More Terms of Endearment - Buddy, Sissy and Goober

Where I grew up, we didn't have Buddy and Sissy.  Here Bud and Sis are everywhere.  We found out about Sis when Laci was little and still an only child.  At the daycare, there are several teachers that use the nickname "Sissy" or "Sis" on every little girl.  It sounds so strange to me, especially when the little girl is not a sister.  I guess Sis is not short for Sister in that sense.  I have heard several others outside of her school use it on their little girls too.  All little boys are "Buddy" or "Bud".  I must confess - I use Bud and Buddy on Calvin all the time.  Laci is "Sweetie", "Dear" or "Honey" to me.  I didn't realize how much I called her that until she started calling me "Dear" too and her stuffed animals are "Sweeties".  Charlie calls her "Sweetheart".  "Sweetie" is me to him.  At one point, Laci referred to everyone's sons and daughters as their "Sweetheart".  I thought it was cute when she told me that I am grandma's sweetheart.  I use "Buddy" so much that I catch myself calling Laci "Bud" too.  Now Laci is referring to herself as "Sissy" as in "Calvin, come to Sissy".  I always correct her because I don't like "Sissy".  But Buddy is apparently fine to me.  I don't know why.  I should probably stick to Little Guy for him because a friend of mine's dog's name is Buddy.  It's definitely better suited for a pup. 

Here is my "bad mom" confession.  My kids are goobers.  No, not just that they are goobers but they know they are goobers.  For some reason, I started calling the kids Goobers when they did gooberish things.  I supposed I should have gone with Silly as in "You are so silly..."  I thought "You're such a dork" was rude and all the other terms from my childhood were mean so apparently I landed on Goobers for them.  I didn't think much of it until Laci started calling herself a Goober and Calvin a Goober.  I really hope that she understands the context it is taken in (love) and that I don't give her a complex by calling her a Goober!  Maybe we should start a therapy fund to go with the college fund!

An awesome October!

Fall parties - Check, check, check

Chili Cook Off - Check

Charlie Brown The Great Pumpkin - Check

Hayride - Check

Bonfires and s'mores - Check, check, check

Trip to Pumpkin patch with grandparents - Check

Pumpkins - Check 

Carve pumpkin - Check

Roast pumpkin seeds - Check

Make Pumpkin bars - Check

Chilly Soccer Games

Trip to Apple Orchard - Not this year :(

Baked Apple Desert - Check

Girls "Coffee" date - Check
Trunk and Treating at church - Check
One Monkey and One Princess Trick or Treating - Check

Fall party, bonfire, s'mores, farm animals and a movie all in one night! 

Pony Ride at the Pumpkin Patch

A vist from Willie





Loyal fans

Worn out!

Fall has been awesome!  And now it's time for the Holidays.

The Pantry Pail

I decided to clean out my pantry today.  The was an article in a magazine I saw with tips on how to organize your pantry.  So I dug in and started.  As I was looking for something to put all the little snacks and treats in, I found an empty beach pail in a closet and put that in the pantry and filled it with the snacks.  I looked at the magazine article and saw all cute matching little containers.  I laughed and told Charlie that my big money savings for the day was to be resourceful.  I can't wait to see a magazine article suggest that one - complete with the attached shovel.

... and I'll pay...

I watched my little girl grow up a little bit more today.  I wondered awhile ago how to teach Laci about money. It's interesting because we really haven't taught her anything.  But she is definitely picking things up about it.  We play store a lot and she scans things and pretends to pay and things and talks about credit cards.  She is still asking to buy things a lot at the store and we try not to buy things for her for no reason.  And I try to explain that things are expensive or inexpensive.  It's cute when she asked what "on sale" means because I always talk about things being "on sale".  I don't know what she really knows or doesn't know but I hope she is at least picking up our values as she is watching us shop. 

Her grandma gave her a gift card for McDonald's and some cards for free cones.  I wanted to do something special with her today so I told her we could go to McDonald's and get a cone with the card.  A little while later, we were getting ready to go to the store and she said "And we can go to McDonald's for our treat...  and I'll pay."  It was so cute.  I had flashes of the future when she gets her first job and can spend her own money.  When we were at McDonald's, she waited in line, handed over her ice cream card and asked for her ice cream.  I saw the sweetest little girl make her own first purchase all by herself.  It was so cute and sweet.  I was very proud.  Somedays I just can't believe she is as grown up as she is.  I don't know if I have to formally teach Laci about money but she is learning and hopefully we are teaching her by good examples. 

The Next Michael Phelps?

