Title: "YOU'RE WEARING THE SLEEPING GAME!"
I'm back after a long, but remarkable hiatus in 2.5yr oldville. The girls are saying and doing the charming stuff that makes this all so very worthwhile and scratch-your-head amazing. I have at least three stories to recount; let's start with the title of this message.
I have a 5yr. old Land's End blue/red down jacket that I bought purposefully for my trip to Paris with Mark in 2002-2003. You might scratch your heads and remember this trip--it's the one we got engaged, and no, we've not been back to Europe since except occassionally at night in my dreams. In any event, this coat has followed me thru all of the more exciting of my life journies and even helped keep the girls warm in-utero as it was the only coat that fit me for most of my pregnancy, which explains why I was still wearing it in early May when it was 80degrees out in case anyone was wondering or even remembers. I digress. In any event, since I am such an orderly person (not), I tend to hang my down coat on the the doorknob where our kitchen door is. The girls are actively making up games to play with each-other now since playing with Mom is so very yesterday and the new game they've made up is called "The Sleeping Game". It involves removing my coat from the doorknob, throwing it on the floor, having a small fight about who is first to wrap herself in the sleeves and pretend to sleep and who will be the "wake-up call"--which involves running a circle around the load-beraring wall that separates our living room and kitchen. This game is always played in this manner without variation. This game can go on for as long as 45 minutes, but that was on the first day. Now, we have the Cliff Note version which is maybe 5-7 minutes before they are off to another game.
So, one day last week, I dared to think the game was over and proceeded to move to the next activity. I picked my coat up from the floor and put it on and went to get the girls' coats. The girls were both standing by our front door with scowls on their faces. They were clearly annoyed.
"What's wrong luvbunnies?" I asked
More staring...more scowling
"Do you want to go outside?" I asked
More staring.
Then, practically in unison, they said with consternation
"Your'e WEARING the sleeping game".
Grumble
Evidently, I had committed a cardinal sin by picking my coat up off the floor, (it's current native habitat), using it for it's intended purpose (to keep me and my stomach contents warm) AND I had not asked if the game was over.
I was scolded and reprimanded.
"Don't do that AGAIN, Mama" said Helen.
I wish I could have caught the look in Carolyn and Helen's eyes when they saw me with the "sleeping game" on myself. It was classic.
Last Saturday, we had to choose indoor activities due to inclement weather. DC has been getting alot of rain and warm weather this winter, which has been terribly dissapointing to the Catan sisters who are eagerly and impatiently awaiting a "really big snow!". If I was Aaron Spelling, I could merely create one in the backyard of my 135-room palace, but unfortunately, the girls are going to have to wait for all the stars to be aligned correctly and a break from global warming. We're hoping for snow next month. So, last Saturday, we got in the big car to go to the Library. I like to take the girls there when it opens at 9am since no-one else is there and they can usually have the run of the kiddie section to themselves...and I can talk to the librarians whom I've gotten to know over the last 1.5yrs and really like. On the way in, Helen noticed wet, rained-on white paper on the ground.
She looked at me, then looked upwards, then downwards and said:
"The cloud fell down!"
I really wanted to laugh out loud but her voice showed such concern I didn't want her to think I was laughing at her concerns. I gently explained that the clouds were still in the sky and were safe and where they belonged, but that sometimes paper fluffs up when it is wet and it looks, well, like a cloud. Sometimes cottonballs look like clouds too. This seemed acceptable to her.
Carolyn likes to make up songs to no particular melody or even subject matter; usually its a free-form stream of consciousness about whatever word(s)pop into her head, but the other morning, she sang "This old man, he play one, he play knickknack..doo, doo doo". I couldn't believe she remembered the words! She also loves anything having to do with numbers and number combinations.
The girls are now going with me to the grocery store for short runs and easy shops. I put them both in a shopping cart (not the one made for kiddies since I'm such a germaphobe) and away we go. I cannot remember, but I think it was Carolyn who caught on very quickly that groceries needed to be unloaded onto the convenor belt for the cashier to total. It is surprising how much the two of them can lift, but going to the grocery store is an exotic event and a real treat. When we have time, we peruse the aisles and visit some favorite haunts; the live lobster tank, the frozen food section and the produce stands. I have to not go to the last aisle of produce since it is next to the Balloon-A-Palooza. We are almost always stopped by our enlarging admiring public who are kind enough to come over to me and make such lovely comments about the girls. People are still interested, in in this day and age of IVF multiples, in twins. It is remarkable and lovely and we enjoy meeting new people alot. We even had a lady run up to me and mention the upcoming National Geographic show on Multiples in the Womb which is being shown this Sunday night.
Preschool is going extremely well. Yesterday, in the car, the girls actually clapped their whole way there and enthusiastically made a game out of asking for "Debbie" (their teacher) or "Denise" (their TA). I could not ask for a more loving and nurturing environment for them.
Lastly, we had such a fabulous time seeing family we don't get to see too often, during the holidays this year. Aunt Claire and Uncle George made a delicious feast for the Catans and also the Hellers and the girls were very interested to meet their many cousins...of all different ages. Mark and I got to sit down this year and actually have a nice meal with the girls at the table and it made me think how much more fun next year will be for them to be around family and friends at Holiday time. It was probably more fun for Claire as well since to the best of my knowledge, we didn't manage to spill any red wine on her carpet this year either.
Warm wishes to all for 2007. When I wished H+C a Happy New Year on the morning of 1/01/07 this year, I said "Girls, this is your big 3rd birthday year!" Carolyn looked at me thoughtfully and said
"In May".
