Happy Halloween

From the monkey and the fairy!

Gold

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

Here is my golden friend, Kristin, with her daughter, Elisabeth, Juliette's golden friend.

Bowling Alone

Actually, a more appropriate title is "Eating Alone".

Today marked a rite of passage - Evie had her first extended day session. For the first time in my life, I had to prepare two boxed lunches and had lunch completely devoid of companionship on a regular school day since Evie became part of our family.

As I ate these questions occured to me.

Who will I blame for spots on my clothes from here forward?

Will I still have as many spots on my clothes?

Do I still need to exclusively shop at Target?

Why don't I get more accomplished, even when I don't read the paper?

Evie was having a blast - making a monkey mask and listening to stories. Juliette was listening to show and tell presentations and trying to finish her carrots before lunch time ran out, knowing there would be no treat in tomorrow's lunch if today's carrots weren't finished.

At home, things were eerily quiet.

5 things to love about Genevieve

1. Her sociability - she walks down the corridor of school greeting the moms of the children in hers and other classes.
2. Her love of marbles - she can contentedly play for hours with marbles, polished rocks or acorns.
3. Her ability to climb like a monkey in pursuit of anything her mother has put out of reach (she piles furniture together - think the mousetrap game.)
4. Her love of clothing, thereby confirming her as a female human rather than a simian.
5. Her happy chirpy demeanor! Evie is a joy to be around!!

5 things to love about Juliette

1. Her application of knowledge - mommy, give me carrots one day, red peppers the next carrots the next, because we are studying patterns.
2. Her smokin' bob.
3. Her helpful hands (like when I shut my skirt in the locked front door this morning and dropped the 27 posters I was holding, along with the notebook and purse and she helped me clean up.)
4. Her sense of justice - she will be a formidable force for fairness in the world.
5. Her love of all things musical, especially musicals "Doe, ,a deer, a female deer..."

Why I may not seem like I'm paying attention

Note: up front, I must credit Brian Shaw with a similar post regarding my children and interruption last month, however the following is a completely accurate depiction of the goings on at my house this morning, without embellishment.

So every other Tuesday morning, I have a standing three-hour conference call with the biggest client I consult with. It is rare that I have to interact on the call, so most of the time I'm listening to the conversation with the mute button on.

This is never an ideal situation with two little ones at home, but it is even tougher with just one. Evie no longer has her sister to distract her for three hours, so she looks to her alpha female to entertain her, regardless of the dazed expression I have and the phone somewhere in range either next to my ear or on speaker.

This is what it was like this morning during the legislative update--

We are working on reauthorization... "Mommy! I'm hungry"

...working with key Senators ..."Mommy! I want peanut butter and jelly!!"

...educating their staffers as the turnover is so great since the last reauthorization "Peanut butter!! AND jelly!!"

is there a chance of a Presidential veto?? "Peanut butter! Cut in triangles!!!"

does anyone have any questions?? "Mommy! I have to go potty"

what is the reaction from the Department of..."Mommy, come wipe my bum!"

The Troubadour and the Jumpy Pirate

This is what Juliette brought for show and tell today. Unfortunately, you can't see the pants, thereby loosing the asthetic punch my theatre-performer to be launched with this outfit. See below for a glimpse, also note Evie's reaction--

Even when it looks like Evie is standing still, she is not!