Kidlets

Julia is playing lots of softball, she's become quite the pitcher and really enjoys the positive attention she's getting for it. She had her LL evaluations last week, and we're just waiting to find out if they are moving her to the majors this year.

Julia and Emma have been added to the family members that wear glasses. Both will need them for just school work for now. Julia was so excited about the possibility of glasses until they became a reality. Gotta love these little life lessons.

Anna continues to blow us away with her improvements at school. She went from a struggling level 1-2 reader at the beginning of the year to reaching level 15 (the top level before chapter books) this month. She's very proud of herself, and can read just about whatever we put in front of her. She's definitely ready for 2nd grade now!

Emma just had her 5th birthday - which means that she's heading of to the big K in the Fall. I'm excited for her, as I know she will adore it - but oh my. This momma's not ready to send her off on that big yellow bus yet. I'm glad I have 5 months to prepare.

Cutie Patootie

So we learned that Anna is incredibly farsighted. Apparently one eye is significantly worse than the other eye - so she has a lazy eye (amblyopia) meaning one eye is significantly weaker than the other. It doesn't drift or cross, but she is in danger of losing sight in the eye that does not work as well.


She is very excited about wearing glasses - and could not wait for us to pick them up. She picked them out and there was no 2nd choice for her - these were IT for her. "I'm excited because I'm going to be the ONLY one in my class with glasses!" I love how much of an individual she is.

She complained today that the glasses hurt her eyes (which we expected until her eyes get used to them) but she also admitted it was fun because she can see little letters now.



I think she's cute with or without the glasses!

I didn't realize how bad her sight was until I looked through her lenses. Whoa. One of the lenses is as thick as the rim - and I can't see anything through it.

I can't wait to see what she can do now that she can see the world around her!

How do I find the words?

Tonight I answered questions about the events of September 11, 2001. My daughter Julia (who is 8) had lots of questions about what happened. I tried to answer as honestly as I could. I walked a tight rope of making sure she understands the significance of what happened that day, without over sharing information that would scare her or send her empathetic little soul into overdrive.

I explained the best I could using words, and then let her watch a video (pre-screened of course) or two from that day. She handled it much better than I imaged but it was still overwhelming for her.

Anna (who is 5) had silently sat by listening, and I was aware of her observation so I had been tempering my conversation even further for her little ears. When watching one of the memorial videos and it was showing a lot of images of the Tribute of Light. I looked over my shoulder to find that she was sobbing. I was immediately worried that I had gone too far.

I asked her what was wrong... her response, "Momma, it's so beautiful. I bet those lights made a lot of people feel better."

Seriously - she's amazing.

Where did I go wrong?????

I'm so happy my little girl loves school. She goes bounding off to get on the bus each morning and a smile that satisfied smile of a mom who knows her daughter is confident and excited about new experiences.

Then she gets off the bus with a big smile on her face, but a little less spring in her step. I tell myself it's because she's exhausted after 6 hours of pure fun - but I know the truth... she isn't so thrilled about coming home.

Don't get me wrong - she LOVES me. She loves her family. I know she's happy here and has a lot of fun.

Today she slumps down in her seat as she's having some grapes after school. "Mom, can I pleeeeeeeeeeeeease go to aftercare? Those kids look like they have so much fun... and they get to go back out to play so they get an extra recess."

hmmmmmmmm..... I try to explain to her that aftercare is for kids who have parents that work away from home and they can't go home quite yet. I try to explain that she's lucky she gets to come home (this is not intended as a bash on working parents... work with me here - I'm just trying to psych my kid up that another 2-3 hours with her friends and playground equipment isn't like a daily visit to Disneyland...) and hang out with us.

I can tell from her response she isn't buying my brand of enthusiasm. So I change tactics and ask her why she DOESN' like coming home. Her answers surprise just a tiny bit. She says she doesn't like having to share everything with her sisters (I can see that), she doesn't like that I make her take a couple of minutes to sit down and have a snack and relax (hmmm?), she doesn't like that we don't have a jungle gym out back, and she doesn't like that I make her follow rules.

