christmas concert

Tonight we had some of Mom and Dad's neighbors over to make some soup for a local women's shelter. When the cooking was done we settled into the living room for a little variety show. As she likes to do, Lauren volunteered to go first. She stood up on a bench in front of the crowd of about 20 people and sang her own a capella version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, her favorite song of the season this year. As her mom, I can tell you that no one could possibly sing it more adorably. My favorite parts are when she sings, "They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games -- like Punopula!" and, "Santa came to say, 'Ho . . . ho . . . ho.'" Just as confidently as her sister, Ella climbed up and sang her version of Jingle Bells, and very happily jingled all the way. Of course, they both got a very generous applause and I was so proud of them, my little Christmas carollers.

the reason for the season

Tonight I gave the girls a bath in mom and dad's big jetted tub -- a special part of every visit to Spokane. As often happens, Ella covered her cheeks and chin with white suds and then we had this conversation:

"Who do I look like?"

"Santa?"

"Nope. God."

winter warning

This morning Mom and Lauren were reading an alphabet book by the fire. They got to "P" and Mom read aloud, "P is for penguins in parachutes," to which Lauren replied, "Don't try this at home!"

white christmas

We've finally arrived in Spokane, and just barely. Freezing fog and falling snow threatened to keep us in Seattle last night, but we were able to land and then carefully make our way on the unplowed roads to Grandma & Grandpa's house. We woke up to 20 inches of snow this morning and look forward to enjoying it on the slopes in the next few days. We'll build some snow people later this afternoon, but for now it's warm cookies from the oven, a glowing fire, a capella carols, and decorating a freshly cut Christmas tree. It won't get better than this until Steven and Travis arrive. The snow is still falling, but I'm sure they'll make it, just barely.

merry christmas, teachers

Tonight I helped the girls make Christmas cards for their teachers. I gave them folded cards and helped them write "Merry Christmas" on the front, and "I hope Santa brings you a . . . " on the inside. They chose what they wanted Santa to bring, drew the appropriate pictures, and decorated the front of the card.

For Ms. Lynn, Lauren wrote, "I hope Santa brings you Wonder Pets!" Ella helped her draw a barely recognizable Tuck (turtle) and Lenny (guinea pig), and a quite remarkable Ming Ming (duck) -- all with capes, of course.

For Ms. Carter, Ella knew immediately what Santa should bring. "She would LOVE a shooshing machine. She hates shooshing us all the time!" I told her which letters to write and she drew an abstract contraption. (I wrote a little p.s. of explanation for Ms. Carter.) On the front, she drew a decorated Christmas tree and stocking.

For Ms. Jurkevics, the teaching assistant, Ella needed a few minutes but finally decided on "a sparkly lipstick with aroma." For the front of the card Ella drew an angel who, despite her wings, looked more like a demon given her apparent huge, red, empty eye sockets. I suggested a silver halo to help clear up any confusion.

table for five

This morning Audrey joined us for breakfast and had her first taste of rice cereal. She seemed pretty ambivalent about the whole experience, but finished her small bowl in short order. I'm curious to see what a few extra calories will do to her lovely, round physique.

three tenors and a soprano

First, a little background. Ella has developed what she calls her "opera voice." It involves the very loud singing of a meandering melody with tremendous vibrato. She loves it, even though very few seem to. She recently said to me, "Mom, the kids at school don't like my opera voice."
"Really?" I asked. "What makes you think that?"
"I was at the back of the line singing in my opera voice and they all turned around and said, 'We don't like your singing.'"
But that doesn't stop her from believing in her talent. During a recent Oprah show featuring superstar kids she watched a ten-year-old sing a duet with Celine Dion and asked, "Does SHE sing better than ME?"

Well, tonight after dinner we settled down in the glow of our christmas lights and a warm fire to watch the Three Tenors Christmas Special. Ella loved it from the first note. "They're singing JUST LIKE ME." She stood right in front of the tv and, quite proudly, sang right along with them (as best she could) in her most vibrato vibrato. Brava, Ella. Brava.

it's ov-ah

Today Lauren heard a knock and exclaimed to me, "Daddy is at the door!" I froze.
"What did you say?"
"Daddy is at the door."
And then I knew she'd really said it, and I felt a pang of sadness in my chest because, you see, for her entire life up until today at 4:15 pm Lauren would have said, "Daddy is at the do-ah."
"My blankie's on the flo-ah."
"My name is Lauren Margaret Mo-ah."
We've always found it endearing more than worrisome because we knew she would correct herself one day. And that day was today. I told Kim and he, with a very sad look, said what we both were thinking: "This is the end of a really fun time."

