The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree

Last week, Princess and Juicy Boy were finishing up their lunch of hot dogs and applesauce. This lunch, although not appealing to me (I do not like hot dogs. Never have. Never will...and I really don't care for applesauce), was what Princess asked for and Juicy Boy likes. Juicy Boy was enjoying his meal and so was Princess. That is until she heard her show come on television.

The theme song started and she immediately tells me that she's not hungry. Princess is not a big eater, but I do require her to eat three meals a day. So, I told her that she could watch her show after she ate her lunch. She gave me the defeated look and stared at her food. I told her the faster she got through her meal the faster she would be able to watch her show.

I turned my attention back to washing the dishes and Princess jumped up and told me she had to go to the bathroom. I told her to hurry up and go. Well, I wasn't paying attention when I told her to go to the bathroom, but I did glance up as she was running to the bathroom and started laughing to myself. Princess was running to the bathroom with a fist full of hot dog nuggets.

I couldn't believe that she was attempting to run a game on me! She wasn't running just any game on me, but the game that I perfected with vegetables when I was her age. Here are the rules: When you have food on your plate that you don't want to eat, you ask to be excused to the bathroom and then shove veggies in your mouth and immediately spit them in the toilet (my version) or put them in your fist and throw them in the toilet (her version).

My dear Princess thought she had it made, but I stopped her. I told her to show me her hands. She did and this big smile appeared on both of our faces. I didn't tell her that I used to do the same thing with my vegetables, but I told her that she had to eat some of those hot dogs and that I would tape her show so she wouldn't miss any of it.

She ate all of her hot dog nuggets and watched her show while I continued to have a good laugh. Princess doesn't know, but I was so good at playing the game that my parents only knew that I flushed my vegetables down the toilet because I told them once I became an adult:)

Kindergartener's Can Do It

On Tuesday, September 2, 2008 my big girl started kindergarten at my school! Princess was sooo excited to get school supplies, select her own backpack and lunch bag for the first time. She woke up the ready to go to school on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Each day we had to tell Princess that she had to wait until Tuesday to go to school. She couldn't wait!

Tuesday morning arrived and she woke up with bright eyes. She ate breakfast while I played one of her favorite songs, "Everybody Rejoice" from The Wiz. Then we played "Superstar" by Lupe Fiasco (another favorite of hers) to remind her that she is a star (shining bright to see what she can truly be - you know I have to get my EW&F in). We got dressed and headed to school.

She grinned from the time we hit the door until we got home. She was excited to see her new teacher. She was excited to see that she knew people in her class already. She was excited to know a lot of the teachers in the building already (one of her Godmothers teaches there also). She was excited to be in Mommy's big school because she was a big girl. She was just happy! She reminded me that "kindergarteners can do it!"

I was happy too. Since I work at her school, I popped my head in a couple of times to check on her. She was so into what was going on that she didn't even see me. Princess is fortunate to have a loving and talented teacher who will challenge her academically in a warm and nurturing environment. I stopped by to spend some time with Princess at lunch time. She was eating her lunch and enjoying her new friends and school. She grinned, gave me a big hug, and told me that she was having so much fun! Just what a mommy wants to hear on the first day of school.

At dismissal she came to me with a big hug and bright eyes. Princess and all of the other students who have parents that work at the school were treated to ice cream sandwiches. One of teachers (a good friend and member of Team MBS) treated the students to welcome the new members of our school family.

It was a good day!

Shave and a Haircut

I started back to school two weeks ago. The relaxing, hazy days of summer were over and I was getting into the swing of things at work. I came home happy to see my family and eager to spend quality time with them. On Thursday, while playing with Juicy Boy after work, I noticed that something wasn't quite right with his hair. I looked and rubbed and looked and rubbed. I told Bear that Juicy Boy's hair looked like he had a plug missing. He assured me that he didn't touch Juicy Boy's hair since his last haircut the week before.

I kept looking and then turned to Princess to ask if she knew anything about Juicy Boy's new hairstyle. She didn't say anything. Bear asked her if she cut some of Juicy Boy's haircut. She hid her face in his shirt. The truth sssssssssssssslllllllllloooooooooooowwwwwwlllllllllllllyyyyyyy came out. She was cutting her dolls hair and decided to cut a piece of his! I went in her room and found the curls on the floor.

We talked with her and explained how Juicy Boy could have gotten hurt if he had moved while she was cutting his hair. She cried and apologized and we went about our evening.

I went to work the next day and hung out with Team MBS after work. When I came home and opened the door, Bear told me to close my eyes. I said okay and listened to him tell me that I was hot or cold in order to reach him. I like games and Bear likes surprising me just because, so I was trying to figure out what I would see when I opened my eyes. I was wondering if it was a new top, some cute shoes, a pair of running socks. It could be anything.

Well, when I opened my eyes I couldn't believe it...a little brown Calliou was staring at me. Bear had shaved off all of Juicy Boys hair to even out the plug his loving sister "styled" into his hair. I wanted to cry! Juicy Boy just sat there with his big bright eyes and laughed. Bear said he almost gave Juicy Boy a fro-hawk, but the plug was in the wrong place. Lord help us!

Juicy Boy's hair is growing back...thank God! There are too many stylists in the house:)

Up in the Air Jr. Birdsman...

Juicy Boy's newest "thing" is his excitement about planes. Whenever he hears a plane he looks up to see where it is. Then he squeals with delight, "ooooh! wow! plane!!" We love to see his enthusiasm.

Bear thought it would be a good idea to for us to hang out on the Potomac River near National Airport and watch the planes land. So, off we went...

Juicy Boy loved it...and so did Princess. This was one of those family outings that everyone enjoyed. Check out the slideshow from the day.