Today was a fun day. W had a playdate with a girl that looked like she could be my daughter. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles. If people saw us together they would think she was mine, I'm sure. She was very sweet. I didn't get to play with them much because the mom left Mercy and me a schedule for the week which instructed me to help M with her homework while Mercy advised the playdate. I made the girls a snack and then left them with Mercy to go help M with her homework. I miss helping her with homework. I really liked doing that. It reminds me why I've always wanted to be a teacher and it feeds that passion. W and her friend played dress up and spent the whole playdate in ballet tutus and butterfly costumes. It was rawther cute.
Then once W's playdate left it was time for M to go to her book club which I didn't even know she was a part of until I saw it on the schedule. She goes to a girl's house and they talk about the book they all read ('Clementine') and they eat dinner there. It was supposed to go from 5:15-7...well, I'll mention what happened later.
I heated up dinner for me and W, and me, W, and Mercy ate dinner in the kitchen. It was fun eating all together. Mercy was telling me how she's always too shy to eat in front of the parents and how she'll always take it to another room, even when they're on vacation. I got over my fear of squeezy yogurts and tried one for the first time. It wasn't so bad! It's just weird to eat yogurt in that way.
W got really tired and cute and clung onto me. I was actually full for probably the first time ever there. W and I have started picking out books to read at bedtime from the library because she's tired of all the ones in her room. I found 'Eloise' and decided that's what I was going to read. It's a good thing I picked a long book because Mercy and M didn't end up getting home until 8:00pm. I read 'Eloise' the entire time and W played with my hair. I didn't get to read to M because it was so late and she was coming from book club, so I left early.
Another weird thing today- everytime M hugged me around my waist she would kiss my nipples. I don't know what to say to that. "That's not appropriate"? Then when I tucked W into bed and was leaning over her to hug her she was peering down my shirt and asking what was down there. I told her and she wanted to pull my shirt down to see but I didn't let it get that far. They have become so curious it scares me.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Playing Catch Up
Today was the first day I picked up W from school at 2:35 instead of her usual 2:50 dismissal time to get to Beth's on time. I picked her up from her classroom and her teacher (whom I adore) already had her ready outside the classroom. I had gotten her a small cookie with chocolate sprinkles on it from a bakery and gave it to her in the cab for a snack. I normally wouldn't indulge in the sweets for snacks but since the mom does it every day I don't see why I can't go along with it to make them happy. She brought home the first Harry Potter book from her school library and wants to start reading it. I think it's a little too mature for her but we'll see...
She and M have started fighting over which one I'll take home after Beth. Since Mercy normally takes M home I took her home today which was awesome because I got an extra 45 minutes of reading/relaxing time. We're going to switch off every week. I love that they want me to take them home but I feel bad because they're asking right in front of Mercy and I don't want Mercy to think they don't want her.
I got a new coat and the only thing I was worried about was if the pattern was too busy. I asked M if she liked my new coat and she said it was too patterny. I was like, "it is, isn't it?? I was worried about that!" but then she said she liked it. I thought that was so funny I was getting fashion advice from an 8 year-old.
M was in a great mood at Beth's and on the way home but once she was in the bath she got in her sad mood again and said she felt like a horrible person. W and I went over all the reasons she's not horrible but she had a hard time believing it. I need to talk to her mom about these mood swings. She has such low self-esteem. W's dad wants her to start doing addition flashcards now but she doesn't have to be timed like M does. W wants to time herself though to be more like M.
I was excited to finally get to eat with the girls at dinner because the mom is in Tokyo until next Wednesday. Naturally, the dad came home while I was eating with them at the table. I got up and brought my plate into the kitchen. M called me out on being too embarrassed to eat in front of him. I don't know how she knew that. He went to exercise in the gym downstairs though so I continued to eat my dinner in the kitchen. The girls had milk with their dessert and I had the idea of giving them chocolate milk by adding a chocolate sauce to it. They were so excited. They both said I was the best babysitter ever and I felt in that moment like I was. The only thing is W said, "Emma! you're the best babysitter ever!! Other than Joelle...". I didn't know what to say to that so I didn't say anything. I just smiled.
M is such a tomboy. She was sitting on the toilet with the door open like she and W always do and she said she was making a people dung. She waited awhile and then warned me by saying "it's coming out!" Earlier, she was showing me a picture in her Smart Opedia in the reproductive section of a naked man covering his genitals. She said she wished the book showed the hairy man parts. I just can't believe 8 is the age where all this excitement happens. Even worse, W was BEGGING me to tell her if my private part was hairy. She asked me before bedtime and kept begging me to tell her. I told her I would tell her when she was older and she asked how old and I told her 13. I was insistent on the fact that I would not talk about that but she kept asking! Oy, it was awkward.
On the cute side, M taught W how to jump rope. She was a really good teacher! W was so happy when she got it and M was really proud to have taught her, I could tell. Then at bedtime M mentioned that she was fat and there went all her happy, child spunkiness she had earlier. I told her she most definitely was not fat and she insisted that she was. It breaks my heart. Eight year-olds should not be worried about these things.
She and M have started fighting over which one I'll take home after Beth. Since Mercy normally takes M home I took her home today which was awesome because I got an extra 45 minutes of reading/relaxing time. We're going to switch off every week. I love that they want me to take them home but I feel bad because they're asking right in front of Mercy and I don't want Mercy to think they don't want her.
I got a new coat and the only thing I was worried about was if the pattern was too busy. I asked M if she liked my new coat and she said it was too patterny. I was like, "it is, isn't it?? I was worried about that!" but then she said she liked it. I thought that was so funny I was getting fashion advice from an 8 year-old.
M was in a great mood at Beth's and on the way home but once she was in the bath she got in her sad mood again and said she felt like a horrible person. W and I went over all the reasons she's not horrible but she had a hard time believing it. I need to talk to her mom about these mood swings. She has such low self-esteem. W's dad wants her to start doing addition flashcards now but she doesn't have to be timed like M does. W wants to time herself though to be more like M.