oh, christmas tree

Last night our good friends, the Sherinians, invited us over to their house for Family Home Evening. We read a beautiful story book about the Savior's birth, then asked Lauren to pick her favorite song. For once, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" fit perfectly with the lesson. We moved to the living room and decorated their gorgeous tree with ornaments from various times and places. (They served in the foreign service for ten years and have a beautiful variety of ornaments, as well as furniture and art throughout their home.) When the decorating was done, the kids -- Ella, Lauren, and their two of the same ages, Adam and Julia -- adjourned to the play room for oreos, games, and coloring pages while the adults shared an apple tart and cider. It was such a fun night! We hadn't had Family Home Evening with another family for so long, I'd forgotten how great it can be. So, here's to more shared FHEs in 2009! And thank you, Sherinians.

determination

We went out for a family dinner at Chipotle and the girls immediately asked to sit at the "high chairs" -- the restaurant's windows are lined with bar stools that are, indeed, very high chairs. I said they could, and offered to help Lauren up. She quickly told me, "I can do it," and gave it two very good tries before conceding, "I need a little help." I lifted her onto the stool and whispered in her ear that I was very proud of her good tries. A few minutes later, Kim and I were sitting at an adjacent table eating when we noticed Lauren, with just her chest on the top of her seat and the rest of her flailing about. She was grunting and writhing, trying to find something for her feet to push against so that she could gain a better position. After what seemed like a very long time, she sat up and exclaimed, "I did it!" We congratulated her and continued our conversation. Well, it wasn't long before she jumped down and was at it again, and again, and again. We watched with great admiration as her technique improved but fatigue set it. Her final attempt was agonizing. I'm sure it took everything she had. But when she finally pulled herself upright and turned her triumphant face to me she exclaimed, "That was EASY!" She is a determined little soul.

It reminded me of the time last summer when we visited Riverfront Park in Spokane, Washington. We were there with my parents, walking around, and came to the bridge that crosses the Spokane River where it winds through downtown. It's a heavy wooden bridge and completely solid, but through the narrow gaps between beams you can just see the river rushing below. Lauren, then two-years-old, took one step onto the bridge, looked down, froze, and begged to be picked up. I'd carried her to about the half-way point when she asked to be put down. As she stood, still staring at the water below, I suggested she hold my hand and walk. She took one step, then a few more. I suggested we run, and she surprised me by letting go of my hand and running as fast and fearlessly as she could. And I thought to myself, I hope Lauren conquers all of life's challenges this way.

The Lesson of the Pink Boots

Today Lauren chose to wear "the boots" -- the hot pink cowgirl boots worn by Ella nearly every day for two years and now handed down (quite happily, I was surprised to discover) to Lauren. The only trouble with the boots is that they often do not stay on when worn by legs dangling from a shopping cart seat. So, after picking them up from the floor of Target several times I put them in the bottom of our cart and made a mental note not to forget them there. Well, you know what happened. I had just pulled into our driveway, after a fifteen-minute drive home from Target, and unloaded Lauren and Audrey when I remembered.

Back to Target, just hoping that the cart was still in the parking lot corral where I'd left it. No such luck. Still in the car, I called customer service. As I explained our situation, I heard Lauren in the back seat: "Um, tell them they look like my pink boots. And also, they are my pink boots." Still no luck.

"Well, Lauren," I sighed. "Should we go in and see if we can see them?"
"Yes." So, I put the girls in the cart and pushed them toward the entrance, envisioning a circuitous route through Target staring underneath shopping carts pushed by people staring back at me, and saying a silent prayer. Please, Heavenly Father. It would really be nice if we could just find these boots and go home.

We hadn't even crossed the threshold when I saw them, peeking out from underneath one of many shopping carts pushed into rows at the store entrance. "Lauren! Look." She squealed. We happily plucked our boots from their place and headed for the car. As we made our way across the parking lot I asked Lauren, "Do you know why we found the boots?" She cocked her head to the side.
"Because they were lost?"
"Because I prayed to Heavenly Father and asked Him to help us find them."

Tonight when Kim came home we recounted the story and Lauren added her own conclusion. "We prayed and Heavenly Father helped us!"

And that's worth an extra trip to Target.

picture day

Isabella Jane Moore, Kindergartener

ay! que linda!

