Just to Prove Me Right...

....E ate the following for Thanksgiving dinner:

One bite of her cousin C's turkey leg.
One bite of asparagus...though she mostly just sucked on it.
One apple.

Then for dessert, she insisted on putting everything on her plate, but ate nothing. Oh, well. I didn't make it a battle until she asked for a cookie shaped like a shell, after she didn't eat the first one that was shaped like a horseshoe. I said no, no more dessert, because she still had shards of each offering uneaten on her plate. She threw a tantrum and I sent her out of the room. I found her ten minutes later on the couch, wrapped in her banklets. I asked her if everything was okay, and she said, "You don't make me feel much good when you say no."

That pretty much sums up the life of a toddler, doesn't it?

It's Official...

...the boy will eat anything. Today, Baby m had spinach tomato quiche for breakfast, and fried calamari for dinner. Yesterday he had grilled swordfish. So far he has not refused one single thing I've put on his plate.

Compare that to his big sis, E, who finally had her first full meal of the week tonight, and it consisted of one giant piece of pizza. The entire time that she was eating, she had a huge grin, and she was absolutely glowing. She was even singing a little pizza song. The only downside of her dinner was when a piece of calamari ended up on her plate. I told her she didn't have to eat it, but she could not throw it on the floor. She screamed a little bit, but did finally accept it being in her vicinity. Just think what she would have done if I had told her it was squid!

My Sister

Yesterday I lost my big sister, after a brave, but too short fight with cancer. Not much I can say now, but I will be forever grateful that I got to spend her last moments in her beautiful presence. This is a little "family statement" that we're working on for the paper...I think it sums it up for me, for now at least.

"Pam had a kind and generous soul. When she entered a room, you could feel a spirit of beauty and an absolute love of life. Throughout her life, she gave her heart and soul to the people and animals around her. Her mission was to take care of her family and friends, and it seemed like that circle grew a little bit every day. Her co-workers, the friends of her children, people on line at the grocery store…she treated everyone she met with respect and compassion. Pam will be missed by those she left behind, and our hearts ache for those who never had the honor of knowing her. "

I love you, Pammie.

Getting Harder

Play dough used to be easy...the old standby. I could just sit and make snakes for a half hour. I would hand each one to E and she would look at it lovingly and then "smush" it. Once in a while she would ask for something different, like a person or a cookie. Now, play dough time is a challenge.

Tonight after Baby m went to bed, E and I went down to the playroom for some Mommy-Daughter time. We sat at the little table and created food for the "restaurant"...she ordered candy corn, a lollipop, and pizza. Then I made her a pretty good looking egg, solid white and perfectly ovoid. She asked, "What's inside, Mommy?" "Just more play dough, honey." Good answer, right? Wrong. "Ohhhh," she said, with a cutesy face. "A teeny little play dough chicky?" Uh. So Good Mommy hollowed out the egg, made a little chicky and stuck it inside. And guess what! She didn't smush it...she gave it a kiss and put it away in the container. Who ever said this parenting thing was hard?

Hidey Holes

E has developed this strange habit of hiding behind the furniture. Generally we just let her hang out in any number of places, unless there are cords or breakable nick-nacks within arm's reach. Her most consistant hide-out is behind the easel in her room, and I would often find crayons or stickers stashed back there...presumably she was trying to keep these away from her brother. She also likes the little cubby created by the ottoman, couch, and shelving unit, though we do have to be sure she doesn't get hurt climbing in and out. She seems to enjoy lounging in there with her "banklets" and pretend candy, quietly singing to herself.

The latest hidey hole is perhaps the strangest. She has taken to sitting behind/under the fake tree in the living room. There is barely enough room back there for her to sit, but I just walked by and see that she has pilfered the fall decorations yet again...her little space is decorated with the corn husk doll, some dried up chestnuts, and an ear of Indian corn. I guess I understand her need for a little privacy, but I wonder if she's hoarding, or just decorating!