Inadvertent Difficulties

We had a lovely father's day (pre-father's day) dinner that went awry tonight for reasons best left undisclosed. I was very sorry about it and I wish it hadn't happened. You can't always control how other people react. Scratch that: You can never control how other people react.

OK, enough obfuscation. To the important stuff: I have pictures of the Roses! Here is Rose #1 after she played (shhhh, don't tell anyone) with a DOLL!!!!!!!

And here is Rose #2 next to the dolly lineup. She wants you to think that she is a tomboy and she doesn't like anything that's girly, but I wish you saw her arranging the baby dolls. Deep inside her beats the heart of a girly girl:
And never forget intrepid little Rose #3. Doesn't she look SMUG? She was so pleased with herself. It is her birthday on Sunday and she is almost 3!
Here is the dolly lineup with its architects:
(Note the baby doll on the far left has a t-ball hat and a brown necklace. Lest you think that Rose #1 was actually going to let those dollies get the better of her tomboy nature. )

MND at Harriet Island

MND was at Harriet Island this week! I had my camera in my purse, so I took a few shots.

First pic: Rose #1 pouting. This was a fake pout, BTW. She actually had a fabulous time, and that is surprising since Sam was sick this week and not able to be there!

Rose #2 was hamming it up. This was before she got a bang trim from her fabulous Aunt Boo. Look at that one hank of long, long bang hair!

And my little Rose #3. She was smiling with her cousin Baby Kate on the playground in this picture:

I got one quick group shot on top of this very curious item of playground equipment. It is a faucet on the top of a long stone or brick expanse. I was actually wondering why Rose #1 and #2 were playing so long with their cousin Bea at the playground without needing adult diversion. The reason: water play! Hooray for water!

Baby Kate got into the spirit of dancing atop this strange play equipment in her bare feet. Here she is behind Rose #1, looking pleased to be part of the gang and only a tiny bit perturbed that her feet were in very, very cold water:

And here are two good-lookin' cousins smiling together:

And finally, while the women tended the young-uns, the men watched a barge float down the Mississippi River:

Harriet Island is an excellent spot for a picnic. I highly recommend it!

I wish I was a better mom

In the "good mom" column, I arranged for birthday cupcakes to be brought to Rose #2's class this past week. Here she is smiling for the camera in her #5 crown:

Below Rose #2 is enjoying her treat with the friends at her table. You can see behind her the age chart ("I am 4") - presumably she graduated to the "I am 5" chart above.

In the "bad mom" column:

• It was not in fact me that went with the cupcakes to class. Although I am very grateful to Guppy for going, I always feel terrible that I can't go.
• I forgot until now that Rose #2 had a field trip to Dodge Farm this week. I was only reminded when I read the report in her folder from her teacher. How could I forget something like this? Why don't I have a good system to remember all of the comings and goings? It is only going to get worse, and I will be the *totally* clueless mom who is late for soccer and who forgets the dance rehearsal. Then it will get really bad, and my teenage girls will be skipping out on curfew.
• I throw away my kids artwork. Really, I do. I don't know what to do with it. Why doesn't someone come up with a system? Which ones should I keep, anyway, and which ones are OK to toss? Why do the kids always get drawn to the recycle bin or the garbage can after I put an item of artwork in there? Why?
• I am terrible about buying cute clothes for the kids. Some moms are super picky about every single thread that goes on their children's backs, and I can't bear to fight mine on what they wear. Plus, I am so cheap.

More confessions of a bad mom, tomorrow.

Not to be overlooked...

Rose #1 graduated from first grade today!  Well, not graduated technically.  She was recommended for placement in second grade.  She was glad to be done with the school year.  We have lots of camps and activities planned for this summer, but hopefully also lots of time to be a kid, and read, and play outdoors.

Rose #3 got a very, very good haircut today!   Her Aunt Boo cut her hair and did a great job getting it short enough:

An Ode to Rose #2

Today, Rose #2 is 5 years old!  She wanted Bakugan jammies and Bakugan balls, which she got. We had a very nice dinner with her Guppy and Poppy at Davanni's.  And, she also got a puzzle and a red Razor scooter!

Here she is, posing in her Bakugan jammies with the big Bakugan ball:

And here she is, just smiley:

And here, 5 years ago, is newborn baby Rose #2.  Wasn't she sweet?  Isn't she sweet?

Happy Birthday To Rose #2

We had a great party for Rose #2 today! She will be 5 on Tuesday, and we celebrated with her cousins and her friends today. We had a fine Power Ranger cake, and Rose #2 made a big wish. I don't know what it was, but I sure hope it comes true:

Here is a closeup of the cake, by Aunt Charity. I sure wish she would go into business, because she makes a fine cake:

One of the games at the party was the "go fishing" game, where the kids put a "fishing pole" behind the fishing curtain. Rose #3 got a popcorn container!

Another game was Pin the Tail on the Zebra. I know, "donkey" is more traditional, but Rose #2 wanted Zebra. We are all about keeping Rose #2 happy:

Rose #2: I can remember the minute you were born, and I can't believe you are close to age 5! I can't wait for the next 5, to see how much more beautiful and sweet you become. I love you so much!

Happy Birthday to Me!

What a grand 40th birthday I had. My darling husband threw a SURPRISE birthday party for me on Sunday, which involved a lot of family and friends at a cookout, and karaoke. Karaoke, if you want to know, really can CLEAR a party.  Anyway, below you can see me and Aunt Charity singing RESPECT.

Tonight we had quiet birthday dinner at home and I opened my birthday gifts.  I got an Edward action figure (if you spy carefully in the photo below you can see Rose #2 holding it!) and another very, very nice gift which I will not name on the website for fear of sounding elitist or something.  But I really, really loved it.
Tonight for bedtime story Rose #1 picked Where the Sidewalk Ends, which she received as a gift for her birthday.  We read the poem titled "Listen to the Mustn'ts", which I think is OK to reproduce since it is fully credited (to Shel Silverstein, of course):

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child.

Listen to the DON'TS

Listen to the SHOULDN'TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me -

Anything can happen, child

ANYTHING can be.

I love this.  It sends a shiver down my spine and makes me hopeful for the next decade - the next decades.