Lauren does not like to listen to music in the car. I don't understand it, but I do know that nearly every time Ella and I want to listen to the radio or a CD (with the occasional exception of the Curious George soundtrack) she claps her hands over her ears and yells over the volume, "My ears can't hear it!" Sometimes we take turns between silence and music, but most of the time I require her to endure.

Well, today, for the first time in her life, I turned on the radio and heard Lauren's voice say, "Turn it up." The song? Oye Como Va. From my fisheye mirror I could see her, looking out the window, head tilting, little fists pumping up and down to the Latin beat. "Oye como va/mi ritmo/bueno por gozar/mulata . . ."

Must be the Malta in her veins.

songfest

This morning we went to Ella's Kindergarten Thanksgiving Songfest and "Sharing Breakfast." She and her classmates wore truly adorable turkey hats and feather necklaces, and sang five truly adorable Thanksgiving songs. I was impressed Ella seemed to know all of the words to all of the songs, including this one, which was my favorite:

Farmer Brown (sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle)

Farmer Brown went out to find/A turkey for his dinner/When he came I held my breath/And tried to look much thinner!/Farmer Brown, go away/Farmer Brown, don't pick me/I wish you would have spaghetti (subsequent verses say pizza, hotdogs and McDonalds)/For Thanksgiving dinner!

After the singing we took pictures (seen here) and went to her classroom for a potluck breakfast that included one of her favorite things: donut holes. She had several piled on her plate and when I commented that I thought that was probably enough she replied, with her mouth completely full of powdered donut, "I'm starving!"

firsts

This morning was the first time I noticed Audrey playing, really playing, in her baby gym, reaching for the toys and making them rattle. Hooray! And she seemed to be quite thrilled with herself, too.

Also this morning, I watched Ella reading, really reading, sounding out words she didn't know without getting frustrated, and reading herself a story. She so loves books. I can already see her curled up with a whole bed full of them. It won't be long.

flu shot update

Lauren is fearless. When the nurse asked who would like to go first she quickly raised her hand, "Me!" Then she climbed up on my lap so I could pull down her little pants and followed instructions perfectly. Didn't even flinch. She told Ella it didn't hurt, but Ella was sobbing so loudly I don't think she heard.

I debated letting Ella off this time. Does a person really need a flu shot if it means being completely traumatized? But, the pediatrician did say that we should all get one this year to protect Audrey as much as ourselves. So, I did what I had to do. I hoisted her, kicking and screaming, onto the exam table and held her down with the help of two nurses while she got her shot. And then, the instant it was over, we wiped her tears and giggled about how silly it all was.

flu shot, anyone?

I decided our walk home from school today was as good a time as any to inform the girls of what awaits them after school tomorrow. "Girls, " I announced, "tomorrow after school we're going to the doctor and I'm getting a flu shot. (pause) And after I get mine you're going to get yours." Ella burst into tears. "NO! I DON'T want a flu shot, I'm NOT getting a flu shot, and you CAN'T make me do it!" Despite her sobbing, I could just barely hear Lauren's voice from somewhere behind us. "Can I go first?" Quite amazed, I said,"Why, yes, Lauren. You can go first." Ella sobbed louder. "WAAAAAA. I don't want a flu shot. Nnnnnn-O! Flu shot! WAAAAAAA." I turned to see if Lauren was still behind us (her legs are very short), and right there she was, galloping, flailing her arms with each stride, and celebrating. "Yea-uh! Yeah-uh! Yea-uh!"

Later, on the car ride home from some holiday shopping at the mall, the conversation came up again. Same angst from Ella, same happy acceptance from Lauren. "Ella," she explained, "It just pinches a little bit and then it goes away. I'm not afraid of pinches." And then she laughed like that would be the silliest thing in the world. Predictably, Ella cried, and I was reminded of a comment she had made to me just hours before: "Lauren . . . I know she's really cute and everything, but she really makes me crazy sometimes."

likening

A friend gave us a DVD depicting the animated story of Nephi and the brass plates. While I hoped the girls might be inspired by Nephi's courage, I was amused when they played pretend today and I overheard Ella say to Lauren, "C'mon Lemuel, Laban's going to kill us!" I suggested they pretend to be Nephi and Sam, too, but apparently that didn't seem nearly as interesting.

holy halloween

This is the first year the girls have specifically requested halloween decorations. I opted for fake cobwebs covering our wrought iron railings outside. We were on the stairs, working together to get them just right when an elderly man with white hair, glasses and a cane shuffled past the house. Lauren saw him and announced, "We're putting on spider webs!" The man, surprised to be spoken to, looked up at her briefly and replied, "Oh," before continuing on his way. He was just out of sight when Lauren looked at me with a smile and said, proudly, "The prophet said, 'Oh.'"

big sister

It was great to see Kim and the girls come into our room to take us home. Lauren walked immediately to Audrey's clear plastic bassinet and peered in. "Mama. Audrey said hello to me . . . with her eyes." Oh, it was precious.

