Just a TITCH late--Happy Birthday, Daphne!

Ok, so her birthday was a month ago. I have had a few tiny things to do in the last month. Like breast-feed non-stop and go through endless boxes of clothes trying to find one solitary pair of short or capris that might fit me without the use of a rubber band or liposuction. That took the better part of 3 weeks, truthfully. So, lest she feel slighted when she grows up and reads this blog, here is the recap on Daphne's 6th birthday:

It started with Daphne wanting a dress-up party. But not a princess dress-up party. More like a costume party. She just wanted everyone to dress up as something. Daphne chose to wear her Cleopatra costume from last Halloween. Likewise, Beck wore a Halloween costume, but from two years ago. So he was a Cowboy in Floods.

Next Daphne requested a piñata. A rainbow unicorn piñata, to be exact. And animal print decor. Then she picked out cupcake invitations. And her cake was a giant purse. Are you sensing a lack of cohesion here? Big Daddy tried to make her change some things, to make it more matchy. But I said, what the heck. It's her birthday, let her have what she wants. So a Mexican Costume-Jungle-Cupake-Purse Party, it was! There was a general black/white/hot pink-ness to it, but that's about all that tied it together. And it turned out great.






We played musical chairs, did a relay race, heard the REAL version of Rapunzel, told by Daphne's grandma Boppie, ate cake, jumped on the tramp, and hit the piñata. Here are a few pics:







We started the piñata game with each girl getting two blindfolded hits.


Then we went to three non-blindfolded hits. But even our experienced Mexican princess couldn't get it open.


Eventually we had to break it open the hard way: by 9 iron.

But then candy and toys were a-flowing.



Finally there was cake and ice cream.


And presents...




At age 6, here are some things you should know about Daphne: Daphne is a very unique child. She talks (and argues) like a grown-up, wise beyond her years. She isn't afraid of anyone or anything. She loves all animals, from the biggest down to the smallest (which means she is always bringing "pet" bugs and worms into the house). She doesn't care much for girly stuff like princesses and make-up and jewelry. But she does have quite a liking for the boys already. She hates school but loves her teacher. She doesn't find much need for sleep. She doesn't eat a lot, won't touch any potato product (including french fries), but loves her vegetables. Daphne cares a great deal for frosting (hmmm, wonder where she gets that from?). She is HIGHLY determined and precocious. Just try changing her mind about anything. Daphne is a very talented artist. She is very conscious of textures (tags and seams are her worst enemy). She isn't much of a snuggler, but she is very tender-hearted. She cares for every last creature on this earth and wants to take care of them all, especially her baby sister. Although many of Daphne's more stubborn traits can be less than endearing now, I know they will serve her well as an adult and that she will do something truly amazing with that tenacity. I expect great things from my Daphne.


Happy Birthday, Little Girl!

Four-Eyes

I'm so sorry, My Dear, for cursing you with bad vision. I'd blame it on your dad, but considering you only have one bad eye and one good eye, and it's the exact same bad eye I had when I got glasses, I'm pretty sure it's my fault. But, hey, only three more years until contacts!

How To Prevent 10 Minutes Of Daily Screaming, Whining, and Fit Throwing

I asked Daphne if she wanted a haircut.

"Noooo!!!" She shrieked, "I want to be Repunzel!"

Well, if you let me cut your hair, I won't have to use the ouchie brush to get through that rat's nest on the back of your head every day.

"Really? No more ouchie brush?"

Really.

"Mommy, cut my hair! Cut it right now!!!!"




Voilà!...




(This was her hair before the cut, in case you're not up on D's hair. If you look closely, you can even see the rat's nest emerging from her hair in the back.)


Ahhhh....now what to do with those extra 10 tear-free minutes each morning?

School Daze

Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I present to you

A KINDERGARTENER

AND

A PRESCHOOLER!!!

Seriously, how did I get to this point???? My babies are all grown up. Sniff...

