Peyton's Four! (And She Has Been For a While Now)

I've been feeling bad for four months now that we didn't have a fourth birthday party for Peyton.  But now that I'm going back in pictures, I see that we did have a party for her.  A couple, actually.  We didn't have the rent-a-bouncy-house-break-a-piñata-give-gift-bags-to-every-kid kind of party.  But still, there was celebrating.  I think my Mother-of-the-Year title isn't in the jeopardy I thought it was.

 Grandpa Dad and Grandma Margie came and celebrated a little early.

 Grandpa Dad helped blow out candles.

 For her actual birthday we were in Astoria with Daddy.

We went to a bakery the morning of her birthday and ordered hot chocolate.  We were surprised (and delighted) to have it delivered "tea party"style.

 Then we played on the beach.

tic-tac-toe

 Grey, but warm enough to get wet.

 That night we did gifts in the trailer....

 ....and Peytie got the laptop (toy) she wanted from Grammy Jane.

 We finished our trip with dinner at the Wet Dog Cafe, a favorite spot to watch the ships.

 Mac 'n Cheese

When we got home Antone gave her four dollars for her fourth birthday.  Can you tell she likes dollars?

All-in-all I think it's okay to let go of the guilt over this one.  Frankly, this is how I'd like to do all future birthdays.

Heaven Can Wait 2012

This list is too long and gets longer every year.

 The girls walked in honor of Grammy Jane, Bebo and Mo.

 Juju's List

 Jamison and Peyton.  "Let's go!"

 Water stop.

Jayden and Libby took off only to meet us at the finish line wondering "What took ya so long?" Peyton saw an opportunity to help Aunt Juju get a really great workout.

 My Momma :)

Hoopin'....

 ....and hoopin'.

Here's hoping we won't have anyone to add to our lists next June.

Looking Back

In order to catch up with my blog I need to post seven times today and eight tomorrow.  Hang onto your seat.  Either you'll catch up with us, or be bored to death.  Either way I'm determined to update this place.

 Awww, our sweet Grunny will be eight next month.

 Water play at the beginning of the summer.

 A wink attempt, or just coolness.

I came across these when the girls and I shopped at Toys R Us for a birthday present.  They took me back to my childhood days when I longed to have as many Strawberry Shortcake dolls as my friend Ann.  They smell exactly the same now as they did then.  She probably didn't have as many as I remember her having, but I know she had Strawberry Shortcake and Blueberry Muffin.  Which was at least one more than I had.  

 zoom

 "We're Going to Grammy Jane's House"  by Libby

 I love this sweet irresistible face.

Libby had a fashion forward water fight with the neighbor.

Groceries

Wednesdays are long.  Tonight, when we got home, everyone except Grammy Jane was grumpy with everyone else.  I took Peyton with me to fill my car with gas thinking a little separation of sisters might do us all good.  And in the car she says this....

"Mom we should pick up a few groceries while we're at Fred Meyer."

"You think?  What did you have in mind?"

"Um....Cheez-its and bee-ah (beer)"

I'll give you one guess.  Who do you think does the bulk of the grocery shopping in this family?  Hint:  It's not me.

OMG. Birds and Bees.

I just turned out the lights and left the girls in their bunks to ponder one of life's bigger questions.

They must be too, because it's quiet.  Like a stunned silence, I think.

It's hard to remember exactly what started the conversation, but I know it was about our skin and why it is the color it is.  Libby wanted to know why some people are super light brown, while others are super dark brown and everyone else falls somewhere in between.

I told them (and I'm sure I have this all wrong) that it has to do with the amount of *pigment we each have in our skin.  Those of us who are lighter have less pigment, while people with darker brown skin have more.  I told her that pigment is a chemical.  Or is it?  Or does it have to do with reflection of light?  See, I know nothing. Also, some of us have spots of pigment called freckles.  I remember Libby asking how someone with dark brown skin can also have freckles.  "Pigment."  I told her.

Then, when I should've maybe given them one more kiss goodnight and shut my mouth and left the room, I kept talking.  I remember it going something like this...

"The way our bodies grow and develop are similar to our parents.  If your parents have a certain skin color, yours might be similar to one, or both of them.  It has to do with genetics, what our parents pass on to us.  And genetics have to do with the millions of cells that make up our bodies.  Amazing, right?"

Have you ever heard that advice to "answer only what the child is asking.  Don't get all nervous and start rambling on about things they don't know that they don't know."?  Well, that's good advice, but to be honest I started talking and as I listened to what was coming out of my mouth, I just sounded so freaking smart.

