This cute little devil will take you back to my wierd little world...
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Who They Are...
These pics were taken at Wal-Mart Studios, on the 14th
of January, 2000
Number thirteen...04 November 2000
Sam was an adorable ghost, and rather original, too. Because she was the only ghost most people saw on Halloween night. Rebekah had fun as a mermaid, although, she did wear a jacket over her costume when it came to trick-or-treating...It was frigid out here:) And since they come home with about as much candy as I passed out, I think we got a fair deal.
Anyway, on other notes...I got to go to Rebekah's parent teacher conference. She is apparently a great kid to teach...Her teacher's only comment other than what a great kid she is was that she doesn't seem to have a burning desire to excell. She is doing well as far as reading, math, and all the rest of those subjects...And has made the adjustment to 1st grade really well.
She has also lost her first tooth! I'm so excited...I was beginning to think she'd never loose her teeth! She lost one of the bottom teeth in the front. And given inflation, the tooth fairy left her with a really large sum of $5.00. Which is more than I ever got, and about half of what Brent used to get...We compromised on that issue:)
Sam has gotten really crabby since the first time we dropped her with a neighbor to visit the hospital. I think she wants to see the baby...But also that she's a little worried about her position in the family as a littler baby comes along. I don't imagine we'll be able to reassure her until after the baby comes, either. Which is going to be horrid...She is driving us about nuts with her current behavior. Which involves reverting to not using words to communicate, and throwing fits to get her way (which we generally ignore). What a pain. I hope she goes back to the rather adorable kid I know is in there soon:)
I think that's about it. We'll let you know how it goes when more fun and exciting things happen in the girls' lives:) See ya later!
Number twelve...22 October 2000
Well, the girls have decided what they want to do for Halloween. Sam is determined to be a ghost, and Rebekah's going to be a mermaid. We bought Rebekah a costume, but it seems like no one makes ghost costumes in toddler size, so we're making one out of flannel. It's turned out pretty good, so far. I improvised on the pattern, but I think she'll be happy with it. If I can find a scanner, I'll post pics of them:) And maybe the pumpkins, when they are decorated...
I think that Sam's diffidence concerning babies is just something around me. She was totally fascinated with the neighbor's new baby, until I showed up. When I arrived, she went off to play with the other toddlers. So, we'll see what happens with the new one that's coming home...
Speaking of which, I got the girls enrolled in a "New Sibling" class. I think they are going to practice baby holding and make a birthday card for the new baby. We're also going to go a mini-shopping spree and get the baby birthday presents from the girls, and the girls "New Sibling" presents from the baby. Something that can kinda keep them entertained while visiting us at the hospital:)
I think that's about it. I'll be making a new page, once the baby arrives...One for the girls and the new baby! So, the heading may change...Sam thinks this one's a boy:) So, we'll see you later...
Number eleven...30 September 2000
Rebekah is learning to read...Slowly, bit-by-bit, she is learning:) She's mildly dyslexic, and that doesn't help, but she's getting the hang of 3-4 letter words that are easily sounded out, and some sight words. I'm so, so excited. She gets kinda frustrated at me when it's bedtime, because I make her read the real words, and don't let her just repeat a book from memory...Or I help her with a chapter type book, and make her sound out the 3-4 letter words:) But she's making huge leaps all the time, and I'm incredibly proud of her...I may have a little reader to help on the way back home:)
Sam is losing her fascination with infants...She got to see a 2 week old, and when I tried to get her to actually examine the little thing, she looked at me and said "It's a baby, Mom..." just like a teenager would, when trying to explain the blaringly obvious to a parent. Oh, well...On the flip side, she can balance a spoon on the tip of her nose...It's very cute, and I totally wished I had a camera on-hand when she showed me:)
What else? Hmm...Not much. They are both healthy and having oodles of fun...And we'll let you know the next cool thing that happens:)
Number ten...27 August 2000
Did I mention Sam's going to need special watching with this new baby? She got a new doll yesterday, the kind that comes with a pacifier that gets stuck in it's mouth, and the poor doll hasn't been without a pacifier the whole time it's been at my house! I think Sam may try to keep the new baby's mouth full, too! Which isn't wierd...Rebekah wanted Sam to always be sucking on a pacifier when we first got her, too. I also expect that we're going to have to buy tons of pacifiers...Because I think that both of the girls may backslide into wanting to have one to suck, too.
