Queasy Love

The girls and I have been fighting a stomach bug since Thursday. Miraculously, Chris has so far managed to escape the sick while juggling major dad and nursemaid duty. The poor man has had a lonngggg weekend. The one bright spot on the horizon is our trip to Florida this Saturday. Keep fingers crossed that we are all at optimal health for travel. I already dread the many possible horrors that could result from several hours of Sophie contained in a plane. If vomit is somehow also involved, I'll end up stealing liquor from first class and hanging with the luggage in cargo hold until we land.

Here's a photo from today that I like to think of as "The Mathews Mountain O' Love."
I love the look on Sophie's face as she holds on tight to Emma. The next time they try to kill each other, I'm gonna stick this pic in their face and shout, "See? SEE! THIS is love! Ripping each others' hair out? NOT love!"

Sophie at 2

Sophie had her two year wellness visit yesterday. She has matured so much! She used to cry the minute strangers even looked at her, but she was so good in the doctor's office. She chatted with the nurse and flirted with Dr. McD. She didn't flinch or shrink away when they touched her. She did cry during her two shots, but the tears magically disappeared the moment she was promised a lollipop. Who knew lime suckers alleviate pain faster and better than any amount of ibuprofen? (And how come nobody offered me a lollipop during childbirth?!)

Sophie's getting bigger too. She was a large newborn, went through a tiny peanut phase, and now seems to be back on track. She's 27.9 lbs and 35 inches tall, which puts her roughly in the 60th percentile for her age. I don't know if she'll ever be as tall as Emma, but she is doing her level best to catch up. Considering Sophie mimics everything about her beloved big sister, this comes as no surprise.

And the terrible twos? Oh yes, they continue, right on schedule. The pictures below pretty much sum up the Jekyl/Hyde aspect of Sophie's personality right now. Just before the first photo, we were giggling and being silly and I asked her to smile for the camera. She did a complete 180 in 1.5 seconds and inexplicably screamed, "NOOOOOO!" I was so startled that I hit the button on the camera by accident. When my face fell and I dropped the camera with a sigh, she gently touched my hand and said, "Okay Mama, my smile now." Hence the second pic.

Yep, she's definitely a two-year-old.

Project Update

Just a little update on Emma's Charlotte's Web project that I wrote about in a previous post...she got 25 out of 25 points! Whoo-hoo!

Mrs. Parker sent along a couple of photos taken during the presentation day at school. In the second picture, Chris couldn't help pointing out that Emma's spider looks far superior to her classmate's multi-colored arachnid. I shall refrain from comment and let you be the judge. However, Chris and I both thought Emma looks so grown up. Heavens above, I see the future...how in the world will I ever survive teenage daughters? When I asked Emma about the boy beside her in the first photo she said, "Oh, that's Noah." "Hmmm," I replied. "I've never heard you mention a 'Noah' before. Is he a friend?" "Yes," Emma replied. "Well...not really. I'm only friends with girls. He's just a boy who follows me around a lot." Yikes...

And the prognosis is?

Today was Em's first full day back to school since recovering from strep throat, and apparently she still has illness on her mind. This afternoon, she noticed I was a little "icky looking" and decided to get her doctor's kit and investigate. Turns out I have a temperature of 46, no reflexes and "very dark ears." Dr. Emma handed me the below prescription and instructed me to take two "teez-spoons" of orange medicine twice a day.

(Translation: "You have to go to the Walgreens to get medicine to take home.")

Thorough exams, house calls, extra TLC and no HMOs...it really pays to have a doctor in the family.

A king among men (or, in our case...women)

Chris and Emma have been working hard all weekend on her Charlotte's Web project. What Charlotte's Web project, you ask? Oh, the huge winter break project due tomorrow that was assigned to Emma three weeks ago. She and her Daddy started on it...um, yesterday. Yeah. But boy, did they make up for lost time! They both put so much effort into the project, and the final product turned out really cool.