Are you nervous?  Me too.

And with the next question Libby dropped I knew I was in serious trouble.  She said, "But when a baby is born, how can it look like the daddy when the it grew inside the mommy's belly?"

Let me tell you.  I don't know who nominates for the Oscars but if it's you, please put my name in.  I deserve one.  I was calm. composed. Scientific-ish. And it's not like I was worried about giving them too much information, or overwhelming them.  I was just trying to not laugh.  Because this topic is funny to me.  Really funny.  

So I explained to them that they have ovaries full of eggs.  All the eggs they'll ever have.  And when an egg joins together with a sperm a baby starts to grow.

And Libby says, "Yeah, but where does the sperm come from?"

(Poised and holding my Oscar) "It comes out of the daddy's penis."  

"The daddy's penis?! Yeah, but how does it get to the egg then?"

And I can't write here exactly what I said, but I can tell you it was the truth.  And what followed makes me reeeeeally believe in genetics.  She was horrified.  Confused. Taken aback, and wanting to laugh.  Laugh.  Which means she's sooooo mine.  This was all hysterical to her, and she blurted out, "BUT WHEN DO YOU GUYS DO THAT?!"  

Thank God I didn't elaborate.  I simply pointed to each of them and said, "When we had you and you."

Libby, who'd been propped up on her elbow flopped back on to her pillow and said, "I'm NEVER doing that.  I am NOT having a baby."  I liked her answer.  I think at five, I don't need to convince her otherwise.

Peyton, who'd been on the sidelines for most of the conversation, panicked and said, "But what if I don't want to have a baby, and one gets in my belly anyway and what if they have to cut me open to take it out?!"  

"Oy.  Cesarean Section.  Can we tackle that tomorrow, babe?  Mommy's tired."

*It turns out I'm not that smart.  Pigment wasn't at all the word I was looking for.  Melanin.  Melanin.  Jeez.  How am I going to break this news to them?  They'll probably think I made up everything.

I'll just start with today....

I get a month behind on my blog regularly.  Right now, I'm three months behind.  I considered moving ahead without looking back. But since this is how I document our family happenings, I really can't do that.  There are no professional pictures.  There aren't artsy scrapbooks.  This is what I do.  The volume of pictures is ridiculous, though.  And I forget things.  I can't remember the thing that Libby said to me in the car this morning that made me laugh out loud and I promised myself I'd write it down before I forgot.  I lost it  before we even got to the next stop sign.  This might become a serious issue as forty is waiting just around the corner.

Anyway, I decided I'd just start with today and writing something.  Here goes....

  

Libby's writing phonetically.  This is a big step for her.  She was willing and even proud of herself for trying it.  I tried to get her to do it last summer, but she refused.  She wasn't willing to take a "guess and go" approach and insisted I tell her how to spell things exactly.  That makes me a little nervous, because life is messy, am I right?  And you gotta be willing to try without knowing how it'll turn out.  Which is risky, 'cause you might just make a big fat mess of the thing you're trying.  But this week she tried.  She wrote "I went camping."  This momma was proud.  Also, I make a big fat mess of a lot of things.

 Bebo showed up last night with new chalkboards for the girls.  Oh my stars.

 Peyton's writing is EXPLODING right now.

 This was our morning project to welcome October.  Thank you Pinterest.

 We spent some time at Lone Pine.  Jail birds.

 Standing under the Beer sign, just for daddy.

 Cow Train!

We got an ice cream cone on our way out.  The girls picked cotton candy for its bright blue and pink.

Seriously Siri, When WILL September End?

Every night I want to write something.  And every night there is a list of a million things I need to do.  And when I finally get my To Do List down to something manageable it'll be June.  I love writing here.  I also love having time to write here....

Apparently with the latest update of my phone I adopted Siri, who is supposed to become my new best friend.  She's not to be confused with Suri, the mini fashionista.  No, this is Siri who's supposed to make everything in my life easier.  I like her already.

Except, who is she exactly?  Because when I said to Shane tonight, "I have Siri now, but I don't know how she works."

He said, "Just say something into your phone."

I said, "Siri, what's my name?" and she totally ignored me.  My other friends don't ignore me.  I told Shane she doesn't work and he said, "Well, first you have to turn her on."

Huh.

"That sounds like a job for you, Babe.  Here.  Take my phone.  Turn her on.  See how that goes for both of you."  Now there's one thing I can cross off tonight's To Do List.  Siri's turning out to be a good friend after all....