I was excited to finally get to eat with the girls at dinner because the mom is in Tokyo until next Wednesday. Naturally, the dad came home while I was eating with them at the table. I got up and brought my plate into the kitchen. M called me out on being too embarrassed to eat in front of him. I don't know how she knew that. He went to exercise in the gym downstairs though so I continued to eat my dinner in the kitchen. The girls had milk with their dessert and I had the idea of giving them chocolate milk by adding a chocolate sauce to it. They were so excited. They both said I was the best babysitter ever and I felt in that moment like I was. The only thing is W said, "Emma! you're the best babysitter ever!! Other than Joelle...". I didn't know what to say to that so I didn't say anything. I just smiled.
M is such a tomboy. She was sitting on the toilet with the door open like she and W always do and she said she was making a people dung. She waited awhile and then warned me by saying "it's coming out!" Earlier, she was showing me a picture in her Smart Opedia in the reproductive section of a naked man covering his genitals. She said she wished the book showed the hairy man parts. I just can't believe 8 is the age where all this excitement happens. Even worse, W was BEGGING me to tell her if my private part was hairy. She asked me before bedtime and kept begging me to tell her. I told her I would tell her when she was older and she asked how old and I told her 13. I was insistent on the fact that I would not talk about that but she kept asking! Oy, it was awkward.
On the cute side, M taught W how to jump rope. She was a really good teacher! W was so happy when she got it and M was really proud to have taught her, I could tell. Then at bedtime M mentioned that she was fat and there went all her happy, child spunkiness she had earlier. I told her she most definitely was not fat and she insisted that she was. It breaks my heart. Eight year-olds should not be worried about these things.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Snow Day #326
Guess who didn't have school AGAIN because of snow? I'll give you one guess.
Snow days are fun because there's no schedule, but they're also harder because there's no schedule. The girls spend all day together inside and therefore get cranky and fight more easily, and I have to come up with more things to do so that they DON'T fight. I came over at 12:15 today and M had her friend, O, over. O is the one who went to F.A.O. Schwarz with us the last big snow day when they made their own muppets. She's very sweet and quirky. The mom wasn't home when I got there but O's nanny was. She stayed at the house for the whole play date so that she didn't have to travel back and forth in the snow. She was really nice and stayed in the kitchen reading 'Eclipse' the whole time while I watched over the girls. They were there for awhile too. Their play date was about 4 hours long. They were speaking in Tagalog (Filipino) to each other so I guess O's nanny is Filipino too.
As soon as I got there we played hide and go seek using the whole house. Those girls picked some creative hiding spots! I was helping the seeker find the other 2 but there was one time I wanted to surprise them and hide myself. I had the best hiding spot ever. I hid in the dad's closet in between his shirts. I should not have been there but it was a brilliant spot because it was so small one wouldn't think to look there. I don't think they ever realized I was hiding because once they found the other 2 girls they started over again. This went on for about 3 rounds before I finally came out because I was bored and hot.
Next game was the sleeping bag race. We had 2 sleeping bags and 3 girls, so I would pull one sleeping bag with M and O on it and they would hold onto the other sleeping bag with W on it. They loved it and then wanted me, O's nanny, AND Mercy to pull the 3 of them....so we did! Then they wanted to pull US! So the 3 of them pulled us adults and we all laughed and laughed. It was hilarious and only made possible because the mom wasn't home.
Once the adults got tired of pulling them around, M and O decided to make a fort, reminiscent of the one that W and her friend made yesterday. In this case, however, M didn't want her sister involved in the making of the fort. W wanted desperately to play with them and M wanted her alone time with her friend. W had a hard time understanding this but I came up with ways to distract her. She settled on coloring her calendar and ended up getting pretty into it. M eventually came in and told us we could play with them but I told her we were fine doing what we were doing. Then M got totally upset because she thought we didn't want to play with them. I mean, come on....you can't please anybody no matter what you do or say. I am so over this. M had her tantrum and fought back the tears and refused to talk to me about why she was upset. So I ignored it and she was fine 15 minutes later.
So then the mom comes home. This is right about the time M asks me to make them a snack, so I go in the kitchen to prepare them blueberries and healthy snacks. Ohhhh nooooo. The mom has just come back from Whole Foods and thought it would be nice to give them strawberries dipped in chocolate. I think healthy, she thinks sugar. Great, thanks. I'll be the one to deal with it when they smear the chocolate all over their faces in attempts to make chocolate mustaches and I'll be the one cleaning up the table when all the chocolate drips on it and gets on their clothes. The girls, of course, LOVE this treat and eat the remaining chocolate with spoons.
Then they got the idea to pretend they were injured and scare Mercy and their mom into thinking they broke their elbow or were cut. Then they wanted to do fake blood on their arms but couldn't find anything realistic enough. I realized I had red lipstick in my make-up bag and I let them put it on their arms as if bleeding. It looked so fake but they thought it was brilliant.
The second after O left the girls wanted to go play in the snow. I love the snow and think it's gorgeous, but I am over playing in it. M was being very impatient and very pissy when her mom said we could play for 20 minutes instead of 30. They were realllly testing my patience in the snow. They were purposefully taking a long time to walk back home because they didn't want to leave. The mom was VERY clear about only 20 minutes and I didn't want her to be mad at me, but what am I gonna do? Drag them by their feet? M even said something about being with "strict Emma". I said, "HEY! The only reason I'm strict is because I love you guys and I'm worried about your safety." I wanted to say, "how dare you? Do you realize your lives are in my hands and I will be the one getting fired if anything goes awry? Of COURSE I'm going to be strict about rules".
We made up by the time we got home and they took quick, separate baths. While W was in the bath, M was working on her valentine card for me. So what if it's February 26th? It's never too late for a valentine. She started singing "Apple Blossom Time" which is the song I sang all goofily that they recorded on their camera and watch over and over again. M has watched the movie so many times that she has memorized the song! I had no idea she knew all the words and the tune! So I had her sing it on the camera for me to send to my friend who knows the song.
Baths complete, we were just hanging tight at the table, coloring away, when the mom said they were leaving. It was only 5:40! They normally leave at 6:30! I didn't mind this at all but we were not ready because it was so early! We went through the process we go through every Friday of me asking them if they have everything packed that they'll want for the weekend and rushing to put on their coats as we're waiting for the elevator.
