of laughter because one of the other two said something like one of the following.

"Let me see your tongue."

"Is your tongue longer than most?" 

"Your lips aren't right."

"Maybe your fingers are too big."

"I need a spit rag."

"Don't turn your head my direction when you blow.  You spray."

"This is like giving birth.  You push and push and push, hoping for results."

Not Making That Mistake Again

Last year on Valentine's Day, Hannah jumped out of bed expecting a little celebration.  I was a slacker and she was very disappointed.  This year I made sure to put the little extra touches on the morning.

Once the kids were in bed last night, I made a cookie cake in a heart shaped pan.  I have been trying to keep overly processed foods and dyes out of our diet.  The kids beg me not to "healthify" their favorite treats.  During the Christmas season, I compromised on this by making one batch of each of their favorite holiday treats using our traditional recipes.  For Valentine's Day, I made their cookie cake with white flour and sugar.  I'm not sure if that was showing love or not.  Ha!

I pulled out the heart shaped plates and put up some red streamer.



 

 



I bought each of the kids a special chocolate and new earbuds.  Earbuds seem to be a hot commodity in this house and can never seem to be found even though we have purchased several sets.  This time around I also purchased each of the kids a matching case for their earbuds.  Maybe that will help them keep track of them.  I have a stash of about fifty thousand Valentine's Day pencils I have picked up on clearance over the years, so I also gave each of the kids a pencil.

Hannah's favorite color is green and she loves dogs.

 



Aaron's favorite color is blue.  He is a lover of snakes, but a frog is as close as I could find.

 







Rachel's favorite color is purple, but I couldn't find a case to match.  Owls are popular these days and her friend just gave her an owl necklace.  She says she doesn't necessarily like owls, but "they are a thing."

 



Because PK leaves the house by 6:00 in the mornings, we got everyone up early so we could have a little morning celebration.  Yes, we fed our kids cookie cake for breakfast again.

These simple preparations were more than enough to make Hannah happy and to build another memory.  Well worth it for my loves.

Night Terrors

Before Hannah was a year old, she started having night terrors.  The first time it happened she had screamed and cried inconsolably for close to two hours.  I tried everything I could think to do to try to calm her.  I changed her diaper.  I changed her clothes.  I rocked her.  I offered her a bottle.  I walked with her.  I put her back in her bed and let her cry it out for a while.  I gave her her pacifier.  Nothing worked.  I finally told PK that I was going to take her to the ER because she must have an ear infection.  She didn't have a fever, but Rachel had multiple ear infections as a baby and usually did not run a fever.  By the time I had gotten dressed, the episode ended just as quickly as it had started.  She was out cold.

Her night terrors did not occur every night, but occasionally it would happen.  One time she was old enough to walk and we sat in her room.  At the time, the desk and computer were also in her room.  All she really had in there was her crib and changing table.  Our living room was always a play room.  I finally sat her on the ground and she walked over to the computer tower and smacked it.  I had to laugh.  She wasn't fully awake and had no idea what she was doing.  At least I don't think she did. 

When she was old enough, I would ask her in the morning if she remembered anything and she always gave me that , "What in the world are you talking about?" stare.  Many times she would wake up in the morning and demand to know why she was in my bed and how she got there. 

We visited friends one year who lived in a townhouse at the time, so there were three stories.  I took the screaming child to the basement level in hopes that she wouldn't wake the entire house.  My friend, Shannon, came down to check on us.  She knew there wasn't anything she could do, but offered anyway.  I dreaded staying with other people, but a hotel was worse.  Imagine what other guests thought when a child screamed bloody murder during the night.

I think the night terrors continued until Hannah was about five.  She has never been a sleep walker, thankfully, but she tosses and turns like she is in a wrestling match.  She also holds full on conversations.  Other people I have heard talk in their sleep kind of mumble or speak in partial sentences.  Not Hannah.  Her sleep talking is often fussing at Aaron which always cracks me up.  Once in a while, she still climbs into our bed.  A couple weeks ago, she was asleep between us when she sat up and said, "We have to wait for those masked men to go by."  I had to sit up to make sure she was asleep and didn't really see someone.  It was that real.  Last night she lifted her head, leaned over to mine and said, "Dad's head is a stone with glasses on it." 

When she is an adult and meets the man she is going to marry, I really, really, really want to keep her sleeping habits a secret from him until they are married.  It would be so funny to hear his shocking tales of being punched and kicked during the night by Hannah while she has full on nonsense conversations.

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Before the snow hit, we took the kids to see the movie Frozen.  It is about a princess who has the power to freeze things.  One of the songs is "Do You Want to Build a Snowman."  Aaron and Hannah have been walking around the house singing this all week.  It is comical since we have been snowed in. 

Today the snow has started to melt which made it easier to pack.  Aaron and Hannah went out to build their snowmen.