September 2011 Tidbits

Yesterday I was getting dressed when Tess yelled up to me that my cell phone was ringing. I heard the phone, ran downstairs to answer it, but there was no one on the line. "It not your phone, Mom. I was just joking you! It the computer! It sound like your phone!" Apparently, the Sesame Street computer game she was playing made a ringing sound similar to my phone. She thought she was very funny.

While watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse this morning, Tess said, regarding Mickey's dog: "His name is Pluto. Just like the small planet."

Tess' words last night before falling asleep: "Daddy, I'm not sleepy. I can't fall asleep." 
Tess' first words this morning after waking up: "Daddy, I'm not sleepy. I can't fall asleep." (She seemed completely unaware that she had slept for ten hours in the meantime.)

"The hallway is too dark for me to sleep."

"I need someone to sleep with me. I need someone big to sleep with me. I need a big boy or a big girl to sleep with me. The bonk bed won't broke." 

OK, we're done with preschool. She made a card for her teacher that we're going to take tomorrow and then bid our adieus.

Tess told me she didn't want to go to school because she'd be the last one to get her lunch box again. She said they have to sit on the carpet and be called to get their lunch box. I asked her what you have to do to get your name called and she said, "You have to sit on the carpet and do nothing wrong." So I asked what she was doing on the carpet that got her picked last. She said, "My stomach was hurting and I was missing my mommy."

Tess spotted some of our number candles in the pantry and asked what they were for. I told her we used the number 3 candle for her last birthday, when she reminded me that we also used it for my last birthday. 
Tess: "You turned 3, Mom?" 
Me: "Nope, I turned 35."
Tess: "Whoa! That a really big number, Mom. Really big."

"My mommy drink Dr. Pepper every day."

"What if somebody take my mommy when I at school? Then who can be my mommy?"

"What if one of the other mommies take me at school and take me home? They can't do that!"

Tess had a major, howling, hysterical, leg-kicking, hyperventilating, face-scratching conniption fit at preschool Tues. morning. It was ugly. UGLY!!! I had stayed with her the first 45 mins of class, and she was teary and clingy the whole time I was there. When I tried to leave, all hell broke loose. Her teacher tried to pick her up and she started thrashing like a wild animal. I finally took her outside, where continued to freakout. She wanted school, but needed me to stay. I finally told her she had to pick school or home. She said school, so I opened the back door a crack and kind of shoved her in, and her teacher took her into class and I left. When I picked her up, she was all smiles and her teacher said she stopped crying after 5 minutes. 

Out of nowhere, Tess pointed to one of her canine teeth and told me, "Mom, you see? One of my teeth looks like an animal tooth!"

Ryan: "Tess, how do I start Family Home Evening?"
Tess, adopting a deep voice: "Welcome to Family Home Evening." She then adds, referring to my introduction, "It's kinda boring." 

As I helped Tess out of the car after arriving at the restaurant, I said, "Tess, do you want to bring your coloring book to do some coloring before we get our food?" Tess: "That's okay, Dad. I can just talk to you." 

When I shampoo Tess' hair, she loves it when I sculpt her soapy hair so that it sticks straight up on her head like a Kewpie doll. She then admires the reflection of her hair in the tub spout. Her comment last bathtime: "I have temple hair!"

Tess was excited when she saw the "Diary of a Worm" book I picked out for her at the library. "Look, Mom! It say 'Diary of a Wimpy Worm!"

Somehow Drew just completely skipped over the "12 month" size of clothing. Or maybe I just dressed him in too-tight onesies all summer long.

Tess heard me discussing Ryan & Miranda's exciting news on the phone that they're going to have twins. It's funny because when I told our Ry that they were pregnant, he misunderstood and thought I meant they were having twins. Turns out he was right! I told him, "I guess you really are a prophet!" Tess got very excited and said, "Mom--Dad a prophet now?!!!"

Another April Fool's joke idea from Tess: "Mom, you can growl on the phone to Dad and he not know who it is!"

I came downstairs to find Tess peeking out while hiding in the corner behind the couch. When I asked what she was doing, she told me, "I camouflaging! See? My shirt kind red like the couch and you can't see me!"

