Andrea's battle wound

From a fight with the Etch a Sketch. Guess who won.

Guess what!!

The day she has been waiting for has finally come. I noticed it tonight after brushing her teeth.

Can you see it?

I told her that I want her to wiggle it and wiggle it so that it comes out before Friday morning.

I don't know if I will be that lucky. But I am going to keep hoping.

And now Andrea wants one.

Thursday Greta learned

That it is not a good idea to jump on a ball. Andrea was her only witness.

What a Sweetheart

My mom has a friend that had quite a few health problems and hospital stays over the last year and a half. Andrea recently went to visit her in the hospital with my mom. During the visit Andrea sang for her as only Andrea can. I was told that before they left Andrea said that she did not want to leave until Jean got better and could go home. Jean passed away a few days later.

We love you Jean. Thank you for the memories that you have given to my girls and to me.

How Things Happen at Our House

When Grandma is in charge things look this:



When I am in charge things look like this:



And this:





And this:





And then this:



















Which leads to this:





There was still some left over candy the next day, but only until Cousin B got ahold of the tablecloth and the candy ended up on the floor. Somehow the gingerbread houses were safe and stayed on the table!

When they are playing nicely it usually means there is a mess

This time it was a big one.



























They were being fairies. My only guess is that the packing peanuts were fairy dust or clouds or something like that.













Soon after this picture Greta started crying that her hand hurt. Mean Mom that I am, I still made them clean it up. Lucky for the three of us I showed them a cool trick (use a bucket to scoop it up quickly) and by the end they were fighting (literally) for the peanuts.

Greta: (said to Andrea while cleaning up) "I'm in a bad attitude today."

I forgot to mention, because I know the question will be asked. Where was I during all the fun? In the other room, working on school work.

"Bravest of them All"

Wednesday the three of us went to get shots. One of those fun ones.

A couple weeks ago I took the girls for their well checks I let them choose if they wanted to get a shot or flu mist. Andrea... didn't really understand. Greta decided that she wanted a flu shot. When the nurse told us they only had the flu mist it took some thinking on Greta's part. She volunteered Andrea to be first (she had two other vaccinations to get also, plus the flu mist), Andrea hardly batted an eye, so Greta was okay. She did so well and said she liked the flu mist after it was over. A lot better reaction than saying it felt like she had a bloody nose which was her comment last year. Also a better reaction than the one Andrea had of blowing the mist out and all over my hand instead of sniffing it up!

Back to Wednesday. We couldn't do the flu mist again because it had only been two weeks. Greta wasn't sold on the idea. I went first, Greta volunteered that Andrea go next (such a nice big sister). Andrea was very brave and watched the whole thing then got her happy pink bandage. As Greta went to sit in the chair she said that I had to let her hold my hand really, really, really tight. She sat down, started holding my hands tighter and tighter, then couldn't do it. It was too much. And there was nothing I could do to talk her into it. I was talking to her (even trying to bribe her) for a couple hours after we got home. She was not going to budge. And when I told her that I wanted her to agree she told me that she wasn't going to. I had no idea she was so scared of shots.

The next day I got a call at work. I asked my mom if she was going to get the shot. She handed the phone to Greta who told me that she wanted to get the shot. "Really?! Do you want Grandma to take you or do you want me to?" "Grandma." I was just about to tell her that she could call and talk to me when she got it (as a distraction) when she said (hesitantly) "Okay. I'll go with you. Then you can see how brave I am. But you have to let me bring my Mickey Mouse sucker." That made my day. It also made me laugh.

We met up for the shot, waited our turn, I sat in the chair and she got on my lap. She covered her arms up, refusing to budge, even to let the lady clean her arm, until her sucker was open and was in her mouth. Lucky for us the lady giving the shot was really, really fast. She almost didn't make it. Instead there was a quick wipe then shot and we were done. And I didn't let her see the tiny bit of blood which I think was what had her so worried. (She saw that I bled a tiny bit. Andrea had not bled at all.)

Her grandpa, grandma, Andrea, and I all kept telling her how proud we were of her and how brave she was. The lady that gave the shot told her that she was "the bravest of them all". That made Greta light up even more.

This experience taught me more about Greta. I already knew that she has her own ideas and opinions about certain things. There are some things that you cannot make her do, at least until she thinks it through and feels like she is making the decision herself. This time I didn't think she would give in. She surprised me. :)

You can tell we have had a sick house

My girls are playing in the other room. My mom had just come in from outside. Greta told my mom that Andrea was sick. She had given Andrea rice and a piece of cheese. Then she said, "She is throwing up diarrhea."

"Are you wearing your spectacles?"

Last week I had an eye exam. The next day I got contacts. Greta didn't really understand contacts but she wanted to, so I told her I would show her. The next day (Saturday) she came into my bedroom first thing in the morning. I asked if she wanted to watch me put them in. She wanted to watch me take them out, so I showed her, then put it back in.

Sunday night I was covering Andrea at bedtime when Greta asked, "Are you wearing your spectacles?" I said, "What?" (That seems to be what I say when I want someone to explain what they are asking, but how would they know that is what I am asking??) "Are you wearing your spectacles?"

I think she understood that I had no idea what she was talking about by the look of complete confusion on my face, because she said something about the things on my eyes. I laughed and said that no, I was not wearing the contacts, and where did she hear the word spectacles?

"From the Barbie Princess and the Pauper." Ah-ha. "The queen says, 'Where are my spectacles? Where are my spectacles?' " (I probably just slaughtered the queen's quote. Greta corrected me when I was telling this story the other day.)

Silly girl. And once again I am amazed at the random, funny things my kids learn from silly shows.

And...

The first words out of Andrea's mouth to me this morning: "No tie-oh-tees woat me up nass moh-ning." (No coyotes woke me up last morning--meaning today.)

Andrea's current obsession/fear

Wolves/coyotes.

I don't know where it came from, but I came home from school to Andrea saying that she doesn't like "how-wee wofs" (howly wolves). Then Greta told her that she heard coyotes at our house, and how she thought I was whistling.

Um... what?

I was helping Andrea in the bathroom a few minute ago when she said, "Deh's no soah-wuh in dis bah-woom."

"What?"

"Deh's no sah-wuh in dis bah-woom."

"... There's no sour in this bathroom?"

"Deh's no baff in dis bah-woom."

"Oh! There is no shower or bath in this bathroom!"

"Yeah."

:)

Andrea: "Do you have a yutty bum?"

"I mean... a yutty tummy?"

Me: "No."

Andrea: "What do you have?"

Me: (thinking)"... Nothing. Why? Because I want to go to bed?"

Andrea: "Yeah."

Me: "Because I am tired."

Andrea: "Oh."

Here we go to the zoo

Last week we went... twice! The first day we went to see the new baby giraffe.



I don't know what Andrea was doing.



The next day I heard that a baby elephant had been born a couple hours before we got to the zoo the day before. We had no idea. There were no signs... nothing. We were rushed on Monday between the girls not wanting to go and me needing to get home for school, so we went back Saturday. We saw signs telling about the newest baby.

Andrea telling Greta to move.



Andrea is the same height (36") but far from the weight (251 lbs).



Fun sisters.



Greta and "Elle" (it's a boy). It took her well over half an hour and three stores, then going back to the first store before she was able to make a decision.