Tis the Season

We were lucky to catch Santa at Harmon's last Saturday.  Now that my girls have reported their list to Santa he can relax and not worry about them changing minds.

Emily asked for a doll that goes to school

Jane wants a Barbie Cruise Ship

Aaron said he needs lots and lots of diapers

After the photo opps with Santa I noticed some chocolate advent calenders that were on sale.  Each of the girls picked out their own.   When we got home both Emily and Jane busted into the 24th box and then I told them to go put them away in their rooms where they wouldn't be in the way.

A short while later I heard Jane wailing upstairs.  Emily came running down the stairs and I asked what she did to Jane.  Emily replied  "nothing,  Jane is upset because she ate all the the chocolates in the calendar and now she can't eat one each day. "    I was sad for Jane and Bart thought we should go get her another one but I think it's a good life lesson to learn.  Something tells me next year she won't eat all of her chocolates on Dec 1st. 

Gobble Gobble

Along with all the thanksgiving crafts Emily brings home she has also amazed me with a couple of poems she has memorized about thanksgiving.   I love to watch her stand on my fireplace and perform them.  One of the poems is about a boy warning a turkey that he should hide and the other is about a missing turkey who is found tucked in the bed of the younger sister who thought it looked sick since it lost it's head. 

As proud as I am of Emily's mad memorizing skills the trouble is now Emily feels sorry for the poor turkey and is completely against eating turkey.  This morning she noticed the picture on the roaster box and told me that the turkey we eat is really a turkey whose head has been cute off and the feathers removed and it is disgusting for her to think of eating it.   She was very relieved after I told her we would be having Ham as well.   

Parent of the Year Award? Think again

I was telling Allyson about Emily's new found desire to earn money and mentioned gone are the days when she didn't care too much about her money.  I told her the following story and she laughed and told me to blog about it so here you go.

Last spring when I was first pregnant and feeling icky, Emily lost her second tooth.  She was so excited for the tooth fairy to come and she promptly put it under her pillow.  We all went to bed as usual and as usual I got up to use the bathroom around 3 AM.  As I was shuffling half asleep back to bed I passed by Emily's room and hit me that the tooth fairy had delegated her assignment to me and I had dropped the ball.  I then realized I didn't have any cash on me.   Panic struck me.   How could I disappoint Emily and the tooth fairy.    At that moment my eye caught a glance of a penny on the floor shining in the moonlight.   In desperation I grabbed some of the money slipped it under her pillow and went to bed.  

So even though I'm not going to win any parent of the year award.  It was awarding enough to have joy instead of tears that next morning.

Money! money, money

After a few battles over homework with Emily I took my mom's advice to basically pay her for doing it.  At first I argued with my mom that I don't want to start bribing. But my mom who is a master motivator told me it is better than getting into a battle with her each day and plus isn't that what life is all about that you work hard to earn good grades to get into college to get a better job so you have money.  My mom set it all up.  She had Emily make a homework chart where she can mark off each day she does her homework without a fight for an entire week and then she'll get $1.00.  She then talked to Emily about things Emily is wishing for and told her that she can earn the money and go and get them.   The talk really inspired Emily to think about how she can control getting some of the things I say "not now" to.   Before this talk money to Emily was just something she would play and scatter on the floor.   My mom also told me to not control Emily's money and let her decide for herself what she wants to buy.  The next day Emily discovered $9.00 in her wallet that turned up when she was cleaning.  She was so excited to take it to the store.  When it was time to go grocery shopping Emily hurried and got her wallet.  It was really hard for me to see Emily going through the store blowing all of her money grabbing treats and junk toys but I kept my mouth shut and let her decide what to spend her money on.  I was proud that she made the decision to keep one of the dollars for tithing.  As we were driving home Emily realized that she now has no money and earning 10.00 for the Hello Kitty piggy bank is going to take a long time.  I just agreed and talked about saving instead of spending.  Now Emily takes her money seriously and is anxious to reach that 10.00 again.   Jane of course can't be left out so I set up a helping chart for her.    Last weekend we had the first big storm of the winter season.  My girls were outside playing and told me they want to help shovel some of the deck.  They started shoveling and then Emily pressing her face up to the window and asks "Hey if we finish this whole deck can we have a dollar".  I agreed, it really was a big job.  They worked and worked off an on all day (they would come in and get warm and then start again) and got it cleared.  

I'm learning that a storming Saturday with two busy instead of bored girls is a dollar well spent!!

I need a Binki Girl

I think the very best thing about having a little older kids with a baby is having extra hands to hold the binki in Aaron's mouth.  I'm not sure if it's just my kids or a developmental thing but  Aaron, like his sisters, enjoy pacifiers but he cannot keep them in his mouth without someone holding it there.   It makes for a love hate relationship with me.  He is happy as a clown when it is in but that doesn't help me because I can't get anything done with my hands occupied holding in a binki.  That is where my girls come in.   Often Aaron will be on the floor and go from happy go lucky to upset very quickly. 





This is usually while I am in the middle of something like cooking dinner.    I will call out "I need a binki girl" and without delay one or both of my girls will search for a binki and come to the rescue hold it in his mouth and magically it calms Aaron down. 

I appreciate having binki girls the most when we are driving.   Most of the time my girls think the best spot in the car is right next to Aaron so they can give him his binki.   Well I guess there was this one time when we were traveling back from Koosharem.  After a long weekend of playing with the cousins both of my girls were exhausted.  I sat in the back with Aaron and both of the girls crashed.  As we arrived in Axtel so Bart could drive his car home and Emily in a half conscious state mumbles Don't go Daddy I just can't be the binki girl today. 

There is no question about it.  My girls love their younger brother and are so good to keep him happy.  What a lucky mom I am. 

Your Secret is safe with her

I've discovered that Jane is fabulous at keeping secrets.    For the first time in our married life we have cable T.V.  It came free as a promotion when we signed up for internet.   It's debatable if we will keep it after the promotion is over.  The biggest downfall for me is my girls have discovered  life outside of PBS kids.   With this new life comes the bombardment of commercials.    Top on the list has been a Dream lite.    I decided to turn the begging into a bedtime chart for them to earn the Dream lite.    If my girls are cooperative while we read our scriptures, say prayers, and stay in their beds after they get tucked in they can each mark off a symbol on the chart.   Both of them have been so motivated and it's helped our family since that is the time of day in my sleepless life that I run out of energy and motivation.  
A couple weeks ago Jane and I were running errands and came across Dream lites at Kmart.  Since I had a coupon that was expiring I bought it and told Jane to keep it a secret from Emily until the chart was complete.  I thought for sure as soon as Emily came home Jane would expose our secret but her lips have been sealed.  Occasionally when Emily mentions the Dream lite Jane whisper "is it still in the closet?" 
Yesterday Aaron was in charge of the treat for Family Night.  Jane wanted to help him and make cookies.  I didn't want Emily to come home from school see the cookies and then hear endless begging for a cookie.   I told Jane we should have them as a surprise for Family Night.  Jane loved the idea and we hid the cookies.   Sure enough Jane kept it a secret and the cookies were a great surprise for a treat. 

I have to say I'm very impressed my best errand buddy and fun 3 year old can keep secrets.    Let the Christmas shopping begin!!

A Happy Halloween with three