Animal Pile Up Re-Creation - 2 Years Later

Our friend Josh took some pictures of Magnolia just after her first birthday. One of those pictures -- you can see it in the May section of this post -- hangs on our living room wall, amongst others, and always grabs the girls' attention. 

Today, they wanted to recreate the picture. I don't have Josh's skill or equipment, but we still had fun piling up all the animals. 

Word of the Week: Pancake

Pancake (noun):  1) a thin, flat cake of batter fried on both sides on a griddle 2) a pack, or knapsack, often of canvas or nylon, to be carried on one's back

"Can we have pancakes for breakfast?" - Magnolia

"Eat. Pancake." - Kaleia

 "Wanna pancake. Pancake!" - Kaleia, reaching for her black "school" bag

 

First Days of "School"

For show-and-tell Maggie chose four ducklings and carefully placed them in her backpack. Now, while she puts her things into her not yet labeled cubby and surveys her still unfamiliar classroom, on this her second day of pre-school, I pull the teacher aside to tell him about the ducklings Magnolia was so adamant to share. You see, they're imaginary.

The teachers are great though, and are learning quickly. When asked what they should call her on the first day, "Magnolia or Maggie?," she informed them, "Actually, call me duckling." I never heard whether they complied or not but I was impressed at how well they described my daughters after the first day:

At the end of day 1, Maggie didn't want to leave and wasn't even sure if she wanted to talk to me but eventually agreed to show me around the classroom -- which toys she played with, which ones she helped clean up, the things that another kid messed up. She enthusiastically told me about the soft frog blanket that she used for her snooze. I finally got her to leave willingly by saying we needed to go see Kaleia's classroom.

Unlike her sister, Kaleia was ready to go home.  When we peeked in, she was happily playing but, as soon as she saw us, ran over and said, "Car. Bag."

Both girls slept amazingly--ahh, the secondary benefits of preschool!--and on morning 2 were just as excited as they got ready. Drop off, including the requisite imaginary duckling warning, was smooth again.

At the end of the day, Maggie had to finish what she was building before she would even consider coming home. Kaleia was playing outside when we came to pick her up and the two sisters ran and embraced. Then they went back to play in Kaleia's class.

I was always hesitant about daycare and felt very blessed that our girls have been home with family until now. We've always thought they would go to preschool, but we've wanted to homeschool them for elementary school (more about that in a future blog post, hopefully). Brian and I still see ourselves as their primary caregivers and teachers, but I am appreciating this experience and all that they are already gaining from it.

Here is a video of Maggie's response when I told her she was going to start going to "school":

Head Bibs

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Recently, I had the honor of throwing a bridal shower for my little sister, Allison.

Significant women from every stage of her life gathered to celebrate her upcoming wedding to her college sweetheart.

Alli loves tradition but she's also fashionable. So our party for her was themed around the old saying "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." She was s good sport, and wore my mom's heavy veil the entire day. We borrowed tea cups from many faithful friends and served traditional and trendy shower fare. There were several games that drew out information about Alli and Taylor as well as solicited advice for the new couple. But the most memorable activity was our Love themed sing off. See for yourself:

If you are interested in seeing all the pictures from the event, visit my flickr site. 

Exercising with Auntie Alli

Sharing Popcorn

Bedtime conversations with Kaleia

One night a while back bedtime was particularly difficult. Brian went in to get the girls quiet. A few minutes later, I went to provide reinforcement. Kaleia was crying "Mama, Mama, Mama!", arms outstretched.
Kaleia: "Kai-ing."
Me: "Yes, you were crying."
Kaleia: "Maygno. Waher"
Me: "Yes, Maggie was crying too. She wanted water. She's all done now."
Kaleia: "Oh."
Kaleia: "Papa."
Me: "Yes, Papa came in. It is time for nigh-night. Do you want a snuggle?"
Kaleia: (Nod) "Sing."
Me: "Do you want to sing Twinkle, Twinkle?"
Kaleia: (Nod) "Manu."

So precious.  Her most requested bedtime song is "Manu" or O come, o come Emmanuel.

More recently I went in to check on her after she had been bounce-chanting.  I thought she would tire out and fall asleep but figured I better check on her after it lasted over an hour.  When I went in she said:

"Pizza?"