This time, I stayed behind in the apartment with Mercy while they all left. I liked being in the home alone with no noise. It's a much different atmosphere with no kiddies around. Mercy walked around and drew the shades, and I walked out 20 minutes behind the mom and girls.
Snow days are fun because there's no schedule, but they're also harder because there's no schedule. The girls spend all day together inside and therefore get cranky and fight more easily, and I have to come up with more things to do so that they DON'T fight. I came over at 12:15 today and M had her friend, O, over. O is the one who went to F.A.O. Schwarz with us the last big snow day when they made their own muppets. She's very sweet and quirky. The mom wasn't home when I got there but O's nanny was. She stayed at the house for the whole play date so that she didn't have to travel back and forth in the snow. She was really nice and stayed in the kitchen reading 'Eclipse' the whole time while I watched over the girls. They were there for awhile too. Their play date was about 4 hours long. They were speaking in Tagalog (Filipino) to each other so I guess O's nanny is Filipino too.
As soon as I got there we played hide and go seek using the whole house. Those girls picked some creative hiding spots! I was helping the seeker find the other 2 but there was one time I wanted to surprise them and hide myself. I had the best hiding spot ever. I hid in the dad's closet in between his shirts. I should not have been there but it was a brilliant spot because it was so small one wouldn't think to look there. I don't think they ever realized I was hiding because once they found the other 2 girls they started over again. This went on for about 3 rounds before I finally came out because I was bored and hot.
Next game was the sleeping bag race. We had 2 sleeping bags and 3 girls, so I would pull one sleeping bag with M and O on it and they would hold onto the other sleeping bag with W on it. They loved it and then wanted me, O's nanny, AND Mercy to pull the 3 of them....so we did! Then they wanted to pull US! So the 3 of them pulled us adults and we all laughed and laughed. It was hilarious and only made possible because the mom wasn't home.
Once the adults got tired of pulling them around, M and O decided to make a fort, reminiscent of the one that W and her friend made yesterday. In this case, however, M didn't want her sister involved in the making of the fort. W wanted desperately to play with them and M wanted her alone time with her friend. W had a hard time understanding this but I came up with ways to distract her. She settled on coloring her calendar and ended up getting pretty into it. M eventually came in and told us we could play with them but I told her we were fine doing what we were doing. Then M got totally upset because she thought we didn't want to play with them. I mean, come on....you can't please anybody no matter what you do or say. I am so over this. M had her tantrum and fought back the tears and refused to talk to me about why she was upset. So I ignored it and she was fine 15 minutes later.
So then the mom comes home. This is right about the time M asks me to make them a snack, so I go in the kitchen to prepare them blueberries and healthy snacks. Ohhhh nooooo. The mom has just come back from Whole Foods and thought it would be nice to give them strawberries dipped in chocolate. I think healthy, she thinks sugar. Great, thanks. I'll be the one to deal with it when they smear the chocolate all over their faces in attempts to make chocolate mustaches and I'll be the one cleaning up the table when all the chocolate drips on it and gets on their clothes. The girls, of course, LOVE this treat and eat the remaining chocolate with spoons.
Then they got the idea to pretend they were injured and scare Mercy and their mom into thinking they broke their elbow or were cut. Then they wanted to do fake blood on their arms but couldn't find anything realistic enough. I realized I had red lipstick in my make-up bag and I let them put it on their arms as if bleeding. It looked so fake but they thought it was brilliant.
The second after O left the girls wanted to go play in the snow. I love the snow and think it's gorgeous, but I am over playing in it. M was being very impatient and very pissy when her mom said we could play for 20 minutes instead of 30. They were realllly testing my patience in the snow. They were purposefully taking a long time to walk back home because they didn't want to leave. The mom was VERY clear about only 20 minutes and I didn't want her to be mad at me, but what am I gonna do? Drag them by their feet? M even said something about being with "strict Emma". I said, "HEY! The only reason I'm strict is because I love you guys and I'm worried about your safety." I wanted to say, "how dare you? Do you realize your lives are in my hands and I will be the one getting fired if anything goes awry? Of COURSE I'm going to be strict about rules".
We made up by the time we got home and they took quick, separate baths. While W was in the bath, M was working on her valentine card for me. So what if it's February 26th? It's never too late for a valentine. She started singing "Apple Blossom Time" which is the song I sang all goofily that they recorded on their camera and watch over and over again. M has watched the movie so many times that she has memorized the song! I had no idea she knew all the words and the tune! So I had her sing it on the camera for me to send to my friend who knows the song.
Baths complete, we were just hanging tight at the table, coloring away, when the mom said they were leaving. It was only 5:40! They normally leave at 6:30! I didn't mind this at all but we were not ready because it was so early! We went through the process we go through every Friday of me asking them if they have everything packed that they'll want for the weekend and rushing to put on their coats as we're waiting for the elevator.
This time, I stayed behind in the apartment with Mercy while they all left. I liked being in the home alone with no noise. It's a much different atmosphere with no kiddies around. Mercy walked around and drew the shades, and I walked out 20 minutes behind the mom and girls.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Caterpillar Races
Today is Thursday which is the day W is supposed to have ballet meaning the day I get to relax for 45 minutes and the day I see Benny in the car. For some reason, W didn't have to go to ballet today. Instead, she got a playdate with her friend, O, who's in ballet with her. For the first time we got to use their service car coming home from school. Mercy had come in it and picked us up in the car and she and M got dropped off at B's and then the 3 of us went home.
I love O. She's a hilarious girl. She's so outgoing and will talk to anybody. It's funny though because once we got to our house she became more reserved and W was very outgoing and being so generous with all her stuff. They reversed roles once we were on W's territory. I made them tea and gave them their snack. I'm glad W has a friend who loves playmobile as much as she does because she was finally able to play the game with someone who invests a lot into it. M came home once they were done with their snack and the 4 of us played together. They made a fort in W's bedroom and we played monsters/cats. The girls were cats who could change into whatever animal they wanted to and I was the big monster who was chasing them. I actually had a lot of fun. I was running around so much and picking them up and got really hot and sweaty. We made a mess of the room because they took all of W's stuffed animals off of her shelf and strewn them on the floor. I helped Mercy clean up later, I felt so bad. Eventually O's mom came to pick her up but we were supposed to meet her downstairs. M, W, and I escorted O down to the lobby and waved goodbye to her.
