Middle Aged

I just found a To Do list in my badge holder at work. It had listed on it Spanx and Strapless Bra.

I must have had something really exciting planned.

Dear Dogs…

I found this among a bunch of papers in Niamh’s room the other day. It was like finding treasure.

I love finding her notes and cards.

I love that she is writing to our two dumb dogs.

I wonder if she really thinks they can read.

I wonder if she ever gave them the card and it just ended up back in her room.

Would she have given it to Fred or Gus? Gus would be the one I’d think could read if I was 7 years old.

Have I ever written about when I was Niamh’s age and thought that our dog, Gypsy, was my grandfather reincarnated? I had never even met my grandfather. Obviously, I wanted to know him in some capacity.

I wouldn’t get undressed in front of my dog when I thought he was my grandfather reincarnated.

Kids are weird.

This note wasn’t dated but it looks like it was written when the dogs were neutered and had to wear cones.

This was the envelope.

Dear Dogs, I know that you want to get your cone off but I can’t do anything about it. Love, Niamh

This was the surprise drawing behind the little yellow sticky note.

Adorable stuff.

Hello, Beautiful

Hi, Niamh. I haven’t forgot about you on this here little bliggity blog. You’re in school. You’re learning all about Eleanor Roosevelt and Eggs…en espanol, no mas! Summer break is just a week away and I’m ready to spend more time with you. I don’t get to see enough of your big green eyes, rosey posey lips, and cute choppy bangs. You’re beautiful. I Love You, You Little Turd.

P.S. That’s Not Real Money

Everywhere we went today Finn would say, Mama, if you want to save money, you can’t buy stuff.

I’m tired of hearing it. Its now almost 6pm and he just said it to me again as I was ordering pizza for dinner.

How’d you like catsup with broccoli and greek yogurt for dinner? Huh, Mr. Rational.

Who taught you to budget, anyway? Sure wasn’t me.

Geez, step off, Buddy. I’ve sold your toys for cash before, and I’ll do it again.

Punk’d

I made Finn a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and charred the heck out of it.

That’s the very first time I’ve ever burned grilled cheese, it was really weird.

Instead of just toss it, I thought' I’d serve it to Finn and see what he did. I had a back up grilled cheese ready, just in case tears started to flow.

Untitled from fiona westover on Vimeo.

 

True to Finn form, he was sweet. True to Finn form, he’ll eat anything.

I’m thinking of trying the same little experiment with Niamh but I’m pretty sure she’d send the sandwich back to the kitchen, fire the cook, and fire the waitress. In this case I’m the cook and the waitress so it would be like serving a double life sentence.

I Guess One Could Say She Is Well Read

It’s the end of the year, so Niamh’s school librarian sends out emails to the parents reminding them to look for and return books that the kids have checked out. These are the last two titles I am to look for. “The Egg” and “Eleanor Roosevelt: fighter for social justice.”

Anyone else think that’s funny?

When The Television Goes Off

We are pretty liberal with television time around here. We are part of a minority group, we realize that. We also allow them sugary treats if they've eaten enough "good" stuff throughout the day. We don't want our kids to grow up and lose their jobs because they finally have the freedom to watch The Real World and eat M&Ms willy nilly. So, we give it to them in small doses, ample enough to curb their cravings. Don't ask me to define "small doses".

That said, there are times when I turn the tube off and tell them there just won't be any more for the rest of the day. They can do just about anything they want to do, but they can't watch television, and they can't come in the kitchen and bug me.

Yesterday was one of those days, and this is what they did.

They drew a chess board and chess pieces and then played chess.

Steve and I don't know how to play chess, which leads me to conclude: they learned all about it from, yep, you guessed it, television!

Just Like His Mama

The Scene: We are in the dream car, at a stop light. The light is red. An ambulance flies by with lights and sirens blaring. Niamh and Finn are in the car with me.

Finn: Mama, was that your ambulance? (He asks this about every ambulance we've seen since he got to tour the Children's Hospital Ambulance 2 years ago.)

Me: Nope. Not mine.

Finn: Can we follow it?

Me: Nope, you aren't supposed to do that, Kiddo.

Finn: But I want to see what happened to the people.

Friends, we just might have ourselves another ICU Nurse in the family.

I Like Boys Who Like Their Mothers

When you're 5, posting it on your bike helmet is the same as getting it tattooed on your arm.