Christmas Wishes

Rosie wants Santa to bring her a cake with pink icing and a pink Barbie.

I think he can manage that. :^)

Anna Kate wants a pink wall clock that is like a small grandfather clock with a pendulum - HELP!!!

My southern girl

As a northern child, I found the idea of southern children confusing their vowel sounds kind of amusing. You know the "pin", "pan", and "pen" all sounding the same, when to me they were distinctly different.

My Anna girl is a girl of the South. She loves her greeits (grits). And today she was stumped by that adorable southern accent of hers (she's really the only one in our immediate family that has one, Daddy's wore off in college speech classes long ago). She was on the "st" in "stop" page in her phonics book, and got stuck on a word. She asked, "Mom, what is s-t-i-l-l ?" I replied teasingly, " 'still', as in are you still reading that page?" "Oh!", she returned, "I thought it was 'steal' like you steal something!" After many attempts she proudly nailed an "i" in Indian sound right in the middle of "still."

I know it's going to improve her reading, but I kind of hope that she doesn't lose that drawl.

Happy Birthday, Tuesday's Child

Little Anna bird,

You were born a Tuesday's Child, full of grace, and you become more graceful all the time. We finally found a ballet program this year and dancing is still your favorite thing.

This year you could most often be found wearing a leotard or tutu, usually with your beloved tights. You can't wait to get real toe shoes.

Your bangs are finally growing out from the "great hair chop" escapade, but Daddy's still in mourning months later. Purple has officially overtaken pink as your favorite color. You still sleep with your sweet teddy, Molasses. And that thumb sucking that I thought we'd conquered last year? Well, let's just say, "I've not yet begun to fight!"

And speaking of fighting, you sure do have that stubborn streak still. We watched The Quiet Man a couple of weeks ago, and sometimes you remind me of Maureen O'Hara! You still like to do anything that will cause a raucus. :^) You can certainly make the thunder roll, but most of the time, you're my sunshine girl.

It's always easy to list Ethan and Rose's interests, but you're not so easy. We've decided that it's because you're the social butterfly who just loves to flit from person to person and do what they're doing. You and Rose definitely love your Barbies and the castle that you got for Christmas. Your also Ethan's trusty sidekick. You love to play UNO and other board games, and you love to be outside, as you always have. And animals, you love living things, especially puppies.

You love all things girly. Pretty dresses, shoe shopping, make-up...Daddy and I laughed and marveled at your circled choices in the Avon catalogue - a set of make-up brushes, any pink make-up available, flip-flops, pretty watches, and carefully selected fragrances (chosen from the wrist rubbed samples) - you're so much fun!

You still love Barbie movies, Mariposa is a new favorite. Your other new favorite movie is George of the Jungle! You, Ethan, and Rose act it out, and spout quotes, and crack each other up. You also love Shirley Temple.

You certainly love Ethan and Rose. You're the tightest bunch and hate being apart.

And you can be such a little helper, when you want to be. You were a great nurse for Pa after his surgery, and you're always eager to cook. Chores? Not so much, but you sure can make your bed look beautiful when you want to.

You got a little bogged down with schoolwork this year - playing with Rose was higher on your list, so we let it go. But you read your little Bob Books so beautifully and are often sounding things out, and you add and subtract well enough to give Ethan a run for his money. You're very smart, always surprising me with how much you know.

And you still love to snuggle. You're so warm and cozy. Still part baby. And I'm holding on to that part for as long as possible, Anna girl. Oh, sweet Anna Kate, you are so precious to me!

I love you, a bushel and a peck
A bushel and a peck,
And a hug around the neck
Hug around the neck
And a barrel and a heap,
Barrel and a heap
And I'm talking in my sleep about you

I love you, a bushel and a peck,
You bet your pretty neck I do.

Doodle, loodle, loodle
Doddle, loodle, loodle
Doodle, loddle, loodle, doo
doo doo

Anna's First Date

She'd had a bad day. You know, an ornery one. Brian had taken Ethan out for coffee a few weeks earlier, so when he called me to let me know he was heading home, I told him that I thought that Anna ought to have her date night if he felt up to it. Try to turn her day around. He agreed. I hung up the phone and told Anna, "you and Daddy are going on a date."

*

The squealing and whooping lasted for about five minutes.

