Somewhere it is written that if Rob is away, one or more of the children will vomit. Last week was no exception. Fortunately, as stomach bugs go this one was easy, and didn't really knock anyone out, as much as it became an inconvenience:
"Mama, lets go swimming!" "Ok-- oh wait, Kale might throw up again."
"Jump in the car, its time to go to camp." "But what if I throw up?" "Oh, right".
No fevers, very little nausea or fatigue, just out of the blue vomiting on and off for about 6 hours.
I can handle that. Especially since we had Super Mimi (aka The Meem) here for the week.
Super Mimi brings sugar cereal, art supplies, pinwheels and birthday presents. Who could ask for more?
Morsels:
* The kids though it would be funny to get a picture of Kale throwing up (there seems to be a strong interest in all things gross around here). Fortunately they didn't, but these before and after pictures are pretty much how the afternoon went around here.
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| Kale immediately before vomiting |
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| Just after vomiting |
* Its become tradition that I make Juniper a new dress for her birthday. This year I made a skirt and top with matching headband. The skirt was a free pattern a friend told be about on the oliver+s blog, the "Lazy Day Skirt", and was super easy to make. The top was a made up pattern, and my first try at shirring/smocking. The material is from a great new store in Belfast, Fiddlehead Artisan Supply.
If you live nearby check it out!
I think she likes it.
* We have a few other birthday traditions we try to adhere to. The kids always wear a handmade crown (I'm thinking now that Rob and I should have one as well) we hang the birthday banner, and add a handful of photos from the previous year to their photo album. Presents too of course. Parties are typically low key affairs with a couple of close friends, and are of the beer, watermelon, and BBQ variety. (Of course when you add friends' siblings and parents to the mix it becomes quite a crowd). I'm not much for the big organized theme party deal, and even wondered if it would be over the top to have bubbles, until Juniper made it pretty clear: "Mama, I don't want bubbles!" That settled that. Of course if the kids wanted to do more we'd be all for it (or at least we'd muddle through for their sake) but this year Wylie opted for a sleepover with one friend. Added to this is of course a small party with grandparents, another for the other set, and a cake on their "actual" day if the party could not happen on said day. It turns into about a week of birthday--x2. Party Hardy.
* Somehow I forgot that all art projects are best undertaken at the picnic table. Mimi set up this paint project and even Kale painted long enough for me to sneak out for a run without him missing me.
* We've been making and freezing all kinds of pesto around here. I typically use almonds rather than pine nuts, and leave out the parmesan to add when defrosted (or often not at all). My sister shared some pesto with spicy pumpkin seeds that was dee-lish, so we made a bit of that as well. My favorite so far has been the cilantro pesto with pumpkin seeds. I froze one jar, and ate two. Its great on rice wraps, toasted until crisp like chips, or dolloped on salad.
* I just checked out "Your Eight Year Old" by Ames and Haber from our library. I always like to read this series as the kids near their birthdays. The descriptions of children and their behavior/thoughts etc. for each age are remarkably detailed and accurate (in my opinion), and the books were written in the early eighties so that are a hoot to read, and the photos are great. The first chapter describes Eight as cheerful, outgoing, and quick to be helpful. Taking on new tasks that may previously have seemed (often rightfully so) daunting. Shortly after reading the first few chapters Wylie surprised me by washing and putting away all the dishes. The next morning he and Juniper made me breakfast in bed! I'm liking 8 so far.
* Sadly, both of our cats have disappeared in the past 3 weeks. When the first one went missing we were certain that he would soon come home, but when the second disappeared we began to suspect a predator. We have all been quietly hopeful until just this evening both kids had a spell of crying, and missing the kitties. This prompted all sorts of printing of pictures of the cats, plans for art projects, and the setting up of a small shrine in the tree house. Unfortunately, the past two nights I've heard a great horned owl nearby. I'm thinking the prospects are not good.
I typically love to hear the owls, and have always been intrigued by the mystery that surrounds them. I've had a few poignant experiences with owls (dead and alive), and I would say they are one of my favorite animals. I'm liking this particular owl just a little less however. I have this part fear, part wonder, about possibly finding an owl pellet with our cat fur in it. Terrible I know, but I'd like to know for sure just what happened to them.
I've been having dreams almost every night of the cats coming home.
* So, the game at our house these days is "hit the big kids in the head" with anything hard if possible. Obviously I try to discourage this game, as it so often ends in tears, but its a hard game to interrupt when the victims-to-be are running, laughing, and screeching "get to high ground!" (ie. anything too tall for Kale to reach them).
The weapon of choice on this occasion? Those sweet, wooden stacking blocks from the Nova Catalog. Hmm.
(I have to admit I feel a bit guilty taking a picture of these shenanigans before putting an end to them. I may be as much of a culprit as the kiddos for egging him on.)
* We've been making the most of our last month of swimming. We certainly dip here and there in September, but August is really the time to live it up at the lake. Bittle loves his swim time. If he had it his way (and he often does) he would leap off the dock without the gear.
Big Bro prefers to stay dry.
This photo is at a friends' camp. Rob helped build the dock and tower. I'm not much for a high dive, but I do a mean cannon ball every once in a while to impress the kiddos.
* From the garden this week: garlic, rainbow carrots, onions, patty pans, and our first potatoes!
* Wylie requested a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for his birthday. Check. (Not as easy as the root beer floats Juni had--but I'll take it). The day before his birthday he added that it should be in the shape of a StarWars ship. Right. I was game for a while, even went so far as to print out a picture of one of the ships (don't ask me which one) and contemplate how to best recreate it in cake form. Instead I opted for a quick trip to Reny's where I found a relatively inexpensive StarWars Lego set. I spray-frosted the STARWARS logo across the cake and added a few gun toting Storm Troopers.
Ta-da, instant StarWars cake.
According to Wylie, "It was perfect. Just what I wanted." And that, is really just what I wanted.
I love your monday morsels, I really need to do that I my blog as well. I can't wait to see everyone next week, they are all getting so big!
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