Face Painting Fun

On our recent trip up north to visit my parents, my dad and his wife took us to the Newport Aquarium where we had a blast and had many firsts.

We saw piranhas for the first time.  They were not a big hit.

We saw penguins for the first time.  They were a big hit.

We saw jelly fish.  Oh my, they were a huge hit.

 


Catherine  had her face painted for the first time.  Enormous hit.  Can you guess what she chose?

A butterfly. 

Since returning home this week, the request for face paint has been incessant.  Since I am prone to give in to badgering, okay, since it is super fun, we went to the craft store and acquired some face paint.  I got to try my hand at recreating the butterfly, and voilà!

Note the butterfly shirt is a necessity, also.

Please excuse us if it is weeks before our daughter is seen again without a butterfly painted face.

Sibling Companionship

For weeks now Catherine has been begging us to let Chase sleep in her room.  It has been a request denied over and over, since little brother still habitually wakes up around 11:00 p.m. every night for a good five minute scream.  Yesterday while I was dressing, Chase was hanging out in his crib and Catherine played in his room.  There was much giggling that rapidly increased in volume and when I went to the room I discovered the source of all the laughter:  Catherine had climbed in his crib.

Since then the request for Chase to sleep in her room has been nonstop.  Badgering might be the best word to describe it.  So this evening we decided to give it a try.  The excitement was high, bed time stories were read, children were tucked in, and then the crying began.  First it was Chase, then it was Catherine.  Oh well, it was worth a try.  Perhaps if the request is made again, we'll give a shot in a few months.  Until then, separate rooms for a good night sleep.

Or as good of a nights sleep as one can get when one sleeps in these positions. 

Why Don't My Kids Listen to Me?

Why don't my kids listen to me?


This is the question.

This is what all parents want to know. 

Undoubtedly a psychiatrist has answered this in a parenting book somewhere;  however, I am not a psychiatrist, and parenting books make me crazy.  Over the past two weeks there has been a series of events that have brought this question to mind, and I would like to share my thoughts.

To begin, take a look at this photo of my son.

 

What exactly is he doing?

After finishing a set of push ups, while my daughter counted for me, I looked up to see this.  Why, he was doing push ups, too!  When we acknowledged what he was doing, he was so proud.  For the rest of the afternoon he would do this anytime he wanted our attention, then proceed to march round the house clapping.

A few days later, during a chaotic moment, when my hands were full and trying to get out the door to the grocery store, I kept calling for my kids to come get in the car.  It felt like it was taking them forever, and frustration was budding.  After the second time of calling them with no cooperation, I went to physically round them up, to find they were both in my bedroom closet trying to get their purses ready (packed with juice boxes and toys) for the trip.  The frustration vanished, and we had a very merry shopping trip.

Lastly, while tucking my daughter into bed one evening, I asked her which story she would like to hear. 

"Cat Skidoo!"  she replied excitedly. 

"Well where is it?" I asked, because it was not on the bookshelf.

"Right there on my night table.  Just like your favorite book," she answered with an unusually large grin.

Sure enough there it was.  And indeed, it was just like my favorite book, which was sitting on my night table, down to the elastic book mark.  She had improvised with a headband.

So, back to the original question.

Why don't my kids listen to me?

They are simply too busy watching.