Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
OK!
Just want to jot down a little Sydney-ism for memory's sake. Her vocabulary is really starting to take off and she's learning how to communicate. She's got this little trick to get what she wants. It goes like this...
Syd (pointing to the jar): Cooou--kee
Me (validating I heard her): You want a cookie?
Syd: O-K!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Syd's First Hand at Waffles
(and my waffley hand)
This morning Syd and I were the first ones to arise, so we teamed up to make waffles. She stood next to me on a stool, peering into the mixing bowl. Her excitement grew as she turned upside-down the measuring cups and spoons laden with curious powders and crystals. We were certainly up to something. I was relishing this productive daddy/daughter time, thinking I was a pretty cool dad... yeah... yeah...
The eggs were fun, and the electric beaters magical. The iron hot and ready, I took a metal spoon and scraped the sides as I put the finishing touches on with the beater a whirlin'. I don't know how I let the spoon get caught in the spindles, but the beater sure didn't like it. It began convulsing beyond my control when beeiirrrr!! --OUT shot one of the spindles! and I managed to shut the thing off. Syd was crying. In that split-second episode, waffle batter had sprayed EVERYWHERE within a 6 ft radius (ie. the kitchen), the bulk plastering my poor daughter's face. She'd been machine-gunned with goop. So much for the cool dad.
This morning Syd and I were the first ones to arise, so we teamed up to make waffles. She stood next to me on a stool, peering into the mixing bowl. Her excitement grew as she turned upside-down the measuring cups and spoons laden with curious powders and crystals. We were certainly up to something. I was relishing this productive daddy/daughter time, thinking I was a pretty cool dad... yeah... yeah...
The eggs were fun, and the electric beaters magical. The iron hot and ready, I took a metal spoon and scraped the sides as I put the finishing touches on with the beater a whirlin'. I don't know how I let the spoon get caught in the spindles, but the beater sure didn't like it. It began convulsing beyond my control when beeiirrrr!! --OUT shot one of the spindles! and I managed to shut the thing off. Syd was crying. In that split-second episode, waffle batter had sprayed EVERYWHERE within a 6 ft radius (ie. the kitchen), the bulk plastering my poor daughter's face. She'd been machine-gunned with goop. So much for the cool dad.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Tallying 'em up for Tal
Today, on the way to T's first dental visit, I thought I might prep him a bit on what to expect:
Me: We're going to the dentist. The dentist is going to clean your teeth.
Tal: Like Lowly Worm.
Okaaaay. Prep session over. He was remembering this pic from one of his Richard Scarry books.
Talmage did really well at the dentist and walked away the proud owner of newly shiny teeth, a car from the toy chest, a goody bag of dental gear, instructions to stop flouride now and start flossing. It all endeared him to dental visits forever.
Other Tally-ISMS:
Dad: Where does honey come from?
Tal: Bees!
Dad: Where does syrup come from?
Tal: Grasshoppers.
Dad: Where does peanut butter come from?
Tal: Werms!
*****
Me: (having just read an article about sextuplets) What if you had five brothers and sisters exactly your age?
Tal: No. I have one.
Me: Who's that?
Tal: (ask a dumb question): 102's.
*****
Tal: Choose your favorite animal.
Me: (tossing one out there): Monkeys.
Tal: Nope. Bats.
Me: (oh. right. bats. my mistake.)....What's yours?
Tal: Mine is a big, big black snake. He was huge, huge, huge, huge. He was my favorite.
Me: We're going to the dentist. The dentist is going to clean your teeth.
Tal: Like Lowly Worm.
Okaaaay. Prep session over. He was remembering this pic from one of his Richard Scarry books.Talmage did really well at the dentist and walked away the proud owner of newly shiny teeth, a car from the toy chest, a goody bag of dental gear, instructions to stop flouride now and start flossing. It all endeared him to dental visits forever.
Other Tally-ISMS:
Dad: Where does honey come from?
Tal: Bees!
Dad: Where does syrup come from?
Tal: Grasshoppers.
Dad: Where does peanut butter come from?
Tal: Werms!
*****
Me: (having just read an article about sextuplets) What if you had five brothers and sisters exactly your age?
Tal: No. I have one.
Me: Who's that?
Tal: (ask a dumb question): 102's.
*****
Tal: Choose your favorite animal.
Me: (tossing one out there): Monkeys.
Tal: Nope. Bats.
Me: (oh. right. bats. my mistake.)....What's yours?
Tal: Mine is a big, big black snake. He was huge, huge, huge, huge. He was my favorite.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Friday, July 03, 2009
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Of Fun and Fudge Bars
Hillsboro takes the summertime cake. Free community events abound. I like free. Today the kids explored the "5 Senses" stations at the library, played at The Outpost, then chowed down on their free lunches. We only went home when heat and fatigue intersected. After naps (Syd and I; T played solo), we three engaged in day three of a new summer tradition: fudge bars. One for me. One for you. Another for me. Another for you.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Through the Cat Door
Briton's modesty and young Sonya's innocent eyes were saved by a cat door yesterday morning.
There is a small laundry/utility room between the garage and the hallway, with a door on each side. Courtesy of prior homeowners, the door to the garage side has a cat door made of clear-glass. This has come in handy in the past when coming and going because you can see if there is a kid on the other side, lest you swing open the door unawares and smash them into the laundry basket. It came in handy yesterday, too.
I was getting ready to leave for the morning. The kids were waiting inside the car. The main garage door was open. Briton has just come back from a morning run and was in the laundry room. As I walked into the hallway, Briton comes darting out of the laundry room, slamming the door shut behind him. "There'ssomeoneoutthere!"
He'd been taking off his sweaty running clothes, and was removing his shorts when he'd spied someone's legs through the cat door ... just as that door started to open. Hence the hasty exit from the laundry room. I went out to investigate. There was Karren, holding Sonya. They'd come to fetch Sydney.
I explained what had just happened and we burst out laughing, while Karren averted Sonya's eyes from what could have been a horrifying moment. For all of us.
There is a small laundry/utility room between the garage and the hallway, with a door on each side. Courtesy of prior homeowners, the door to the garage side has a cat door made of clear-glass. This has come in handy in the past when coming and going because you can see if there is a kid on the other side, lest you swing open the door unawares and smash them into the laundry basket. It came in handy yesterday, too.
I was getting ready to leave for the morning. The kids were waiting inside the car. The main garage door was open. Briton has just come back from a morning run and was in the laundry room. As I walked into the hallway, Briton comes darting out of the laundry room, slamming the door shut behind him. "There'ssomeoneoutthere!"
He'd been taking off his sweaty running clothes, and was removing his shorts when he'd spied someone's legs through the cat door ... just as that door started to open. Hence the hasty exit from the laundry room. I went out to investigate. There was Karren, holding Sonya. They'd come to fetch Sydney.
I explained what had just happened and we burst out laughing, while Karren averted Sonya's eyes from what could have been a horrifying moment. For all of us.
Postscript on Cali and Cauli Soup
Canoeing/kayaking, the guys in charge of cooking dinner each night, family history for family home evening, fierce ms. pacman competition, wheel of fortune game with family lore as theme, casual chatting, a hike, morning running, all-cousin birthday party, making tye-died t-shirts, hot tubbing, a last-day wandering through Legoland, and no one said the "f-word." A successful family reunion, on all counts. See you in 2011.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)