Prima Ballerinas?

Ankles with rather baggy tights...and we bought the smallest pairs available.


Emily

Madeleine

Last Monday Madeleine and Emily started their ballet careers. I was informed before their class "I'm going to show the teacher my moves!" by Miss Emily. It was suggested, perhaps, we let the teacher show us moves.

Anyhow, being a cheapskate I refused to enroll four-year-olds in the private studio, so we are doing thirty minutes a week through the park and rec dept. When it looks like this activity has scholarship potential, we'll look into more expensive lessons. In the mean time, we basically wanted to wear the clothing and "twirl". The girls had a great time at their first lesson and have asked every day since "Do we have ballet today?"



MadeleineEmily

Saturday we went to the local Farmers' Market and finally caved into the heckling to buy small pumpkins. Each girl picked out one little pumpkin and then we all picked out a "family pumpkin" to reach the 3 for $1 limit.

Emily and Madeleine wanted to paint their pumpkins which are now "creative"?

We had tried to grow pumpkins of our own (we carved our names in them and everything)....However. The vines were everywhere and I went out to trim them and try and regain some of the lawn and managed to cut the "supply vine" to the "Madeleine" and "Emily" pumpkins right before we left for Spokane. We came back and the "Schreiber" pumpkin was going strong...thank goodness. Then, a few days later I went to check on it, and noticed a smaller pumpkin near it. It was just in the process of turning from green to orange....I went to pick it up and it was a turtle. Who, sadly, had been snacking on the base of the "Schreiber" pumpkin...so it rotted from the bottom up. We will try again next year!

Today, Madeleine had "alone time" with me while Emily went to school. Emily's turn is Monday. We went to the store so Madeleine could pick out our lunch (Scooby Doo mac and cheese and canned mixed veggies - blech!), went to a cafe for a snack, came home and vacuumed the family room, folded laundry and put baby clothing on hangers for an upcoming consignment sale. We had a really nice time together and it completely reaffirmed that I hate having twins and am not good at it. I don't hate the girls, or parenthood, I just wish I could have had some time with each of them without the other one around - it doesn't matter if it is a few months with the first before the second comes, or the ability to send older kids to school and drive the younger one alone to school...such is life.

He Might Need A Cab

Courtesy The Library of Congress

Today we had to put our cat Lincoln to sleep. He was diagnosed with diabetes about six weeks ago and there has been no progress....despite switching vets and about $1,400 in vet bills.

The vet (the second one is much better than the first and not ordering tests we don't need, etc.) was optimistic about prognosis...but we have two small children and enough is enough. Also, Lincoln HATED going to the vet - it took a sedative and 20 minutes this afternoon before he would so much as let me touch his ear. He had spent the day there having his glucose tested (which would have to happen about every two weeks had we continued) and was beside himself.

So...I brought his body home and, following advice on the internet, let the girls pet him -they wanted to, say good-bye, witness his burial, etc.

Needless to say, we have not used the term "put to sleep" with the girls...could lead to some serious sleep-related issues. So, we just told them "The vet gave Lincoln a very special shot that killed him". We told them people do not get this kind of shot.

Last week I mentioned Lincoln was sick and we were giving him medicine to make him better, but it might not work. I was informed "That is okay, I can play with him in Heaven."

Okay.

Tonight, there was what can only be described as devastation.

Following the "ceremony" the questions began. The point of most concern being Lincoln going to Heaven. We told the girls the angels would come and get him tonight.

"How?"

"They use magic."

"How?"

"Okay, you know how Santa gets down the chimney?"

" Yes."

" Well, the angels use magic like that to come get Lincoln."

"Will they use his sleigh and reindeer?"

It seems if Santa is going to make his rounds this year, he might want to have a cab reserved. Just in case the angels are using his sleigh to pick up a deceased pet.

"Sleep"over

Madeleine, Emily and Emerson with various sleeping "accessories"

Wednesday was not only the first day of preschool for the year, (Thank God!! Don't get me wrong, I love the girls and generally we had a lot of fun this summer. However, Labor Day was late and around here it is apparently some sort of catastrophic sin to start school before Labor Day....all three of us were ready to go to school.) it was also our first sleepover.