But I have to tell you the absolute most adorable thing Beck said to me when I told him it was his first day of school today. He pumped his fist in the air and shouted, "I'm going to LEARN!!!"

That's my boy.

The Mouths Of Babes

This is an actual conversation I had with Daphne today:

Me: Daphne, I'm going to turn the TV off now.

Daphne: But why?!? This show is about LOVE!!!



She was watching Garfield. The cartoon.




I did let her keep the show on because, well, I guess I'm a sucker for a good love story.

For The Relatives

I realize not everyone out there cares to see pictures of my daughter's birthday party. But I have to satisfy the family readers every so often. So here are the pics, in case you missed the festivities...

Daphne went back and forth on which kind of party she wanted. First she wanted a Chuck E Cheese party. Then a swim party. Then she wanted a fish party. I thought that sounded promising--I planned on giving away little bags of goldfish as party favors. But then she wanted a gerbil party. I couldn't really see giving away bags of gerbils as party favors, so that idea got nixed. Then she wanted a pirate party. But finally she decided the pool party would be the most fun. And I have to admit I tried to sway her in that direction since an outdoor party means way less work for Mommy.

When the kids arrived, I had them decorate their own treat bags with sparkley foam stickers and markers.



Then the water festivities began. The kids swam in the pool, slid down the waterslide into the pool, skidded along the Slip 'n' Slides, shot each other with water cannons and squirt guns, cried about being shot by water cannons and squirt guns, threw water balloons at each other, cried about being hit by water balloons, and rolled each other in the giant blow-up hamster wheel. (I should have taken more pictures of this part of the party, but I was too busy blasting kids in the face with silly string.)

Next they decorated their own cupcakes. There had been some discussion early on about the cake. At first Daphne's cake requests changed along with the party theme ideas. But eventually she decided on cupcakes, which each child would decorate herself. I was a big fan of this idea. So I made cherry chip cupcakes, dunked them in chocolate ganache (which makes a wonderful, smooth canvas for decorating on), and then made buttercream frosting of various colors. I put the frosting in ziplock baggies and cut the tips off to use as decorator bags. And then I passed out ten different kinds of sprinkles, red hots, colored sugar, and candy flowers. All of this took place outside on the picnic table, of course. So no mess to clean up. I seriously LOVE outdoor parties! I wonder if Beck would want a pool party too. Next December.

What I had invisioned for the cupcake decorating:



How they turned out:

Ah well, at least there were no sprinkles or frosting on my floor.


Next Daphne took a few minutes to ham it up with her presents....





And just as the kids were starting to get their full sugar buzz, it was time to to send them home.

Perfect.


I wonder if I can convince Daphne to do this again next year.

Birthday Someone

Someone is very social. VERY.

Someone is finally wearing her appropriate size of clothes (after being two sizes smaller her whole life).

Someone loves animals.

Someone loves to talk and talk and talk.

Someone likes to shake her booty.

Someone asks for a peanut butter sandwich every single day, at least twice a day.

Someone loves to color.

Someone loves to ask questions.

Someone likes me to call her Suckerblooder (when she is a vampire, of course.)

Someone always wants to play with friends.

Someone adores wearing nightgowns.

Someone likes to make up elaborate names for every one of her toys.

However, someone can't remember the names of any actual people she knows.

Someone is practically a fish when she is in the pool.

Someone isn't afraid of grown ups. Or strangers. In fact, she prefers them.

Someone likes to make friends with bugs and worms.

Someone likes to eat her vegetables.

Someone is a good helper.

Someone wants a pet fish, a pet gerbil, a pet hamster, a puppy, a kitten, a pony, and a chinchilla. (Someone only has an unfriendly cat.)

Someone is a meat lover.

Someone is a daddy's girl.

Someone loves sugary treats. For every meal. And after every meal. And between every meal. (I wonder where she gets that from?)

Someone has started liking shows with real people, not cartoons.

Someone is a flirt.

Someone is my little girl, Daphne.

