Puppy Training

Bean takes a ball that Blue wants and throws it across the floor.

She follows it up by cheerily telling him to "go get it, boy."

I scold her and tell her that it isn't nice to make him "go get it, boy."

Her reply:  "I'm just teaching him to be a dog."

Tiny Dancer On Hold

I mentioned a few weeks ago that Bean was asked to audition for the performance team at her dance studio.  Unfortunately for her, auditions were on the same day as Tough Mudder so she couldn't make it. The studio assessed her anyway and last week offered her a spot on their six to eight year old competition team.  She's four, you guys.
Four.
We got the breakdown of what this competition team would entail and it was a lot to take in.
It would involve a little over two hours of classes a week, including a ballet, tap, jazz, and rehearsal class.
There would be several performances locally (parades, etc.) and one about two hours away.
She would need costumes and a performance team jacket.
In all, it would cost us about $150 a month just for the classes.  The time would obviously be at least two hours a week.
I really want Bean to do what she loves.  I really want to allow her to tap into her natural talent.  I really want to support her.
But...
We couldn't do it.  That's a lot of money and time for a four year old.  The expectation is that she'll be on this team for the entire school year and the strain it would also put on us... that's just too much.
This will be one of those things I'll only be able to reflect on in hindsight, but I think we've made the right decision for now.
This isn't to say that we won't be revisiting this discussion in a year, but for now, the tiny dancer will have to stay in her tiny once a week class with her tiny fraction of the cost non-performance friends.

Cute Baby Saturday: First Fish of the Season

Complete with a skirt and her winter boots, of course.

Friday Night Leftovers: The Crying Preschool Water Table Edition

• Two-ish weeks until I'm supposed to defend my dissertation.  I say supposed because there might be a hiccup which is totally not my fault. So stressful to keep this process going because of something I can't control. 
• I'm sure that this happened with the girls, but this boy crying at me all day makes me want to run away.  No matter what I do, how much I try to entertain, how much I try to ignore, he is relentless when he is with me.  It's totally a mommy thing.
• Bean only has two more days of preschool left this year.  It's hard to believe she has another whole year of preschool to go before kindergarten.  She is so ready to do more.
• Blue had his fifteen month check up this week.  He is starting to level out a bit in the height and weight department (down to the 60th percentile in both).  Everything looked great developmentally but we're monitoring a little vertigo/ balance/ inner ear issue.
• The water table on our deck is both a blessing and a curse.  I'm on my third onesie and second pair of Baby Legs with the boy today.  The kid gets soaked.  I'd leave him in just a diaper, but he thinks it's awesome to try and take it off and pee on the floor.

Throwback Thursday

I'm so busy.  I need an assistant.  Or a nanny.  Or one job.  Something that could bring me closer to sanity.

Time constraints prevail, let's enjoy some throwbacks.

This time in 2007 (Tot)

This time 2008 (Tot)

This time 2009

Time time 2010 (Bean)

This time 2011 (Tot)

This time last year

Wordless Wednesday: Me And My Girl

Quiz Time

It's been a long time since we've had a quiz, so take our your number two pencils kids.

In our house what do the following words mean?

1.  Washclub (Bean)
     A.  The club you belong to after a bath.
     B.  The bathtub
     C.  A washcloth
     D.  Soap

2.  Ripping Book (Bean)
     A.  A book about surfing
     B.  A book about farts
     C.  A hardcover book
     D.  A softcover book

3.  Cut pants (Tot)
     A.  Capris
     B.  Pants with frayed bottoms
     C.  Pants with holes
     D.  Cut off shorts

4.  Sauce (Bean)
     A.  Chili
     B.  Gravy
     C.  Beer
     D.  Ranch dressing

And the answers are....






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1.  Washclub (Bean)
     A.  The club you belong to after a bath.
     B.  The bathtub
     C.  A washcloth (I have no idea why she refuses to believe it's a cloth, not a club)
     D.  Soap

2.  Ripping Book (Bean)
     A.  A book about surfing
     B.  A book about farts
     C.  A hardcover book
     D.  A softcover book (As in, get that book away from Blue!  He'll tear it!  It's a ripping book!)

3.  Cut pants (Tot)
     A.  Capris (a.k.a. "cut pants")
     B.  Pants with frayed bottoms
     C.  Pants with holes
     D.  Cut off shorts

4.  Sauce (Bean)
     A.  Chili
     B.  Gravy
     C.  Beer
     D.  Ranch dressing (The sauce that hides all the food you don't want to eat)