No, probably not.  But swimming went great tonight!  I could tell Laci was excited when she wore the goggles all the way to swimming - in the car and walking in.  I still wasn't sure she would go in the pool okay but I worried for nothing.  She went and stood by the pool waiting for her class.  There were only two girls there so they had plenty of water time.  She got right in and did everything she was supposed to.  I was proud of her and I loved seeing how excited she was for the whole thing.  I hope it continues. 

Ready to swim

Even Calvin had fun.





The swimming lessons are at the high school so after the class, we walked around the lobby a little bit.  The Tiger was a big hit.

Starting anew...

We are starting a new activity tonight - Swimming lessons.  Well, it's not entirely new.  Laci took swimming lessons for a few weeks last winter.  She usually did well once she got there but struggled getting in the water.  She clung to my leg.  

In the winter, Calvin was easy to contain in his infant seat.  Occasionally, another mother offered to sit with him while I lowered Laci into the water.  (Love that Mommy Club!)  Now, I have to contain him and entertain him for 30 minutes at the pool.  I hope the bleachers will be fun enough.  His favorite toy, a ball, may not be the best choice of toys for a pool unless I plan to spend the whole half hour diving in after a ball.  Laci's gymnastics studio was close enough to daycare and early enough that I left Calvin at school and picked him up afterwards.  It was much easier than chasing him for 45 minutes.  Plus, it gave me a chance to focus on Laci and I enjoyed the quiet time to read a book.  

We are taking a break from gymnastics for awhile and Laci asked to try swimming lessons again.  At this point, I want her to try a little bit of everything and not get too focused on one activity.  When I called her gymnastics instructor to tell him that we were taking a break, he made me feel guilty.  I wanted to say "She is 4 and she is not Mary Lou Retten!"  I felt like I was breaking up with gymnastics.  But I was so sucked into the gymnastics that she had been taking lessons non-stop for 6 months.  She loves gymnastics so I know we will be back.  

I always get a little nervous before new activities - will we get there in time?  Will I have time to get the kids dinner and to the pool in time?  Will I remember the towel?  Will Laci get in the water without the drama and tears before hand?  Will Laci have fun?  I hope that because she asked for the swimming lessons that she will be a little more receptive to them.  

Where is King Solomon when you need him?

I am struggling with the right thing to do is.  I think I know what I am going to do but it just doesn't feel right. 

Let me back up.  Laci got a doll from her grandma for Christmas last year.  She likes this doll but isn't super attached to it.  Occassionally she brings it to school.  We understand that with bringing toys to school, there is a risk of losing it.  A few weeks ago, a teacher from the school called me and said that her daughter lost her doll recently.  They looked everywhere for it and the last place they saw it was church (the daycare).  After seeing Laci's doll, she is convinced that Laci somehow ended up with her daughter's doll.  I explained that Laci had received that doll for Christmas.  I told her I would look out for a second doll at home in case Laci somehow picked up a doll at school and accidently brought it home.  I thought that was the end of it.

The teacher called me today.  She is convinced that the doll is her daughter's doll.  She explained again how attached her daughter was to her doll.  She offered to pay me for the doll so we could buy Laci a new one.  I have several issues with this.  One, why doesn't she buy her own daughter a new doll.  Maybe this could somehow be a lesson to her daughter about losing things and replacing them.  She also said that she isn't upset that Laci has the doll.  I was a bit offended by this in that I am sure it is Laci's doll.  This lady was practically in tears on the phone over the doll.  I will probably take her up on her offer.  Laci isn't very attached to it and it is a simple solution.  But it just doesn't feel right to me.  I feel like we are admitting guilt.  If it isn't Laci's doll, where is her doll?

Now I need to figure out how to "make the switch" with a new doll or explain to Laci why we have to give away her doll and get a new one.  I need to figure out a way to tell the teacher that we will give her the doll but that we are confident that the doll is Laci's.  Charlie doesn't want to hurt his mom's feelings by giving away the doll she gave her.  We have searched the house looking for the "missing" doll and didn't find anything.  Charlie spent time this afternoon looking at old pictures of Laci with the doll and matching up marks on the doll trying to prove it is Laci's doll. 

Sometimes it is hard to know what the right thing to do is.  I feel like this is the right thing to do.  At least it is the easiest solution with the least amount of conflict.  But it just doesn't feel right.

Last year, Laci's favorite story in her children's bible was King Solomon and the two mothers fighting over the baby.  She always asked to read the "fighting baby" story.  Tonight, Charlie joked that the solution is to clearly cut the doll in two.  I wonder what King Solomon's wisdom would be in this situation?