Green Dinner for St Patrick's Day 2011

I have never been a big St Patrick's Day celebrator, but it just felt right this year.  Thanks to our neighbors, we had a green dinner, with spinach, green mashed potatoes and green rice.  I made green apples (okay, God made them green) and chicken that was not green but should have been.  Harper loved it.  I loved it.  The big kids ate two bites and ran away to play.

Besides the chicken, only one thing wasn't green...it was red...and it was great.

Will's first lost tooth

When did my little boy get so grown?  When he was eating a snack today, his loose tooth feel right out!  He immediatly came over and handed it to me.  That was gross.  I think loose teeth and teeth after they fall out of your mouth are really really disgusting.  That doesn't matter when you are a mom because you have to pick that little tiny nasty tooth up and put it into a baggy so we can save it for the toothfairy.

But the proud look on Will's face was priceless.  He was nervous and excited all at the same time.  He was jumping up in down with joy.  He was thrilled that he had lost his first tooth.  I forgot all about my dislike of teeth and jumed up and down with him.  I was thrilled for him too. 

Way to go Will.  You are a grown up boy.

Turn around for one minute...

...and my kids are finding funny ways to entertain themselves.  They entertain me too. 

Will is doing some push ups in between Wii games.

Abby is cleaning the floor.  Yes, she is cleaning it with Febreeze.  What ever makes you happy Abby.

Harper it taking apart the diswasher. Clever.

Someone loves to wear makeup

Oh my Abby, growing up so fast.  When I get ready for work in the morning, she joins me.  She does not want me to do her hair, she would rather have all the knots and tangles.  She does not want to help me pick out her clothes, she wants to wear her mismatched dresses and pants.  She is after one thing and one thing only….makeup.

I say: Abby, just a little bit of makeup, I want you to look like a professional lady (not a professional hooker).

Abby: Oh mommy, I am going to look so pretty.

I say: You are already so pretty.

Abby: (holding up my concealer) Where does this go mommy?

I say: On your eyes, but just a little bit.

Abby: (smearing it all over her face) Okay mommy.

Daycare must think I am crazy.  I took Abby to school looking slight an umpa-lumpa. What did I say to Abby? Very pretty Abby, very pretty.

This may hurt my rep but...

My mom came up from North Carolina this weekend to celebrate Will’s 6^th birthday.  My sister also came to visit.  

I will caveat the rest of the story by letting you know that I love, love, love when family comes to visit.  I do also expect to put up with some gentle ribbing about the gross things that my kids do.  Things like snotty noses, unpleasant smells and dirty kid items, things that are not unique to my own children.  I take all the ribbing in good fun.  Not to mention that I know what they say is completely true (my kids do have snotty noses).  

This weekend, the item for discussion was my trusty high chair.  This chair has survived three Perryman children.  It has not made it through the war without a few, um, scars.  The scars have come in the form of caked on dirt that is too gross to be removed.  Sure, I wash the tray after every meal but the sides and the legs get hosed off about once a year. Yes, I freely admit that the chair is gross.

Becca and Mom are appalled at the chair.  They got out their rubber gloves and cleaning supplies and went after it.   Things I overheard:

Mom said:  Anna, this is really gross.
Me: I know Mom.
Mom said:  I can get off the dirt.  Let me see what I can do.  When was the last time you cleaned this?
Me: I have no clue.  Maybe after Abby stopped using it?  

Becca said:  I think this spot is a really old, glued down squished raisin.

Mom said: Pry it off with a knife.

Becca said: Ew gross, that was not a raisin. 

I will put up with this any day of the week. Check out the before and after pictures. I love you ladies. Thanks for cleaning the highchair.

 

Telling Stories

At night, before we go to bed, Will and Abby both get stories that I make up. Each child gets their very own story in their own room. Harper does not yet get her own story, but she does stand up in her crib to hear Abby's. Here are the stories from tonight.

Will:
There once was a little boy named Will. He had super powers. His super power tonight is that he (pause for Will to offer what he wants. Then I put it into the story. Laser beams are tonight's power) can shoot laser beams out of his eyes! He got this power from his mommy who could also shoot laser beams out of her eyes. The biggest obstacle with this power is learning how to control it even when you are angry. Can you do that Will? Mommy is still learning to harness this power.
Will did great with his super power but one day, he had to protect his sisters from a bully. He said don't be mean to my family or I will shoot you with laser beams! The bullies laughed at Will. Then he shot them with his laser beams and they ran away, with laser beam holes it their pants. The end (lots of laughs from the little guy).

As a side note, I know you are reading this story and think "How is is possible that Anna is the not the most fun parent in the Perryman house?" I agree, I am also shocked I am not the most fun parent, but alas, Matt is more fun than me because he wrestles with the kids on the floor. I also yell when I get mad.

Here is Abby's story:
There once was a little girl named Abby....the story gets cut off right here so Abby can take over. She then continues the story:
There was also a little mommy named Anna (this was my favorite part). And there were puppies. And Shay-Shay. And Nana and Paw-Dad and Ack-Ack and Day-bid, and Thomas and Shandra: BUT NOT Will or Harper. Just me. Daddy stayed home with Harper and William. And I hugged the puppies because I loved them. And I didn't have to go to sleep at bedtime. And we ate pop-tarts and pizza and juice boxes and we didn't have to eat green beans.