Alrighty then. I'm pretty sure that other than the jungle gym thing - she just reassured me that I'm doing an okay job.

As I listen to her in her playroom with her little sister giggling hysterically as they slingshot their stuffed animals across the room I know she's happy to be home. Isn't she? Do they have aftercare for moms?

It ended with this....

It started with this...

Hmmmm.....

"I would have stayed forever within the garden of his childhood but time is a mother’s enemy. My baby was gone before I new it and then the hand-holding toddler was replaced by a running boy." Anita Diamant

Julia started 3rd grade on Monday and is loving it so far. I'm so relieved. It's nice to see her come home with a huge smile!

Tomorrow Anna begins Kindergarten and I'm so happy for her. She's going to have a wonderful time. I know that they will love her as much as everyone always does. I just hope... pray... that someone doesn't come along and extinguish that little light she has inside of her.

Emma starts preschool in two weeks and she is more than excited. She is having a hard time adjusting to the fact that her sisters are going off on the bus each morning. We just keep reminding her that she has a special day coming up too.

Here's the big thing. I will have 5 hours a week with NO kids. Can you believe it??? I'll be working - but that's 5 hours every week without any kids. ANY!

So... it's time for change in our house. Time truly can be a mother's enemy... and I understand the meaning of bittersweet all of a sudden. Missing the early baby days and the fun toddler stage, sad to see them step out on their own, proud to see how strong they are and excited to see what's to come...

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

And here is little Anna giggling her way through her performance! So cute!! This one was from Chim-chim-cheree. They also did Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and then Let's Go Fly a Kite.

The Jonas Brothers

So, this is a post I didn't think I'd actually write. Considering how much of my life know revolves around them I suppose it was inevitable, but I was hesitant to share this.

My three girls have fallen head over heals in "crush" with the Jonas Brothers.

It started almost three years ago.... when Julia was in Kindergarten her favorite songs were Year 3000 and Sexyback. Only one of which being appropriate for a 5 year old we supported her interest. She had no idea who the Jonas Brothers were - only that she liked the song.

Fast forward a year. In first grade she acknowledges the band - primarily because of the Disney Channel snippets into their life. She loves a few of their songs (SOS, Hold On)... and then Camp Rock. This is where the real "crushing" begins. I think she likes Joe the best at this time, but finds Kevin hilarious in this movie. We start hearing more and more about the JoBros, but it's all pretty harmless.

Now - February 2009. Julia asks to go see the 3D Concert Movie. After saving enough money to buy a ticket, I agree to take her and a friend along to see the movie.

I wish someone would have warned me what would follow... but even having been an 8 year old (hell, even having been a teenager) girl didn't prepare me. I thought their music was peppy - and there is no denying these guys are cute as hell. I was surprised to learn however that they write their own music - and play instruments. You could say I was impressed for the most part by the guys. It wasn't until I watched my 8 year old daughter with tears streaming down her face that I realized what was happening. My daughter LOVED music - and adored these guys.

Here is where the story deviates a bit and becomes less about Julia's fascination with the Jonas Brothers and more about mine. I have always loved music. I'm also a musical crier. Singing along with a song that touches me makes me cry. Live music? oh hell... I bawl. Concerts, marching bands... even being around people singing can bring me to tears (just ask my mom about my Happy Birthday song crying!), and someone playing an instrument? geez. I've fallen for guys that I would have had NO interest in because of listening to them play the guitar and sing. Schmuck!

How does this relate to the Jonas Brothers? Well, first of all, they helped me realize just how much my daughter really loves music. Yet, it's so much more than that.