First they created a written report consisting of 10 interesting facts about spiders, a breakdown of all the parts of a spider's body, and a Venn diagram comparing "real" spiders to the spider Charlotte in the book. But the true piece de resistance is a spider made out of clay, complete with web. Picture is below. Pretty awesome, huh?

The school is hosting a formal presentation Tuesday where the kids get to show off all their hard work, and Chris has been testing Em to make sure she has all the names and facts down. Unfortunately parents aren't invited to the presentation, because I wish Chris could be there. Honestly, I'm not sure who is more proud of themselves - Emma or Chris!

I told Em she is very lucky to have such a creative and caring Daddy. She agreed, but I don't know if she gets just how very lucky she really is. However, her Mama gets it. Ever heard the saying about how nothing is sexier than watching a man with his children? Yeah...I can get on board with that.

Overheard Moments

Emma, in the bath with her sister:
"Sophie, you just tickled my vagina with your toes!"

Sophie, watching Dora on TV:
"I love you, Gora. Gora, you is my fwiend. You is my sistah. Gora, you is my Emma!"

Sophie at war...and at peace

Sophie has developed a rather alarming bedtime routine since returning from Indiana. When we put her to bed, our normally easy-to-sleep child now wails at the top of her lungs until we go back in to her. It doesn't seem to matter how long we wait her out (believe me, we've tried); she will not relent. We were bringing her out to the living room for awhile before putting her back in the crib, but the last few nights I've gone in and rocked her. She calms down the minute I pick her up. I don't have to sing or make soothing sounds. In fact, she doesn't even really need the rocking. She just settles onto my lap with her head on my shoulder, breathing deeply as she clings to me. And we stay that way, her and me, for 15 minutes or so. About the time I feel myself falling asleep, I lay her back down. She cries for maybe 30 seconds, then dozes off.

In general, she's been a bear to be around the last few weeks. She's teething, and I suppose that's what has altered her sleep patterns as well as her mood. Or it could be something else; who knows? We don't have much choice but to ride it out. Her outlandish moodiness, fits of anger and penchant for blood-curdling screams are driving Chris and I around the bend, but I don't mind her recent bedtime freak-outs nearly as much. Truth be told, I relish that time with her in the dark, holding her tight. Thankfully both my girls are snugglers, because a child stingy with affection would break my heart! I'm grateful that Sophie and Emma need lots of hugs and kisses to get them through the day. But they don't often burrow in any more - do you know what I mean? The intense physical connection and need that a mother shares with breastfeeding babies all but disappears by the time toddlerhood comes around. The last few nights with Sophie have felt reminiscent of that earlier time, and I've thoroughly enjoyed those lovely, precious moments.

Plus, the memory of Sophie's warm skin and soft breath as we sit in the quiet of her room helps sustain me when she's shrieking "NO!" and hitting me in the face or flinging herself on the floor...which lately is about 85% of the day. Gotta love the Terrible 2's, huh?

2010 has cows! and jumping! and moons!

I know, I know...I have officially become one of those obnoxious parents who brags about their kids' most minute accomplishments on a regular and annoying basis. But hey - what's the point of having a blog if I can't get my boast on once in awhile? So without further adieu...

Here is Emma's first original piece of artwork for 2010, entitled "Cow Jumping Over Moon." Sometimes I give her an idea to run with when creating a picture, but this one she did all on her own, from concept to completion. I freely acknowledge my significant bias in all areas Emma, but I happen to think it's pretty cool.

Happy New Year!

Slave Driver

I've been making Emma help me with thank you cards. She was game for the first couple, but after the seventh or so, she began to whine a bit. By card 10, she'd had enough.

"Uggh! Why do you act like I'm the mom in this house? I'm only five years old, but you have me do all this work! I need a break. I go to kindergarten and work work work, and then I come home and I have all this more work to do. It's exhaustering! I just need a few minutes to relax."