multiples

we've been multiplying over here lately.

several weeks ago, after chiding Hailey about her grumpy mood, she declared she had an identical twin who was actually the grumpy one.  We all had a good laugh over that, and encouraged that Hailey to stay away.  (you'd think their own mother would know they had an identical twin, as I was there at the birth ;)

now all the kids will bring up their identical twins in hilarious and random ways.  Riley (whose middle name is Scott) was explaining over the weekend how his (identical twin) brother has a store.  His name is Riley Scotter, and Riley goes to gather stuff for Riley Scotter to sell in his store.

Elliot meanwhile mentions casually in conversation how he used to have two of this particular toy, but his old mother threw it away.  His old mother, am I his new mother?  Yes, he calmly explains (without offering a reason why he changed mothers) and then a few minutes later mentions how he has 5 mothers. 

I guess I should be proud of how open minded my kids are about what makes up a family, but I am glad that all these extra family members don't take up real seats at the table or beds at night LOL

school days

Riley and Hailey had their first day of 1st grade (!!) and kindergarten (!!) yesterday.  Elliot started 2 hrs, two mornings a week preschool today (!).  Mommy is certainly excited, and thrilled that the kids are all enjoying themselves so much right off the bat :)

Riley summed up his first day with a very enthusiastic "awesome!!!"  His new teacher's name is Ms. Mangos and she seems nice.  He has several kids in this class that he is friendly with from last year, and will probably be friends with a few more by the end of the week.  His favorite part of the first day was recess, because they get to be on the "big apparatus" all week.  They don't have assigned seats yet, guess the teacher is shuffling them around to find the best spot for each of them.  He explained how there were several tables, one with the teacher for those who need the most help, and that they wanted to be at the one that would challenge them.  No homework yet, but now he'll be getting 30-35 minutes a day Mon-Thu plus 20 minutes of reading each day.  He enjoys being the older brother who already knows how everything works too, and mostly he's very kindly about explaining it to Hailey :)

Hailey's first day went very well too, which didn't surprise us considering she started her first day all smiles and confidence and not a tear was shed!  She has the same teachers and classroom as Riley did last year, which helped her feel right at home.  She's been full of stories of her first day and the kids in her class.  Her first friend "Jetson" (most likely "Jackson") and her played on the playground equipment together, though she sternly informed me that they were not allowed to climb (up the slide evidently).  She also befriended a girl "Mimi" (probably "Mia") who "has blond hair like me, and like Katie with the red hair!"  (For laughs, I don't think there's another kid with light hair in her class, never mind strawberry blond :)  She had some trouble with lunch the first day, not understanding yet how the buy-lunch thing worked, and then not having enough time to eat it once purchased on credit (the $1 was in her bag)  But she didn't cry or get mad, just explains it with disappointment in her voice.  This is part of why we think she'll be great at kindergarten regardless of how easily the academic stuff comes to her.  She's a smart cookie and very outgoing, but has gotta be one of the youngest in her class considering that she doesn't turn five for another 6 weeks.  She'll get 15 minutes of homework reinforcing that day's lesson plus 20 minutes of reading/being read to.

Elliot (walking along to drop R + H off for first day, and carrying his lunchbox to be just like the big kids) is loving having mommy all to himself, but also did better than expected for his first time at preschool this morning.  I worried that he would be very clingy and crying a great deal when I tried to leave, since he was so slow to warm up to new people and situations this summer and complained at the idea of school.  But after a few minutes of shyness he was doing the worksheets and projects, smiling and cooperative.  It probably helps that his teacher is the same one Riley and Hailey had for preschool and he's been in the classroom many times when I volunteered.  He loves going to the playground and on errands with mommy, and is so much chattier and funnier when he gets one-on-one time.


Luckily I wrote the above before school let out the second day.  Another time I'll write about the disaster that was the first day of homework. *sigh*

potty mouths

We have several vulgar but amusing-to-us phrases we use related to diapering etc.  To confirm that the odor we smelled is indeed our kid with a poopie diaper, we say "he's packin'"

Hailey, twice today, has informed me that "Elliot's packed, mommy!" LOL

then just now, when I asked smelly but mischievously grinning Elliot how he got so stinky, he replied cheerfully "by poopin'!"

big boys

Elliot is wearing a fireman hat and sunglasses.  He smiles at me, looking over the top of the sunglasses and arching an eyebrow.  mommy, laughing "I think you're probably the cutest fireman ever!"  Elliot "I know!"

Riley, when rummaging through the workshop found a small leaf rake, which he uses to rake a handful of leaves out of the grass.  He is pondering out loud how much of a bonus he'll get for being so helpful. "...and in the Fall, I'll be raking all the time, and I'll be singing a song while I do it, like this 'do tee doo tee do'..."

more mini stories from cell phone

Riley, to new playground friend "... and those girls are the Protoss"
friend gives him blank look
Riley "they're our enemies"
(he's been watching daddy play Starcraft 2 - used to be he would play Mario pretend games at the playground)

we're in Target picking up a few things.  Elliot has the shopping list and pen because mommy foolishly wrote it in his notebook.  They're discussing amongst themselves what additional things need to be put on the list.  Hailey (who can't spell) to Elliot (who can't write) "add apples, first you write a K..." :)

Hailey, surveying our very messy master bedroom "your room... is a collection of... dirt"
In our defense, it's not piles of dirt, but it does look like a disorganized storage unit it's so full of junk :)

my wise guy Riley

Riley "mommy, you have a 2011 on your car"
Mommy "that's my registration sticker.  I have to tell the state I'm going to use my car here, and they give me a license plate.  the sticker is when it expires, and I have to pay for another year"
Riley "I get it - it's like a music box!  if you don't put more money in it, it will stop working"
Mommy "... that's exactly how it is " (adding to self "with the State and cars - you gotta keep putting money in it") :)

latest LOL's

Elliot, discussing Fuffy (the stuffed frog) 's family "... and the polar bear..."
Mommy "Little Bear?"
Elliot "yes, he's Fuffy's mommy, and the other guys are Fuffy's daddies"

Elliot (in car) "I have something in my pants. You have to guess what it is!"
Hailey makes a few incorrect guesses
Elliot pats the front of his diaper "It's in here!"
did you guess?  It was a super bouncy ball! (yes, in his diaper)

part of what makes the Elliot stories so amusing is his pronunciation, and part is the total seriousness with which he says these absurd things :)