And Someone just turned FIVE!




Happy Birthday, Lambie Pie!

Skool Dayz

Last January I put Daphne into the lottery for three charter schools within 15 minutes of my house. By March, all three had replied that she did not get in. Her lowest position on their waiting lists was 23rd, and her highest was 78th. So since that time I've been scrambling to find a better school to send Daphne to than our local one (which sucks royally). I had finally decided on a public school about 10 minutes away that got exceptionally high scores on their national tests and got great reviews from the other mom I know who sends her kids there. I have been waiting since March for the final word from their principal to say she will be allowed in (they take out-of-boundaries kids, but only if there is space after the regular in-boundaries kids are registered).

Then this morning I got a call from one of the charters saying she was accepted if I still wanted her in. I was kind of leaning towards not. I'd have to buy uniforms (and in all likelihood would send her somewhere else for 1st grade, either because we had moved--hope, hope, hope--or because this charter was my least favorite of the three), and I just wasn't crazy about the school mission statement/curriculum. But I decided to take her in for her assessment testing anyway, just in case. You never know how things will shake down between May and September.

During Daphne's assessment, I read through the literature they gave me on how they run the elementary school, what her curriculum would be, what projects they would do, etc. It actually impressed me a lot more than the online mission statement had done. It looked pretty fun! Next I took the liberty of exploring the kindergarten classroom while Daphne recited her ABC's to the teacher. That's when I saw this...



Should I be worried???


**Ironically, not an hour after I got home from the charter assessment, the public school I'd been holding out for called to say that the principal had denied all out-of-boundaries requests! So I guess the phonics libary school is it. Heaven help us!

A Christening

For some reason today Daphne decided that our cat, Flossie, needed a new name. She presented her choice on paper...



The suggested new name, in case you can't read Daphne's writing, is

Sprinkle Toes.

(Um, I'm still going to call the cat Flossie.)

An Open Letter To An Unlucky Preschool Teacher

Dear Mrs. Rose,

I'd like to apologize in advance for the fact that Daphne will spend half of today glued to the cieling. I'd like to send my sincerest regrets for any furniture or other children who get broken. Please forgive her if she talks so fast it seems she is speaking in tongues. And when there is a circular path worn in the carpet around her chair, I will pay for it to be fixed, of course.

You see, when I sent her to the kitchen today with permission to get a drink of juice, I couldn't have foreseen that she would find it easier to take a drink from my bottle of Crystal Light Energy on the counter (with 120 gms of caffeine). And I could never have guessed that she could consume half of it in the 8 seconds she was in the kitchen. But I clearly underestimated both her thirst and her resourcefulness.

So please, forgive her for what will undoubtedly be her worst behaved day ever. 60 grams of caffiene and a 30 lb girl isn't the best combination.

Sincerely,

Daphne's Mom

Metamorphosis

This little girl used to look like this....

We called her Scragglemuffin.

Now she looks like this...


And we call her Princess of Enchanted Beauty.


Until she says, "Mommy, my name is just Daphne!"


"Fine, Just Daphne. Princess of Enchanted Beauty."

What Happens When You Let Your Little Brother Tie You Up

Yes, this could have ended tragically in a hanging.

But instead it ended hilariously in a face contorting, so I had to run and get my camera before untying the victim.

p.s. In case you are wondering, I am NOT a bad mother. I actually DID do my daughter's hair this morning!



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The Mouths of Babes

Daphne: Mom, I'm packing a bag because I need a fication.

Daphne, after I have asked her twice to clean up her room (and she hasn't so I have started telling her to pick up items one by one): "Mommy, you're acting like a mean witch!"

Daphne: Mommy, I'm a fairy!
Me: I see your wings. Does that mean if I put you on top of the table and give you a push you'll fly away into the trees?
Daphne: No, Mom. It's just betend.