Emily and Madeleine's friend Emerson came over to our house after school on Wednesday. After playing while their gourmet lunch of grilled cheese sandwich and apple slices was prepared, the girls ate and then went upstairs for a nap. Not that I had any real hope of sleep actually occurring.

Everyone used the facilities and got into jammies without issue. It was then into bed with security blankets, etc. I knew if there was the slimmest chance of sleep actually happening, I'd have to be in the room too. So I did a little work while the girls went to "sleep". The results are as follows:

Madeleine - She clearly inherited her mother's lack of ability to stay awake during a sleepover. She tossed and turned a bit and then pulled her comforter over her head and crashed.

Emerson - She gave going to sleep the most valiant effort I have ever witnessed. She was very quiet and kept her eyes closed....at one point I thought she had dozed off, but am not sure.

Emily - She nearly found herself listed on Craigslist. She decided she was not tired and tossed, turned, got out of bed, tossed, got out of bed again and loudly announced she wasn't tired - repeatedly. She was immune to the glares, hissing and threatening hand motions from her mother.

The young ladies of our household deemed the "sleep"over a roaring success and I am now being pestered for a "night time one".

Hallelujah!!

Emily (L) and Madeleine (R)

Preschool started today - enough said.

Editors' Notes

Cindy, Madeleine (in front) and Emily

It seems my account of our trip to Spokane was not sufficient in the eyes of my editors/the blog's subjects. It was pointed out I did not include EVERYTHING we did. True. The main bones of contention appear to be that I did not mention playing with Cindy and the garden hose, going to the park and going to Cat Tales. So let me begin.

Cindy is my parents' dog. She is part Muppet and part unknown. She was rather hyper as a youngster, but appears to be settling into middle age nicely. She adores chasing water as it comes out of a hose and the girls had fun playing with her. The biggest issue was Emily and Madeleine tended to sort of chase Cindy with the hose, which confused issues a bit.

Last spring and early this summer we were getting some rather heavy campaigning for a dog. We pointed out that isn't really feasible because we travel for the holidays and in the summer. The girls were told the cats are okay for a couple of days before a petsitter comes, but a dog has to go out several times a day. Later, the dog issue came up again and Emily, from the backseat of the car, in her best Eeyore voice said "Yeah, we can't get a dog because we travel." Madeleine sighed heavily in agreement. The girls were told Cindy is their dog, she just happens to live in Spokane.
Emily (L) and Madeleine running from the fountain to the hill we like to roll down.

The formal gardens.

The last night we were in Spokane I took the girls to Manito Park. Sadly, I tend to take this park for granted as it has always just "been there". My daughters did not take it for granted. They loved the formal gardens around the fountain and wore their noses out in the Rose Garden - Madeleine literally told me "My nose is tired from all of this sniffing." Of course, we see the park when we go sledding in the winter, but strangely it is covered in snow then. Next summer, we will have to make more trips to the park.

And finally Cat Tales! For at least two years my dad has suggested going to Cat Tales, a wild cat sanctuary, every time we have visited. For some reason it never worked out. But this time we pulled it off. My parents and I enjoyed it, but my illustrious offspring were slightly put off by the smell (go figure, animals smell) and were more interested in the playground equipment at the front of the facility, than the animals in the facility. The only time they asked to have their pictures taken was when they were next to large fake (plastic?) roosters. I personally left rather fed up with humanity. The cats there are rescue cats from a variety of sources, not just from circuses, etc. One of the lions is there because some idiot "wanted their own Detroit Lion" and tried to keep this wild animal as a pet! Really? I have an idea about who should be put in a cage, preferably with the lion.

Recently, it has been VERY hot and humid in Williamsburg. Madeleine and Emily have handled this much better than their mother who whines and complains about the heat and dragging two kids around in it. Two weeks ago we went to Busch Gardens and were all literally dripping sweat by the time we left - and we were there when it opened...it wasn't afternoon heat - just God-awful humidity. This week is cooler and less humid (thank God!) so we have been able to go back outside. And...it appears the bugs that like to feast on my children have tapered off some too.

Yesterday was "Meet the Teacher Day" and there was a "vacuum for kids that really sucks stuff up!" in the classroom. We are thrilled!