Photodump-Ruby: A Year in Review

Little Helpers

 

We can pretty much forget about doing anything these days without a little help. In this case, it was making mac and cheese in their pj's help. Somehow when it comes to an un-fun task, like cleaning up the playroom, the enthusiasm doesn't come so quick but I guess you have to take it when you can get it.

180 Degrees

So...after the terrible twos post it seems like Sailor has had a complete turnaround. I won't say that she never has a bad moment but the streak that we dealt with for a little bit there seems to have come and gone. Of course, as soon as I post this she will probably set the house on fire but the calm before the storm was nice while it lasted.

Ru and Music

     Ruby really has a thing for music. She always asks about songs on the radio and we talk about the artists a bit or the song itself. Lately her own songs have gotten a lot better too with real structure and repetition. Previously she would make up a song and sing it once and you would never hear it again. This past weekend olivia and I talked and realized she had sung the same song to us on separate occasions.  
     Playing Guitar Hero at the arcade? Her idea. She couldn't quite get the fretting part down but she was a champ at strumming. Her rhythm and sync with the notes on screen was off here and there. That said, I saw focus and enjoyment that was a bit surprising. The song she chose, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", has also become a staple in her daily singing rotation as well.
     Since most of you probably remember this post, I'll share that Ruby has another band. This project is called "The Cribs" and also features Sailor and their friend Ellison. Ruby sings, Sailor plays guitar and Ellison is on drums. It is more hip-hop flavored than SMF's rock stylings. While I'll say that I am proud of her variety and range, I am a little jealous of her ability to come up with band names. Anyone who has ever been in a band will tell you, coming up with a name is by far the hardest part. 

Terrible Twos

  
     Caution! Though she looks sweet and innocent, this child is a raging being of superhuman will primed to explode at a moment's notice. While normally happy and smiley, for no real reason whatsoever she will hurl shrieks, screams and tears at you kicking and undulating on the floor like some sort of banshee bent on the destruction of your very sanity.
     Try not to make eye contact as her supply of alluring cuteness knows no end. She will unleash it at will completely undermining your ability to deny more chocolate milk, a second sucker or another ride on the carousel. Also known to crawl into your lap with blanket in hand and set up camp. If this happens, forget about your chances of ever being seen again and pray that someone notifies your next of kin.
     Often seen in the company of Grandmothers who seem to strengthen her resolve. It is well know that the Grandmother species provides a steady supply of sugar and coddling. This is a partnership certain to result in exponential disaster and strengthening of inhuman tantrum resolve.
   

If cornered, we advise that you grant her wishes to be held, carried or read book after book after book after book...after book. Do not run, her facial features seem to have some sort of magnetic draw that has been found to be 100% irresistible. Despite reports or opinions to the contrary, this child is undeniably caught in the grips of the terrible twos. 

Bad Report

My mind is drawing a bit of a blank on whether or not I have mentioned this yet so in case I haven't, Ru and Sailor are both attending preschool part time this year. Last week, Sailor got her first bad report. While picking her up from school, her teacher informed me that she had been uncooperative, not listening, talking back, not participating and she started a fight with her sister on the playground. At home she has been flexing her terrible two muscles and pushing and testing our boundaries. Her attitude is always pretty great but their are pockets of defiance and rebellion. I have been shaming myself a bit and wondering what has made her act like this. Ruby has never had a bad report though we have had trying times with her in the home and she wasn't in preschool at Sailor's age so the situation is truly unique to us. In any case, we had a serious talk with her and before she goes back next week we are going to have another one to remind her how not to act. Lets hope this isn't the beginning of something and that this will be the last bad report of her preschool career. I am sure some will follow from k-12 but she got off to an early start.

Photodump

Artwork

     The girls have started producing a lot of their art. They color with pencils, crayons and markers or just about anything they can. In addition to paper, I've found color on walls, furniture, the carpets, the fridge...its pretty much everywhere. I can think of at least one previous post on this blog where I had to clean crayon off the the big screen tv.
     I used to try and clean it all immediately. I guess part of learning to be a parent is learning not to freak out about everything because believe me, there can be a lot to freak out about. In a few years when everything settles down a bit and the girls learn better control, self and otherwise, I'll have to spend a couple week going over everything in the house with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.  Until them, I'm just going with the flow...and learning to live in a house covered in color streaks.

Back to School

     Since the girls started back to preschool later than most, the pictures are coming later. This is old hat for Ruby (she'll just be going more days this year) but it is a brave new world for Sailor. On her first day I was expecting some wailing and gnashing of teeth but she was a trooper and did not even hug me goodbye. It was a little sad but with two days a week where they will both be gone I'll actually have a few hours to kill.

