Natalie - "Jesus died on the cross"
Me - "That's right"
Natalie - "He died at Easter"
Me - "Yes. And this is Christmas, when we celebrate His birth"
Natalie - "He died, but then a couple days later He got all better........ That's pretty cool".
Indeed!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Natalie's birthday party
Better late than never! Pictures will be out later.
We had her party at a local farm this year - Marley Farms. Wonderful place! Huge facility, so much to do. There is a mini hay maze, playground, petting zoo with goats and sheep - and the animals are SO docile - Oliver can (and did!) go right up to them and hug them. They got to feed animals in the barn - llamas (didn't get spit on this time), pigs, donkeys. Two bounce houses. A covered area for lunch. And they got pony rides! Natalie was thrilled too - we were expecting it to be a pony ring - nope - they got to get on a pony and actually ride along a trail - she's been dying to do that but is still too young for most trail rides. It is really a neat place, and a great place for a party! Her friend Walker had his there in September - it was so much fun - I booked it when we got home. That's also when a llama spat on me. Grossest thing ever. And I couldn't even drop an F-bomb because there were too many kids around. Had about 16 kids total - some friends from school, family friends, and friends from Natalie's old pre-school. And of course Mitz, Aunt Jamie, and Uncle Mike (who made her day with his gift. God love him, he tracked down the Zhu Zhu pet she wanted most - the grey one - Numnums. He went through Craigslist to get it!).
The farm also operates as a rescue - they even have camels and zebras there! And a zonkey. They took in a pregnant donkey, and when it gave birth, apparently whoever had it originally mated it with a zebra. No shit. Donkey face, zebra-striped legs. Wild.
On Natalie's actual birthday we had dinner at home. Tacos (her request) and a giant cupcake cake. Nicholas, Rex, Ray and Mitz came for dinner. Lots of fun!
We had her party at a local farm this year - Marley Farms. Wonderful place! Huge facility, so much to do. There is a mini hay maze, playground, petting zoo with goats and sheep - and the animals are SO docile - Oliver can (and did!) go right up to them and hug them. They got to feed animals in the barn - llamas (didn't get spit on this time), pigs, donkeys. Two bounce houses. A covered area for lunch. And they got pony rides! Natalie was thrilled too - we were expecting it to be a pony ring - nope - they got to get on a pony and actually ride along a trail - she's been dying to do that but is still too young for most trail rides. It is really a neat place, and a great place for a party! Her friend Walker had his there in September - it was so much fun - I booked it when we got home. That's also when a llama spat on me. Grossest thing ever. And I couldn't even drop an F-bomb because there were too many kids around. Had about 16 kids total - some friends from school, family friends, and friends from Natalie's old pre-school. And of course Mitz, Aunt Jamie, and Uncle Mike (who made her day with his gift. God love him, he tracked down the Zhu Zhu pet she wanted most - the grey one - Numnums. He went through Craigslist to get it!).
The farm also operates as a rescue - they even have camels and zebras there! And a zonkey. They took in a pregnant donkey, and when it gave birth, apparently whoever had it originally mated it with a zebra. No shit. Donkey face, zebra-striped legs. Wild.
On Natalie's actual birthday we had dinner at home. Tacos (her request) and a giant cupcake cake. Nicholas, Rex, Ray and Mitz came for dinner. Lots of fun!
Teddy Bear Tea
Yesterday, Mitz and I took Natalie to her first tea! The Ritz-Carlton in Scottsdale holds a Teddy Bear tea each year during the holidays - Mitz and I love to have regular afternoon tea at the Ritz. They hold the Teddy Bear tea in the grand ballroom - the kids have a special menu (PB&J, ham and cheese sandwiches, hot cocoa), adults have a normal afternoon tea (savory sandwiches and lovely little desserts and scones). The ballroom was beautiful - lots of Christmas trees, the entire ceiling was lit up. The man who is in charge of tea there made an appearance and sang some Christmas carols. Once we ate, the kids went to an adjoining area to hear a story read by Mrs. Claus, then they had a puppet show, and a visit from Santa. Natalie was just wide-eyed through all of it. And even had her own cup of tea in addition to cocoa - "Tea is really good... With LOTS of sugar". And Mr. Teddy Bear made the rounds of the room - he got lots of hugs from Natalie! She also used some of her birthday present money to buy herself a special bear to remember the event.