Anyway, Rebekah is happy in school. She's a little frustrated that she has to eat breakfast at school, but she suggested it, and I'm more than willing to let them feed her. I know that she gets things like fruit offered with breakfast at school, and I don't get around to fruit first thing in the morning. Other than the constant breakfast dilema, though, she's really enjoying herself. They are learning about less and more, and while she still tells me that they did "nothing" at school when I ask her, she has brought home enough paperwork that I'm confidant that she is doing something! We also sent off her first ever book order. We got a early reading set for Rebekah, Franklin's Baby Sister to maybe start prepping the girls for the new baby, and a book about Arthur for Rebekah. On the flip side, I think I'm more excited about the book order than Rebekah is...Of course, she may get more excited as she realises that she gets books when the order comes in!
Sam is starting to go terrible two on us...I guess this is about the age that Rebekah really got horrid, too. On the reverse side, Brent's convinced that Rebekah hasn't outgrown the terribleness of her two year old stage...So we'll have to see how Sam turns out. She has been having fits about toys, and not getting her way, and all those other lovely things that two year olds flip about. She gets really touchy about if Rebekah gets special time with me...She always wants to be in my lap if Rebekah is sitting next to me. So, we'll have to see if a little extra time with me helps her any. Who knows?
Anyway, I think that's about it. The girls are both doing fairly well...Of course, there's things like Halloween to look forward to...They are either going to have a very short Trick-or-Treat walk, or Brent's going to take them without me. Because I don't think at 8 months along, I should be hiking in the hills of our neighborhood much...So I'll probably stay at home at pass out candy. I'll let you know how that turns out when it comes around:) See you later!
Number nine...19 August 2000
We finally got that supplies list. I had to get it from the school office. And, yeah, she needed crayons and pencils, and a couple other things. When I was in 1st grade, we had those nifty desks with the cubbies underneath for all our stuff...She has a small table she shares with a bunch of other kids. Time change, I guess...Of course, they don't have enough books for all the kids, either, so they are having a fun time trying to figure out how to do school:)
Anyway, she has an awesome teacher. I'm so glad, too. He last couple of teachers were probably good, but they didn't seem to love teaching and learning...This one definately does. Due to the math book shortage, they use a bunch of tactile learning aids...Plastic chain links, buttons, that kind of thing, to learn the concepts behind 2+3=5. This way the kids learn that there's value behind those numbers. Which is way better than just memorising that particular formula:) They have a few computers in the classroom, but not really any programs that are 1st grade level, and they are stuch without cd drives, so we can't even donate the programs we have. Brent's thinking about trying to save our kid programs onto 3.5 floppy so they can use them:)
Sam is doing okay without her sister around. I got to stay home yesterday (training holiday, so we got the day off) and aside from half her friends leaving at lunch time, it's pretty much the same. Since she goes in for a nap after lunch, I bet she doesn't even know that her friends are gone:) Sam loved playing with the tactile math toys at Rebekah's open house...We ended up staying a little late as a result of cleaning up!
I was holding the neighbor's baby (who is almost the size of Sam!), and giving it a bottle the other day, and boy, did Sam go green! She wanted to share my lap (which is about non-existant) with the baby, and then she wanted to feed him his bottle. I think she'll make a good older sister, but I'm realising it's a good thing that she'll get some alone time with me and the baby while Rebekah's in school. She thinks this baby's going to be great, but I think she's going to need some special adjusting time in there...She's been the baby for a long time, and I don't want her to be jealous because the new one is going to need some special care for the first few months!