Ruby's Choice

     Earlier this week, Ruby was in The Reading Room (our hallway bathroom) and decided to look at the 2013 Harley-Davidson bikes book. I picked one of these up last time I was at the dealership and it has been sitting around the house ever since. Later the same day, Ru came up to me with the book and told me this was the motorcycle she wanted. It is a 2013 Sportster Forty-Eight, not a bad choice and understandable that she would like it as my current bike is built on the same platform.
     I have bene thinking ever since about what I will say and do when she gets older and the conversation becomes a little less make-believe and a little more real. I am sure as she grows into her teenage years (and begins to despise and dislike her parents and all that we enjoy and represent) that she will probably not want a bike anymore just on principle. In the event that she does, what will I say and how will I act? I know I could start her young on a mini-bike and let her grow into bigger bikes learning how to ride safely as she goes but the thought can be a bit scary.
     It is a hard decision for me, walking the line as a rider and as a father. I lost a good friend to a motorcycle accident in High School. I gamble it all every time I get on the road so I am not a stranger to the risks...and I am not sure I am willing to put it on the line when it comes to my children. I will not discourage them and I am thinking they'll get a lot of closed lot time. When they get on the road will be based on their ability and maturity as they get older if they want to pursue it.
     Every time something like this comes up I am reminded that even though they don't always seem like it, these are the easy times. With us providing a safety net and a lot of the decision making the girls are free to stumble and fall with little to no consequence. As they grow and the net slowly pulls out from under them, the work we do now will be that much more important and the stakes much, much higher. All we can do is give it our best. Here's to hoping the foundation sticks.

Popsicle Party

     Ru's school had a welcome back popsicle party this morning. All of Ru's classmates were there and they got a good chance to get reacquainted and spend a little time on the playground. She also got to see her new classroom. I went to the same preschool when I was a kid so it was kind of surreal. She is in the same room with the same teacher I had. Seeing it all again jogged my memory and made me relive things I had not thought about in quite some time.
     Sailor will also be attending this year. We are happy that the girls will both be going to the same school. Sailor will only be going 2 days a week for three hours per day but the socialization will be good for her. In an interesting twist, this will give me a couple weekdays where I have a few hours to myself. The lack of socialization for those hours will be really good for me.

Me too!

     So we are toying with the idea of changing Sailor's name to "Me Too" since approximately 99% of what comes out of her mouth is that phrase. It doesn't matter who is doing something or what they are doing. You are certain to hear quietly thunderous footsteps, see an excited smile and hear "Me too, me too." We usually accommodate her but there are some things, like taking medicine or drinking a beer, that she can't partake in. Occasionally it makes for a little dust up but nothing major. She is a great kid and you can tell she just doesn't want to miss out on anything. I hope she keeps this excitement and passion. I think too many of us forget how to feel this way.

Good Advice

     Thanks to some awesome friends, olivia recently jumped feet first into the late 2000's with her first smart phone, an iphone 3gs. She is really stoked on it and like most smart phone folks, she is on it all the time. This past weekend, we went to a restaurant of Ruby's choosing for her birthday. She choose IHOP for their over-sized chocolate funny face pancake which, in case you've never had the good fortune of having one, comes covered in whip cream, cherries and chocolate chips.
     On our way home, olivia realized she was missing something...her new phone. I was bummed because even older iphones aren't normally the kind of things that get turned in and since hers is unlocked, it would be very easy for someone to grab it, insert a sim, and have a nice, gently used iphone. Using my cell, I looked up the number for the IHOP and olivia called. Luckily, the phone had made its way down into the seat cushions and the manager was able to grab it for us so we could go back and retrieve it.
     The whole event had me rather shaken. I just didn't like the thought of olivia losing this phone that we were fortunate to have just received. I just kind of clammed up on the hurried drive back to the restaurant. Ruby, concerned, asked me "Whats wrong dad?"
     I replied that I was just worried about Mommy's phone and still a little upset from the close call. She replied...
     "Its ok dad. The woman has Mommy's phone and its alright. Just chill."
     olivia and I were floored. Ru's comment made us laugh and took the stress right out of the situation. I don't know how these girls developed their habit of doing the right thing at just the right time but they sure can take the edge off. I wish I was better at her casual brand of optimism. I'm hoping it is contagious and that some will brush off on me.   
 