Because of the playdate they had very quick baths and a quick dinner. The mom finally sat with them again so I could have a minute to scarf down my apple. When they were brushing their teeth they were fighting like crazy and driving me even more crazy. M accidentally hit W in the cheek with the mirror and W started crying and M hid under the bed. I'm so tired of the sibling drama. I don't get it- they used to get along so nicely and now they fight constantly. M was in another one of her moods tonight and I could see the tears coming on so I tried to get her to talk to me about her feelings and why she was sad but the mom asked me to clear their dinner plates off the dining room table. I guess it IS a lot of work to clear the plates yourself. I understand you have absolutely NO time to clear them into the kitchen while I'm consoling your troubled daughter.
When I came back M started sulking again and said she doesn't feel like her normal self. I asked her what she meant and what her normal self felt like and she said her normal self feels happy. She said she doesn't feel pretty anymore either. This girl needs therapy and she's 8 years-old.
We lightened the mood by having caterpillar races in their sleeping bags down the wood-floored hallway. They both have Disney princesses sleeping bags and they raced like caterpillars on them the length of the hallway and got several laughs through that.
Because of the nasty snow and weather, T was 15 mins late for tutoring M. The mom had retreated to her bedroom right after dinner and I never saw her again for the rest of the evening. She went M.I.A. and I thought she went to bed super early. She was lounging around the house all day in her pj pants that look just like mine and her cashmere sweater. She looked so comfortable and it made me mad that I'm working like crazy to keep her kids occupied and happy and she's just lounging around in her comfy clothes.
It was weird that the mom didn't come out to say goodnight to the girls or read with W like she normally does but I didn't mind. I had my regular bedtime routine with them. After I read to M and said goodnight to her I went to get my stuff together to leave. Before I did though I went back in W's room to turn out the light and make sure she was going to sleep. She told me she's been having bad dreams about there being a fire in their house. She's brought up her fear of fires lots of times and it's very clear that she's very scared of them. I sat down on her bed and talked her through why she doesn't need to be scared of that happening. She asked a lot of questions and I explained the batteries in the smoke detector, etc. I told her the main reason fires start is when people leave candles burning and then forget to blow them out. She got concerned and said "what if people light the Hanukkah candles and forget about them?" I thought that was so cute and told her I've never forgotten to blow them out and that they go out really quickly on their own. She was calmed by that answer.
Then she said, "what about burglars??" I told her she was in a very safe building and that the doormen would never let a burglar in. Then she got concerned because their house in Purchase has no doorman. Then she told me she doesn't like going to Purchase because it's too scary. She and her sister don't share a bathroom and her sister's room is farther away. She said she bumps into things when she wakes up to go to the bathroom and I offered to get her a night light to remedy that. She seemed into that idea.
I must have sat with her for a good extra 15 minutes trying to calm of her fears for fires and burglars. Then I tucked her in, kissed her on the forehead, and told her to have sweet dreams.
Not that I mind, but where is the mother for all of this???
I love O. She's a hilarious girl. She's so outgoing and will talk to anybody. It's funny though because once we got to our house she became more reserved and W was very outgoing and being so generous with all her stuff. They reversed roles once we were on W's territory. I made them tea and gave them their snack. I'm glad W has a friend who loves playmobile as much as she does because she was finally able to play the game with someone who invests a lot into it. M came home once they were done with their snack and the 4 of us played together. They made a fort in W's bedroom and we played monsters/cats. The girls were cats who could change into whatever animal they wanted to and I was the big monster who was chasing them. I actually had a lot of fun. I was running around so much and picking them up and got really hot and sweaty. We made a mess of the room because they took all of W's stuffed animals off of her shelf and strewn them on the floor. I helped Mercy clean up later, I felt so bad. Eventually O's mom came to pick her up but we were supposed to meet her downstairs. M, W, and I escorted O down to the lobby and waved goodbye to her.
Because of the playdate they had very quick baths and a quick dinner. The mom finally sat with them again so I could have a minute to scarf down my apple. When they were brushing their teeth they were fighting like crazy and driving me even more crazy. M accidentally hit W in the cheek with the mirror and W started crying and M hid under the bed. I'm so tired of the sibling drama. I don't get it- they used to get along so nicely and now they fight constantly. M was in another one of her moods tonight and I could see the tears coming on so I tried to get her to talk to me about her feelings and why she was sad but the mom asked me to clear their dinner plates off the dining room table. I guess it IS a lot of work to clear the plates yourself. I understand you have absolutely NO time to clear them into the kitchen while I'm consoling your troubled daughter.
When I came back M started sulking again and said she doesn't feel like her normal self. I asked her what she meant and what her normal self felt like and she said her normal self feels happy. She said she doesn't feel pretty anymore either. This girl needs therapy and she's 8 years-old.
We lightened the mood by having caterpillar races in their sleeping bags down the wood-floored hallway. They both have Disney princesses sleeping bags and they raced like caterpillars on them the length of the hallway and got several laughs through that.
Because of the nasty snow and weather, T was 15 mins late for tutoring M. The mom had retreated to her bedroom right after dinner and I never saw her again for the rest of the evening. She went M.I.A. and I thought she went to bed super early. She was lounging around the house all day in her pj pants that look just like mine and her cashmere sweater. She looked so comfortable and it made me mad that I'm working like crazy to keep her kids occupied and happy and she's just lounging around in her comfy clothes.
It was weird that the mom didn't come out to say goodnight to the girls or read with W like she normally does but I didn't mind. I had my regular bedtime routine with them. After I read to M and said goodnight to her I went to get my stuff together to leave. Before I did though I went back in W's room to turn out the light and make sure she was going to sleep. She told me she's been having bad dreams about there being a fire in their house. She's brought up her fear of fires lots of times and it's very clear that she's very scared of them. I sat down on her bed and talked her through why she doesn't need to be scared of that happening. She asked a lot of questions and I explained the batteries in the smoke detector, etc. I told her the main reason fires start is when people leave candles burning and then forget to blow them out. She got concerned and said "what if people light the Hanukkah candles and forget about them?" I thought that was so cute and told her I've never forgotten to blow them out and that they go out really quickly on their own. She was calmed by that answer.