They amaze me. These three kids (and yes even Kevin at 21 qualifies as a kid) are literally living the dream. What would your life have been like if you were able to really live out your dreams? I mean the crazy far fetched one? The one that you may have never even realized you dreamed about? It's awesome in the true sense of the word.

The more I learn about them the more impressed I am with them. I'm not thrilled about the whole celebrity role model thing for my daughters (but that's another story) but these guys couldn't be closer to what a mom would want to have her daughters interested in. Hard working, kind, family-oriented (oh boy do these guys love their mom), talented, respectful and virtuous (I think I already mentioned cute, right?). Will they someday make a huge mistake and make millions of mothers simultaneously cringe? Of course. I hope that when that day comes, if one of my girls still idolizes whichever one that makes that mistake (Joe!), we're able to use it as an example, and show her that people make mistakes and what is important is how they handle them. I have little doubt that whichever Jonas it is (Joe!), will most likely handle the situation with grace and humility.

Now that my days are filled with little girls singing their lyrics (including Emma who knows just about all the lyrics to their songs), begging to watch their new show, and the blasphemous WWJD (what would Jonas do?)... I'm learning a lot about my girls.

Julia is whole-heartedly infatuated with them, but embarrassed by her crush. She has a Jonas t-shirt but she won't wear it to school. Her ipod is full of Jonas Brothers songs and her reasoning behind which songs she likes the best is fascinating to me. She is also learning how to play the guitar - and I'm pretty sure they have something to do with her impressive commitment to that. She is serious about her affections for them and in typical Julia fashion she is the first to bring us all back to reality when the Jonas obsession shifts into high gear.

Anna also likes them, but only as an after thought, and primarily because Julia does. She doesn't always remember which one is which, and unlike her sisters, doesn't harass us pleading for Jonas Brothers concert tickets. She does love their music, which isn't much of a surprise since their peppy, bouncy music is right up her little peppy, bouncy alley.

Emma on the other hand takes this obsession to the extreme. From the time she wakes up until the time she goes to bed she is talking about them, singing their songs, quoting their TV show or begging to watch/listen to them. Her favorite brother changes daily - but more often than not it's Joe. She's only 3 and so this whole thing scares me a bit -but even her obsession is very Em. Em isn't about the middle ground or the so called gray area - she's an all or nothing (or Black Keys ;) ) kind of girl.

So my life is about their music, award shows, web chats, music videos, their TV show, interviews... it's pretty much all Jonas... all the time.

I'm impressed with these kids - and think Denise Jonas has it going on to have raised such terrific young men. Unfortunately one of the things I have also realized about my own Jonas obsession is that I have that little tug at my heart strings... instead of a NKOTB style crush on these young (only Nick is underage though!!) guys I'm a little sad I don't have any curly haired sons of my own. (Because OMJ I'm OLD!)

Their new album comes out next week... and their crazy huge concert tour comes to Boston in July... so I don't think this JoBrobesession is going to end anytime soon. Trust me - Emma will not allow that to happen!

I can't believe it's already MAY!

So far we've been busy. Dan is having a great week and we just got word that he will have a branch open this year!

The girls are busy - Julia is playing softball - they had their first game Monday night and she has a "real" coach this year and learned more in 1 hour of practice than last season. She misses her other coach but I think she's in good hands this year! She is also in an acting class that she really likes. She has been begging us for guitar lessons for well over a year so we're looking into that for her.

Anna and Emma are in a little dance class and are having a good time. Anna loves preschool and is excited about her upcoming birthday party. Emma had her preschool open house and she can't wait to start in the fall.

Nothing much else going on here. Sorry to not have much to post about.... but it's MAY!

Is it really April already?

Not only am I surprised that it is already April but it's the MIDDLE of April. Wha? Where is the time going?

My kids are pretty darn smart. I know this. I'm their mother. OF course I know this. Lately though they are waaaay smarter than I even give them credit for.

