1.30.21 - Kid snippets: Clara's water cooler voice

Clara just went and poured herself a little cup of orange juice. Then she carefully walked over to me with it and, in the *most* office-water-cooler voice, said "Hello, Mom. Are you having a nice day?" and took a casual sip.

1.29.21 - Kid snippets: Clara describes hockey

Clara is telling us about the hockey game we are going to go to where we all watch her play.

Clara: And then I will hit the circle that is black!
Me: The puck?
Ciara: Yeah the cup!
Jack: The puck.
Clara: Yeah the puck! And then I will win the goal! And THEN I will get the TROPHY!

1.27.21 - Joy status: Losing weight and making professional progress

I'm very very close to finally reaching my pre-pregnancy weight! Also at work I passed my qualifying test for body fluid analysis, which means I should be able to start assisting (some of) the analysts with (some of) their casework. And I signed up for a genetics course I need in my long term prep to become an analyst myself. Productive day!

1.24.21 - Kid snippets: Calvin hates stray hair

Clara: I'm freezing cold.
Me: Go put some pants on.
Clara: Wait a minute! I'm warm!

Calvin really really hates it when a hair gets on him. Could be his fingers or toes or foot or anywhere. Sometimes it's his mouth because he picks food up off the floor. Either way he has a particular squeal that I already have come to recognize as "There is a hair on me! OMG get it off! OFF!" Given how much hair I have, that boy is in for a long road living with me for the next couple decades.

1.23.21 - Sweet evening with the kids while Jack is out of town

(Pre-evening kid snippets)

Jane asked to play "Text Me Merry Christmas." I did but I know Clara doesn't like it when we play holiday songs outside of their seasons. Sure enough Clara came up to me and very quietly asked if we could play a January song. I searched the word "January" on Spotify and found "January Wedding" by the Avett Brothers. It's a very laid-back, sweet sounding song. Clara started slowly dancing to it in the living room. When the singer actually sang the word "January," Clara turned to me with a huge open mouth grin.

Jane was sitting on the top bunk holding a long stick and pretending it's a gun. She kept saying "Pew pew!" as a sound effect but also as a verb, as in "I pewed the kitty!" when she pretended to shoot her stuffed cat. She narrated her pretend play to herself, and I was trying not to laugh so I wouldn't distract her. I heard "Yeah now he's dying! Because! I'm a super hero. To the rescue! ... Just kidding he's fine. Pew! I pew the wall!"

(And the evening)

Out of boredom, I rotated the coffee table 90 degrees parallel to the green chair, thinking the kids would get excited about the larger space. Actually it was the minimal space between the table and the chair that caught their attention. Clara wanted to treat the space like a tunnel for a toy train to go through, whereas Calvin just wanted to squeeze into the space and sit there (thus blocking Clara's tunnel). 

In an attempt to distract Calvin, I spread a full size blue blanket over the living room floor, put an empty egg carton on it, and started filling the carton with the Toy Story 4 figurines, saying it was a boat on the ocean. This distraction was way more interesting to Clara, who started playing with the "ocean." Jane joined her. They played happily while Calvin sat in his cozy spot and watched the, occasionally crawling through one of the spaces in the coffee table to stick his head out and shout at them. They all continued to stay busy without fighting while I made dinner.

While I cooked spaghetti, I blended the sauce with a can each of green beans and corn. It still looked reddish, and smooth enough that it wasn't too obvious. When the food was ready, I asked Clara to put three forks and three paper towels on the table. She got really excited about it! (We clearly don't eat meals together very often.) She asked me if she could also get us drinks (yes) and spoons and more forks (no). We moved Calvin's high chair to the table, and I brought their plates of spaghetti. 

I don't know if Clara was hungry because she ate little lunch or if she was just excited to participate in a discrete family meal or both, but she ate all her spaghetti quickly and easily. She asked me if there were meatballs in it. When I said no, she informed me that this is regular spaghetti and real spaghetti has meat balls. At one point I got up to get something for one of the others, and Clara told me that when I'm not eating I need to place my fork next to my plate neatly, not leave it on my plate. She also wanted me to politely wipe off my mouth with a paper towel at the same time as she did. 

Calvin and Jane also finished their dinner pretty easily, so I gave everone miniature Tootsie pops. Clara wanted me to watch as she and Jane "cheers" each other, i.e. gently knocked their Tootsie pops together and said cheers.

After everyone finished their Tootsie pops, we had a bath. Jane was very eager to help rinse soap off everyone else. Clara was happy to let her (Calvin was ambivalent). At one point Jane dumped a cup of water right over Calvin's head, and he didn't freak out. He just kind of squinted and waited for me to offer a towel. (Small example of how the younger children grow up learning to be more flexible.) They started splashing and getting really silly until they were laughing at everything each other was doing. I didn't really want them to soak the bathroom but I also don't like to disrupt them if they are all really enjoying each other's company. They splash each other and say a bunch of gibberish and laugh and laugh (just now as I type this Clara told me to say "blue be binky macka bah bah boo" for example).

As is often the case right now, Calvin was done first. I got him dressed and set him up with some ABC videos while the girls enjoyed really splashing now that the shower curtain was closed. Not long after Jane, then Clara, followed. As I started typing up this post, the three of them were peacefully watching ABC videos together, and for a moment I watched them and thought about how deeply happy I am that they are growing up together, and we're forming a tiny tight knit community.

1.23.21 - Kid snippets: January songs and Jane pews the wall

Clara woke up and said she's not feeling well. We have a playdate today and I asked her if I should tell them not to come over. She told me that she will be feeling better at 11:23 a.m. She even got out her toy clock to show me what time she was referencing.

