I Was Just About To Kill Her....

For the last hour and a half, Niamh and I have been yelling at each other through her bedroom door because she did not want to take a nap. I could care less if she sleeps but this is my time to get things done, i.e. do nothing, alone. Every 10 minutes or so, she'd yell, "Can I come out now? I can't sleep." I'd respond, "No, try harder." Finally, at 4:00, I figured that I'd give in the next time she asked, but I wasn't going to do it with a smile. I was going to let her know that she misbehaved (because not napping and disturbing my alone time is seriously bad behavior). So, she called out to me, I burst in the room, ready to give her some chore to do because she wasn't napping, and she greeted me in this get up. It kind of changed my mood. I love her again.

Bruises and Scrapes

Would it be over the top to make them wear knee pads and shin guards whenever they leave the safety of the couch? We have the shin guards. They are hardly used due to their short soccer careers. As soon as their knees heal, they take another digger and get fresh road rash. I wish I could say that they earned their scars doing daring stunts that would amaze an audience of other 3 and 5 year olds, but that would be a plain old lie. The pictured cuts were earned from Finn pushing his Tonka Dump Truck up the road, something he has done countless times in the past.

And Niamh earned her wounds at the International Fountain at Seattle Center. She was running from the spray and slipped on the slope (though it is a dangerously steep grade). The whole drive home, as she whimpered in the back seat from the burn of her new wound, she blamed the designers of the fountain for making it so dangerous. Right on, Niamh, we'll sue!

Who are we going to blame for the time you turned the corner too fast and hit the edge of the door jamb? Who are we going to blame for the countless times both of you have had your fingers snapped by the tape measure which you insist on playing with, even after being cautioned about that very danger when you push the retract button? Who are we going to blame for all the times you trip over the dog who is always lying on the floor right where anyone wants to step? Hmmm?

Eavesdropping

The conversation going on downstairs between Niamh and Finn...
Finn: "Neevie, why are you not going to play with me?"
Niamh: "Because I'm watching my cartoon."
Finn: "But it is in Spanish." (It is, Niamh found the Spanish language cartoon channel and loves it.)
Niamh: "That's ok, I know Spanish." (Geez, here we go again. Watch out teachers at John Stanford, Niamh thinks she already knows it all.)
Finn: "But I want you to play with me."
Niamh: "Arghhhh, FINN, you are bugging me!"
Finn: "NEEVIE, I WANT YOU TO PLAY WITH ME RIGHT NOW!"

I should go intervene.

Recipe For A Laugh

1. Take One Large Dumb Dog, Boxer Brand Preferred

2. Add an Elizabethan Collar AKA "E Collar"

3. Watch closely as he walks around the house, goes through doorways, up and down stairs.

4. Share video with friends.

He doesn't really need the collar. We just put it on him for fun.

Finn Didn't Win

How much emphasis should we put on winning?  This is a topic that Steve and I disagree on.

Steve thinks they should strive to win all the time.  His family competes against each other ALL THE TIME.  Steve took up running a couple months ago just to beat his brother in a 4th of July race (he did!).  He hadn't run in decades!  He still says he hates to run but does it so that he can continue to beat his brother, Mike.  That just doesn't sound fun to me.

I think they should participate in all kinds of activities and just give it a good try.  For me winning shouldn't be the end goal.  Sports should be about team work, fun, exercise, the cute uniform and shoes you get with each different sport.  Sure, it could be that I wasn't the top athlete in my class and I don't want them to be disappointed if they get my athletic abilities, but this is what I am trying to avoid....

Seriously, how am I supposed to deal with that at age 15 when his basketball team loses?

Rubber Duckie Racing

Steve and the kids are in Montana. Because of my ridiculous all weekend work schedule, I was unable to go. I can't say I am sorry to have missed the 9 hour drive over there with Steve using cruise control the whole way, seeing how long he can go weaving in and out of cars at 70 80 mph without having to tap the brakes. However, I really do miss them. I am a little shocked at how fast I missed them. I hear tomorrow they are going horseback riding. The kids have never been so I am bummed to miss that experience. I am also kind of sad to miss out on the goofy games they make up to keep entertained in Victor, Montana, a town of very little to do (OK, there is lots of hiking and fishing, but little for ME to do). Steve sent me this video of them racing rubber ducks in the irrigation ditch. Kind of makes you want to visit Victor, Montana, doesn't it?

I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

This evening as one of us was running with a toy ambulance in his hand and making siren noises alternated with rocket ship launch sounds on the way home from dinner (Finn) at The Golden Olive, and the rest of us were walking (Niamh and Mommy), Niamh stated: "Boys like to run around and be crazy. Us girls like to sit down, relax, and watch those crazy boys."
Well said, My Little Clone, well said.

They Are Too Young For This Smut

Niamh recently learned how to work the remote control for the television. She is no longer satisfied with channel 9 cartoons. Her tastes have broadened to The Golden Girls, Mexican Telenovelas, and just about anything on The Discovery Channel. This morning, I went to the basement and found both Niamh and Finn glued to the television watching this Babe in her short shorts working up a sweat. I was horrified! I think I am going to have to install a parental lock on some channels.

The Talented Eddy

Eddy, ain't he just the most smartest dog you ever did meet? All braun, no brains. The Gentle Giant. (Lola is our friend Julie's dog. She may be short one leg, but she makes up for it in talent.)