On Easter I was going through the Easter baskets with the girls. Anna was very excited about a Littlest Pet Shop toy. I was telling her I was surprised her little hat for the toy was so bendable. Anna says, "yes, it's malleable"

I just about choked. MALLEABLE? She's 4... MALLEABLE?? So I asked her twice to repeat what she said, Dan also asked her. So I finally asked her if she knew what it meant. Are you ready??? "Mom, it means, FLEXIBLE!"

Holy shite! Can you believe it??? I couldn't - I still can't. Dan and I both just sat there amazed. She doesn't remember where she heard it - she seems to think she made it up. Scary.

Next smart kid - Dan was tucking Emma in tonight and told her it was lights out. Her response? "Actually, I'm going to read for a while." Dan said, "Emma, what little girls use words like actually?" Her response, "Julia daddy. Julia uses those words."

Gotta love these kids... whose kids are they??

Sisterly love...

This morning all three girls had dentist appointments. Emma was first - and it was her first appointment. She did great. Se was a little hesitant at first but warmed up and was awesome. We took the kids to a pediatric dentist and I can't recommend that enough. They really know about kids teeth - and the TVs on the ceiling were pretty cool too. Emma watched Sponge Bob, Anna watched Dora and Julia watched Wall-E.

So - Julia goes next and she is amazing ... even with all the bad news about yadda yadda cramped mouth blah blah pull teeth blah blah lots of money blah blah tiny mouth blah blah money money money blah blah money.....

Then Dan takes Julia to school and Emma and I go back to see Anna who is just getting settled into the chair. Anna's been to the dentist a couple of times so she knows what to expect but I tell Emma "Oh, why don't tell Anna what's going to happen?"

Anna, being sweet and playing along says, "Yeah Emmy tell me what they are going to do?"

Emma says, not missing a beat, "They are going to pull all your teeth out"

She did it!

Anna was so proud of herself.... and when they put the picture of her holding her hair on the wall she just beamed.

She loves her new do - she says it is exactly what she always wanted. She clapped and laughed as they cut 11 inches of hair off of her head!

So... check it out!

The hair...

Well - we had it measured and it's long enough! YEAHHHHHH!

Unfortunately there was an hour wait and I had to work, so we'll go back on Locks of Love day and get it cut then. Anna is so excited it's long enough. She wanted to look at the pictures of what her hair might look like again. She did have us take a picture of her today so that she can "member her long hair". I told her with as fast as her hair grows it won't be too long until it's back to that length. Her reply was "I could just keep growing hair!"

Locks of Love

We're hoping this weekend will be the big weekend. Over a year ago we took Anna to get her hair cut (she wanted it short like mine) and she saw a wall of photos of kids holding their hair. She asked me what it was for and I explained that those kids were donating their hair so that they can make wigs and/or raise money for people with cancer. I reminded her when her Grandma had cancer that she had a wig to wear.

When she sat in the chair she told the lady she was going to donate her hair. The stylist told her that her hair wasn't quite long enough. So Anna decided (at 3 years old) to forego the short do and grow her hair so it was long enough to donate.

We think it has finally made it to the 10" that it needs to be to donate. We are taking her in on Saturday to have them measure it and cut it if it's long enough. She is so excited.

I hope it's long enough because she has started chewing on her hair - and if it isn't cut soon it won't be there to cut!

We'll update you - of course with pictures - after her appointment!

Yes Mom...

Since I do as I'm told - I'm posting. We have indeed been sick. Julia came in our room last Thursday night with a fever. She woke up with a sore throat but her fever was gone by noon. Other than a bit of a cough by Saturday morning she was back to 90%.

Cue next illness... Sunday Anna is next with a fever and congestion. She never gets really sick but enough to spend a lot of time resting. On Monday, Dan and Emma follow. Tuesday, it's me.

Wednesday Anna is better, Emma is doing much better, Dan is ok and I am ok except for the cough.