Tess pointed to the Easter studio photo of her and Drew, in which she was giving a fake, forced smile. Out of nowhere she explained to Ryan: "I have a 'babysitter smile' with bracelets on my teeth. That why I smile like that." Ryan asked what "bracelets" are and she said, "they what babysitters have on their teeth." 

"Mom, you be-member what April Fool's is? It when you take someone's clock and get it a different number they don't know. That funny?"

"Mom, you know sometimes if my underwear's wet I pretend it dry so I get an MM."

It's kind of killing me that I have no idea what Tess is doing for 4 hours when she's at preschool. She's not very forthcoming with details.

Drew + teeth = little sleep. I fear I may never be not tired again.

Sunday morning Tess told me, "Mom, I want 'nother Saturday. I like Saturday cuz it's my favorite. I love to play with my dad."

Today Tess told Ryan: "Lauren say that Jesus' brother make the wind. That funny!" When probed further, Tess didn't know who is Jesus' brother.

Tess was helping me clean out the Nursery closet today. She pointed to the rooms next to the baptismal font: "That not where you go potty. That where you get bat-ized."

Tess: "Dad, you know having two kids is hard 'cause there is only one mommy." 

Drew is an enthusiastic and appreciative eater. He sings a chorus of "M-m-m, m-m-m, u-m-m, o-m-m" throughout his meals.

When I tell Drew "good job" or "good boy," he claps for himself.

"Mom, I don't want Drew to grow up. He's so cute."
Last night Tess told me she was excited to show Dad a small toy I let her pick out at the thrift store. "Mom, Dad going to freak out!"

Scarred

I've ruined my little girl.  

Faces like these are far and few between these days.  The kid is a whiny, crying, nervous wreck.  

I'm trying to return her to a sense of normalcy.  We had Cade over yesterday.  I took them to Chick-fil-a yesterday and we had to leave the playplace after about 10 minutes because she wouldn't stop crying.  She was afraid to go up the tube because she "would miss her mommy."  I gave up and let them curl up on the couch with Curious George at home.

She threw a huge crying fit last night because she didn't want to sleep by herself in her bed.  I had to bring Drew in our room to sleep because she was so loud.  This morning she's been hysterically crying for the past hour because she doesn't want to go to church "after Saturday."  "I want Daddy to stay with me in Primary."  Fine.  She keeps crying.  "I need someone to line up with me."  OK.  She keeps crying.   "No, line up with me AFTER Primary."  Fine.  She keeps crying.  "But I won't feel good cuz my nose is stupped up."  Crying continues.  

At least someone is happy these days.  Well, at least when compared to his sister.  His second top tooth is cutting through and that's a little sensitive.

This is the pumpkin pre-decoupage.  Drewie liked it and he was right.  It did look better before my crafting.

I'm posting the "after" picture for Maur, in case she's really desperate for her pumpkin page.   But I don't want my name associated with it, Maur!

I actually have the orange pumpkin on display.  Because I was going to make TWO of these things!

Weekend

Weekends for us have kind of devolved into tag-team naptime.  Ry and I take turns spelling each other of the kids while the other tries to catch up on sleep.  Tess relishes her time with Dad.  He usually takes her to the park or on a long walk and they often end up getting a smoothie together.

This Saturday, Ry took Tess to a mini golf course at one of the parks by our house.  It's closed for fall and was actually flooded during our recent hurricane. Tess was pretty thrilled when Ry pulled out his golf clubs from when he was kid so they could play the course.

Tess is getting braver at slides and more terrified of everything else.   Every morning she wakes up in tears because "she doesn't want to go to school on another day."

Today she cried all morning because she didn't want to go to church or Primary or her class.  She cried all during Sacrament Meeting because she would miss me in Primary.  Her tummy hurt, she was sick, she was too sleepy, she needed to stay in bed all day long.

Ry had to sit with her for all of singing/sharing time and then help her to class.  She gets nervous about the transition time when they go to class because of all the chaos in the hallway.  "I don't want to line-up after Primary.  It not my favorite.  I get lost!"  She hasn't needed this much help in Primary since the start of the year.