Anyway, that's about it. The girls are both healthy and doing well...Sam's due for a physical sometime, but I think we'll wait a little for it. Other than that, nothing exciting going on...See you later!
Number eight...12 August 2000
Well, school has begun. Rebekah was so excited about going on Thursday (the first day of school) that she was awake, dressed, had her chores finished, and had left for a friend's house before I came home from PT...I was about hysterical, and went all the way to school looking for her. When I got back, there she was, in the middle of the living room...What a relief. Anyway, other than that, school got off without a hitch...Rebekah keeps telling us that we need to get pencils and crayons for her to take to school, but we're waiting for a list from her teacher. On Tuesday, we get to go to the school's open house and meet her teacher, and hopefully get the supplies thing straightened out. Friday she got her school physical...She's in the peak of health, according to the doctor. I think she may need to see an eye doctor...I know she can recognise the letters "E" and "F", and she mistook them for the letter "R" on her eye exam. On the flip side, she is 4 ft 7 1/2 inches tall, and 49 1/2 pounds heavy. And for the first time ever, the doctor didn't tell me to fatten her up:)
Sam has enjoyed having the house to herself...And Brent has enjoyed having a relatively peaceful house in which the girls are not constantly fighting. Very interesting. I haven't seen it, though, because I'm at work when Rebekah's at school...But she apparently isn't horribly miserable or lonely, which is better than poor Rebekah when we first got here...Of course, we have a few other little kids that are her age around here that aren't in school or day-care, and she plays with them while Rebekah is at school.
Anyway, I think that's about it...I'll let you know how the open house goes next week sometime. It should be fun:) See you then...
Number seven...05 August 2000
Well, we went and picked up clothes for Rebekah for
school. She got a really cute little pink pleated skirt, and a matching tank-type sweater for the first
day of school, when she has to walk, anyway. She also got a cute little sun dress type thing that's tie-dyed with maroon and white. Her last outfit is a purple tank top with purple flowers and a pair of capri pants that may actually fit her still next spring. Of course, she still doesn't have to unbutton any of it. We also got her some new tennis shoes...We got her the same kind that we got last year with some success. Hopefully she won't have problems with her feet hurting again.
Sam contracted a stomache flu, I think. She has puked twice in the last 2 days. Eww. Also running a low-grade fever. So, she's been cooped inside, and rather miserable. But I think she may be over the worst of it...I don't think she's been feverish today.
Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is as great to the girls as ET was, but they didn't think much of Flight of the Navigator. So, whatever. Small kids, who can explain them?
I think that's about it. Not much happening until Rebekah gets into school...She's in the same class as at least 2 of the other kids in the neighborhood, so this is going to be a little weird. Last couple years, they seperated the kids in our neighborhood. But, like I said, we don't know anything yet. I'll give you details when I get them:) Bye now!
Number six...29 July 2000
I have discovered a fascinating detail about little kids. The same stuff that used to have me
glued to the TV and/or VCR as a kid has my kids equally fascinated. I rented ET, and they
thought it was great. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has them captivated. I bet
they'd even like Walt Disney's Snow White, which I thought was cute until I watched it daily
for seven days at my grandma's movie theater.
What's more, they have a great appreciation for these things called special effects. We went
to watch Dinosaur in the theater, and while Sam squirmed a lot (I don't think she likes to sit
in the dark, at least in theaters) she was totally transfixed during the meteor shower scene.
Very interesting. It's like seeing things for the first time again when you watch something with
your kids...You remember all the wonder that they held for you, and it becomes like new to
you, too.
Of course, there's all the explaining to do, about what an alien is, and why they wanted to
take ET away, and other strange and bizarre questions that pop up as a result of the movie,
but it's cool, anyway. And you appreciate better the problems you gave your parents, when
you asked for details on life on other planets and other such things:)
What a weird childling Rebekah is! I took her window shopping for school clothes today
(payday isn't until the first, so it's just looking right now) and all she wants is bedtime clothes!