Thursday I wake up and feel like a Peterbilt hit me. Thursday night Anna is complaining of an earache. By 10pm it has escalated into moaning and crying (Anna - not me). We settle in for a long night. Friday morning Anna is feeling a bit better but still has the earache.

Did I mention that Emma is acting up? Not eating???

So it's Saturday - I'm doing better but have a nasty cough (yes I know I NEVER get a chest cold), Dan is doing great, Julia is fine, Anna is still congested and has ear pain but it's manageable with the occasional Tylenol. Emma on the other hand is currently resting ON my hands as I type this. Holding one ear and starting, eyes glazed over, at the TV (which has Wow Wow Wubbzy on it), and I can feel the heat from her that her fever hasn't gone down yet.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Kyle is on it's way and it's been raining for 24 hours already. I hope it blows all this illness right out of the house.

So... there is a post!

Soccer balls and ice cream trucks

Anna's soccer debut
Julia leading the pursuit
Julia (purple giving it a run)

So - Today was soccer game #1 for the girls. Of course it started in the traditional Dough family way...

Julia's game started at 915 and she had to be there at 9a. Anna's game started at 1030a and she had to be there at 1015a. Did I mention the fields are 15 mintues apart?

So the plan was for Dan to take Julia to her game, and I would follow with Anna and Em. Dan would then leave with Anna at 10a for her game. When Julia's game was over I would bring Julia and Em with me to Anna's game. Complicated but doable - right?

Well - that's only if you have 2 working vehicles. Which as of 845am this morning we didn't. Dan's alternator cap (or something - I have no idea) has a crack in it and so there are some issues. Not to mention that the battery probably needs to be replaced. So - the entire morning was chaos.

I had to take everyone to Julia's game - which she was 5 minutes late for. Then Dan had to leave at 10 to take Anna to her game - then drop her off and drive back to pick us up from Julia's game and then drive us back to Anna's game. We missed the first quarter of Anna's game - but it all worked out in the end.

We did luck out though and only one of the girls' games is at the same time - the last game. The other ones are spread out just enough that we should be able to watch some of each.

Both girls teams lost by a wide margin (like 12-1!!)- but they had a blast.

I was really impressed with how well Julia did. She doesn't seem to have that URGH competitive thing going on but was still fast and has some good ball handling skills. Anna also did great. She looked joyous as she played - it was cute to watch. She almost scored a goal and spent a lot of time with the ball. As she added, "I also made a new friend" So a winner of a day for her.

We left the game and I had one of my clients call that she was having a local event with the Good Humor Ice Cream truck. So we were invited to stop by and have free ice cream. You couldn't get much better than that - free reign over an ice cream truck!! Emma was happy about that - and I was glad to be able to reward Em for her great behavior at her sister's games. She really wanted to go out and play too, but she stayed on the side and watched.

SOCCER

Anna had a blast at her first soccer practice. We're hoping her first game Saturday isn't rained out. Julia is also loving soccer. Her bestest friends are on her team and they are learning a lot!

Bend it like Beckham...

Anna is playing soccer for the first time this year. She is so excited to be just like Julia. She was terribly disapointed that she won't be playing on Julia's team - but we're gearing her up to play on her own team with her own friends.

Julia has been teaching her how to kick the ball and they have been practicing their dribbling. Anna loves to pick up the ball and put it back down in the right place to kick it - but she's slowly growing out of that habit.

So, next week starts soccer practice for both girls (Em is devastated she's not playing too!) and they have their first games the week after that. I so love soccer with the pre-school set. It's a little early for heavy duty competition and they really are just having fun and making lots of "video moments".

This is Julia's last year in this age bracket. Next season they get serious and start really playing competitively. She just found out that her 2 best friends are on her team and she's thrilled!

Cute or what!

This is Emma's new Summer MUST have fashion item. It's the bow from her sisters Vermont Teddy Bear Birthday Clown... Last night we had to trick her out of taking it off at bedtime.
Aren't they cute???