And I have to give mad props to the Ritz with regards to accommodating Natalie's allergies. I called ahead to let them know - they thanked me, told me we'd have our own table (all parties do - I just wasn't sure since it was in the ballroom) and they'd do what they could to mitigate any risk. When we checked in, I could see our reservation - they put a huge note on it about the allergy. Then we were barely in our seats when the maitre-d' came over to let us know he was aware of her allergies, explained what the items to be served contained (you'd be surprised at how many restaurant staff do NOT know what the dishes contain). I expected them to just serve the ham and cheese to her. Nope. They made special jelly-only sandwiches in addition to the h&c. And since most of the desserts contained nuts, they brought her a dish of ice cream - and would have made her a sundae if she'd wanted one. They also brought her another dish because her first one melted - it was served just before story time, so she didn't get to finish. And they brought her a plate full of huge, fresh strawberries. They were so kind, and so accommodating, and managed it without making a big production about it either. Oh and they also sat us at a table near the door - didn't have a lot of tables close to us either, but we weren't in BFE either - just the best place for us in case of any airborne nut dust.
And now for a little bit of WTF... When I was gone from the table at one point, the maitre-d' mentioned to my mom that there was another nut allergy in the room, but they didn't know until they were seated - they had to strip the table completely and start over. I was flabbergasted. I'm well aware of how serious nut allergies can be, and cannot believe that those parents did not call ahead. The menu for the event was posted on the Ritz's site, so it wasn't as if it were a surprise. Besides the fact that they were playing with fire, that was just so rude to the staff - the event is busy enough without having to scramble to accommodate an allergy at the last minute.
And the icing on the cake? Near the end, a table near us was leaving. The mother made a point of stopping by to tell me how "lovely" Natalie's manners are - and that she was a former teacher so she notices and appreciates well-mannered children. I guess she was near Natalie during the story time/puppet show - some kids were standing up and blocking views, and Natalie was very polite about the whole thing. I was so proud of her! And it made an impression on her as well. I told Jon about it this morning (he got back in the wee hours last night/this morning), and he told me Natalie had already told him all about it!
Yes there are pictures. No they won't be up tonight. Soon.
And I have to give mad props to the Ritz with regards to accommodating Natalie's allergies. I called ahead to let them know - they thanked me, told me we'd have our own table (all parties do - I just wasn't sure since it was in the ballroom) and they'd do what they could to mitigate any risk. When we checked in, I could see our reservation - they put a huge note on it about the allergy. Then we were barely in our seats when the maitre-d' came over to let us know he was aware of her allergies, explained what the items to be served contained (you'd be surprised at how many restaurant staff do NOT know what the dishes contain). I expected them to just serve the ham and cheese to her. Nope. They made special jelly-only sandwiches in addition to the h&c. And since most of the desserts contained nuts, they brought her a dish of ice cream - and would have made her a sundae if she'd wanted one. They also brought her another dish because her first one melted - it was served just before story time, so she didn't get to finish. And they brought her a plate full of huge, fresh strawberries. They were so kind, and so accommodating, and managed it without making a big production about it either. Oh and they also sat us at a table near the door - didn't have a lot of tables close to us either, but we weren't in BFE either - just the best place for us in case of any airborne nut dust.
And now for a little bit of WTF... When I was gone from the table at one point, the maitre-d' mentioned to my mom that there was another nut allergy in the room, but they didn't know until they were seated - they had to strip the table completely and start over. I was flabbergasted. I'm well aware of how serious nut allergies can be, and cannot believe that those parents did not call ahead. The menu for the event was posted on the Ritz's site, so it wasn't as if it were a surprise. Besides the fact that they were playing with fire, that was just so rude to the staff - the event is busy enough without having to scramble to accommodate an allergy at the last minute.
And the icing on the cake? Near the end, a table near us was leaving. The mother made a point of stopping by to tell me how "lovely" Natalie's manners are - and that she was a former teacher so she notices and appreciates well-mannered children. I guess she was near Natalie during the story time/puppet show - some kids were standing up and blocking views, and Natalie was very polite about the whole thing. I was so proud of her! And it made an impression on her as well. I told Jon about it this morning (he got back in the wee hours last night/this morning), and he told me Natalie had already told him all about it!
Yes there are pictures. No they won't be up tonight. Soon.
Friday, December 18, 2009
5 year stats!
