The 1-Year-Old

Wow. Anyone remember this post? Does a year really go that fast?

Here she is, our one-year-old, who has opinions, curiosity, daring, gusto, eight teeth, wicked awareness, and humor.
She had butterbeer cupcakes for her birthday party - watch the VGP, they'll be the next post going up.
My mind is all a-muddle, that's why I haven't posted on this major milestone yet. It's almost too big to write about. But I will kick myself if I don't. (And I kick hard.)

Communication skills are coming right along, but not quite adequate for a whole interview. Instead, I will act as her agent in citing key points.

Words: Dada, Go, More ("moh"), Get-it, This, and such profuse (and super-cutie) head-shaking to communicate refusal and/or contradiction that it definitely counts as a word.

Favorite Games: Peek-a-Boo, wrestling, rolling a ball, and she still loves dump-and-fill with anything.
Skills: Walking is coming along. She made big strides when Grandma Marsha came to visit and taught her how to use a physio ball as a walker. But now she needs no encouragement. She has caught the vision of what walking can offer. We often catch her carefully standing up without holding onto anything, then walking a few steps, grinning big, until plopping down on her bum. AND, thank goodness, she's coordinated all systems to go down stairs backwards. Hip hip hooray!
She is getting better and better at keeping up with her sisters, and can do more things with them than ever...even doing things from the Crazy Box:
And "sharing" her new birthday toys:
Poppy LOVES to feed herself. Favorite Foods: yogurt, goldfish, applesauce, peaches, pretzels, hummus, pasta w/ marinara sauce, bananas, apples, grapes, marshmallows, and pretty much anything someone else has that she doesn't. Unfortunately she does not like cow's milk, so the old weaning thing is going slowly, but I secretly don't mind. And if I want her to try something new, I just give her a spoon or fork with it, and she will at least give it a shot.

The old Tintin crest is gone, but she still gets called a boy all the time. I'm usually not as outraged or rude as I want to be in those situations, but sometimes I give someone something to think about. I mean, I see it. Round face, short straight hair. And sometimes her clothes have delicate feminine details rather than blaring frills and lace. But just ask. If there is any doubt, or even if there's not, just ask.

We don't really call her Spanky Bum Bum anymore, but names that have stuck are "Little Missy" and "Bungaroo" pretty much. Her sisters adore her, and likewise.

Last Sunday, on Mother's Day, the primary kids got up to sing a song in church. As Hazel, Ginger, and all the other kids walked up the aisles to the front of the chapel, Poppy looked around and immediately started crawling double time up the aisle with the kids. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew she belonged in the middle of it. And that pretty much sums her up.

The 4-Year-Old

Ginger has turned four. Creating her baby book over the last year has given me the needed outlet for sentimentalism so this post will just be about her now and her birthday. We love birthdays around here.
There seems no avoiding at least three celebrations for each kids' birthday - school party, family party, friend party. Some families combine them but we haven't gotten that smooth yet.

So last Friday we sent chocolate chip cupcakes to school, with balloon toothpicks inserted. (Watch the VGP for the birthday recipe lowdown.) She came home wearing a crown with hot-glued plastic jewels on. Sunday was the family party - triple layer dark chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, #4 candle, and too many presents (so sue me. Diego pillow from Grandma and Grandpa among the favorites.) Her little peewee group friends from last year are all spread out at different preschools this year, so she wanted to have them over for a party/reunion. That's next weekend and that will be a different post.

I have this idea to interview each girl on her birthday, to take a snapshot of her interests, language, and preferences, but I'm still figuring out how I want to do it exactly. Last year I interviewed Hazel on her 5th birthday, took notes on some scrap of paper, and promptly lost it. This year I interviewed Ginger - tonight - and decided to blog it as record-keeping. So here it is. (My occasional comments are in parentheses.)

How old are you? Four.

What is your favorite color? Blue. Actually, all light colors.

Who are your favorite friends? Jack, Lizzie, Charlotte, James and my friends at school. And I love the Strattons. Every friend I have. And every cousin. (That just about covers it.)

What do you like to do? Draw, do puzzles and watch TV. And be in the bath. (Also computer games, sorting colored rocks, pretend and real cooking. She likes to be where I am, either doing something together or at least side by side.)

What shows do you like? Dora, Diego and Mary Poppins. My favorite channels are Nick Jr., Sprout and Qubo. (And she loves the Wiggles.)

If you could make up the funnest day, what would you do? Play games, have parties, and have two baths - one in the morning and one in the afternoon and one at night, that's two - and stay in the bath a long time and have twice as much toys and go to the playground or the gym and playing with Poppy for a long long time in her room.

I thought you wanted to give Poppy to another family (this was confided earlier this afternoon amid tears during a blood sugar crash.) Well I just realized she's really really fun.

What's the difference between boys and girls? Girls talk like this (normal voice) and boys talk like this (deep voice.) And old people talk like this - "Now, go on now." (gravelly deep voice - Hazel starting to giggle.) And Moms and Dads speak mom-ish and dad-ish (Hazel giggling greatly now.)

What foods do you like? Pizza, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cake, meat, and of course all different kinds of cupcakes. (Also chips & salsa, hot dogs, cherries, cereal, broccoli, chicken nuggets and eggs.)

What places do you like to go? On walks with our family, the theater where we saw Mary Poppins with Dad, Grandma's house - both Grandmas, the Strattons' house.

(At this point Hazel was dying to be part of the interview and wanted to ask a question) Ginger, what is your favorite time? When it's time to go somewhere fun, time to brush teeth (really?), and bathtime.

