decorating trees

I kind of scolded Zoe tonight for beating on a tree to get hardened sand out of a dish... told her she hurt the tree. She spent the rest of the night decorating the tree with leaves (some of which were his eyes), some of which were used to heal his owies, drew additional eyes and a mouth with chalk. Gave him an arm with a small vine segment of ivy.

(and of course had to battle her brother who just wanted to remove all the doctoring/decorations).

update

Zoe is hilarious.. I could fill a page every day with the clever, cute, amazing things she says and does. She is a natural conversationalist (as her dolls would attest) and a fabulous dancer.. people always ask if she's had lessons.. I think she just does what is natural.

She picks her own clothes (either skirt and shirt or one of her two favorite ballet outfits).

Her favorite toys are the Disney dress-up dolls (3 or 4 inches tall, rubber clothes)

Her favorite playmate is her dad.. they are now debating what "Prince Lavine" should wear.. Bruce doesn't want to change the clothes (so hard to put on) and Zoe is standing her grown.. apparently Prince Lavine is in a lot of trouble for not bending to the will of Princess Jasmine. She is standing with hands on the hip, looking down her nose scolding Prince Lavine/Daddy.

But she also craves the play of her friends.. I can't wait until she has 5 day a week preschool.. she will love it. On Friday I came home after leaving her with Anna for 3 hours and she balled because she didnt' have anyone to play with (Anna did count) and I had to call my three local people to find someone for her to play with.. we do wish we had a neighborhood with more kids.

Her Dad's favorite thing is when Zoe does her "mommy whistle".. one finger in the mouth with a "Fwew-Fwew" whistle call.

She is very loving and loves a snuggle.. can't get enough of it some days.. and it is hard to compete with her brother for attention sometimes (if she is getting loves, Finn wants in on the action and won't stop until he gets it)

more soon...

making Finn laugh

M: "Look Zoe, a mamma deer and two babies"
Z: "Mommy, can you get give me a break. I'm trying to make Finneas Laugh"


[as heard in the car]

life is not fair

Life is not fair.. I know that... but sometimes, can't a mommy just want a little self-care selfishness? For once, I tried to sleep in.. I woke up at 5, got out of bed yesterday at 6:20 with both kids.. other mornings have been more reasonable.. 7. Once or twice a month I get until 8.. but this morning at 7am when I really wanted it Zoe would not have it. Bruce got out of bed, told the kids he take them to "toons".. but neither of them went willing.. for 10 minutes they crawled and whined all over me.. Z: "I want a snuggle" F: "Up-ee" At some point he got them out of the bedroom for Zoe to come running in, throwing open the door, turning on the light and yelling, "I need snuggles". I think this is just the last straw on top of my reading self help books that tell you to make time for you.. but as a mom, it is virtually impossible without a support structure and its become obvious that my support structure is not in this house. I need hire someone to be my early morning support team, to actually physically remove the children and distract them. If I want to get any exercise or throw some pots, I need to hire someone to watch the kids... its just not happening. Then apathy and lack of time sets in and I'm sure I'll just go back to not doing anything but taking care of the family. At least come September I can try to get exercise taking Zoe to school in on the bike... May I find the strength to do that every day. Off to change stinky diaper, find breakfast, get kids dressed, packed for their day.. all while I hear the whirl of the exercise bike I should be on.

Zoe the rockstar

I love four year olds (okay, so she's not quite 4, but close)... People will say... oh I love toddlers.. but I think four is the real prime of cuteness and this video posting will show you why... so cute!

Zoe got all dressed up.. "Mom, I'm going to be a movie star.."

but what she really meant was RockStar!

And this one.. there was a whole lead in, she introduced herself, and what she was doing.. I missed it because I was making myself a bite to eat.

Then I had her redo it a bit:

[To be uploaded later]

after she watched this one, she said, "I'm so cute".

[we've been watching Go Diego Go, and Zoe is practicing more of her spanish all the time... some of it real, some of it her own creation]

My sister Rachel.. the skirt maker

Auntie Rachel sent 5 new skirts that replicate the "Short sleeve skirt" pattern that Zoe is in love with... and it worked (we added 3 inches in length)... this morning she was running around going on and on about how Rachel is her sister like her friend Ana (at daycare) has a sister Jasmine and her sister is a skirt maker and how she loves the skirts and they are beautiful.