8.21.20 - Kid snippets: mini Gozilla and microwaved potatoes

I was cleaning the kitchen. Jane pulled her stool to the sink and stood next to me watching for several minutes, then said "Mom, you a good helper!"

The girls were playing with our Brio trainset but it was becoming too much work for me to prevent Calvin from destroying their track creations. So I got out a rarely used electronic toy (it's like an oversized calculator with sound effects) to distract Calvin. It worked for a minute, but the girls were so envious of the toy that they volunteered to let Calvin play with (aka destroy) their train tracks if they could take turns together on the toy. Now the girls are sitting peacefully talking to each other on the couch while they play with the calculator, and Calvin is a mini Godzilla to the small train village in our living room, but everyone is happy so okay.

Clara helped me make some microwave potatoes. I showed her how to break the eyes off the potato and rinse it, and then how to get it out of the microwave with a fork instead of oven mitts. She was excited to add the salt and pepper and cheese and to get a subsequent potato out of the microwave herself with her own fork. Once the first one was ready, she ate it happily. I said I was glad she liked it because potatoes are some of my all-time favorite food and she said they are her favorite food too. She paused for a second and added, "I love our home." ❤️

Calvin watches Clara play with trains from a spot where he can't destroy the tracks.

8.20.20 - Kid snippets: Calvin unplugs things

The other day I showed Clara and Jane the chess board we have and tried to teach them the names of the pieces. They both really enjoyed it. Just now Clara said "It's time to do the board game! Of the Chex!"

From 8/17/20 - Clara reviews the cheat sheet I made her

Clara has also suggested that for Jack's birthday we should get him more pieces for the kids' Brio train set.

Jane says "either" instead of "too" and "anything" instead of nothing, eg "What are you doing??" "Anything!"

There are two power strips under the dresser in the kids room. Calvin likes to pull them out and turn them off even though he's obviously not supposed to. The other night I was in the room changing Jane's diaper and so couldn't intervene immediately. Calvin flipped the switch on one of the power strips which turned the light off. I reprimanded him and he turned it back on. Then with a completely serious face and without breaking eye contact with me at all, he slowly moved his hand until he found the other power strip, moved his hand to find one of the major plugs in it, and even as I told him "Don't you do it!" he stared right at me while slowly pulling the plug out. And I 100% could not keep a straight face. I started laughing so hard, so I'm sure now he's going to be pulling plugs out of everything all the time.

The face of a troublemaker.

And then there was this convo:

[Calvin making goofy fussy noises and staring at my Diet Coke]
Me: Calvin you can't have that! That's my drink, you little monkey
Jane: He's not a monkey!
Me: What is he?
Jane: He's a boy!
Me: Oh and what are you?
Jane: ...I'm just anything.

8.17.20 - Joy status: The Little Mermaid with the girls

Tonight I watched all of The Little Mermaid with my kids (mostly the girls as Calvin kept finding other things to do). This is a major movie from my childhood and it's been nostalgic to watch it with them. I don't think they've sat and watched it all the way through because they weren't sure what was going to happen. They were riveted, especially Clara. When it was all done Jane said "Wasn't that so fun to watch?" We are re-listening to "Under the Sea" which Jane has informed me she particularly likes.

8.16.20 - Kid snippets: Jane cuddles, Calvin hits me

I laid down on the floor to stretch out, and Jane immediately grabbed a pillow off the couch and brought it over to tuck under my head. Then she got her own pillow and laid down next to me to cuddle. She said in her soft shy voice, "Mama? It fun to lay down." So sweet. Then Calvin crawled over and bashed me in the mouth with a hard plastic toy.

Checking out a puzzle together

8.14.20 - Kid snippets: Calvin stands and beams at Jack

Calvin is starting to try standing up without holding on to anything. The other night I turned the laundry basket upside down to let him pull himself up on it. He very very slowly and carefully stood himself upright. Jack was genuinely impressed; he grinned hugely at Calvin and said "Wow, look!" Calvin beamed with pride and for about 10 seconds they just stared at each other and grinned and grinned. It was adorable and hilarious.

Of course Calvin gingerly lowered himself back down before I could get a picture, but here's a different pic from last night when he was practicing again.

8.13.20 - Joy status: desktop pics of the kids

I created a folder of a bunch of my favorite pictures of my kids and now use it to automatically rotate my work desktop every 30 minutes. So all day I get to stop and look at my desktop and think how cute my kids are and it makes me pretty happy.

8.12.20 - Joy status: break from the heat

My lab is far enough south from where I live that it gives me a welcome reprieve from the oppressive Sacramento summer weather. It's typically at least 25° cooler, often more, and there are a lot more clouds, which I really like. Nice to have a cloudy day here and there even though in Sacramento it probably won't be that way until at least late October. Now if it would just rain...

8.8.20 - Joy status: new pants

Yesterday I went to buy some badly needed new pants without realizing that everyone's dressing rooms are closed. So I bought two pairs without trying them on figuring I would just have to return them if it didn't work out. But when I got home and tried them, they both fit perfectly. That *never* happens! So I got to be excited about the convenience and excited about some new pants haha.

8.7.20 - Kid snippets: Clara and Jane love each other

Clara was upset about something and crying. I asked Mimi to get her a tissue but Jane wanted to do it. Instead Jane walked up and very gently wiped Clara's nose. I told them they are both very good sisters to each other. I asked Jane if she loved Clara and she shyly said "Yes..." I asked Clara if she loved Jane and she smiled and silently nodded. And then she seemed to feel better. ❤️

Taken the same day at the playground

8.5.20 - Joy status: fitting into old clothes

Joy Inventory: being able to fit into certain clothes for the first time since having Calvin.

