Monday, April 20, 2009

Grab Bag

~ This morning we (well, Michael, Lilah, and I) had crock pot oatmeal for breakfast. I got the recipe here. It was quite yummy - very creamy. I added fresh sliced and peeled Gala apples last night to cook along with the oatmeal, but I they were pretty flavorless. It think next time I will use Granny Smith apples, and maybe some raisins . . . -mmmm. I'm all over this breakfast-in-th-crock-pot concept and am going to try a breakfast scramble next with eggs, sausage, potatoes and cheese.


~ Daisy went into the restroom at school today and washed her hands! You may remember that on her extensive list of phobias, public restrooms is an item. So this was a huge step for her. Somehow a teacher's assistant bribed her into doing it, and the teacher took pictures, which she showed me after school today, featuring a laughing Daisy in the restroom with her hands under the air dryer. Maybe she'll actually go potty in the restroom at school yet.


~ Daisy and Annabelle are suddenly slightly obsessed with boobs - or as they call them, "boobies" or "breasts." I guess it's no wonder since breast feeding has been a featured attraction in our house their whole lives. But lately, they are forever copping a feel on me and examining their own little boobies. It's a little unnerving.


~ Last week Kevin brought home a permission slip for a film the 6th graders are supposed to watch this week about AIDS/HIV. Which I think is great. However, the permission slip stated that they will be teaching the message of abstinence. I signed the permission slip because I think he should see the film, but I told him flat out that I don't think teaching abstinence is realistic and that, as his parent, I am not going to tell him "Don't have sex." (Picture horrified facial expressions from Kevin.) I told him that, believe it or not, within the next couple of years, he's going to start looking at girls quite a bit differently than he does now, and there will come a time when he is going to want to have sex and not be all grossed out by the mere thought of it. (I don't think he believes me.) I told him that the important things are: (a) to wait until it's someone you care about and who cares about you, and (b) to make responsible choices, because the choices he makes can impact the rest of his life. He hates these discussions - anything having to do with sex or puberty. And it's awkward for me, although I try very hard to play it cool.


~ The girls were playing doctor over the weekend. They were taking turns being the patient. They said that the patient had cancer. Sigh.


~ We are in the midst of a spring heat wave and I am realizing that the older I get, the less I like such intense heat. I think 70 - 75 degrees is about my limit for pleasantness at this point. It's in the 90's for the second day in a row.


~ Daisy is full of questions. Way more so than the other kids. I know I should welcome and encourage her curiosity about everything, but it's exhausting.

~ Last night our main water line backed up again, I shit you not. It's only been two months since the nightmare that flooded our downstairs with sewer water. It wasn't anything like that this time - it only backed up into the shower, but not beyond - but it still required an emergency, after-hours call to a plumber which cost emergency, after-hours rates.

~ I can't get this song out of my head that the girls brought home from preschool:

I like to ate, ate, ate
Ape-les and baynaynays
I like to eat, eat, eat
Eaples and beeneenees
I like to ite, ite, ite
Iples and bi-ni-nis
I like to oat, oat, oat,
Oples and bononos
I like to ute, ute, ute
Ooples and boonoonoos

6 comments:

The Beers Family said...

Oh my that song is on one of Alex's CD's and originally I hated it and thought it was annoying but now I think its great and it goes through all the vowel sounds! Its quite catchy.

Brandie said...

I know that song, too! Glad your breakfast was yummy. Cancer sucks, but its good that your girls have found a way to process what is going on through play. Not that it makes things any easier.

Strange Mamma said...

That settles it, I'm getting a crockpot (or slow cooker s there called here). I've been wanting to try it for dinner lately, I had no idea you could do breakfast in them! Can't wait.

And I agree with Lovin Mama, its a good way for the girls to deal with how they're feeling about their Dad's illness. And, I imagine it will give you some insight into how they are feeling about it in the conclusions their play comes to. Hang in there, mum.

Kara said...

I think at 4-5 years old, all girls get obsessed with boobs. My Anaya, the 4 eyar old, talks about them all the time. "I have circle boobs like Dad's. Will I have big boobs like yours when I'm a grown up?" I get the occasional boob pat down or the hand on top of them while we're sitting together.

Thanks for the earworm! I'll be singing that song all day long!

The Sanchez Family said...

I hope I have as much courage as you do to talk to my boys about sex when the time comes. I think your openness is awesome and you will have a wonderful and open communication when you talk so honestly with your children about these taboo subjects. Good job mama!!!

Anna said...

Cool post! It creates a nice picture of your life as a whole. It must be amazing to have kids of such a big range of ages all dealing with such different issues. As always you are an inspiration, Lisa!