Then she said, "what about burglars??" I told her she was in a very safe building and that the doormen would never let a burglar in. Then she got concerned because their house in Purchase has no doorman. Then she told me she doesn't like going to Purchase because it's too scary. She and her sister don't share a bathroom and her sister's room is farther away. She said she bumps into things when she wakes up to go to the bathroom and I offered to get her a night light to remedy that. She seemed into that idea.
I must have sat with her for a good extra 15 minutes trying to calm of her fears for fires and burglars. Then I tucked her in, kissed her on the forehead, and told her to have sweet dreams.
Not that I mind, but where is the mother for all of this???
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Hump Day
I couldn't think of a clever title for this entry and it's Wednesday, so that's all I got. Sorry.
W's dismissal is now only 15 minutes earlier than M's, so I picked up both girls today. It worked out well- I met W in the lobby where I always do and then we waited around for 15 minutes until her sister came out. She was so excited to see M, it was so cute. One of my favorite scenes is watching the girls come out of their classrooms at the end of the day and run up to their moms/nannies and grab them around the waist looking so happy to see them. I wish W did that with me but at least she doesn't waddle out to me anymore.
Again, we had another hour to play before bath time. It's really not bath time anymore, it's shower time. W has grown partial to taking showers now and I'm not sure why. I'd rather them bathe by themselves because then they don't fight and I don't mind if they shower as long as they really clean themselves. They're so cute- they both wanted to surprise me by getting out of the shower and dried off and in their pj's without me having to ask them. They told me to close the bathroom door and leave W's room so they could get ready, and then when they called my name it meant I was able to come back into their room. I would come in and they would be sitting in their pj's, hair all wet and scraggly, smiling and giggling. It makes me so happy that they do it because they know it makes me happy.
Neither of their hair was curly today so I braided their hair while it was still wet and then blow-dried it in the braids. I think their hair will actually be curly tomorrow!
I sat with the girls at dinner again because the mom was watching a special news report on TV. She didn't even tell me she wasn't going to sit with them like she always does; she just stayed on the couch and I took the initiative to sit with the girls. That's 2 nights in a row she hasn't had dinner with them. I don't think they mind but I think it's sad because that's the only time of day they spend quality time with each other.
They didn't eat most of their dinner so I snuck the leftovers off their plates when I cleared them into the kitchen. If I wasn't going to be able to eat the apple I brought, I can at least eat their nice beef.
W did my hair and ended up doing 2 pigtails and said I looked like Edwina. That's nice, I guess. Edwina is like 10 years old, but whatever.
Sadly, there is nothing new or exciting or interesting to report. It was a normal day. We did our bedtime rituals and that was that. I did fall asleep while reading to W though and she said "come on!" and I felt awful and snapped awake really quickly. I had 2 coffees today too....it must be the weather.
Hopefully I won't be as boring tomorrow.....
W's dismissal is now only 15 minutes earlier than M's, so I picked up both girls today. It worked out well- I met W in the lobby where I always do and then we waited around for 15 minutes until her sister came out. She was so excited to see M, it was so cute. One of my favorite scenes is watching the girls come out of their classrooms at the end of the day and run up to their moms/nannies and grab them around the waist looking so happy to see them. I wish W did that with me but at least she doesn't waddle out to me anymore.
Again, we had another hour to play before bath time. It's really not bath time anymore, it's shower time. W has grown partial to taking showers now and I'm not sure why. I'd rather them bathe by themselves because then they don't fight and I don't mind if they shower as long as they really clean themselves. They're so cute- they both wanted to surprise me by getting out of the shower and dried off and in their pj's without me having to ask them. They told me to close the bathroom door and leave W's room so they could get ready, and then when they called my name it meant I was able to come back into their room. I would come in and they would be sitting in their pj's, hair all wet and scraggly, smiling and giggling. It makes me so happy that they do it because they know it makes me happy.
Neither of their hair was curly today so I braided their hair while it was still wet and then blow-dried it in the braids. I think their hair will actually be curly tomorrow!
I sat with the girls at dinner again because the mom was watching a special news report on TV. She didn't even tell me she wasn't going to sit with them like she always does; she just stayed on the couch and I took the initiative to sit with the girls. That's 2 nights in a row she hasn't had dinner with them. I don't think they mind but I think it's sad because that's the only time of day they spend quality time with each other.
They didn't eat most of their dinner so I snuck the leftovers off their plates when I cleared them into the kitchen. If I wasn't going to be able to eat the apple I brought, I can at least eat their nice beef.
W did my hair and ended up doing 2 pigtails and said I looked like Edwina. That's nice, I guess. Edwina is like 10 years old, but whatever.
Sadly, there is nothing new or exciting or interesting to report. It was a normal day. We did our bedtime rituals and that was that. I did fall asleep while reading to W though and she said "come on!" and I felt awful and snapped awake really quickly. I had 2 coffees today too....it must be the weather.
Hopefully I won't be as boring tomorrow.....
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I'm Rubber, You're Glue
Today was such an eeyore day. It was pouring rain all day and I didn't have an umbrella for me or W, but she didn't mind because she said she likes when her hair gets wet because it gets curly. It's hard to imagine her with curly hair.
In the taxi on the way home she pouted and said, "I had to sit by myself on the bus this morning". I guess her sister normally sits with her but today she sat with her friends so W sat alone. We came up with games she could play by herself to keep her occupied. I taught her how to use her knuckles to tell which months had 30 or 31 days and I taught her the "johnny, johnny...." game on her hands. She really liked that one. We talked about different mind games she can play and hand games she can play by herself.
M didn't have any after-school activities so the 3 of us had an hour to hang out and play at home. We listened to 'Dear Edwina' which I have to admit, I sort of missed a little, and colored in their Disney princess coloring books. I think it's funny they have those because every time they color in them they make a point to talk about how much they hate princesses. Then I recorded them dancing to 'Dear Edwina' because it really was too cute. They continued on with their recent obsession with pregnancy and pretended to give birth. It was really funny but felt weird to see them pretend to give birth at 5 and 8 years old. They put the small exercise ball under their shirts and laid on their backs on W's bed and then would replace the ball with a baby doll. I recorded it all on the camera and pretended I was documenting the birth.