What are your favorite books? The Kiss that Missed (she just got it yesterday for her birthday), Knuffle Bunny, Library Lion and Hazel's and my baby books.

What toys do you like to play with? Cars, Blokus and Zingo. (Also dolls, blocks, toy food and new wooden train set.)

Tell me about your favorite animals. I like the stingray best because it stings with its tail and it's really amazing. And the starfish is really cool because he has eyes on each of his legs and arms. And the legs grow in if he loses a leg and the eye grows in with it. (Preschool just had a visitor "expert" from an aquarium.)

What do you want to be when you grow up? Either a doctor or a teenager.

You know you can be both - a teenager first and then a doctor. Um, well, Mom, I'll think about it and let you know what I choose. (In that case I prefer a doctor.)
I would have liked to ask more thought-provoking questions that reveal the workings of her mind, but I didn't have any off the top of my head. Suggestions? This could be a several-day interview. I'd love to make it really worthwhile.

Email to Ed

(I really did send this to him. After 10 years, I'm giving up subtle entirely.)

Dear Mr. Hickman,

This is to remind you that your wife's birthday is 28 days, or 4 weeks, away. She has maintained, updated, and prioritized an extensive wish list that you may take advantage of. Know that items rated "highest" are most wanted, "high" are also much wanted. Some items are noted as "4-for-3" which means if you order any 4 of them, you get the least expensive free. Amazon is known for quick shipping but you should order birthday items at least 1 1/2 weeks ahead of time to be certain. Your wife also loves chocolate and has spelled out her ideal gift box in this blog post, which also includes the link to order it.

It is recommended that you set yourself a reminder for January 21 or 22, which is about a week and a half before her birthday, to do some thinking and shopping. Please flag this email for quick reference. Furthermore, know that any items obtained in exchange for the Christmas gifts you said you would return count as Christmas gifts, not birthday or Mother's Day gifts. Your timely attention to that issue is greatly appreciated.

Finally, Valentine's Day is a mere 12 days after your wife's birthday. It is a time to ponder and express your love for each other. Some of the gifts on her wish list may do that better than others. Flowers and well-thought-out acts of kindness are also good ideas on that day. January 31 is a good day to start thinking about Valentine's Day. It is common to not think about February dates while still in January, so another Blackberry reminder is recommended.

Thank you for your attention to these crucial matters.

Sincerely,
K. Hickman
Hickman Family Administrator

Birthday Pics

February 2

Family dinner:
(Turkey lasagna, antipasto, fruit, Corner Bakery bread)
(Plus new awesome birthday tablecloth I made for myself)
Presents:

Singing:

Blowing:

Happy 34th to me:

Happy 32nd to Ed:

February 3

Ed's Birthday breakfast:

Blowing:

Happy Birthday dance for Daddy:

Happy Birthday, Anne with an E

Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place...

And so begins, and continues for 13 more meticulously punctuated lines, the first sentence of L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. The book turned 100 last month so in honor I am re-reading the girlish treasure, thrilled to rediscover my old friend and co-conspirator. I began last night, and through the first chapter realized it must have been much longer than I thought since I last read it. While the story line was of course familiar, the descriptions read as if for the first time.

I do remember the time Anne accidentally got Diana drunk, and when she bought black hair dye from a peddler that turned her tresses green. Also the precious slate shattered over Gilbert's head in school. But what other delectable details await my rediscovery? What an indulgent treat this is going to be.

Since everything written or said in the book is purely and perfectly Anne, and therefore worth quoting, I'm going to keep a quote box on the sidebar, updated as often as I read. There's nothing better for quotes than a romantic orphan girl-who-was-supposed-to-be-a-boy that can't stop talking.

It Takes Two to Tantrum

(Photo: 3/27/07 - Hazel 2yrs old, Ginger 9wks old)

Hazel turned two last week. And something changed. We had a massive public tantrum two days after her birthday - I'm still too traumatized to discuss the details but the point is that she's TWO! I've read enough child development books to understand the physical and cognitive issues behind tantrums, but I was still caught totally unprepared to handle one. I felt confused and totally helpless, with added frustration and embarrassment of strangers and friends watching. As she lay prostrate on the ground kicking, crying and screaming, HELPLESS was my main feeling - helpless to make her feel better, helpless to fix the situation, helpless to communicate with her, helpless to stop the scene. Anger ran a close second - angry at the people watching, angry at myself for not knowing what to do, angry at Hazel for being "so unreasonable"! And then angry at myself for being angry at her when I understood it was all she could do to express her own frustration.

We just high-tailed it out of the situation as soon as we could, sat outside to recover for awhile, then came home. Put on a show for her (what else? Dora...) and called my Mom to help me recover. Took me all day to recover, really. I also ordered several books on toddlers and tantrums and a brilliant children's book called The Chocolate-Covered-Cookie Tantrum. I don't want to stifle or shame her when she has overwhelming emotions, but I do want to get better at 1) seeing them coming, 2) understanding what's going on behind the tantrum, 3) minimizing feeling embarrassed in public so I can focus on my daughter, and 4) helping her work through them. My mom said this is great practice for the teenage years and she's not the only one. Experts say they're very similar. Don't I know it - I don't remember being two but I distinctly remember having such extreme emotions as a teenager I often didn't know what to do with them - too old to tantrum but lacking any other effective outlet I spent a lot of time crying. Maybe I can help my daughters have a little better time of it...starting now.