*

I called Brian back to let him hear some of it: "I'm goin' on a date. I'm goin' on a date. Ethan! I'm going on a date! Woohoo! whoo! whoo! I'm goin' on a date. whoo!"

*

We were thinking pet store, but before we suggested it, she decided that she wanted to go to Dunkin' Donuts. (She'd only been there once before.) She wanted one of every kind of donut. :^)

*

With the location settled, the primping began. Favorite dress, pink leggings, favorite shoes (black mary janes), a big pink bow, a bit of mascara, and some pink eyeshadow and lipstick, bright pink nail polish, and she was glowing and ready to answer the door.

*

They didn't stay very long (she burnt her mouth on her cocoa and missed her mommy), but she returned as happy as she'd left, and ate all three of her donuts and a few donut holes.

Anna's New Look

Our trip to the zoo on Tuesday was slightly delayed by an impromtu haircut, but it turned out okay. I've asked her to let me know when she wants a haircut before attempting it herself next time. :^)

Virtuoso!

There's a Mouse LIVING in my House!

Did you a have a good Christmas? Yes, my was fine to thank you...more on that later - I HAVE A MOUSE IN MY HOUSE!!!! This is getting serious. You see, it's been here for a month. I can't get rid of it. It steals the food from the traps and never gets caught. And it's not even scared of us anymore. Not much, anyway. It's started to run across the house in broad daylight. I've seen it five times today. I can't do the dishes. Or use my microwave. Or sit on the floor. Not when that dirty creature is running around. I'm living in a state of paranoia.


I've set two new traps today. They'd better catch that mouse. I try to be a humane person. I even tried a live trap (they've worked before). But I'm warning that mouse. If those traps don't humanely end his life soon, I'm going to resort to those horrendous glue traps. And I'm going to try not to feel guilty about it.


I was telling a friend about my problem (after I screamed "Get out! I HATE YOU!!" in her ear while I was on the phone with her because that stupid mouse ran past), and she told me that her brother-in-law had used a glue trap and didn't know how to kill the mouse, so he took it out and tried running over it with his car. But, of course, the trap stuck to his tire and every time he drove, it bumped...


Meanwhile, Anna Kate's imploring, "No, Mommy, don't kill it. I want it for a pet."


I want it dead.

The "real" reason that we get the presents on Jesus' birthday

Rose is in LOVE with Kehya Cause (Santa Clause). She is delighted to see him in any form. The Christmas Parade(more like a candy toss really) we saw a couple of weekends ago had a live Santa at the end. She begged, "I go with Santa Claus?" I respond, "He has to go to his house to work on your presents." "Oh. I go to his home? I go see Rudolph? Please, Mommy, please?" In Walmart the day after that, she was pleased to firmly plant herself on Santa's empty lap and lucky for her, no one else was around, because she had no intention of leaving. When it was finally time for him to go, she said "I go in Santa's car?"

And today, Anna Kate finally explained to me why it is that we get presents on Jesus' birthday:

"I'm so excited that Christmas is here and we get presents -
because it's Jesus' birthday, and Jesus is up in heaven, and Santa Claus doesn't
have enough magic to get his reindeer to fly up to heaven."

I'd always wondered about that. ;^)

"Jesus is a great person, guys"

Anna with her puppy in the stroller: "Come on, Pup. Let's go tell these people about Jesus so that they can go up to Him."

Anna facing imaginary audience: "Jesus is a great person, guys. Ya gotta believe Him so that you can go up to Him."


**********

Previously:

Anna Kate after singing along with Steve Green's "You Shall Love the Lord Your God": Mommy, I love Jesus soooo much. I love him with my whole body - even my blood and my bones!"

The result of intelligence

"I'm smart," Anna Kate informed me a couple of days ago. "I'm so smart that I'm going to turn four!"

What should we pray for?

This was the question I asked my little ballerina after our Leading Little Ones to God readings on prayer. Her answer?! "We should ask God to tell Santa to bring me a big bird that can jump me straight up to heaven so that I can see Jesus." And what would you do then? "I would give him a big hug and he will give me a big hug back and kiss me." "Then we would live together." She says, " I like Jesus, that's why I want to live with Him. I don't want to die; I just want to go up to heaven right now so I can live with Him."