If I were a baby

Paige has reached an all new level of busy (read: messy) and it can be really frustrating. She and I just don't agree on the level of messy allowable in the house. Following are some examples. I think it's ok to have two boxes of papers piled on the far side of my bed, waiting to be sorted and shredded. She thinks it's ok to empty any box of its contents - tissue boxes, toy boxes, cereal boxes, juice boxes etc.. I think that dishes should be put in the dishwasher when dirty and in the cupboards when clean. She thinks dishes should be on the floor - dirty or clean. I think when you are moving from one activity to the next, you should put the first activity away (or just on the counter next to the fridge if you are planning on coming back to it in the next week and you answer to the name mom) before moving on. She thinks that finding something more interesting calls for immediately dropping current activity/food item on the floor where you are and leaving it there. I think laundry should wait in the dryer until it can be folded and put away. She thinks that it is fun to drag articles of clothing all over the house, clean or dirty. She also thinks that if you should happen to leave a drawer open, it must mean that you are hoping she will come along and empty it for you. (for the record, I NEVER, leave my drawers open, it's ALWAYS her older sisters.) I think that credit cards, drivers licenses, money, receipts etc... all belong in a wallet. She thinks that a wallet is perhaps one of the best toys ever invented - this is especially fun at the store when I am trying to pay for something or when I can't find my i.d./drivers license and have already left base. I think personal hygiene is important and shower everyday. She sort of agrees with me on this one, but sometimes she thinks it is faster to wash her clothes and her hair at the same time.

See what I mean? We just don't agree....good thing she's cute!

Soccer

So, Ashlee has started soccer. I have to admit, as a former soccer kid myself, I really love it. If I was in better shape, I would volunteer to coach. Here she is, number six, she loves it and is really animated on the field. For instance, in this game, on a couple of their teams kick-offs, she did a wind-up yell. "Hheeeeeyyyyyy", until it was kicked. So funny, and so not like her parents.

Ashlee is a fan of the "big kick." Why? It's more dramatic and more fun! For the first couple of games, even if she was put up in front, she would inevitably fall back and play a "sweeper" type role (if they were playing at that level of soccer sophistication, which they are not) so that she could get a "big kick" up field. She's asked a couple of times "Did you see that really big kick that went over people's heads?"
Here is what Maggie does during the games. Pictures of herself, any friends or acquaintances that happen to be in the area, Paige and me...

some morning snapshots

This morning, Paige got bored eating breakfast,

had fun dumping her milk on the floor until she tried to walk in it..

cried until someone picked her up and loved her and put her feet
in the kitchen sink to get washed up. Then she helped with the dishes - by playing in the water while the dishwasher was loaded without any interruptions from baby monkeys!

Another thing I want to remember about having these these girls... all the little houses etc... they set up around the house. Today, after Ashlee had gone to school, I found this. I'm sure it's part of some game and she probably even sang a song or two while she played. Sometimes I don't tune into what they are doing enough. On the chair by this book shelf was the napkin holder from the kitchen table with a carefully folded cloth napkin laying in it. A bed for a tiny sheep that was resting on top. Maybe he visited the little house above him?

New Camera

We got a new camera, just a point and shoot, but the other one ruined two memory cards and stopped saving images. So, here are some Sunday pictures of the girls. Paige got a new dress, and I love her in it. We had a rough post-church experience which ended in me threatening the girls that they would be "grounded for a month" - yes, I did say it just like that too - if Paige fell asleep on the way home. Neither one of them has ever been grounded - they have lost priveleges, but they haven't been grounded. But they must have thought that I meant business, because Paige was sooooooo tired and trying so hard to fall asleep, but they did it! Still, what if she would have fallen asleep? It was a completely empty threat because how do you ground a kid for a month and because I don't really consider it their duty to do things like keep the baby awake!

Missing My Girls

So, the girlies had their first day of school this week. I don't have any pictures because our camera is (once again) acting up. But hopefully that will be remedied soon. They both enjoyed the week - they are in different schools this year. Maggie attends an "Upper Elementary" (5th and 6th grade) She feels so grown up. We had a few concerns about the school and I'm not sure they have all been resolved, but what can I say? I'm hoping we are moving soon (to be honest) and at this point our only choices are to move off base or pay for private, which, cost issues aside, I'm not sure that I can do. Public Education is one of my dearly held political beliefs. Ashlee is at the school they have gone to since we moved and is enjoying it, as I knew she would. But, I am missing them... and so is Paige, she gets a little bored with me.

Pictures are coming soon!

How to NOT get a good's night rest and other stuff

It seemed like a fun idea - a backyard camp out. The weather in NJ is finally suitable to such an activity - the temperature is getting comfortably cool during the night. So, on Monday, we went to the movies and came home and put up the tent.

But, where should everyone sleep?

Paige alone in the house while the three of us slept in the tent...

Maggie and Ashlee alone in the tent, Paige in her bed, Mom on the couch by the open window in case the girls should need anything...

All four of us in the tent...

At 8:30, Paige went to bed in her crib, at 9:00 I went out to the tent with the girls to read to them until they fell asleep. Ashlee was asleep in 15 minutes. Maggie was having a harder time, much harder. At 9:50 I was headed back inside to collect some more sleeping paraphernalia and one sleeping baby. By 10:30 we were all tucked in and sleeping soundly - in the tent.

Several hours later, in what I assumed was the early morning, I was awakened by cute baby noises. Both girls were still asleep. I laid baby Paige on top of me and rubbed her back and willed her back to sleep, thinking we could all use a little more shut eye. But, she was awake and she wanted to play, so I played (ever so sleepily) stuffed animals with her.

20 minutes later Maggie says "Mom, Paige is awake"

10 Minutes later, Ashlee says "good morning"

The birds were chirping, there was dew all over the tent, surely it was morning. Darn that porch light, so bright, so deceptive.

5 minutes go by: "Mom, what time is it?" "I don't know, probably 6, 6:30"

Maggie gets up to check her watch - smart child, I didn't bring one to the great outdoors.

"Mom, It's almost 5 in the morning." No, surely that can't be right, grab the watch and check. Nope, not almost 5, almost 4 in the morning! We then spent about 15 minutes trying to get everyone back to sleep - no luck. Inside to give the baby a bottle and put her to bed. Sleeping in the tent has lost its appeal to the older girls too, who come traipsing in with all their pillows and stuffed animals. By 4:45 Maggie was watching a movie in her room (because she couldn't sleep) Paige was in her crib and Ashlee and I were on the couch. I was saying a little prayer for children who would sleep in. We will wait for CAY before making another attempt.

And, Paige's new game is called, "Watch mom come running"

Here's how it goes: climb up on to some object, sometimes the high chair, sometimes the coffee table, sometimes the bench in the living room, next: try to climb higher, next: yell for someone to come help, next: begin to step off. Someone will be right with you!

Look at all those teeth. I think she is getting every single last tooth in right now!