7.27.20 - Kid snippets: Clara will pay me later

I had a nicer phone headset. The cord was dragging on the ground near my desk. Jack accidentally ran it over with the vaccuum. The phone headset is no more. Jack was angry about this.

Jack: *grumbles*
Me: It's fine, accidents happen.
Clara: It's okay! It can still work!
Me: No, babe, it doesn't work anymore.
Clara: Well it's okay. We can buy a new one!
Me: Honey when things cost money we really try not to destroy them. ...Also just in general, actually.
Clara: Yeah but we can still buy a new one.
Me: Are you going to give me money to buy a new one?
Clara: Yeah!
Me: Oh good, can I have it?
Clara: Yeah! Just when I grow up.

7.24.20 - Kid snippets: Clara is glad I'm here in the morning

Every Tues, Wed, Thurs I leave for work around 5:30 am and get home around 7:30 pm. I see the kids briefly, usually while I'm pretty tired, and I have to get to bed soon to get up for the next shift. I don't mind because I get most of a work week done in 3 days, but I think the kids mind a little bit. On Thursday nights when I'm putting them to bed, I remind them I will still be here in the morning.

Just now, out of nowhere, Clara said "Mom? I love you. And I'm so glad in the morning you're here!"

7.22.20 - Joy status: my job makes me feel supported

My job makes me feel supported both professionally and otherwise. Multiple analysts are helping train me to qualify for more complicated tasks. People frequently bring in bagels or homemade baked goods to share with everyone. Most of the lab is now saving their non-confidential extra paper for me to take home to Clara (who produces like 10+ drawings a day now). And yesterday my boss asked me if I'd like his previous laptop (for free!) I really get along with all my coworkers and it makes me look forward to going to work.

7/19/20 - Kid snippets: Jane puts me "in jail," Clara won't go to sleep

Jane colored a picture I really liked and later I thought she had thrown it away. I didn't see it in the trash and found it among a bunch of papers on the kitchen table. I put it on the top of the tall bookshelf and told the girls I was saving it.

Jane: Nooo! Dat's mine!
Me: Oh do you want it? You can have it [I hand it to her]
Jane: Don't thwow it away!
Me: I'm not going to hon.
Jane: Don't. Don't thow it away Mama!
Me: Babe, I'm not!
Jane: I want to keep it.
Me: I want to keep it too.
Jane: You'll make me angwy.
Me, laughing: Babe, I'm not going to throw it away
Jane: 5 minutes! 5 minutes *in jail*.

And, from about a week ago: Clara is trying to stall going to bed. Jane passed out long ago but Clara keeps getting up. She's allowed to get out of bed to use the bathroom but she's already done that. Since then she's come out to ask if she can eat something, look in the bathroom mirror, draw something, and other activities. When I got her to go back to her room I could hear her get out of bed and stand near the door so I told her to go back to bed. I heard her scamper but to be sure she actually got back in bed I went in the nursery to check. As I was leaving again, she said "Mom? MOM!" Me: "Clara, WHAT?" Her: "...what is gravity?"

7/17/20 - Kid snippets: Clara goes back to sleep

Clara woke up at 6:45am and wanted us to get up because "it's morning!" I told her we were too tired and she needs to go back to bed and read until at least 7:15am. She argued at first but eventually did it. Then she fell back asleep and slept until 9:15am. #winning

7/11/20 - Kid snippets: Bobo in time out

Clara pretended Bobo kicked a toy and then she put him in time out and then had the mama teddy bear keep reprimanding Bobo that he has "five more minutes." Then she and Jane asked me to put the microwave timer on for 5 mins.

Jane often refers to Calvin as "buddy" or "little buddy." "Here comes buddy!" "Little buddy needs his bottle!"

7.10.20 - Joy status: making kids like music

At my kids' ages, I can make them like basically any song just by getting into the song myself. Now when "The Room Where It Happens" from Hamilton plays, Calvin starts giggling and Jane wants everyone to get up and dance, lol.

7.6.20 - Joy status: dancing for the girls

Jack moved the coffee table to vaccuum. The open space inspired Clara to ask if we could have a dance party. So we put on a playlist of the kids' favorite songs to dance to and Jane and Clara started twirling around while Calvin held on to the side of the couch and grinned at them. Jack and I started dancing too, and the girls stopped to watch us. When Jack twirled me, Clara clasped her hands together in front of her chin and in a total mom voice said "Awwww."

7/5/20 - Kid snippets: Calvin can't get down, Clara can't pour milk

Calvin can pull himself up to standing by holding on to the coffee table, dining room chairs, lower shelves of bookshelves, etc. But he doesn't know how to get back down. So several times a day he starts fussing and rocking back and forth while holding on to the furniture, waiting for someone to rescue him. If I walk up behind him and lightly rest my hands just below his arms, he immediately relaxes and falls into my hands before sitting back on the floor.

In other news, this morning Clara (barely) hit her thigh against the table and started fussing, and Jane immediately directed me to go get Clara some ice. Later Clara walked up to me to ask for a washcloth with milk dripping down her hair and chest. She had gotten the gallon of milk out of the fridge and tried to pour it into her cup on the kitchen counter, which requires lifting the milk above her head. Noble effort.

And as I write this Calvin has crawled to me, pulled himself up to holding on to my leg, and is babbling to himself and licking my knee.

7.4.20 - Joy status: FOR-EV-ER

We've had a wonderful 4th (pictures forthcoming), and now we're watching The Sandlot, which is the first time our children and Henry have seen it. And Jack and I haven't seen it in years, and we're loving it. FOR-EV-ER!