Jane asked to play "Text Me Merry Christmas." I did but I know Clara doesn't like it when we play holiday songs outside of their seasons. Sure enough Clara came up to me and very quietly asked if we could play a January song. I searched the word "January" on Spotify and found "January Wedding" by the Avett Brothers. It's a very laid-back, sweet sounding song. Clara started slowly dancing to it in the living room. When the singer actually sang the word "January," Clara turned to me with a huge open mouth grin.

And now Jane is sitting on the top bunk holding a long stick and pretending it's a gun. She keeps saying "Pew pew!" as a sound effect but also as a verb, as in "I pewed the kitty!" when she pretends to shoot her stuffed cat. She's narrating her pretend play to herself, and I am trying not to laugh so I don't distract her. I hear "Yeah now he's dying! Because! I'm a super hero. To the rescue! ... Just kidding he's fine. Pew! I pew the wall!"

1.22.21 - Kid snippets: Calvin moves the bacon

Last night I put a package of frozen bacon in a bowl of warm water in the sink to thaw. I checked some stuff online. I came back and the bacon is gone. In its place in the bowl of water is a can opener. I followed the path I saw Calvin take most recently and did not find the frozen bacon. Eventually I found it on the pantry shelf that is Calvin's height. Thanks buddy.

1.20.21 - Joy status: TikTok

TikTok. So many people out there sharing their humor and creativity, showing the things they really love (kids, pets, parents, favorite recipes and movies), inspiring athletic abilities and dances. I just love thinking about these people technically alone in their kitchens or backyards acting like total dorks in the hopes of making a bunch of strangers laugh. It's awesome.

1.19.21 - Kid snippets: a million million works to do

I was putting the kids to bed and Clara wanted me to sing a lullaby that is kind of long and I didn't feel like it.

Clara: Well if you don't sing it, we will NEVER go to bed!
Me: Wellllll if you don't go to bed I'm going to spank your butt.
Clara: [pause] Hmmm.

A few minutes later...

Clara: But Mom! I can't go to bed because I have a million million million works to do!

1.17.21 - Joy status: Making friends with sidewalk chalk

Yesterday we took the kids to the park. There were a lot of families there probably because the weather was nice. Clara was interested in playing with the other children, and so was Jane but Jane is very shy. Neither could quite figure out how to engage and instead they ended up playing in the sand of an empty volleyball area. Calvin wanted me to get out the sidewalk chalk that we finally remembered to bring.

Not long after I got out the chalk, various children, all of whom looked like they were age seven or younger, walked up to us and stopped 10 ft or so short and just stared at me. I started asking them if they wanted to use the chalk and they were all very excited to do so. Soon my own girls came back to do the same, and they all covered the picnic area sidewalks in their art. In the process Clara and Jane formed little temporary alliances and played delightedly and closely with the other kids for the remaining hour and a half that we were there. When we finally had to leave, we left all the small worn out or broken pieces of chalk for the other kids to keep playing with after we were gone.

It was pretty fantastic. I've already ordered a new set of sidewalk chalk to use as social glue next time we go.

1.13.21 - Joy status: Audiobooks and cranberry bliss bars

• I made gluten-free cranberry bliss bars and my coworkers loved them and were even surprised that they are gluten-free.
• Terrisa is coming to visit and watch the kids on Friday so Jack and I can get lunch. We haven't had a date since September so I'm kind of excited.
• Audible changed its membership package so I can get a bunch of titles for free, including some I was already interested in.
• Several friends recommended I read "Basic Economics" by Thomas Sowell and so far I'm enjoying it.

That's all I can think of right now. Tell me yours.

1.11.21 - Kid snippets: Calvin gets multiple high fives

Calvin had opened the door to the furnace and I told him firmly to shut it. So he did and I said "Good job buddy!" and gave him a thumbs up. Excited, he ran up to me and insisted I give him a high five.

Then he ran back to the furnace door, opened it, and looked at me waiting for me to tell him to shut it. Then he ran back and held his hand out for a high five.

Now as I write the status we are on at least our 7th iteration of this new game.

1.10.21 - Kid snippets: "Oh! I wish I was sick!"

I was driving on the highway with Clara and Jane in the back seat when an ambulance (no sirens, just an ambulance) passed us.

Clara: Oh look! I see something! It's red and yellow!
Me: Do you mean the ambulance? I see it too!
Clara, wistfully: Oh! I wish I was sick.

1.8.21 - Joy status: I love my commute

It's amazing to me how what was once one of the worst parts of my week--my ridiculous 80 mile commute to and from work--has become one of the best parts thanks mostly* to technology. I've come to really enjoy the time to myself as I either "read" audiobooks of interest or catch up with friends (live or through video messaging).

The child-free time of my commute has directly resulted in more substantial connections to some of my closest friends. I have a pretty great weekly and monthly rotation of "commute contacts." I think I would enjoy this in any case, but the added socialization has been especially helpful in the last year when in-person interactions are more difficult.

*I say "mostly" because another factor was my schedule change--I now commute only at times when there isn't any horrendous traffic, so that makes it a lot more peaceful.

1.4.21 - Kid snippets: "Open your eyes!"

Jane frequently asks me to close my eyes and then, without her having changed anything in the environment, she tells me to open my eyes again and points to whatever it is she wanted me to see (e.g. that she finished eating some food, or she finished a drawing or puzzle).

Right now the girls are watching Alice in Wonderland, but Clara is live narrating the entire movie, lol. "The birds fly. Alice is not angry."