The paper cut heard round the world

We started a new school. Big News. The kids are on campus (without me!) two days a week, and we do lots of work at home on the days in between. The kids seem to be adjusting really well, and I am trying to get organized so our days at home run more smoothly. As long as we get all of our work done, we take Fridays off to play.

We stopped at Marble Slab to celebrate after the first campus day. The first home day was pretty frazzled, but we managed to get everything finished (at 5 p.m.) Then, on the third home day, when I thought things were going pretty well, Helena got a paper cut just after breakfast, and her reaction was EPIC. It went from drama to high drama to higher drama. Of course she could NOT write, even though the cut was on her left hand, and she is right-handed. Then just when she would decide she might be able to stop howling about it, some fresh new indignation would occur (salt, soap, air) and the shrieking sorrow would begin again. I finally asked her WHAT I could do to HELP and she wailed, "I just need you to feel SORRIER for me!" So I tried to feel sorrier.


You might imagine that I have plans aplenty for my days at home alone. One is to blog more frequently. May it be so!

Independence days

All three of my kids can now swim independently. Helena does this slow dog paddle thing and lets her head sort of loll back into the water. It looks pretty much like drowning, but I can tell by the blissed out smile on her face that all is well. She goes down the twisty slide over and over, while the other two dive and dart and canonball. It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that I had a four year old, a two year old, and an infant, and the thought of going to the pool filled me with great angst. And now I can read a book while they all swim.

I just finished (and loved) North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It has been a reading sort of summer. Lots of novels (The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry by Gabrielle Zevin, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler, This Side of Paradise and a few short stories by Zelda's husband, The Twleve by Justin Cronin, Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, and Where'd You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple. I read The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt in there somewhere too--but maybe it was still spring.) Margie sent me 84 Charing Cross Road (loved! emphatically recommend) by Helene Hanff, and it made for a delightful afternoon at the beach. I also read one of Brene Brown's books on vulnerability, mostly because I kept seeing her name referenced in articles I was reading. I don't really read much nonfiction, except biographies and the rare memoir, and this book did not persuade me to change that. Is that vulnerable that I just confessed that?

 We had a scissor-tailed flycatcher family in a pine tree on our way to the pool. We discovered them because we saw the male having an aerial spat with a vulture 10 times his size. He chased it and pecked it until they were tiny dots so far in the sky we could barely see them. Then, finally, Daddy scissor-tail swooped back down to the nest, sans vulture. He and Mrs. Scissor-tail were really vigilant  parents, and yet only two of the four babies survived (one was smashed by a car, the other was beheaded by a cat or maybe a bird of prey. Yes, I grieved more than is appropriate. I mean WHY WOULD YOU GIVE FLYING LESSONS OVER A BUSY STREET???)  They actually moved from the pine tree to group of oaks right outside of our house for their final days of flight lessons, which was considerate of them. However, I also spent more time than was Probably Normal checking on those two fuzzy, adorable, tweeting survivors, clapping and scolding when grackles and mockingbirds got too close. Feel free to join my neighbors in referring to me as Crazed Bird Lady.

So, the summer flies by. We read and swim and eat at fairly regular intervals. Big changes are on the horizon, and I am trying to "dare greatly" and get dirty in the arena etc.

Prized.

When Harper was 6 she saw a commercial on PBS (they actually don't call them" commercials", they have another, less capitalistic, less corporate, less greedy word for them) for a story contest. She decided she was going to enter the contest and WIN. She wrote and illustrated a cute story about a stingray and some other sea animals. She did not win, but she got a nice certificate. Undaunted, she entered again last year. This story was about her stuffed puppy Sasha entering a horseback riding competition. Sasha won the horseback riding competition, but the story did not win the story contest. Again, Harper got a nice certificate for her participation. She was a little disappointed, but not as much as I expected she might be.

I thought maybe she wouldn't want to enter the contest this year, but mentioned it casually when I got an email about it. She decided she would write a story about a bald eagle. She worked really hard on the watercolor illustrations. She researched details, and we had some great practice distinguishing between "summarizing" and "plagiarizing." She titled it A Bald Eagle's Journey. And the third year was the charm! She was named a finalist, and we all got to go to an awards ceremony at the Children's Museum. She got a medal and a backpack full of public broadcasting "swag" which included a ruler, several pencils, a Highlights magazine, some Daniel Tiger Stickers, and some sort of Leap Pad game that requires a Leap Pad (which we don't have). It was all pretty thrilling. We are proud of her.

I hope she always loves creating. I hope she always finds joy in a good story. I hope she is always as tenacious as she is now. 

If wishes were puppies.

Our neighborhood pool is open at last. We went for a swim yesterday afternoon and Helena was having such a terrific time that when I told her it was time to get out, she did, but then she said this:

"I wish I didn't have a Mommy because then I could do whatever I wanted and I wouldn't have to obey."