Then, out of NOWHERE, M asked me if my private part was hairy. I freaked out and asked her why she asked that and she said "that means it probably is". I asked where she learned about that and she said "because I saw my mom's once". I was so stunned I told her she wasn't allowed to talk about that until she's older and made her get in the bath.
While she was in the bath she expressed her concern about her class bully, May. She told me she had a bully and she seemed really upset about it so I sat on the toilet seat and talked with her about it for awhile. I had already been through this with W but M seemed more upset about it. I tried thinking of more things she could do to remedy her evil bully. I told her she should talk to her in Japanese because she wouldn't understand what she was saying. M said defeated, "but SHE'S Japanese". There goes my brilliant idea. M said, "I feel like I have the curse of May. I can feel myself getting mean when she's mean to me." I told her not to let that happen because then May wins. I told her she needs to be the bigger person and tell herself that she will not let May's bad attitude ruin her kind heart. She said it was really hard to do. Then I felt awful because for the rest of the night any time M said something sassy or threatened me and I told her that wasn't nice, she would say, "see?!" and then I had to say "no, no, no! You're not mean, M!!" I wish I could go to their school and tell May off personally.
Their parents went out tonight which I love. I never even saw the dad but the mom left around 6:45. She was getting ready during dinner so I sat with the girls to keep them company. That meant I didn't get to eat my dinner or have my quiet time, but they couldn't eat dinner by themselves. I sat where the mom usually sits at the head of the table and I felt so weird about doing so because the mom was home. She was doing her own thing though, so whatever. During dinner the girls told me about a "festival" they're having at their house that I should be invited to and asked if I would come if I was invited. It's basically a large cocktail party with everyone they know. They said there are so many people there it's hard to walk around. M said they get cooks that come and cook in the kitchen and they get servants that work the event. They said I could stay over that night if I needed to because it goes until 9:00pm. I thought that was so cute they involved me in it. M told me I'm basically a part of their family. We decided I was like their older sister and they loved that and so did I.
After dinner the girls helped me do the dishes which was so darling. M put on big rubber gloves and washed the dishes and W stood on a chair and dried them, and I put them away. We had an assembly line going and the girls actually enjoyed it. It was THEIR idea, after all.
Before she left the mom gave me a list of the dates that W has playdates and told me that she's going to Tokyo on Monday until March 10th. Aaaalriiiiight.
W really wanted her hair to be curly tomorrow so I gave them braided pigtails to sleep on. They were very excited about them.
Despite the fact that W hates princesses, we read a few stories from her big book of princess stories in bed. She gave me eskimo and butterfly kisses and huge hug leaps. M had tons of energy after T left which rubbed off on W. I had a really hard time getting them to settle down and get in bed. W's mom wasn't there to read to her after I leave (which she does now) so I had to try to get her to keep occupied while I read to M. I kept checking on her to make sure the lights were out and that she was settling down.
I talked to Mercy for awhile before I headed out because we get along. Then I said a final goodnight to the girls and crept out.
In the taxi on the way home she pouted and said, "I had to sit by myself on the bus this morning". I guess her sister normally sits with her but today she sat with her friends so W sat alone. We came up with games she could play by herself to keep her occupied. I taught her how to use her knuckles to tell which months had 30 or 31 days and I taught her the "johnny, johnny...." game on her hands. She really liked that one. We talked about different mind games she can play and hand games she can play by herself.
M didn't have any after-school activities so the 3 of us had an hour to hang out and play at home. We listened to 'Dear Edwina' which I have to admit, I sort of missed a little, and colored in their Disney princess coloring books. I think it's funny they have those because every time they color in them they make a point to talk about how much they hate princesses. Then I recorded them dancing to 'Dear Edwina' because it really was too cute. They continued on with their recent obsession with pregnancy and pretended to give birth. It was really funny but felt weird to see them pretend to give birth at 5 and 8 years old. They put the small exercise ball under their shirts and laid on their backs on W's bed and then would replace the ball with a baby doll. I recorded it all on the camera and pretended I was documenting the birth.
Then, out of NOWHERE, M asked me if my private part was hairy. I freaked out and asked her why she asked that and she said "that means it probably is". I asked where she learned about that and she said "because I saw my mom's once". I was so stunned I told her she wasn't allowed to talk about that until she's older and made her get in the bath.
While she was in the bath she expressed her concern about her class bully, May. She told me she had a bully and she seemed really upset about it so I sat on the toilet seat and talked with her about it for awhile. I had already been through this with W but M seemed more upset about it. I tried thinking of more things she could do to remedy her evil bully. I told her she should talk to her in Japanese because she wouldn't understand what she was saying. M said defeated, "but SHE'S Japanese". There goes my brilliant idea. M said, "I feel like I have the curse of May. I can feel myself getting mean when she's mean to me." I told her not to let that happen because then May wins. I told her she needs to be the bigger person and tell herself that she will not let May's bad attitude ruin her kind heart. She said it was really hard to do. Then I felt awful because for the rest of the night any time M said something sassy or threatened me and I told her that wasn't nice, she would say, "see?!" and then I had to say "no, no, no! You're not mean, M!!" I wish I could go to their school and tell May off personally.
Their parents went out tonight which I love. I never even saw the dad but the mom left around 6:45. She was getting ready during dinner so I sat with the girls to keep them company. That meant I didn't get to eat my dinner or have my quiet time, but they couldn't eat dinner by themselves. I sat where the mom usually sits at the head of the table and I felt so weird about doing so because the mom was home. She was doing her own thing though, so whatever. During dinner the girls told me about a "festival" they're having at their house that I should be invited to and asked if I would come if I was invited. It's basically a large cocktail party with everyone they know. They said there are so many people there it's hard to walk around. M said they get cooks that come and cook in the kitchen and they get servants that work the event. They said I could stay over that night if I needed to because it goes until 9:00pm. I thought that was so cute they involved me in it. M told me I'm basically a part of their family. We decided I was like their older sister and they loved that and so did I.