Natalie had her 5 year check-up today! And because she started kindergarten early, and needed shots prior to school starting, this was a no-shot visit. We were all relieved. :-)
She is:
47.5" tall - off the charts
48 pounds - 97th percentile
She is:
47.5" tall - off the charts
48 pounds - 97th percentile
Oliver has a new nickname...
I volunteered in Natalie's classroom today - wound up staying the whole day (they got out at 11:45) - her poor teacher was swamped. Holiday party and all that. On a side note, I can't believe I ever thought I wanted to be a teacher. Anyone who works in a school deserves a medal. I needed a drink and a loooooooooooooong nap afterwards. The kids were good and I had a blast, but God, holiday excitement and 29 kids?
Anyway, had Oliver with me because Jon is OOT - N's teacher was fine with that. Most of the day went well - the kids loved him - so much that Mrs. A. would rotate kids assigned to keep an eye on him/keep him happy so I could work a station. Even on the playground, if he was on the equipment, 4 or 5 kids would form a barricade around him so the other K classes didn't trample him. So sweet! Natalie was such a good big sister to him today too - very protective. When we first got there, the kids were watching The Grinch, the desk next to Natalie was empty, so Oliver sat there like a big kid - it was so cute! And he had N's classmates vying to sit next to him at lunch.
Then they got the blocks out. And O got overly excited, tossed a block, and somehow managed to clock two of Natalie's classmates in the head. I wanted to die - he wasn't being mean, just excited, but still... One of them was one of N's friends/neighbors of ours - I know Brooklyn gets picked up, so I just waited with her after school so I could apologize to Lisa (her mom) and let her know if there are any residual issues (hopefully not, she didn't even bruise, TG!) to let me know. I apologized to the other boy and had Oliver hug him and say "sorry".
So several of the other kids started calling Oliver "Evil Baby". And it stuck. I've been calling him that too (affectionately). One of the kids noticed Oliver needed a diaper change "Hey Mrs. Z.... Evil baby has an evil diaper". And if you ask Oliver "Are you Evil Baby?" He nods and says "mmm hmmm". LOL
Anyway, had Oliver with me because Jon is OOT - N's teacher was fine with that. Most of the day went well - the kids loved him - so much that Mrs. A. would rotate kids assigned to keep an eye on him/keep him happy so I could work a station. Even on the playground, if he was on the equipment, 4 or 5 kids would form a barricade around him so the other K classes didn't trample him. So sweet! Natalie was such a good big sister to him today too - very protective. When we first got there, the kids were watching The Grinch, the desk next to Natalie was empty, so Oliver sat there like a big kid - it was so cute! And he had N's classmates vying to sit next to him at lunch.
Then they got the blocks out. And O got overly excited, tossed a block, and somehow managed to clock two of Natalie's classmates in the head. I wanted to die - he wasn't being mean, just excited, but still... One of them was one of N's friends/neighbors of ours - I know Brooklyn gets picked up, so I just waited with her after school so I could apologize to Lisa (her mom) and let her know if there are any residual issues (hopefully not, she didn't even bruise, TG!) to let me know. I apologized to the other boy and had Oliver hug him and say "sorry".
So several of the other kids started calling Oliver "Evil Baby". And it stuck. I've been calling him that too (affectionately). One of the kids noticed Oliver needed a diaper change "Hey Mrs. Z.... Evil baby has an evil diaper". And if you ask Oliver "Are you Evil Baby?" He nods and says "mmm hmmm". LOL
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Happy Birthday, Grandma!
A day late. Ugh. Meant to post yesterday, and got distracted every time!
We love you!
We love you!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Happy Birthday, Natalie!!
Our baby is 5 today. 5!!! She's so excited too!
Jon woke her up - "How does it feel to be 4?"
She mumbled, groaned a bit. Then he said her eyes popped open - "I'm 5 now, right? Look how BIG I am". :-)
Then she came running down the stairs - "Mommy, I'm 5! I'm 5! I'm 5!!".
Gave her ice cream for breakfast (hey, it's dairy! And she had fruit and a granola bar too, so call off the CPS dogs. I'll wait here for my Mother of the Year award - damn thing never shows).
I'm taking cupcakes to her school later on. Then Mitz (maybe Pops, he's working), Nicholas, Rex and Ray are coming for dinner and cake!
She had a party at a local farm on Sunday - so much fun - more on that later. Too much crap to do today.
