For the Love of a Baby (PICTURE OF NEWBORN POSTED)

My Comedian loves babies. I mean - she Love, LoVeS, LOVES babies.

The constant chatter, the incessent need to discuss poopy diapers, the blow-by-blow of what babies do, how they do it, why they need mama's milk (from boooobies, of course) flow from her with ease; all with a babydoll perched on her hip, or shoulder as she gently shushes it and pats it on the back.

Since the day my brother and sister-in-law announced their pregnancy Comedian as been asking "When is Auntie's baby coming out of she's belly?" The tone of the questions became more intense, corresponding - it seemed - with the girth of Auntie's belly. Lately, she was desprately whining at us putting elongated silences between each word to emphasize how serious it was. "When...Is...Auntie's....Baby...Coming...Out....Of...She's....BELLY?"

Needless to say, I was more-than-mildly shocked today at her hesitancy to greet her new cousin.

Elijah Daniel (held by big brother) finally arrived late last night after an unexpectedly long and difficult labor.

And this was as close as my baby-lovin', pretend diaper changin', bottle feedin', back-pattin', shoulder-shushin' Comedian would get.

Apparently, the real thing isn't exactly what she pictured in her head!

A family - complete, I'm told. Congratulations on your baby boy.

Learn To Speak Comedian: Lesson One

Although my sweet Comedian talked at a young age, it took ages before we truly understood her. And, once we did we found ourselves interpreting her sentences for others.

At four-and-a-half she now has what I, an elementary ed teacher, would call age appropriate language skills. However, she has held tight to a few cute mispronounciations, prounoun manipulations, and noun substitutions.

So, do you want to learn to speak Comedian? All right!

LESSON ONE:

Hes (hees) adj. The possessive form of he. Bears a striking resemblance to the usage of 'his' in proper english. Rhymes with 'bees'. Used as a modifier to indicate ownership before a noun: hes shoes, hes momma, hes school, etc.

Now you try it! Oh - come on, it's fun!! Ok, no hands - try this cloze exercise.

"If you can't find your umbrella, borrow ___"

Or this one,

"Momma, ____ shirt is dirtier than _____"

Fun, isn't it? Oh, and being the totally consistant literary child that she is, this prounoun mutation also aplies to 'hers'.

BONUS POINTS: How does Comedian prounounce her version of 'hers'?

Stay tuned for LESSON TWO - 'Leaves'

Show and More Personality Tells

A post reminiscent of last year's personality tell rhyme!

You may recall the running theme of this New England summer has been, rain - rain and...more dark, ominous clouds that result in RAIN!

Yesterday afternoon, after scrambling to get in the first cut of summer hay was no different. So, we pulled out the super cool activity Nana and Papa brought us back from Cape Cod!

Simplicity at its best! Crumple tiny pieces of tissue paper and adhere to a sticky backed pre-cut shape. Um...why can't I think of these ingenious things??

Anyway, I'm always astounded when you give children the SAME materials and they produce vastly DIFFERENT products. When they clearly echo the personality traits of said child I really stop and pause.

Like This: Bear's Butterfly

Organized, and structured yet Fancy. Began with a plan. Colors touch but clearly have their own space without any white showing through. Was completed during the same sitting, punctuated by a hopeful look as she said, "Did I do a good job?".

And Then This One: Comedian's Car

Blending, Overlapping Colors with small white gaps throughout. Little concern for the colors chosen, abstractly creating moment by moment based on what her little fingers grabbed. The end result a Jackson Pollock-like creation that filled her small face with complete pride!

And, just in case you think I might be reading a wee bit too much into my analysis. Take a quick peek at these 'blank canvas' paintings created the day before.

I'm sure don't need to tell you whose is whose.

Now, click over and see what the rest of the class is creating!

Father Speaks...

Friday evening Jer was painting part of the house. Not a job for the kiddos.

Enter Whining Kids: "But, plueeeezzzze daddy. We want to paint too. Pleeeeaaaazzzee???"

Daddy: "Ok. Why don't you give your wagon a new coat of paint? But, don't get any on yourself, your clothes or anything else."

Um...yeah - right. If you say so. Or not.

FYI: Rust-eez + 4 year old + child who gets everything in her hair = A BIG MESS , a ruined dress (that I really liked) and a side of paint thinner.

The lack of an aftershot is purely because I was taking deep breaths to try and contain my rage -- at Jer -- not the kids. Trust me, it was ugly.

