Sound it out!

As we all know, Mischief has been working on learning how to read - as all kindergarten kids are doing these days.  She is really taking off, and she loves all kinds of new books.  Mystery books, Amelia Bedelia, and anything science related are her favorites.  We just started Fancy Nancy books, as I thought it would be a challenge for her, but she loves them and is able to read them mostly on her own.  So, if you have a daughter (or a son) around the level of kindergarten, check into Fancy Nancy.  I like these books, because they introduce a lot of big words (which we have to make her sound them out and help her read/pronounce them), and then they give an explanation of the big word.

Happy reading!

DVM

Mischief on career day, dressed as a DVM!

So, we all know Mischief wants nothing more than to be a vet when she grows up.  She is only five, and she wants to be a vet, show dogs, and ride horses.  She wants to be a mommy, too, but only after she has done all the rest of her list!

The other day, as the dog was sick and had diarrhea all over her crate for days, I took the dog back to the vet.  It is just what I wanted to do - pay for another vet bill.  Anyway, I had to pick Mischief up from school, and she had to go along to the vet with us, because there simply wasn't time to work the schedule any other way.  Mischief informed me that was one thing she always wanted to do, was to go the vet because, "if I'm gonna be one, I need to start going to them!"  She sat quietly, listened to the conversation between the me and the vet, asked a couple questions, and overall, behaved extremely well. 

When we got up the next morning, Mischief is sitting on the couch, getting her socks on for school, and asks, "How are Charkie's stools today?  Are they still red?  You know you need to monitor that for the next couple of days, and let me know." 

I laughed and laughed and laughed.  It still is making me laugh a bit! (of course I didn't let her see me laughing, as I simply answered her question and moved one)  Quite precocious for a five year old DVM!

Happy Halloween!

The kids had a blast going from door to door, begging for candy!  I never went trick-or-treating when I was young, because my mom was not a huge believer in the practice.  However, the kids, obviously, hear about it from school, so we have to go :)

So, this year, I gave the kids the option of what costumes they wanted to wear.  Mischief wanted to be a nurse, and Mayhem (finally) decided on a spider, after he went through a crab, spider, bear, daddy, etc.  I finished his costume at 5:30 for a 6:00 treat time, in fact!

Anyway, the super funny thing that happened tonight was Mischief's explanation of the rules of Halloween candy.  We went through holding hands, staying together, not crossing the street along, and being polite.  Then Mischief informs me that I have to check her bucket before they eat their candy.  Ok, yes, I have to check the candy.  Then, she tells me that, no, her teacher said I have to check the bucket for holes because somebody could have put holes in her bucket.  If there are holes in her bucket, she would probably lose some candy.  So, I needed to do the bucket check, IMMEDIATELY!  I tried to explain that it was the candy which needed check, and I was obviously wrong, because, "My teacher said it was important to make sure the bucket didn't have any holes in it before I eat the candy!"

Oh brother, I believe she somehow got the message mixed up - or has certain priorities!!!

Mischief is a nurse

Mayhem is a spider

Spider Mayhem!

Important education

Both of my children have an incredible sweet tooth!  They love cinnamon or orange rolls, and we used to have them quite often.  Since school has started, I do not have time to make them like I used to, so we try to have them on the weekends. 

This morning, we had orange rolls for breakfast.  Mischief and Mayhem were both completely thrilled to have orange rolls again, as it's been a while since we have had them for breakfast.  Now, Mischief usually eats a really good breakfast, in the form of 3-4 small cinnamon rolls.  She has always been really good about eating the whole roll. 

Today, at breakfast, Mischief starts eating just the icing and asking for another roll.  I understand this is normal kid stuff, but uncharacteristic.  So, I just reminded her to eat the whole roll.  She tells me, "Nope!  I can't!  I want to be just like my teacher and learn from her, and she just eats the icing!"

I suppose it's good they learn the important stuff at school!

Skeletal Stories

All of the Halloween decorations and treats are full of ghosts, goblins, and skeletons.  Funny how it is supposed to be a fun holiday for the kids,  but there aren't very many cute decorations anymore!  Everything has to be gross and grotesque. 

Mischief had her Halloween party at kindergarten today.  I made the cupcakes, went to the party, and did all of the "mom helper" duties.  It was a cute party, and each kid got a treat bag when they were done with the party.  The goodie bag had several things in it, but the most intriguing to Mischief was the squishy skeleton toy.  Fun stuff.  It's just what we need, a skeleton toy!  It turned out ok for a while, as we were looking at the skeleton, naming the bones.  Then, we talked about the teeth, and whether teeth were bone or not.  I said they are not, but similar to bone.  Mischief says the teeth are bones, because the teeth wouldn't be on the skeleton, if they weren't bone.  Fair enough.  She got me there!  So much for explaining that to her....

Then, she chimes up from the back seat about Ilo.  Ilo is her middle name.  Mischief is named after my grandmother who had the first name of Ilo.  Before, when she asks about Ilo, we talk about how my grandmother is dead but would have loved Mischief very much and how my grandmother was so special to me, I gave Mischief her name as a middle name.  As she starts talking about Ilo and is looking at the skeleton, she has decided these are what Ilo's bones look like.  When I tell her they are not Ilo's bones, she insists that she needs to see Ilo's bones to make sure her teeth are all there. 

Huh, my kindergartener is now wanting to be an anthropologist and study her great grandmother's bones.  All I can say is GROSS!!!  That's really what I want to think about!  It took forever to get her off that subject today!  Why can't we just go back to the super cute pumpkins and ghosts who smile and look like little cartoons!  Are skeleton toys and treats really necessary to give to kids?

Mother of the Year Award

We all know life is about lessons.  Today, we had to learn a lesson in listening and doing what you are told, when you are told to do it.  Mayhem and I went to the grocery today, after we dropped his sister off to school.  I opened Mayhem's door, and asked him to unbuckle his seat belt and get out.  He told me, "No," several times.  I threatened to leave him in the car, and he still refused!  So, I got tired of him calling my bluff, and decided to prove my point!

I, very calmly, locked the car and took a step back, where Mayhem wouldn't be able to see me due to the giant blind spot my car has on the back end.  I never left the side of the car; Mayhem just thought I did!  He took about 30 seconds of looking for me, then he started crying.  Instantly, I unlocked and opened the car, and asked him to unbuckle his seat belt and get out of the car.  He immediately followed directions, and got out of the car.  And, just to teach me a lesson, he sobbed the entire time in the parking lot, "I can't quit crying because you left me!"  Yep, he broadcast to the whole world!  I guess I just got awarded the "Mother of the Year Award."  However, I definitely had a very obedient child the entire rest of the day and evening, with no more arguing about what was going to happen and when, so I guess it worked ;)

Size appropriate kindergarten?

I will be the first to admit that my kids are big kids.  They are big, strong, healthy kids.  They will both be tall adults, as they are tall for their age.  Mischief is not the biggest in her class, but one of, as the other kids in her class are almost six or already six.  On our way to school today, Mischief says, "Do you know what is going to happen on another day I don't have school?  My teacher is finally going to put the table up high enough, so I can put my legs underneath the cubby in my desk!"

Evidently, even though she is not the biggest in the class, she cannot sit with her legs under the table, unless the tucks them under her chair for the whole time, or straddles the desk part under their table.  Really?  She is not an amazon, this should not be that difficult!