After dinner the girls helped me do the dishes which was so darling. M put on big rubber gloves and washed the dishes and W stood on a chair and dried them, and I put them away. We had an assembly line going and the girls actually enjoyed it. It was THEIR idea, after all.
Before she left the mom gave me a list of the dates that W has playdates and told me that she's going to Tokyo on Monday until March 10th. Aaaalriiiiight.
W really wanted her hair to be curly tomorrow so I gave them braided pigtails to sleep on. They were very excited about them.
Despite the fact that W hates princesses, we read a few stories from her big book of princess stories in bed. She gave me eskimo and butterfly kisses and huge hug leaps. M had tons of energy after T left which rubbed off on W. I had a really hard time getting them to settle down and get in bed. W's mom wasn't there to read to her after I leave (which she does now) so I had to try to get her to keep occupied while I read to M. I kept checking on her to make sure the lights were out and that she was settling down.
I talked to Mercy for awhile before I headed out because we get along. Then I said a final goodnight to the girls and crept out.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Precious
I saw Mercy at school again today. I know this is stupid but I get mad when she tries to bundle up W or ask if I should take her backpack for her because it's too heavy for her. I ALWAYS bundle up W very well and I ALWAYS carry her backpack for her. I love Mercy and I know she just wants the best for W, but she worries so much about everything.
I took W to her tutor, B, today, but the mom hasn't adjusted the time of her lesson and with the late school dismissal, W only got half an hour instead of 45 minutes. I feel as if W is really opening up though. She's much less shy with me when I pick her up at school and she's more enthusiastic about things she's done at school. She even went as far as to say "school is so fun!" today. I think my jaw hit the floor of the cab.
I had gotten a bagel before I picked up W as a quick bite to eat. I love bagels but I know how bad they are for you. The only problem is there's a really good bagel place right by the girls' school and it's the only quick food around there so I've been getting bagels more often than I normally would. I saved the bagel to eat for when I was waiting at B's but Mercy and M came after I had only had 2 bites. M told me she didn't get to eat all of her lunch so I shared my bagel with her since I knew she was trying to tell me she was hungry. It used to be that Mercy would bring W home when she was done and I would wait for M to be done and bring her home. I loved that because I would get an hour and a half to read and have quiet time. Now W's been asking me to go home with her and Mercy stays to bring M home. It gives Mercy about 45 minutes to nap in the lobby though and she deserves those 45 minutes.
I gave W a bite of my bagel at home but she had her own snack so that's all she got. I saved the last few bites of my bagel for M for when she got home and it made me feel better that I hadn't eaten the whole thing by myself. W was being a sweetheart again. She was being funny and attentive and respectful and said all her pleases and even put her clothes in the hamper by herself without waiting for me to do it. She told me about this crystal pin she lost that she was really sad about and when I asked her how long it had been lost she said 10 years. I looked at her with this grin and whispered, "you've only been alive for 5 years".
W reminds me a lot of myself in the sense that she always knows exactly where everything is and she makes lists all the time. She does what I did when I was a kid- she writes all the words she knows how to spell. She also has a photographic memory and can tell me which bag her plastic fish are in that I've never seen before. When she listens to her books on CD, she remembers the words and can read through it in the book so much more quickly. I'm amazed at how much she retains from hearing it.
I gave the girls their bath together once M came home. They fought the entire time and it was so hard to get them to get along. M is really good at sassing and W is really good at whining and yelling, so the combination makes for a splendid evening. I want to stop giving them their baths together because they haven't been able to take a bath together without fighting recently. They used to play together so nicely. I'm not sure where we went wrong.
I've been noticing that M has been really glum lately. She's always saying how today was a bad day and that she's not sure why she's feeling so sad. Once she and her sister start fighting she gets in this bad mood that can't be shaken and she points it out. I have to pinch her cheeks and get up in her bubble and tickle her to get any sort of smile out of her.
She was fine once dinner was ready. Even though her mom doesn't do any of the cooking, she's really good at making it look very presentable. She does a good job of displaying the food on their plates to make it pretty. I told her so and she said they eat more when it looks nice. She's really growing on me. She's not as bad as I made her out to be. The girls were showing me things and telling me stories throughout dinner when I would walk through to clear their plates or peel their apples. It seems as if they want me around more and that's nice. They got very curious about their parent's wedding during dinner so we looked through the photo album of their wedding pictures. That was really neat to see their parents back then. Her wedding dress was HUGE. She honestly looked like a wedding cake topper or like a huge cupcake.
When they went in the bathroom to brush their teeth, M sat up on the window ledge which always scares me. One would have to physically unlock the window for it to open but it still frightens me when they lean against it in fear of it opening and them falling. M sat up there and said, "I feel like jumping out the window". Considering how gloomy she's been lately that really upset and scared me. I told her to never, ever, ever say that. I went over to her and grabbed her around the waist and told her she was too special a person to talk like that. I told her she was precious and she said she didn't feel like it. She said, "I feel opposite of everything. People tell me I'm precious and smart and I don't feel precious or smart". It broke my heart into a million pieces and I wanted to smother her in hugs and kisses and make her feel amazing. I swear I could see little tears in her eyes.
Then she smiled and asked me to brush her teeth, so I did. Then W wanted me to brush her teeth so I did. I tried to forget about what M had just said but it was hard for me to.
Then T came and W and I did our activity workbook sheets. I gave her 6 scholar dollars tonight, she did so well. She did a great job reading in bed too. I love when she reads and I love helping her sound out the words. It feels really good to know you're helping someone learn how to read. She snuggled against me again while I read Cinderella from her ballet story book. W and I are forming this sweet bond that feels so full of love. It's changed so much from what it used to be like.
For my goodnight hug she told me to stand back from the bed and she ran off of the bed into my arms with a huge leap. Then she wanted to do the elephant which I taught her and her mom walked in while she was hanging upside down and freaked out. I told her I had her and she was fine but I can see why that would look scary. While her legs were wrapped around my waist and I was holding her up, we did our eskimo kiss and our butterfly kiss. She said "eyes" which was butterfly kiss and then she said "nose" which was eskimo kiss. It's something small that I share with her that makes me feel closer to her. I should teach M those kisses too.