After a tough week, Tess at least got to spend some fun time with her Nana and Papa on Friday.  Nana helped us pick out some fall decorations for our house, pumpkin included.  We are now the proud owners of Tess and Drewsie scarecrows.

If Tess looks a little puffy in this picture, it's because it was taken in between crying fits this morning.  Nothing like a pumpkin to take your mind off your worries.  At least for a little while.

Growing Pains

It's been kind of a tough week, coming into our own.  After her first week of preschool, Tess had experienced enough to trigger a separation anxiety meltdown.  

Tess built her own school at home using my rapidly-disintegrating couch cushions.  The pillows on either side are the front and back doors.  She's the teacher and her students are lined up, ready to learn, inside.  Her class does a lot of lining up and listening to the teacher.

Here's a rundown of our long preschool week:

Tuesday:

I knew it was too good to be true. Third day of preschool and Tess had a nuclear meltdown when I was leaving her today. She was fine doing her cubby and all her "checking-in" jobs, but when I turned to go, she lost it. Hysterical crying, screaming and hyperventilating for 25 minutes before she calmed down enough so I could go. She still wasn't happy when I left. She was in better spirits when I picked her up, but her teacher said the tears were "off and on" throughout the day. It's hard for me to think that she might be distraught while I'm gone because she's often too shy to ask adults for help if she needs it. I know that's why she needs to do this, but it's hard.

Wednesday night:

Lots of anxiety and tears tonight about preschool tomorrow. "I don't want to go to school. I want to stay home and play. I want to stay with you, Mom. I will miss you. I want you to stay with me at my school. It a long time. I don't want to be big."

Thursday pre-preschool:

Holy hysteria this morning. Tess had a hard time falling asleep last night and she started crying first thing when she woke up. It actually reminds me a lot of when she was a baby and we'd try letting her cry herself to sleep. She'd work herself up to such a frenzy that she'd vomit everywhere. She's wired for this kind of anxiety. "I no want to go to school today. I too sleepy. I want to stay home and sleep ALL DAY! I no like my teachers. I will miss you, Mom. I will miss you. It too long. You no be right back. I will miss EVERYTHING! I will miss my bonk bed and my kitchen and my chalk board! I no feel good. I have a cold. My nose stopped up. I sick. It no uptime yet, Mom. See outside? It still night night time. I need to go to sleep. I will miss you, Mommy. You have to stay with me ALL DAY! Mom, you tell the teacher I will miss you." Tactics that work with other kids don't work with her. Best I can do is listen, tell her I understand, tell her what we'll do to make it better and then try to get her mind off it. Because the rabid foaming at the mouth isn't pretty. "It be a very, very, very, very short day today, Mom?"

Thursday post-preschool:

Phew. Tess was in happy spirits when I picked her up from preschool today. She had lots to tell me about and her teacher said there'd been no more tears. Her teacher also said that Tess is really good with letters. She had Tess write the letter "A" on their chalkboard for class today. Her teacher suggested ways to encourage Tess' reading and writing because she said Tess was really showing signs that she was ready to take it all in.

I stayed with her the first 30 mins of preschool and she was still teary when I left, but not hysterical.  She'll get there with time and patience of all involved.

Speaking of patience, Drewie's top tooth finally broke through.  The other tooth is still pushing it's way out, but they don't seem to be bothering him as much lately.

He's still been getting up twice a night for a bottle though, and I've had it.  So it's been Baby Bootcamp time, which means NO BOTTLE if he wakes up at night.  He was one loud, mad boy Tuesday night, but last night he slept the whole night through.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Drew refuses to keep a bib on.  His immediate instinct:  RIP IT OFF!

The difficult days have made us appreciate our fun, downtime together when we don't have to be anywhere or do anything in particular.  We had one last summer picnic at the park together.  It was hardly picture perfect.  It was blazing hot and of course, Tess had to wet her pants, so she ended up running around in one of Drew's diapers.

 But Mr. Sweaty Head, Lil Miss soggy pants and I enjoy being together.