Still here…

…still surviving.

Why I am about to write this I’m not sure, but here goes…

We have been having a pretty nice week. It is already Thursday and I’m feeling pretty strong. I’m missing J., of course, but all-in-all, we are plodding along. The girls are happily in their routine and we are doing just fine.

I so just jinxed us, didn’t I?

This is not to say we haven’t had a few meltdowns of nuclear proportions.

A. is obsessed with these pajama bottoms of Emma’s. I’m not using the word “obsessed” lightly, either. It is truly a full-on obsession. A few days ago she found them in E.’s drawer. They are silky and covered in colorful little strawberries. She was already dressed for the day, and pretty soon I hear her grunting and screaming “srahbehwees! srahbehwees!” So I go in and she has both of her legs in one leg of the pj bottoms. She was just so frustrated, yet so determined. So I helped her get them on (yes, over the jeans she already had on), rolled them up at the waist a few times, and cuffed them and she ran around happily for the rest of the morning until it was time to leave for dance class.

When we returned home, she made a beeline for the pajama bottoms, and put them on again. Wore them for her nap and the rest of the day. When she took them off that evening I put them into the laundry basket where she found them yesterday, dug them out, asked for help in putting them on, and once again wore them all day. I can’t figure out what it is about these particular bottoms. Is it because they are silky? Because they have “srahbehwees” on them? Because they are Emma’s? Not quite sure, but here is her outfit yesterday…under the pj bottoms she has a cute little pair of khaki capris. But, I’m kinda liking the clash of patterns going on here…

We’ve had a few meltdowns from E. as well. She and I are like two lions fighting for the top spot in the pride lately. We do a little “roaring,” test our boundaries, assert our dominance, back-off, repeat the cycle. So far I am still top lion, but I am learning to let her have a little control (or let her think she has a little control) and things go a little more smoothly. It is hard being four, I know.

We got a few minutes of alone time again today before Denise came. We were painting with watercolors and our conversation went something like this:

E: Mama, what are you going to paint me?
M: How about a bouquet of flowers?
E: OK! I’ll paint a girl to smell them.
(painting, painting, painting)
E: Hey, Mama, this is you! Look, you’re smelling the flowers.
M: Wow! (It actually is kinda impressive!!) I love it. Am I wearing a black skirt?
E: No, Mom! That is Addie in your belly when you had a big belly!

Ahhh…of course…don’t ask me what is below the belly, peeking out. I didn’t want to ask!

My Michaelangelo.