Shapes, Self Awareness and other Stray Tidbits

While my brother was removing his snow tires back in BC, we had entered a week where we really needed them.  This is what my backyard looked like last Sunday before the snow really started to fall.  We received a good three inches of snow on Monday to add to Sunday's collection.  To be expected, I know.  

Meant that we had lots of indoor activities over the past week.  The kids have been into fort building but I also found them Sharpee-ing my squash one afternoon (because it was novel?). They look rather inviting in my cupboard at least.

I've been having a bad gall-bladder week (two, actually), so I've appreciated the good laughs to help get me through the fatigue.  One laugh was at dinner time while eating taco salad.  Iz's voice was heard to say, "Aw . . . look at this cute little trapezoid."  Surprised by the word coming out of her mouth, we all looked at the tortilla chip she was holding and were further surprised that it really was a trapezoid!  Not like the pictures I took the next day post-nap while they snacked on a few non-trapezoids (to help me remember what she'd said):

Another fun dinner was Wednesday night when S's co-worker, Vic and his wife Kathy came over.  We go to the same church, as well, so it was nice to spend more time together - especially as Kathy brought over most of the dinner!  We'd given them the warning about our kids being a little "unpredictable" at dinner (i.e. not having the best table manners, Ai being a bit contrary, etc.).  They did really very well and we were even having REAL conversation!  But before she ran off to play pre-dessert, Iz sat on my lap to finish her milk.  I noticed it out of the corner of my eyes while conversing with Kathy, but too late to stop it.  Iz had sucked the milk up, "chipmunked" it and just because it seemed like a good idea, slapped both hands to her cheeks so that the milk spewed all over Kathy's sweater and face!  I was shocked, but it didn't stop my burst of laughter, much to S's embarrassment.  Fortunately, Kathy is good natured and really great with kids (even brought along her own story books in hopes of reading to the kids at bedtime.  Gotta like company like that!).  

Vic also played a game on S's iPad with them, which they loved.  

And they graciously followed all the signs leading upstairs and sat through this:

It consisted of Ai and A jumping on her bed, pretending to play guitars and meowing, loudly.  Hmm.  We'll have to work on that before we have more company to entertain . . . 

Thursday morning was memorable as I did Iz's hair, and not because she no longer wails when I do it (a gift of her turning four).  When I put her hair into pony tails and started to braid them, she asked, "Are you doing the little braid things?"  Yes.  "Oh, good!  That makes me feel like I'll have friends."  And even Ai caught on that what she was saying was rather sad.  Before I could express how she has many friends and it doesn't matter what her hair looks like or what she's wearing, but its just because of who she is inside, etc., Ai interjected.  "But Iz, I like you.  And you have lots and lots of friends."  And he started to list them off.  When Iz was complemented on how cute she looked at the Mom's playgroup later that morning, I shared with a tender-hearted friend what Iz had said earlier about her hair.  We both got a little teary-eyed.  It was just a little window into how early we can link our sense of self-worth with how good we look or how others respond to us.  It was easy to relate to what was expressed in Iz's innocent little comment.

She certainly looked cute, though.  As does big sister . . . 

As does big brother, but I don't have any new photos of him.  True to the pattern of the season - having a cold for the first two weeks of each new month since October -  he's been sick.  Yet he didn't miss a day of school last week despite that, as he was the POTW:  Person of the Week. He got to bring in snacks, be asked questions each day, show special belongings.  This morning when he woke up still coughing, however, he just couldn't do it (though the time change didn't help).  He needs to be the POTY to get through Kindergarten with a better attendance track record!

One smile this morning in the mad rush to get A out the door came from S mentioning that at dinner, we'd talk about ideas for a week or so of summer holiday.  "Hooray!  Let's go to Paris!  Or Hawaii!" You can maybe guess who said that.   She was a little disappointed when S brought it down to reality and suggested camping.*  "Can I put a stick in the fire?" asked Iz.  Yes.  "Can Ai, too?"  Yes.  "Yippee!"  Very different expectations in this household (though A will certainly enjoy camping if it happens).  I've just never heard S say "summer holiday" before so that alone makes me happy. :)

*In fact, the conversation continued to say, "Why can't we go to Paris?  Omi gets to go to nice places like that."  But we didn't want to get into a discussion about the perks of retirement . . .