She says that she's got enough outside clothes to wear to school this year! After I finally
convinced her that she had to have outside clothes, all she wanted was dresses. This from a
kid who is determined to ride her bike to school. I pointed out that she couldn't ride to school
in a dress, and she said that we could buy her a whole wardrobe to wear after she got home
from school, and that she didn't need new clothes for school. Wow. The kids dumbfounds
me:)
Sam is growing like a weed. She is now tall enough to fit into the school clothes that we
bought for Rebekah for her Pre-K year in school. Not fat enough for the skirts, so I think that
we'll give those to some of the neighbor kids, who are about her height, but somewhat
rounder. Amazing...I think that Rebekah needs new clothes about every 6 months. At least
Sam gets some wear into them before she outgrows them, too. I don't think that any of the
clothes I've bought them have been worn long enough to wear out...
I think that's about it. In a few weeks, I'll let you know how school began for Rebekah, and
how Sam is taking having her sister and friends hauled away to school, so she can't play with
them:) Til then, be safe and well...Tad
Number five...17 July 2000
Well, the best laid plans of mice and men...For all of you who haven't heard, I'm going to be
out here until like March. So, back to traditional school, Rebekah! At least, until I get to
move out to California...So, she's going to get to learn to read with all her friends, and she
won't miss the birthday parties, or her own. The girls will miss holidays with family, but they
haven't been able to see anyone's family since we came out here, so I don't think they know
what they are missing.
The girls like their bikes...Sam keeps rolli-pollies in the little bucket thing on the back of her
trike, and every day we come out to find either sun-dried or drowned rolli-pollies. So, the bug
population in the immediate area is dwindling. Rebekah keep strying to get permission to
ride up to her school alone, because none of the neighborhood kids can go up there. The
girls are excited about our plants...Not only are the flowers in the front yard growing flowers,
but the pepper plants and strawberry plants in the back yard have fruit. The girls are having
tons of fun with all the wonderful growing...
Our pet, Mushu, who is a cat, went in to be neutered today. Tomorrow Rebekah gets to come
with me to pick him up from the vet. She's excited about that. But, she doesn't get the chance
to play with the poor kitty while he's still woozy from painkillers...
Anywya, I think that's about it. I'll try to get back to this again later:)
Number four...04 June 2000
Look out, summer-time blues...Rebekah just got out of school! Yes, the girl has passed
kindergarten! She is in for smooth sailing into 1st Grade, with Mommy as the teacher. We're
a little leary out here...Sam has developed these crazy ideas about pounding on her sister,
and we're trying to keep Rebekah from retaliating. Which lets Sam become much more
horrific! I am thinking about trying to find a class or two to stick Rebekah into, so that she's at
least out of the house for an hour or so...
Sam is going through the cut your hair stage. Every morning, we find new cuttings on the
floor. If we don't melt all the scissors soon, I think we'll be bringing home a bald little girl!
Hmmm...She uses scissors for other things, too...Like the freezer pops, and paper. Shame on
Rebekah for that one:)
They both got new bikes...Rebekah was totally too big for her old one, and we gave it to the
little girl next door. Sam just needed a riding toy...She opted for a pretty nifty trike. So, when
the weather clears up, and it's not raining, they'll have something to do outside.
That's all I can think of right now...If you want to find out about Sam's participation in the
baby's doctor appointment, go see the page for the new baby! She had fun, I think. I'm going
to bring Rebekah to the next one, and both of them to the ultrasound. It's going to be a busy
summer! See you all later:)
Number three...13 May 2000
Rebekah's school isn't quite as horrid as I'd imagined...While there was a solid week of nothing
but fun days, she's currently learning about subtraction. She's caught on really fast, too.