Choose Your Own Adventure

     olivia is usually the one who gets the girls down for bed and before sleep, she reads them a couple books. Lately, Ruby has been really stoked on my old Choose Your Own Adventure books. In case you do not remember these from when you were younger, they do not read straight through. Every few pages or so you are faced with a choice that will effect the outcome of the story.
     We have to read them to her aloud. The best part for me is when we get to the choices. It's pretty awesome to see the gears turning in her head and the internal weighing of options. We've always been pretty good about encouraging her independence and I think these are a great way for her to learn about decisions and consequences.
     I put her to bed the other night and read one to her and she was most sad when her choice resulted in a very brief story time. There is nothing keeping her from trying again another night. The great thing about these books is the added readability. The one above alone boasts 40 possible endings.
     Ru is very selective right now about which ones she does and does not want you to read to her. She goes by the covers which I think is a solid indicator. I'm sure these will see a lot of use in the future. We have a pretty good collection of them. I'm pretty sure they will keep the girls busy and engaged for a bit.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

     Ruby is getting really into letters and writing so we figured it was time to move her into her first real book. We selected Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory not only because it is a classic that olivia and I both love but also because Ruby loved the movie and we figured her interest in it would translate into her interest in the book. It also has some pictures so we aren't going cold turkey from her other books and she still gets her normal picture book story time.
     Every night before she goes to bed we read one chapter. So far she is really into it and asks a lot of questions. Its kind of amazing that an energetic go, go, go personality like hers will become completely calm and sedate to listen to the story. She was upset last night that we only did one chapter but it did end on a bit of a cliffhanger so I understand her frustration. 
     At one chapter a night it will take us about a month to finish it. Actually, it will take a bit longer because if she doesn't behave, we will be taking away story time as a punishment. I am excited about her interest and can't wait until she is selecting books and reading them on her own.

Photodump

Extended the vacation to Monday, it was worth it.

Flash Cards

So...Sailor hates them. We sat down yesterday and tried to go through some basic, around the house item flash cards. For the first few she was good. I would point at the object, tell her the name and she would point and make a sound. She even got some of the sounds correct. A couple minutes in she just got frustrated and wanted to hold them just so she could throw them all around the room. I decided she needed a break. I tried to get her to try again and she wasn't having any part of it. Maybe Monday we'll start fresh.

Fine Art

Ruby has come a long way in her evolution as an artist. Now all her people have arms...
Seriously though, it is interesting to me the way her mind is developing and her recognition of things shows up in her work and she at least has the concept, though not yet the practice, to get her ideas on her canvas of choice.

Above is a picture of the girls and olivia on the swings in our back yard. Even though the swings are not there, the chains coming down are there and I think she gets the idea of how to convey the idea into a picture.

This is a picture of her inside our house. Again, you can see the wheels in motion. She could have just drawn the house and said it was a picture of her in the house but she drew herself to convey the complete concept.  

This is a drawing she did at school with chocolate. There isn't any big concept there, I just dig it. It was hanging a little too low on the fridge and the family dog helped himself to a little.

Vocabulary

Sailor is stepping her vocabulary up lately. She doesn't have all the words and structures down exactly yet but the general idea and sound is there. We try and take the time to help her hear words and make the associations. There seems to be a real effort there to get it down and its fun to see her try to make the sounds and hear her self correct in multiple attempts.

I remember when Ruby was going through this phase and now she is a great talker and moved on to harder words. She can not only hold a conversation, she'll talk your ear off. olivia and I were talking yesterday about how excited we are to hear Sailor's speaking voice. It seems like that time may be just around the corner.

Halloween

Halloween is right around the bend. This year we are letting Ruby pick her costume. She bounces back and forth between Spidergirl and a Kitty-Cat. A couple costume catalogs have come to the house and she loves flipping through them and will occasionally say that she wants to be every costume on each page.

Last night when she was getting ready for bed, we were laying down talking. There was a break of silence and she asked what was wrong. I told her I was just thinking and she asked if I was worrying about what Sailor was going to be for Halloween. When I told her no she asked what Mommy and I were going to be. I told her we were going to be her and her sister's Mommy and Daddy.

It seems like the Halloween I knew is a child is fading away in favor of themed festivals and church Trunk and Treats. The holiday was always a blast for me. I have so many awesome memories of walking and running around the neighborhood carrying a sack full of sugar. One year the bottom of my bag was blown out thanks to condensation from a Capri Sun. Thankfully I was close to home and able to scrape most of my loot up and make it back to the house.

I am glad the traditional style of Trick-or-Treating is still around for at least a few more years so I can share it with the girls. There are already so many things I loved from when I was younger that they will never experience, every little bit has become important. Tradition is a huge part of family and it is tough at times to mix the old with the new. We do are best to adapt, it's all we can do.