WOW.
I'm back after a long, but remarkable hiatus in 2.5yr oldville. The girls are saying and doing the charming stuff that makes this all so very worthwhile and scratch-your-head amazing. I have at least three stories to recount; let's start with the title of this message.
I have a 5yr. old Land's End blue/red down jacket that I bought purposefully for my trip to Paris with Mark in 2002-2003. You might scratch your heads and remember this trip--it's the one we got engaged, and no, we've not been back to Europe since except occassionally at night in my dreams. In any event, this coat has followed me thru all of the more exciting of my life journies and even helped keep the girls warm in-utero as it was the only coat that fit me for most of my pregnancy, which explains why I was still wearing it in early May when it was 80degrees out in case anyone was wondering or even remembers. I digress. In any event, since I am such an orderly person (not), I tend to hang my down coat on the the doorknob where our kitchen door is. The girls are actively making up games to play with each-other now since playing with Mom is so very yesterday and the new game they've made up is called "The Sleeping Game". It involves removing my coat from the doorknob, throwing it on the floor, having a small fight about who is first to wrap herself in the sleeves and pretend to sleep and who will be the "wake-up call"--which involves running a circle around the load-beraring wall that separates our living room and kitchen. This game is always played in this manner without variation. This game can go on for as long as 45 minutes, but that was on the first day. Now, we have the Cliff Note version which is maybe 5-7 minutes before they are off to another game.
So, one day last week, I dared to think the game was over and proceeded to move to the next activity. I picked my coat up from the floor and put it on and went to get the girls' coats. The girls were both standing by our front door with scowls on their faces. They were clearly annoyed.
"What's wrong luvbunnies?" I asked
More staring...more scowling
"Do you want to go outside?" I asked
More staring.
Then, practically in unison, they said with consternation
"Your'e WEARING the sleeping game".
Grumble
Evidently, I had committed a cardinal sin by picking my coat up off the floor, (it's current native habitat), using it for it's intended purpose (to keep me and my stomach contents warm) AND I had not asked if the game was over.
I was scolded and reprimanded.
"Don't do that AGAIN, Mama" said Helen.
I wish I could have caught the look in Carolyn and Helen's eyes when they saw me with the "sleeping game" on myself. It was classic.
Last Saturday, we had to choose indoor activities due to inclement weather. DC has been getting alot of rain and warm weather this winter, which has been terribly dissapointing to the Catan sisters who are eagerly and impatiently awaiting a "really big snow!". If I was Aaron Spelling, I could merely create one in the backyard of my 135-room palace, but unfortunately, the girls are going to have to wait for all the stars to be aligned correctly and a break from global warming. We're hoping for snow next month. So, last Saturday, we got in the big car to go to the Library. I like to take the girls there when it opens at 9am since no-one else is there and they can usually have the run of the kiddie section to themselves...and I can talk to the librarians whom I've gotten to know over the last 1.5yrs and really like. On the way in, Helen noticed wet, rained-on white paper on the ground.
She looked at me, then looked upwards, then downwards and said:
"The cloud fell down!"
I really wanted to laugh out loud but her voice showed such concern I didn't want her to think I was laughing at her concerns. I gently explained that the clouds were still in the sky and were safe and where they belonged, but that sometimes paper fluffs up when it is wet and it looks, well, like a cloud. Sometimes cottonballs look like clouds too. This seemed acceptable to her.
Carolyn likes to make up songs to no particular melody or even subject matter; usually its a free-form stream of consciousness about whatever word(s)pop into her head, but the other morning, she sang "This old man, he play one, he play knickknack..doo, doo doo". I couldn't believe she remembered the words! She also loves anything having to do with numbers and number combinations.
The girls are now going with me to the grocery store for short runs and easy shops. I put them both in a shopping cart (not the one made for kiddies since I'm such a germaphobe) and away we go. I cannot remember, but I think it was Carolyn who caught on very quickly that groceries needed to be unloaded onto the convenor belt for the cashier to total. It is surprising how much the two of them can lift, but going to the grocery store is an exotic event and a real treat. When we have time, we peruse the aisles and visit some favorite haunts; the live lobster tank, the frozen food section and the produce stands. I have to not go to the last aisle of produce since it is next to the Balloon-A-Palooza. We are almost always stopped by our enlarging admiring public who are kind enough to come over to me and make such lovely comments about the girls. People are still interested, in in this day and age of IVF multiples, in twins. It is remarkable and lovely and we enjoy meeting new people alot. We even had a lady run up to me and mention the upcoming National Geographic show on Multiples in the Womb which is being shown this Sunday night.
Preschool is going extremely well. Yesterday, in the car, the girls actually clapped their whole way there and enthusiastically made a game out of asking for "Debbie" (their teacher) or "Denise" (their TA). I could not ask for a more loving and nurturing environment for them.
Lastly, we had such a fabulous time seeing family we don't get to see too often, during the holidays this year. Aunt Claire and Uncle George made a delicious feast for the Catans and also the Hellers and the girls were very interested to meet their many cousins...of all different ages. Mark and I got to sit down this year and actually have a nice meal with the girls at the table and it made me think how much more fun next year will be for them to be around family and friends at Holiday time. It was probably more fun for Claire as well since to the best of my knowledge, we didn't manage to spill any red wine on her carpet this year either.
Warm wishes to all for 2007. When I wished H+C a Happy New Year on the morning of 1/01/07 this year, I said "Girls, this is your big 3rd birthday year!" Carolyn looked at me thoughtfully and said
"In May".
WOW.
posted by RHCatan at 10:19 AM
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