Tricks and Treats

Grayson's Halloween costume arrived from Jedi headquarters (aka Grandma's house) last week with strict instructions for Jedi training (Grandma can work "eat your vegetables" into just about anything). Since then, dressing up has turned into serious business. All smiles disappear when the robe has been donned. I suggested that he try wearing it while doing his homework so that he could think "just like a Jedi." I was sharply corrected, "It isn't 'like' a Jedi, Mom. I AM a Jedi."

I was extra glad when Halloween morning arrived with yawns and stretches and (before even opening his eyes) this quip, "I've got three words for you, Mom: Trick. Or. Treat." The highlight of the holiday was definitely the light saber battle which took place between Obe Wagner Kenobee and Darth Mills Vader on the front lawn.

Lucie caught on to the trick or treat routine right away. There was no need to carry a sack from house to house; the candy never made it off the front porch. She popped them straight into her mouth, wrapper and all, and then took off waving her arms and screaming "More tick! Tank oo! More tick! Tank oo!" to the next house. One family sent a representative to hand out candy at the door while the rest finished up dinner at the table. Our hungry little lady bug used the candy mob as a distraction to bypass the door guard, gain entry and inspect the dinner offerings instead. If only she would've stuck with the sack, she might've gotten away with the pot roast. Next year we'll work on the car keys.

Comments

Motherhood - Not for the faint of heart

My picture of hell: one soggy rainy day, two healthy energetic children, three solid days of DVDs, one dog that needs to pee but refuses to get wet, and me. Alone with the carnage and contracted to get 4 hours of work done. And just to frost the cake, Lucie can take off her pooy diaper now, which delights us all, but especially the dog, to no end. These days it is sort of a toss up for who has left the pile on the carpet. Lucie? Dog? The fact that it landed on top of a princess high heel is good indication the culprit was of the two-legged, shoe-loving, Oreo-eating variety, which makes it only slightly less disgusting to remove behind a 28-ply Kleenex. Pray for sunshine.

Lucie and the Problem of Evil

Lucie has suddenly started questioning things. And by things, I mean eternal things. It all started when she asked if I would read her a bedtime story from the Bible storybook. The book opens innocently enough with the story of creation. There are lions and tigers and bears, and naked people being created from dust. (At this point in the story you’d think questions would arise, but no, kids just seem to go along with it at face value. Which is exactly the reason I've had to work so hard to convince Lucie that turtleneck shirts are not actually made from the necks of turtles.) Anyways ... "Do you know why Adam and Eve are sad?" I asked, pointing at the picture of them sorrowfully leaving the garden. "I sure do, " Lucie assured me. "They are sad because they don't have any parents." Impressive, huh? Clearly, she’d been processing and following along. "Well there is that," I prodded her, "and also they have to leave the ...

Say This!

Picture by Grayson (our 9 year-old) Last week we reached another one of those parenting milestones. At 27+ months of age, Violet said her first real words: "Mama! Me go!" Three little words so beautiful, so stunning and unexpected, they stopped me in my tracks. Even the other kids dropped their activities and ran out to verify that, yes, Violet had spoken. We hugged and touch-down-danced and, of course, Violet got to "go." When you have a child who is the tiniest bit developmentally delayed, small accomplishments are met with big celebration. Lucie insists on accompanying me on simple errands? I need to figure out a way to sneak out the door more efficiently; Violet suddenly says that she wants to go? Hot dog! Get the video camera and your shoes on kiddo! Therapists have been coming to the house since the first week of January, evaluating Violet's delays. At her last check in, she had about 15 simple words in her vocabulary -- about 100 words u...

Montecito Mama

Search This Blog