This morning I made a rabbit-shaped pancake for Daphne. Her first bite was to eat its ear. As usual, I exclaimed, "Oh no, Daphne! Not the ear! How will that poor rabbit hear??" Usually this makes the kids scream with laughter. But today Daphne just looked at me and shook her head. "Mom, it's just a pancake."

ACK! I think my little girl is growing up!

Petrified

Daphne has suddenly just realized that there is a world outside her fully-fenced yard. Previously, she played once or twice a week with one other boy in our neighborhood during previously scheduled play dates. But suddenly kids have been showing up on the doorstep, asking for her to play, who have never shown up before. And she suddenly wants to go to their houses to play. I see these kids running up and down the sidewalks and streets, around the corners, into and out of each other's houses and yards. And I can see why Daphne wants to be a part of it. It's exciting and independent and FUN. It's also TERRIFYING. To me. She's only four years old! And we live on a busy-ish street. In a crappy neighborhood. With homeless men and drug dealers and polygamist raids on every side.

I know these kids' moms. And they are all good people. But either they are overly naive or I am overly paranoid. Because I am absolutely petrified to think of letting Daphne run crazy around the neighborhood without supervision at her young age.

So I ask those of you who have/have had little kids: What is your take on letting kids leave the yard unsupervised? Do you let them walk to the neighbor's house without a chaperon? Do you make them call when they get there and/or call before they head home? Are they allowed to leave said neighbor's house for another neighbor's house? Can they play out in the front yards? On the sidewalks? If not, at what age do you allow this stuff?

And here's another question: What is the protocol for going to play at another kid's house? Do you let your kids just show up on someone's doorstep to ask if they can play? Or do you make calls first? 'Cause I've had at least 5 neighborhood kids simply show up at my house and ask to come in. And I tend to think that's kind of rude. That maybe their parents should call first and see if it's OK. I don't just show up at their house and ask to come in, do I? but maybe I'm totally out of touch. Maybe this is the way it works with kids. Daphne is my first, so I really have no clue on 4-Year-Old Play Etiquette.

Any thoughts? Enlighten me.

Daphne - Top 10

Daphne...


10. I love how you have always walked around with your hands full of small toys. As long as you’ve been able to hold toys, you’ve never had your hands empty. There’s always at least one tiny toy, if not a dozen, clutched in each hand.
9. I love that you never give up on the cat. No matter how many times she scratches you or runs away from you, you still want her to be your best friend.
8. I love that you’re a baked goods girl, just like your mommy. You don’t bother with ice cream, and you eat your cake frosting first, just as it should be.
7. I love that you are fearless. I can’t think of a time that you’ve ever shied away from anything new. You ran into nursery the first day and never looked back. You ran into Sunbeams the first day and only looked back to tell me I could go now. You ran into your first day of preschool. You run into every new thing, arms open wide.
6. You’re a talker. Though sometimes your hypothetical, unanswerable questions drive me batty, I love that you are able to express yourself so well.
5. I love your super bubble butt. It is so fat and round and fabulous.
4. I love that you have let me convince you that your eyes are hazel. OK, they may be only golden brown with a slight ring of grey on the outside. But you know it makes me happy to call them hazel, so hazel they are to you.
3. I love that it is physically impossible for you to tell people only your first name. It’s the whole thing, first middle and last, or nothing at all.
2. I love that you run everywhere you go. You never walk. I can hear the pitter patter of your feet in the hallway upstairs when I lay in bed---full speed every time.
1. I love how friendly you are. You love people (just like me) . And every time you meet someone new, you give them a big hug without being told. It’s so endearing (and maybe a little startling to some people, but who cares!) As a baby, you would hold out your arms to complete strangers at the store. They loved you! You got a charge out of making people fall in love with you, and you still do. (And it still works!)

Speaking of Cake

During Daphne's party, as the children devoured their gummy tape covered cake, a child was heard to ask, "Can I have some more M&Ms?" And I can't be sure these words actually came out of my mouth, but I think I may have said, "No more candy until you finish your cake!"

Now that's what I call good parenting.

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