I read Harry Potter to M and she was in a much better mood than she was earlier. Before I left for the evening I made a point to hug her and tell her I wanted her to be happier because it made me sad when she was so down. I told her she was one of the best people I knew and she lit up and said "really?!" I told her yes, she was one of the most kind-hearted people I knew and it made me sad when she was sad. She said, "I never thought of it that way before". She told me she would start smiling more and talking less sadly. I hope she does because if she doesn't I might need to tell her mom about her behavior because I want to make sure she's OK.
My heart full of love again, I am ready for a new week.
I took W to her tutor, B, today, but the mom hasn't adjusted the time of her lesson and with the late school dismissal, W only got half an hour instead of 45 minutes. I feel as if W is really opening up though. She's much less shy with me when I pick her up at school and she's more enthusiastic about things she's done at school. She even went as far as to say "school is so fun!" today. I think my jaw hit the floor of the cab.
I had gotten a bagel before I picked up W as a quick bite to eat. I love bagels but I know how bad they are for you. The only problem is there's a really good bagel place right by the girls' school and it's the only quick food around there so I've been getting bagels more often than I normally would. I saved the bagel to eat for when I was waiting at B's but Mercy and M came after I had only had 2 bites. M told me she didn't get to eat all of her lunch so I shared my bagel with her since I knew she was trying to tell me she was hungry. It used to be that Mercy would bring W home when she was done and I would wait for M to be done and bring her home. I loved that because I would get an hour and a half to read and have quiet time. Now W's been asking me to go home with her and Mercy stays to bring M home. It gives Mercy about 45 minutes to nap in the lobby though and she deserves those 45 minutes.
I gave W a bite of my bagel at home but she had her own snack so that's all she got. I saved the last few bites of my bagel for M for when she got home and it made me feel better that I hadn't eaten the whole thing by myself. W was being a sweetheart again. She was being funny and attentive and respectful and said all her pleases and even put her clothes in the hamper by herself without waiting for me to do it. She told me about this crystal pin she lost that she was really sad about and when I asked her how long it had been lost she said 10 years. I looked at her with this grin and whispered, "you've only been alive for 5 years".
W reminds me a lot of myself in the sense that she always knows exactly where everything is and she makes lists all the time. She does what I did when I was a kid- she writes all the words she knows how to spell. She also has a photographic memory and can tell me which bag her plastic fish are in that I've never seen before. When she listens to her books on CD, she remembers the words and can read through it in the book so much more quickly. I'm amazed at how much she retains from hearing it.
I gave the girls their bath together once M came home. They fought the entire time and it was so hard to get them to get along. M is really good at sassing and W is really good at whining and yelling, so the combination makes for a splendid evening. I want to stop giving them their baths together because they haven't been able to take a bath together without fighting recently. They used to play together so nicely. I'm not sure where we went wrong.
I've been noticing that M has been really glum lately. She's always saying how today was a bad day and that she's not sure why she's feeling so sad. Once she and her sister start fighting she gets in this bad mood that can't be shaken and she points it out. I have to pinch her cheeks and get up in her bubble and tickle her to get any sort of smile out of her.
She was fine once dinner was ready. Even though her mom doesn't do any of the cooking, she's really good at making it look very presentable. She does a good job of displaying the food on their plates to make it pretty. I told her so and she said they eat more when it looks nice. She's really growing on me. She's not as bad as I made her out to be. The girls were showing me things and telling me stories throughout dinner when I would walk through to clear their plates or peel their apples. It seems as if they want me around more and that's nice. They got very curious about their parent's wedding during dinner so we looked through the photo album of their wedding pictures. That was really neat to see their parents back then. Her wedding dress was HUGE. She honestly looked like a wedding cake topper or like a huge cupcake.
When they went in the bathroom to brush their teeth, M sat up on the window ledge which always scares me. One would have to physically unlock the window for it to open but it still frightens me when they lean against it in fear of it opening and them falling. M sat up there and said, "I feel like jumping out the window". Considering how gloomy she's been lately that really upset and scared me. I told her to never, ever, ever say that. I went over to her and grabbed her around the waist and told her she was too special a person to talk like that. I told her she was precious and she said she didn't feel like it. She said, "I feel opposite of everything. People tell me I'm precious and smart and I don't feel precious or smart". It broke my heart into a million pieces and I wanted to smother her in hugs and kisses and make her feel amazing. I swear I could see little tears in her eyes.
Then she smiled and asked me to brush her teeth, so I did. Then W wanted me to brush her teeth so I did. I tried to forget about what M had just said but it was hard for me to.
Then T came and W and I did our activity workbook sheets. I gave her 6 scholar dollars tonight, she did so well. She did a great job reading in bed too. I love when she reads and I love helping her sound out the words. It feels really good to know you're helping someone learn how to read. She snuggled against me again while I read Cinderella from her ballet story book. W and I are forming this sweet bond that feels so full of love. It's changed so much from what it used to be like.
For my goodnight hug she told me to stand back from the bed and she ran off of the bed into my arms with a huge leap. Then she wanted to do the elephant which I taught her and her mom walked in while she was hanging upside down and freaked out. I told her I had her and she was fine but I can see why that would look scary. While her legs were wrapped around my waist and I was holding her up, we did our eskimo kiss and our butterfly kiss. She said "eyes" which was butterfly kiss and then she said "nose" which was eskimo kiss. It's something small that I share with her that makes me feel closer to her. I should teach M those kisses too.
I read Harry Potter to M and she was in a much better mood than she was earlier. Before I left for the evening I made a point to hug her and tell her I wanted her to be happier because it made me sad when she was so down. I told her she was one of the best people I knew and she lit up and said "really?!" I told her yes, she was one of the most kind-hearted people I knew and it made me sad when she was sad. She said, "I never thought of it that way before". She told me she would start smiling more and talking less sadly. I hope she does because if she doesn't I might need to tell her mom about her behavior because I want to make sure she's OK.
My heart full of love again, I am ready for a new week.
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