Since my PT in the mornings have decided to have fun walks on Wednesdays, where we can
bring our kids, spouses, pets, etc., I've taken her out on the 2 and some miles walk. We had
a lot of fun, and began our collection of plants. We are going to collect plants out here, and
again in California, and compare the differences in plant life. I think we may end up with
more samples out in California...There's a wider variety of environmental differences out there
than there is here. But there are some things out here that I've never seen in California, so I
think it'll be a good science study, at any rate.
Lets see...Sam hasn't cut her hair again...Of course, it's only been about a week. She speaks
in pretty well-formed sentences, most of the time. And she stashes her stuffed animals in the
cupboards with the baking supplies:) Anyway, that's kinda cute...Even if it takes up way too
much of my space down there! I think that we are all eager to be gone...Not quite ready yet,
but eager to leave, anyway. And that's about all that's relevant to the girls right now...Catch
you later:)
Number two...06 May 2000
And, here we are...Rebekah's about to graduate from Kindergarten, and Sam is cutting her
hair. They are driving Brent nuts, because last week was spring break out here, and Rebekah
was at home all week. Anyway, Sam was really perturbed about having to share her time
with Daddy, and she was doing horrid things to Rebekah. And Rebekah was doing horrid
things to Sam, too. So, all in all, I figure that my husband is going to need to be committed
by the end of summer:) Not really, but you get the idea. I think that Rebekah is going to get
dance lessons, or swimming lessons, or something, to get her away from the house for a few
hours.
Yes, Sam has followed in Rebekah's footsteps, and decided to cut her own hair. She got the
top pretty well, but she didn't cut to the scalp, and it will grow out quickly. I think she was
trying to shorten her bangs, which I'd been meaning to do for a while...She got to it before
me, I guess:)
Rebekah's schooling has been reduced to fun days, and I'm a little disappointed, although,
I can remember the same things when I was in school. The kids that leave school from here
out are given the certificates that say they've completed this year's schooling, and I guess
that the teacher's have covered everything that is needed, but I'm still a little irked that her
schooling has been reduced to a simple day-care center. I send her there to learn, not to
spend her days goofing around, since the bulk of her learning has been taught...One more
reason I can't wait to homeschool her...I can teach her consistantly, and not make her have
a month of goof off time while I think up grades for her:) Okay, I guess that covers venting
my frustrations with the school system...
Anyway, I'll get on this later. That's about the highlights of the excitements around here. The
girls are going to get to hear the baby's heartbeat at the next doctor appointment. I talked to
the doctor about it, and he said they wouldn't be doing any yucky exams that I'd like to
shelter my kids from, so all go. The doctors on post won't give me an ultrasound unless the
pregnancy starts to go weird, but there's a place off post that will for about $50.00, and I think
I'll do that before we head out to California. Maybe the girls could see that, too:)
Number one...15 April 2000
Well, it's been about 3 months from the last page, and
almost a year since I started it...I guess I can move
on:) At least to a new page for them...I think I ran
out of room on the last one. My entries must have been
longer than on the 1st one, because I didn't make it
to the #20 entry:) Of course, there has been lots more
to talk about, what with Sam and Rebekah going through
learning spurts!
Anyway, Rebekah is learning simple adding equations.
She started a month or so ago at home on the computer
(we got JumpStart First Grade, which is an educational
computer game for her) and a week or so ago at school.
I think she already had the concpt down pat. She's
doing so well...Other than the classic reversal of
numbers that seems to be quite common in my family.
Sam is learning by leaps and bounds all those really
frustrating things that toddlers learn. She can lock
Mommy and Daddy out of the house, and keep us out until
she's ready to open the doors again (further proof that
Mommy and Daddy shouldn't leave the house without house
keys, huh?) She can open all sorts of things...Daddy's
boxes with his neat little figurines, which she takes
out and plays with on the floor, and the doors upstairs
(so, nothing in my house is safe anymore!) But she's
really cute, and we hope that with careful guidance, we
can curb her little locking and opening habits. At
least she hasn't started to excape to the great outdoors
yet! I bet it'll be soon, though!
Anyway, that's the update. So far, so good...I'll try
to post a little more often now!