On our way out we had to stop at the nurses' station. I pushed the bassinet and Lauren insisted on helping. "Mama. You push it and I'll push right here." Then, reassuringly to me, "Her says her is okay."

I waited with the girls in the hospital foyer while Kim brought the car around. To no one in particular, Lauren exclaimed, "Our baby is so cute!"

And, incidentally, as we drove home I looked into the back of the van to make sure everyone was alright and saw three car seats. "Kim, " I looked at him in a panic. "We have three kids."
"I know. What are we going to do?" He laughed.
"I have no idea."

breakfast in bed

This morning Kim and I were still lounging in bed when the girls came in. We asked them if they wanted blueberry pancakes for breakfast and of course, Lauren screamed, "Yes!" She climbed up in bed with us (Ella was using our bathroom) and Kim asked for a "big pancake hug." Lauren quickly obliged and announced, "I'm the syrup!" I asked what I was and she said, "The butter! And the pillows are the plate." Ella joined us and I said, "What's Ella?" to which Ella replied, "I'm the one who eats you!" We all took turns being the eater and then went downstairs to enjoy the real thing. What a great way to start a Saturday morning.

swing

Today we were playing outside in the Marsh family's yard and Ella climbed into a swing. She leaned back and forth trying to propel herself, as she often does, but wasn't generating much momentum. I watched her try for a minute or two and then call out to me for help. I yelled back. "You need to keep trying, honey. Remember, practice makes awesome!" (Kim coined the phrase that has become one of our mantras -- and my attempt at helping my daughters avoid my hopeless perfectionism.) She was frustrated by my lack of compassion, but kept at it, and before either of us knew it she was swinging. Really swinging. Legs strong, arms rigid, smile wide. And she was so proud of herself.

I made a note to help my children a little less so they can triumph a lot more.

anatomy lesson

Today we were leaving a local pool, walking through a building to the exit, when we saw a decorative dolphin hanging from the ceiling and Ella and I had this conversation:
"Is that a real, dead dolphin that's stuffed?"
"No, I think he's made of plastic."
"Mom, it's a she."
"Really? (I was extremely curious.) How can you tell?"
"You have to look REALLY close. But . . . she has eyelashes."

Lauren is growing up

Lauren has coined some new phrases lately:

"Actually, . . ."
"Exactly!"
and my personal favorite,
"Are you kidding me?"

She sings the Dora the Explorer and Wonder Pets theme songs almost perfectly, with no help at all. It's actually pretty impressive, and so completely adorable.

This morning we had a big Saturday breakfast. We asked Ella to give the blessing on the food and, right in the middle of it, Lauren couldn't resist adding her own, very sincere, "And thank you for the bacons."

incentive

I recently surprised Ella by giving her $1 when she was particularly helpful. A week later, at dinner, she said, quite tenderly, "You're really getting better at being a mom." My heart sang. I wondered, did she really notice the extra effort I've been putting into play time, keeping my cool, and rewarding good behavior? So I asked her, and she answered, matter-of-factly, "No. You give us money now."

heart day

As many times as I tell Ella it's "ValentiNe's Day," she still calls it ValentiMes, which I guess is consistent with Christmas time, Easter time, etc.

Last night, as Ella was placing stickers on her classmates' valentines, she accidentally tore one in half and immediately said, "Oh, I can't use that one! It's a broken heart, and it's not broken heart day! It's Valentimes!"

I surprised the girls with a Valentine's Day Breakfast with heart-shaped pancakes, strawberries, pink milk, heart glasses, paper hearts, and (best of all) a beaded heart necklace for each of them. I decorated the dining room with paper hearts and pink and red confetti. They absolutely loved it and, I hope, felt the love I have for them.

dirty work

At the age of two-and-a-half, Lauren is now able to communicate absolutely everything she's thinking, which has been fun because, it turns out, a lot of what she's thinking is pretty funny. Consider this recent conversation:

Me: When we get a dog one day, are you girls going to help clean up its messes?
Ella: Yes!
Mom: I don't know . . . sometimes when I ask you to clean your room you say, "I'm busy." Maybe when I ask you to clean up the dog's poop you'll say you're busy, too.
Lauren: I would say, "That's POOP. I'm BUSY."