Magical Snow

At 10:58 PM last night, I got the call - NO SCHOOL!!

One of the perks of teaching is the unexpected, but always prayed for snow day! Because Brooke and Morgan are like roosters in the morning, I knew sleeping in was out of the question. But, that didn't keep us from staying in our pajamas for the majority of the day.

First on the agenda was making chili soup. Brooke assigned herself the name of "bean girl" and found a lot of humor in telling her father that, "beans make you toot!" She was even happy to demonstrate this after eating her share of the soup. Morgan was left with tomatoes and stirring. I was satisfied when all the ingredients ended up in the pot and very little ended up on the floor. Regardless of how the chili tasted, I had decided it was a kitchen success.

Second on the list came crafts. In the world of a four and two-year-old, this consists of fighting over the stencils and crayons and deciding how they can tear the paper in a new way. Next, when crafting as a toddler, one must glue glitter to their hair and eyelids. When all else fails, crafts must be dumped systematically on the floor and left for mom to clean up. My girls are good at all of these things. I think they might be gifted!

Finally, nap time! I find it a requirement for both mom and children on snow days to find at least one hour to sleep. I more than met my requirement as Brooke and Morgans slept for over two hours! AHHHHHH!

Then, I knew eventually I would break down and spend some time suiting up the girls to head out into the snow-covered wonderland they had longingly peered at through the windows.

First layer - tights and undershirt. CHECK!

Second layer - sweater and jeans. CHECK!

Third layer - fleece sweatshirt. CHECK!

Fourth layer - Snowsuit and Coat. CHECK!

Finally - gloves, hat, boots, scarf. CHECK!

Morgan lasted approximately 7 mins and 22 seconds. Her gloves fell off twice. She couldn't get herself upright after falling down and attempting a snow angel. And she quickly realized that, for some, the snow is much more enjoyable to look at through the window while sipping hot chocolate.

Brooke was in it for the long haul. She talked me into being her sled dog and I pulled her up and down the court for about 10 minutes. After I worked up a sweat, I decided it was time for her and the 10-yr-old neighbor girl, Tara, to sled together.

This worked out beautifully. It reminded me that, at age 10, we have an infinite amount of strength and energy. Brooke lasted nearly an hour. She would have stayed out longer, but the chili soup was ready and she was promised hot chocolate when she finished her bowl. She is definitely my child -chocolate always wins!!!

While at dinner, Brooke informed her father that her arms (which are sore from the four-year shots) didn't hurt at all outside. She explained, 'The snow is magical!"

Sisters

I was blessed with three female siblings. This basically means that I grew up with four mothers. I vividly recall the times I was pinned to the ground with all my limbs flailing, bellowing for mercy as one or more of my sisters attempted to make a point. Usually this "point" involved a favorite toy, sweater, CD, or hair product. And, judging by the number times this scene replayed itself over and over again at our house, we were all slow learners.


Fast forward 20 some years......




The pictures here capture the sweet moments between the two little sisters I am now raising. The way Morgan wants to be just like Brooke, the way Brooke shines with pride when Morgan repeats her words, are both apparent in the black and white pictures that we will eventually hang on our wall or paste in our scrapbooks. These pictures remind me of the fact that lately, each night Morgan demands a kiss from "Bookie" (i.e. Brooke - for those that haven't mastered Morgan-speak) before she will go to bed. They remind me of the times when Brooke greets Morgan with a hug and a squeal as we pick them up at daycare.





When I look at these pictures, I sometimes think - who are these children? The girls I know are usually poking each other, pinching each other, pulling each other. Morgan gets red in the face with anger when a toy is snatched out of her hand by Brooke. Brooke huffs and whines when Morgan knocks over her Lego tower. Morgan levels Brooke with one mighty swipe and proceeds to sit on her belly - Brooke's limbs flailing. One of them usually ends up begging for mercy, or for mom to rescue her.

A wise woman once said, "Any mother that
claims her kids never fight either has sick kids or she is a liar."
The same woman also said (while speaking to me and my sisters), "Someday girls, I hope you have daughters and they act and fight just like you four do!" Well, Mom, I don't think my girls will disappoint you!

This is why we hang pictures like those above on our walls and in our scrapbooks. Without constant reminders of the the sweetness, love, and tender moments that DO happen between siblings, we, the parents, might consider being more like the polar bears and lions and eat our young.

Lucky for me, my mom also hung our Kodak moments on the walls. After raising four daughters, she has maintained most of her sanity. Perhaps even more lucky for me, I still have four moms to turn to when I need them.

Who's in Charge?

We do time outs.

We reason. We take toys away. We take the nightly video away. We ignore. We read books. And, yes, we sometimes yell. We even sometimes spank! Still, when bedtime comes, the battle is on.

Tonight, after bedtime, little Miss Morgan decided that she would greet me in the loft. She was completely naked and her eyes were full of that look I have seen at least once a day for the past few weeks. You know, that look that says - I know I am driving you crazy, but I love every minute of it!! Did I mention this was her third time out of bed. When I questioned why she was gracing me with her nakedness, she informed me that she had to go potty. She had just done her business 2 minutes prior, so I was willing to call her bluff. Then, enters Brooke who informs me she will "take care of it!" I look over at Brooke (who, by the way, is supposed to be sleeping too) and I see a bit of myself in her. She had an annoyed look on her face and she is trying to look like she has it all under control. I think I still make that face at 31. With all the commotion, Phil makes his way upstairs to offer some assistance. Morgan finally decides she needs a drink. We gladly fetch her a drink. The picture above is the face she made as she finished the cup of water. So, take a guess at who's in charge in our house!

Wishes

Just what do you wish for when you turn four? Perhaps topping the list is the wish that your little sister will stop stealing your treats, your toys, and the attention from mom and dad that was once all yours.

Or maybe the wish is to be a princess and wear fancy, fluffy dresses everyday.

Close your eyes tight and concentrate. Make this one count. Hopefully you will always believe that wishes do come true and that you are a princess. Maybe one day you will even grow to appreciate the little girl you call your sister.

Here's to wishes, princess dresses, and sisters. Not necessarily in that order.

Baby Steps

I thought baby steps referred to the small steps a child takes as she learns to walk. Sure, it does mean that. But as I watch my two young girls grow up, each day I am blessed with another type of baby step. Just this week, Morgan was able to make it through the day in "Big Girl Panties!" Being the independant type, she immediately pushes us out of the door and wants zero help. She even prefers to dump her potty chair into the big potty. Some times she is spot on, other times... well..... she is only two!

There is a fine line between the pride we experience as she reaches a milestone and the tinge of sadness we feel because 0ur little baby is stepping one more step away from the complete dependance she once had.



And then there is Brooke, the big sister. She recently celebrated her fourth birthday. She has been walking, running, skipping, galloping, and prancing for quite some time now. One would think baby steps are a thing of the past. But, baby steps come in all forms. Who would have thought that part of me would giggle inside when she rolled her eyes at me and exclaimed, "Oh, Brother!"? Yet, there was that inside chuckle. Sure, I responded with the proper correction and didn't let on that I was cracking up inside. So, attitude is not something that magically appears at age 12! Just another baby step.... I am sure I will come to appreciate this one less and less.