The Second Super Rachel Zana's Spot

I've MOVED!

I've moved the blog.  Please, please, please visit us HERE and update your bookmarks.  I'm excited about the layout of the new blog:  bigger pictures and their color appears more accurate.  

Fashion Statement

Dr. Peds arrived at the rocky beach late, from his shopping expedition.  I quickly forgave him when I realized he had brought me a warm vanilla milk drink.  However, he was not quite properly dressed for an East wind off Lake Superior, and so he borrowed The Banana's scarf to use as an ear warmer.  

 

Iceland

To burn off some pent up energy on Saturday afternoon, we went to the rocky beach with our friends from up the street.  The kids decided they were visiting Iceland, and set up a little shop in a nest of rocks where they loudly sold icicles to "customers."  Mr. Sneaky Pants, in usual sneaky fashion decided he'd be the villain who stole the icicles rather than purchase them with imaginary money.  It was a loud affair:  lots of crazy singing and shouting and slipping and sliding.  

 

Climbing the Walls

Dr. Peds is off of work for a few days.  He's a bit stir crazy.  On Friday he stayed home the whole day.  This is a rare event for him, and not something he generally enjoys, but I had an appointment, music class to teach, and some errands to run.  I even took some kidlets with me for some of the tasks.  By the time Saturday morning arrived, Dr. Peds had so much pent up energy I was about to throw him out the window.  He was literally climbing the walls, looking for some kind of project to keep himself busy.  He decided to repair the shelves in the family room and spent all afternoon researching screws and hardware.  He drove out to the retail district and I didn't see him for hours.  He came back with a new futon mattress.  I'm happy about the mattress.  I only wish I could get him excited about painting the trim upstairs.  

 

Three Phones At Once

Mr. Sneaky Pants and The Banana LOVE talking on the telephone.   The latest fad around our house is using all three cordless receivers at once when Dr. Peds is talking to someone in the family.  Today they were calling Auntie Dot to see how new Baby Cousin Alex is doing.  He was born on Wednesday (10 pounds) and we can't wait to see him.  

 

The Scotch Tape Has Gone Missing. Again.

Although I cannot locate the tape dispenser, the clear sticky stuff does appear at the most unexpected times.  When the scotch tape gets scarce, Mr. SP and The Banana move on to their sister's stash of colored duct tape.  The other day they made duct tape crowns for their heads.  Surprisingly, they didn't even get upset at the difficult process of removing the duct tape crowns from their foreheads.  They had placed the sticky side of the duct tape right onto their hair.  Better them than me.  

 

February: Bundling

February is here, with all of its bundling up each and every time it is necessary to leave the house.  It's not that we haven't been bundling for months, but February is most certainly the point at which I become tired of the very lengthy process, made even more lengthy by the youngest two kidlets' tendency to get distracted and start playing or reading books halfway through the job of putting on their coats, mittens and shoes/boots.  To make matters worse, someone usually has lost a shoe, mitten or sock, and we have to do a small-scale search for it before we get out the door, which leads us to arrive at wherever we are going substantially later than we we planned.  Every time.  We usually arrive with a mismatched sock or mitten.  Variety is the spice of a snow-filled life.  

   

Tiger

This is Tiger.  Many years ago Ya Ya and Mr. Sneaky Pants had an argument about who got to play with Tiger (Actually I think Tiger is a meerkat, but that point was lost on toddlers).  Ya Ya gave in, and Tiger has not left the possession of Mr. Sneaky Pants since then.  In fact, Tiger quickly entered into the "inner circle" of Mr. Sneaky Pants' cuddly comfort objects, right up there with Bear and Duck.  Mr. Sneaky Pants has always had a strong love for stuffed animal friends.  Tiger is very well loved.  Tiger gets to do all kinds of special projects with Mr. Sneaky Pants.  Because Mr. Sneaky Pants likes dressing up in fun costumes, so does Tiger.  

For example, on Sunday afternoon I found Tiger downstairs on the activity table wearing this snazzy watch:

And just to make sure he was prepared for any and all dangerous situations, Tiger was wearing not one but TWO grey swords around his middle:  

His fur might be a little scuzzy, but he's a whole-hearted, kind little guy.  He's so friendly he didn't even protest about having his photograph taken.    

 

The Fashion Diva Evaluates Mama's Closet

I was snuggling in my bed with a good book.  The Banana joined me after waking up from her nap.  She was dressed in stripey tights, a purple fuzzy leotard, a tutu, and a considerable amount of plastic jewelry.  

"Mama, why don't YOU have any leotards and tutus and princess clothes in your closet?  Daddy could put up some hooks on the wall and you could get some. Like me.  We could match."  

 

On Babies

 I haven't mentioned it here, I don't think, but we are expecting Kidlet 4 in July.  The Banana is very, very excited about becoming a big sister.  Mr. SP is set on wanting a little brother, but The Banana goes back and forth between whether she'd like the baby to be a girl or a boy.  

Today after lunch:

The Banana:  Mama, I really want that baby to come out of your tummy now.  I really want to see it now.  I really can't keep waiting.

Me:  Well, the baby needs to get a lot bigger before it can come out.

The Banana:  I really need a sister.  No, maybe a brother.  No, a sister.  I really want a sister.

Me:  Oh.  OK.

The Banana.  I want a brother but I want a sister.  

Me:  Well, God is pretty much in charge of that.  We'll just have to wait and see.

The Banana:  I really just want both.  Why don't we just have two babies?  One boy.  One Girl.

Me:  Well, there's only one baby in my tummy.  Remember the picture?

The Banana:  But that lady at the church at Noah's school has two babies with two car seats.  

Me:  Yep, she has twins.  But I only have one baby in my tummy. 

The Banana:  I KNOW that, Mama.  But we could just go GET another one.

Me:  Where would we get it from?

The Banana:  You go and drive to Minneapolis and get an extra baby and bring it home in another car seat.