Just ask the couch.

Show and Tell -- A Summer Slideshow

To say this summer has been busy would be a gross understatement. I guess I expected that, as all summers tend to get cluttered with activities, but this year it was the sudden onset of our business took me by storm.

We began the summer (read: expectation / responsibility free environment) by playing hooky from the last day of school to escape to soggy Cape Cod. It was blissful, wet or no. And as much as I tried (vowed) to maintain that level of la-de-da, do what we do when we want to do it without looking at the clock mentality at home, the stressors seem to creep in! And, before I knew it, I had managed not just to book us solid for a week, but to overbook a thing or two!

Old habits and all. *sigh* will.do.better! For, I know when the girls look back on this summer they will not remember my superior scheduling ability or feel accomplished by the number of posts I managed to get finished or even families touched by Share Southern Vermont’s outreach.

They will remember:

Tennis Camp!

Strawberry Picking...

and processing...

and how amazing that fresh jam tasted!

And that mom made her FIRST PIE EVER that actually tasted quite good, but that she forgot to line the bottom of the stove with foil and it bubbled over. They will most probably also recall that mom exclaimed, "Thank goodness we don't have smoke detectors in the kitchen" (where - of course, we should) while opening every door and window within 12 feet. Yeah-- good times -- good memories!

Oh - and don't forget our 'borrowed' backyard. Looks sw-eet, yes? Seriously, our neighbor stopped and said, "I worked really hard to get the pool open and now all my kids are away at summer camp, so - use it, whenever you want, even if we aren't here!" Um...OK!

It's like having two of their favorite things...but not! Jumping on the tramp...

Swimming in the pool... um, I mean lounging!

Eating popsicles in the bathtub because it is Pouring Rain - AGAIN!

Hanging out in the boat, instead of on the lake, because...well - you guessed it...MORE RAIN!

Oh, and who can forget Comedian's face when Grandma lit a sparkler on the 4th of July??

Balance…balance…family, ‘work’, posting, SSV, commenting – oops, just fell of the beam again!

Here’s to summer. Here’s to memory making. Here’s to time well spent!!

Now, be sure to check out what the rest of the class is showing.

Perfect Moment Monday -- Table for Three?

As of late, Jer has been working into the night using every ounce of daylight to accomplish something. That is a feat, as I truly thought we were headed for another 40 day flood.

As a result it is often just the girls and I for dinner. The other nights, they were seated with full plates as I worked on filling mine. My back was to them when I heard this conversation.

Comedian: "Just the two of us..."

Bear: (in a serious-fact-correcting, yet very light hearted tone) "Comedian, you know there are three girls in this family. Emma went in mommy's belly first. Then she died. Then she came out. Then I went in mommy's belly next. I didn't die. Then I came out. Then you went in mommy's belly last. You didn't die either. They you came out. And that is why there are three sisters but only two of us eat at the dinner table."

Comedian: (not deterred in the slightest) " Yeah! Cause Emma lives to God. So Emma eats with God. She doesn't need to eat at our table cause God has great food at his table in heaven."

Cue random topic change, giggles and the rest of our dinner.

I love that they speak of Emma so concretely. I love that I was able to listen without falling apart. Oh boy...how far we've come.

Show and Tell: The Post Where I Clarify My Marriage Status...

When posting about our vacation I missed a small detail...my husband didn't go.

During the winter his business had finally been effected by that darn recession sweeping the nation and he went months without consistant work. About a month before our scheduled vaca the work started to re-appear. We both agreed it was best for him to stay behind, so -- I invited one of my bestest friends and her twin eight year old girls.

It was an estrogen fest of the best kind. Hence, the "must get permission from the other mother" comment.

Check this out!

This was the day we said, "Rain - Smain! You can't stop us from romping on the beach! We are warriors!" We kinda had to be for the wind seemed to be having a contest with the rain for 'most deterring'. Don't these troopers look happy!! We lasted about 15 minutes, and then -- admitted defeat.

"Thank Goodness we have cars!" said Bear. I said, "Amen!" "And Houses..." she added.

A few more of my favorite moments...

And, for your viewing pleasure -- a miniature version of the workout I do nearly everyday. These girls rocked out the Turbo Jam on a daily basis. Yes, I took my workout with me on vacation...I know, I KNOW...but still I think we (the adults) might have actually lost weight on our vacation!

Click here to see what the rest of the class is showing...