But in the meantime - Happy Happy Happy Birthday, sweet girl - we love you more than you could ever know! You bring us so much love and joy - everyone should have a Natalie!
And Happy Birthday to Aunt Annie too!
Jon woke her up - "How does it feel to be 4?"
She mumbled, groaned a bit. Then he said her eyes popped open - "I'm 5 now, right? Look how BIG I am". :-)
Then she came running down the stairs - "Mommy, I'm 5! I'm 5! I'm 5!!".
Gave her ice cream for breakfast (hey, it's dairy! And she had fruit and a granola bar too, so call off the CPS dogs. I'll wait here for my Mother of the Year award - damn thing never shows).
I'm taking cupcakes to her school later on. Then Mitz (maybe Pops, he's working), Nicholas, Rex and Ray are coming for dinner and cake!
She had a party at a local farm on Sunday - so much fun - more on that later. Too much crap to do today.
But in the meantime - Happy Happy Happy Birthday, sweet girl - we love you more than you could ever know! You bring us so much love and joy - everyone should have a Natalie!
And Happy Birthday to Aunt Annie too!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Ho Ho Ho!
I just realized I didn't post this year's Santa pics here. They are on Facebook, and on our Christmas cards, but I love overkill, AND I still laugh every time I see this. I really need to get on Mitz to scan the one from the late 70's - I'm sitting sweetly like Natalie, and my younger brother Rich is in full-on panic and rage - just like Oliver. :-)
Santa's face kills me here -
And the other one -
Santa's face kills me here -
And the other one -
Friday, December 11, 2009
Pass the Excedrin
Took the kids to Target yesterday. Because apparently I'm a glutton for punishment, I took them on the usual trip down the toy aisles (OK, I was looking for Zhus Zhus too. I'm the master at sneaking items into or below the cart and paying for them right in front of Natalie, yet she doesn't know what's going on). Oliver spied a baby doll and started yelling "Baybeeeeeeeee" - he over-enunciates "baby" and it's the cutest thing. Natalie handed him the doll. Big mistake. Motion activated. So every time the package got jostled, or Oliver moved, the damn doll would start cooing, or giggling, or crying, or whining. Pretty awful, but it kept him happy. After about ten minutes, Natalie turned to me and said "That toy is ANNOYING. It's giving me a headache" (man, she channels me well). We then conspired to get it away from Oliver with minimal fuss -"I think he really likes it Mommy, you might have to buy it", to which I replied "Do you want to have to listen to that all day, every day?". She looked horrified and said "Let's get it away from him". Took a couple of tries, but we were finally successful. Whew.
Christmas Wishes
"Daddy, I want one of those Zoom-Zoom pets (Zhu Zhu). They run around. You turn on the switch, and they run out of batteries. They are like robots, but very soft".
I don't know why that cracked me up this morning, but it did. FWIW, she's getting her wish - I was able to find the starter kit online (got notice it shipped today. Better be for real!), and the price was normal retail. That will get her started, then after Christmas, when the brick and mortar's restock, she can build her little hamster robot family and environment. They really are cute little things. And guaranteed to make us crazy in ten minutes or less! That's what it's all about! :-)
I don't know why that cracked me up this morning, but it did. FWIW, she's getting her wish - I was able to find the starter kit online (got notice it shipped today. Better be for real!), and the price was normal retail. That will get her started, then after Christmas, when the brick and mortar's restock, she can build her little hamster robot family and environment. They really are cute little things. And guaranteed to make us crazy in ten minutes or less! That's what it's all about! :-)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Morning Rituals
Every morning when we come back to the house from getting Natalie on the bus, Oliver has his own little ritual that cracks me up. He picks up the paper for me, collects a high five. Then he goes up to our standing, light-up Santa, stoops down, gives Santa a kiss, a hug, then sticks his fingers up Santa's nose and says "neh neh neh neh". Never fails to crack me up.
Now that it's almost Christmas...Thanksgiving!
Can't believe I forgot that. Still have to get pictures up. Anyway... It was a very nice day! The kids were wound up from the get-go, but we all survived the day. Went to church in the morning, then to Mitz and Pops' for dinner. Aunt Jamie, Uncle Mike and Aunt Joan were there. The food was great, everyone behaved, couldn't ask for more! Oliver loved the whipped cream. :-) Aunt Jamie took the kids to the park to burn off some energy - God love her.
I'll try to get my pics up.
I'll try to get my pics up.
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