Her tone was pleasant and polite so I didn't take it very personally. I actually love that she says exactly what is on her mind. I did wonder aloud who would tuck her in and give her kisses and prepare her food. She thought for a second, then:

"I think a big dog could take care of me and do all of those things."

So, she was listening after all when I read Peter Pan aloud a couple of years ago. Helena needs a Nana who will let her stay in the pool as long as she wishes. Though I don't think Nana would do a very good job buttoning dresses or putting hair in buns.

In other hair news, a few weeks ago, we were moving some furniture around and Harper discovered some golden curls behind the play kitchen. Were they from a doll? They were not. Helena confessed that she has been giving herself trims. With all of the curls, it was tricky to see, but she definitely did some damage in the general bangs region. She couldn't explain why exactly, but I think it might be her response to all of the comments she gets about her pretty curls. She doesn't necessarily love strangers telling her that her hair is SO PRETTY every time we go out. This is the look she generally uses as her response:

In other hair news, this conversation:

Helena: Mommy. Can you please make a bun in this ballerina Barbie's hair?
Me: Would you like a high bun or a low bun?
Helena: Hudson! Do you want a high bun or a low bun?

Brother of the year, for sure. He has a GI Joe action figure that condescends to interact with the ballerina Barbies on occasion. And apparently, GI Joe likes a lady with an updo.

I realize I never did Helena's birthday interview, and I hope to at some point. The only thing she wanted for her birthday was Barbies. (Maybe you will remember my aversion). I really tried to redirect her wishes, but she was determined. So, she got four ballerina Barbies (including a ridiculous looking Ken ballerino) and a bride (all from grandparents). She pulls them out about twice a month, and they all switch clothes, do a few pirouettes, and maybe some Krav Maga with GI Joe.After a few days of enthusiasm, they get pushed under her bed, forgotten.

In other Helena news, she lost her first tooth today! This is much earlier than the other two lost any of theirs. They were both close to 7. The tooth fairy has realized that a dollar a tooth is probably more than she wants to pay for all of these teeth falling out. She didn't really think it through. SIXTY baby teeth.

The arts are very fine.

I have many posts coming. Just you wait!

This semester we did some homeschool art classes at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. The instructor was this delightful diminutive French lady who was Montessori trained and who also, it came out, was educated in art at Cambridge (England, not Boston). She had such a wonderful way with kids and with art, and we really enjoyed her tutelage. We learned about Georges Braques, the watercolors of John Singer Sargent, and renaissance art.

 Here are the visuals.

Braques: (he liked collage)

 

A fountain in Venice a la John Singer Sargent: (the art teacher had to talk Harper down on this one. Harper had almost rubbed a hole in her watercolor paper with erasing.) Then, with 10 minutes left she managed this loveliness with oil pastels:

Then, a Renaissance rendering of the Blessed Mother.

 By Helena:

 

By me:

 

By Harper:

 

And by Hudson:

 

 

Mary: NINJA STYLE.

 

This week I am going to attempt to write about our glorious vacation. Also, Harper won a contest.

We had a little turtle.

His name was Timmy.

A friend in our gymnastics class found him by their neighbors' pool and gave him to us. He was a red-eared slider and very tiny--about an inch and a half in diameter. I agreed to take him because of Hudson's love of Things Turtle, and also because she offered a free tank in which to put him. The kids were in absolute raptures. We stopped at Petco on the way home to pick up a few things, and the first red (eared slider) flag was when the Petco employee, when she heard of our acquisition, said, "Oh, little red-eared sliders are REALLY high-maintenance! Are you SURE you want him?" I will admit this made me nervous.

We got Timmy home and for five days, it was great. I spent lots of time on google trying to figure out why he didn't want to eat. I also spent lots of time cleaning out his tank and making sure he got adequate sunlight. The kids spent lots of time letting him toddle and burrow around the back yard and just generally proclaiming how absolutely CUTE he was. In my google research I learned red-eared sliders have a life expectancy upwards of 25 years, so the kids were planning on introducing Timmy to their children and grandchildren. I will admit, I liked him.

Then he died.

Hudson and I were sad and weepy for a couple of days. The girls expressed some initial sorrow (but no tears, even during our Burial Service) but seemed to move on pretty quickly. Hudson seemed to feel the weight of it a little more. And I cry when anyone else is crying. Have I mentioned this before? It is my not very useful spiritual gift. I mourn with those who mourn. So I would hear him sniffling, and I would scoop him up and we would sit in the rocking chair and cry together for a few minutes and talk about how cute and sprightly and charming Timmy was.

So, it was practice grief for my kids, who have yet to experience the loss of anyone they know well. We had some interesting theological discussions. They are all of the firm position that they will be reunited with Timmy some day. May it be so.

Hudson at Seven (and a quarter): The Birthday Interview

We finally did the birthday interview today! Three months late! We did most of the usual questions, plus Hudson generated a few of his own. (denoted by a *)

1. Hudson, at what age does a person become a grown up? 18 Why do you think so? "They can get married. OR they can get a job."

2. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? "I would eat candy and play video games. Big chocolate balls and gummies. And popcorn."

3. What is something that makes our family special? "That most of us like guns?" (I don't really like guns, I remind him) "Well. We ALL like animals. All the boys like cars. All the girls like...flowers? Actually, I also like flowers."

4. Are you a good friend? "Yes. I think people like me because they like the same things I do. Like Legos. Or Ninjago."

5. How would the world be different if animals could talk? "Animals might get mad at you and hurt you. Except for harmless animals like turtles and butterflies and nonpoisonous frogs and beetles. Maybe they would tell us what they had inside of them. Like what SECRETS they have inside of them!"

6. What is the best thing about being a kid? "You get to eat ice cream and you don't have to go to work and you can play whenever you want to."  The worst thing? One of the WORST things is that you can't watch t.v. whenever you want to.

7.Where is your favorite place in the world? "Japan! Japan is GOING to be my favorite place to go, but I really like Florida. Here? To the pool?"

8. If you could give one gift to every child in the world, what would it be? "Candy! And lots of Legos."

9. What are five words that describe you? "Funny, weird-looking hair.  I need a haircut. I am small but I am also strong. I only weigh 45 pounds!"

10. If you could invent something, what would it be? "A huge robotic planet, and a huge robotic snake to guard it where robots do everything for you. Except cook. The robots are very high tech. They also have ray guns that shoot out of their eyes!"

11. If you could make one rule that everyone in the world had to follow, what would it be? "No smoking cigarettes!"

12. What is your favorite...
Color? green
Smell? Mexican food
Food? Mexican food
Book? Calvin and Hobbes Treasury
Activity? Legos
Sound? Drums
Animal? Turtles and beetles
Bird? Scarlet tanager and orange bishop

13. What does Daddy like to do? "He likes to shoot guns with his friends and me. He likes to play baseball with me. He likes to go fast in his Subaru. His favorite car is a Subaru."

14. What does Mommy like to do? "You like to read? ("What else DO you like to do?" Me: I like to paint and be outside and spend time with you and Daddy and Harper and Helena.) And you like to play the piano!"

15. What is your favorite thing to do? "Umm, my favorite thing is...playing Legos, playing video games, drumming, and Matchbox cars. No, Hotwheels maybe."

16. What do you MOST want to do? "Go to Japan!"

17. What would you like to write a book about? "About a little robot who has many adventures."

18. What's your favorite thing to wear? "My stretchy t-shirts and my stretchy shorts". (also likes to tuck his stretchy t-shirt tightly into his stretchy shorts and pull the shorts up until they are at his natural waist.) Also, my G.I. Joe costume."

19.Describe what you look like. I have sort of long curly and brown hair. I have a lost tooth.

20. What are you looking forward to this year? "Going to Florida, or Japan if we can."

*21. What is your favorite car? "I like Mustangs and Vipers and Lamborghinis and all kinds of sports cars AND muscle cars. Also Subarus."

*22. What is your favorite weapon? "Harpoons and all kinds of ray guns and machine guns. And pistols! Also rifles."

*23. What is your favorite movie or t.v. show? "Ninjago, Star Wars, and The Lego Movie."

*24. What is your favorite warrior? "Spy, army man, police, Ninja...guys like that."

I tried to remember some of topics he chose for his presentations each week for our co-op. The kids can chose anything they are interested in, and they talk about it in front of their class for three minutes. These are a few topics he chose:

 

 Scarlet tanagers, orange bishops, a short history of the Ford Mustang, Cobras (he did the snake one week, he also did the Cobra Mustang another week), Ninjas, Special Forces soldiers, sea turtles, Galapagos tortoises, the world's top ten fastest motorcycles, muscle cars (Grandfather Pate was visiting that week and really enjoyed hearing that one), the world's fastest car, and the Lego Ideas Book. He also brought his drum pad to play the first week, and he brought the djembe for the last week. His classmates thought that was nifty.

He started saying "DUDE!"a couple of months ago. I think he picked it up from the big boys at co-op. They all played "football" in the afternoons, and little as he is, he is pretty scrappy. He only weighs 43 pounds (but I looked back and that is seven pounds more than last year!) but he is quick and nimble.

He makes friends easily. He is obedient most of the time, although getting him to stop playing and get schoolwork done usually results in some scowling and complaining and arm folding and some talk of how everything is either too easy or way too hard or else maybe it all needs to be thrown in the TRASH.

He sits and reads independently without prompting throughout the day. He finished the Billy and Blaze series recently. He also likes Star Wars readers and the Calvin and Hobbes compilations we found at my parents' house that were mine many years ago. He still spends lots of time with picture books as well, which pleases me.

The drumming is really astonishing. I need to post some video. Little dude has been gotten by the rhythm, I tell you.

Today after the interview, everyone dressed up as spies. Hudson made spy cigarettes for himself and Harper with duct tape and paper. I don't know why spies don't have to follow his One Rule. Helena is wondering as well.

That is all for now. My dear little boy.