Monthly Archives: September 2008

Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

We LOVE Each Other SOOOO Much

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Yes, my girls love each other sooooo much that they’ve started to “fight” with each other a lot more than they used to.

Sophie is a smart cookie.  She has totally got Chloe’s number. A little sass out of Sophie’s mouth, and Chloe goes on the attack. Sophie then continues with the sass.  And she goes on and on and on. Chloe, for her part, becomes more and more agitated.  
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve told Chloe to get a grip – she is almost five years older than her little sister, whom I might add, is not yet three (ok – three in about a week).  
The good thing is that I leave for Florida with my mom and Sophie tomorrow.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Four days apart will certainly do the girls some good.  I know it will do me some good.  
My Artists & Writers in Training

Harry Potter!

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I’ve been encouraging Chloe to try reading the Harry Potter books for the last couple of months – but she’s resisted because of her obsession with reading every single Nancy Drew book that’s ever been published.
However, she’s out of Nancy Drew books (at least for now).  So after reading two other novels about knights in shining armor, she decided to delve into the first Harry Potter tome.  So far, so good.
Tonight she came bounding downstairs, book in hand, when she heard me come home from Back-to-School night.  “Mommy, mommy!” she exclaimed.  “I’m at the part where they find out what houses they’re in!”  
Chloe didn’t believe me when I promised her that reading the books would be a much different experience from watching the movies.   In fact, Chloe often doesn’t believe me when I tell her things.  But that’s another story for another time.  For now, I’m just happy that she’s reading so much – it’s truly gratifying.
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Where’s Papa?

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That’s been the million-dollar question since about five minutes after we dropped off my husband at the airport yesterday, for his first business trip in several months. He’s gone until Wednesday.  Lucky me.  
Sophie was crying as her Papa kissed her goodbye – that lasted for about 30 seconds.  After which her main concern was whether we were going up or down hills in the little red putt-putt car.  
But ever since leaving him at the airport, Sophie keeps asking, “Where’s Pops?”  She obviously doesn’t get it.  I explained earlier this evening that Papa would be home in two days.  But she has no concept of time.  I suppose she’ll keep asking where he is until she actually sees him again.
So far, the three of us girls are doing just fine. Sophie discovered the microphone that attaches to the little electronic keyboard and was extremely excited about her find.  Chloe took possession of it – for once Sophie didn’t seem to mind – and serenaded us with “Alouette” and “Volunteers,” with loads of enthusiasm.  Not so much on key – but I already knew that Chloe inherited my lack of singing skills.  It was her smile as she sang that made me smile, too.  And it was a lovely way to end the day.  
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Guess Who?

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CVS is always good for fun in the aisles. Now that it’s September, Halloween is in the air. Hell, it was already in the air in August, but at least they’re offering some costume regalia now.
Chloe also donned masks of McCain (really scary) and Clinton (funny).  No Palin masks out yet.  That, of course, was a good thing.  Otherwise, I would have needed a few cloves of garlic to fend her off.
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Just Call Me Super Chauffeur

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Today was one of those days.  Chloe and her friend didn’t get to sleep until 11:30 last night.  I would have bet a good deal of money that they’d sleep in this morning.  But thanks to Sophie (thanks, Sophie!), who, like a chorus of roosters, woke up the house at 6:30 AM, the big girls were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after only 7 hours of sleep.

This would have been fine, except Chloe was cranky the entire day.  And ungrateful to boot. Why, you ask?  She was pissed at me last night because I had the nerve to tell the girls it was time to go to sleep. She was pissed at me this morning because I had the nerve to ask the girls to get dressed. No recognition of the fact that from 9 AM until 5:30 PM today, all I did was chauffeur her around. First to piano, on to swimming, then to the first birthday party and finally to the second.  No thank you.  Just crankiness.
She’d like to get her ears pierced.  And when we told her earlier this evening that she’d have to earn the right to earrings by behaving herself and treating us with respect for the next three weeks, she balked.  Until she allowed us to explain the rules – and we clarified that we were not forbidding her to get upset, but demanding that if she does get upset, she reins in her anger by taking deep breaths or going to her room to let off some steam.  No yelling at us.  No disrespecting us.  
If she manages to control herself, she’ll have her ears pierced before she goes to Texas next month with my mom.  We’ll see if this is a big enough incentive.  I’m not willing to bet more than a few cents on it, but I’m going to hope for the best.
Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Sleepover

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One of Chloe’s dear friends is here for a sleepover – a relatively spontaneous decision this afternoon that led to a very excited phone call from my daughter announcing the good news.

When I arrived home, on the early side, I opened the front door to discover Chloe and her friend performing a new playground rhyme – much more complicated than the Miss Mary Mack I used to play with my friends.

Sophie was entranced by the scene – the synchronized clapping, rhyming, bending and jumping – she couldn’t take her eyes off of the two bigger girls. It’s rare that she has bug eyes, but she certainly did watching Chloe and her friend play.

The thing is, they’re really good at these ditties. Apparently, they learned them at camp. Mountain Dew was mentioned, as were boyfriends, water fountains and other stuff. They probably don’t even know what Mountain Dew is. Which is a good thing, because they certainly don’t need the caffeine!

Frazzled Working Mom's Fleeting Moments (2007-2013)

Chloe, the Writer

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Chloe’s homework assignment today was to write sentences containing the week’s vocabulary words. This week’s words are the days of the week so, in theory, Chloe needed to write seven sentences. Instead, she wrote her first story of second grade, which she has kindly allowed me to reproduce here. We have a future storyteller in our midst…

“Anny and the Giant” by Chloe

There once was a man named Mr. Willson. He was a very nice man. He was about in his 30s. Every Monday and Tuesday, he would bring his daughter to work with him. Her name was Anny. Her father worked at a toy shop. His daughter loved it there. Then one Tuesday a toy giant caught her eye. Anny asked her father if he could get it for her. So on Wednesday he had a toy giant in his hands. That afternoon after school Anny played with her toy giant. Suddenly on Thursday morning Anny was holding the giant in her hands. It started to move its hands then the giant said something. He said: let go of me. So Anny put him on the floor. But before she knew it she had to go to breakfast. So she went out of the room. After breakfast Anny went to brush her teeth and after that went to school. Friday wasn’t that much fun. But Saturday and Sunday were fun. On Sunday Anny played with her giant and suddenly it came to life. And it said: Are you a giant too? No said Anny and after that they became best friends and they lived a long nice life. And as for her father well his toy shop became popular. And that was that. THE END.