2am and our 2 year old is requesting pizza?

The next night Brian tended to a similar situation and swears she requested money.

Brian's Favorite Albums of 2009

Yup, that says 2009.  I'm a little slow with my lists.  I had this one mostly figured out in 2009 but couldn't decide which of my top two was going to be my number one.  I'm still not totally sure but I'll go with the one I listen to more.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns


Playful drums, earnest vocals more than a little reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel, and youthful exuberance in every strum of the guitar could be a recipe for disaster but in this case it all works to make this one of the most fun and listenable records of the year.

The Antlers - Hospice 


I’ve heard that this story of a hospice employee and his terminally ill patient is merely a device to describe an emotionally abusive relationship.  They say it isn’t real.  My emotions don’t care.  I spent many nights alone in a darkened car with this record.  Cathartic.

Noah and the Whale - The First Day of Spring 


If there were going to be a break-up record on this list I thought for most of the year it would be filled by The Swell Season, who did churn out some great songs on a solid record, but this disc swooped in to take it’s place.  Runs the gambit of emotional tumult, which I can only imagine, since my only break-up was 12-year-old style. 

Speech Debelle - Speech Therapy


The deserving winner of Britain’s Mercury prize became the first rap/hip hop album I’ve really loved.  Debelle eschews the egotism and chauvinism that so ubiquitous in hip-hop, instead sharing her hopes, her vulnerability, intimacy.

Alela Diane - To Be Still 


Beautiful wist to be sung during those quiet pauses while the ship is anchored or the horses are hitched.

tUnE-yArDs - BiRd BrAiNs 


Tom Waits and Kimya Dawson locked their baby in the basement and she made this raucous little lo-fi wonder. 

Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle 


I’ve heard of speak-singing but I didn’t think it was possible to speak-croon until I heard this lovely batch of orchestrated folk, full of stories ambling through nature.

David Bazan - Curse Your Branches 


Despite a few dull songs, the album, which is an intimate self-portrait of a recovering alcoholic who has lost his faith, is emotionally devastating.  It's capped off with a most tender and heart-breaking finale in which Bazan tells of “long walks with my daughter/ who is lately full of questions about You.”

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Up from Below 


If only they cut half the songs, this could have been in my top three.  Still, as it stands, Up from Below boasts a handful of truly great songs, including my undisputed favorite of the year, "Home," which can’t not make me smile.

Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11 


Not quite as good as their debut, these heavy-metallers-turned-flamenco-guitarists nevertheless don’t have a song on here that won’t get your feet stomping. 

The XX - XX


How is it that music so simple can be so fresh.  Turn off the lights and succumb to the sexy, sleepy malaise.

The Twilight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead


Wall-of-sound Guitars + Thick Scottish Vocals = Never Gets Old

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast


I can't imagine this playful logophile and adroit instrumentalist putting out an album that didn't make my top 15.  

 Iron and Wine - Around the Well


This double disc compilation of songs not found on any of his LPs may be the last hurrah for the kind of hushed, poetic lo-fi folk that made me fall in love with Sam Beam.  Push yourself musically Sam, but please, please come back to your bread and butter some day!  Features one of my favorite songs of the decade, "The Trapeze Swinger."

 Dan Deacon - Bromst


This frenetic experimental-leaning electronic record from the man known for making tunes that sound like the Chipmunks on speed, is unexpectedly beautiful.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I'm still incredulous that pop as catchy as this doesn't have me gagging after 10 songs.

We're going on a hunt

We're going on a hunt. We're going on a hunt. To find Maggie's _________. To find Maggie's __________. We're going to look high, we're going to look low. We're going on a hunt.

We're going on a hunt. We're going on a hunt. To find Maggie's _________. To find Maggie's __________. We're going to look left/under/in, we're going to look right/over/out. We're going on a hunt.

Repeat until object is found.
This song emerged recently as a hit in the Rush household. Tired of unwillingness to look for desired objects, Mama decided to make it more of a game, for their interest and her sanity. And maybe, just maybe, they'll learn some finding strategies for themselves. Lately, hunts happen regularly (and sometimes independently!) for desired objects and just for the sake of a hunt!