Where is Pook?

Since Pook's school was closed for several days over Christmas, she went for a visit to Gramma and Grampa all by herself for the first time. While she was gone, we took Beanie and Bitty to Pease Park one day to play. They enjoyed the playgrounds, but had more fun walking up and down the trail and creek bed, where we discovered a mermaid, snowbirding in Austin!

Merry Christmas!

At our house, Santa only brings one gift and one sweet to each child. This year the kids wanted a princess castle (Pook), a penguin snowglobe (Bean) and a train (Bit). Amazingly, and by the skin of his teeth, Santa managed to deliver each of these items along with a candy sugar maple leaf in each stocking. Beanie and Bitty were thrilled with their gifts, but Pook, whose wrapped box was biggest, seemed disappointed. I finally asked her what was wrong and she said, "I wanted a real castle, that I can play in!" She didn't realize that all she had to do was open the box!

Christmas Eve instructions

At 4:10 pm, Bitty suddenly realized the meaning of "Christmas Eve."

Bitty: "Santa Claus is coming TONIGHT! Cover up you head!"

We spent the evening spinning under the tree at Zilker Park and munching on kettle corn and hot chocolate. It was COLD!

An OK Christmas

We had a great time visiting Gramma, Grampa, Uncle Brian and Aunt Kim for Christmas, even though it was mostly too cold to play soccer. Yesterday, after we opened presents, we made four dozen tamales and two pecan pies. The tamales were really good, but the pie - Gramma's new ingredients make the best pecan pie I have ever had! It was quite late when we finished the pies but I really wanted to try one so I took a little bite. Bitty was still awake so of course he wanted a taste, too. I told him he could have just a little bite, and let him try the gooey filling. He immediately said, "My daddy said I could have a big bite!" Yummy!

Here are some pictures from after the frenzy.

Over the Hills and Through Fort Worth...

I have never been so glad to see the "Welcome to Oklahoma" sign in my entire life. Okay, maybe once, there was the trip we took to Duncan with Pook when she was six weeks old and nursing...and screaming...but I digress. Today, the Friday before Christmas, the kids and I trekked up to Gramma's and Grampa's for the weekend, along with, oh a million of our closest friends. I-35 never offers a pleasant experience, and today was even worse than usual. This trip, which can be done in less than 5 hours on a good, child-free, day, took about 7. Traffic flow alternated between parking lot and crawl for most of the trip. Admittedly, it did give the kids a chance to check out their first-ever live nativity scene at the baptist megalochurch in north Fort Worth. We were sitting there on the interstate and suddenly Beanie said, "Mommy, look! There's a camel!" Sure enough, they had the whole deal - camels, shepherds, sheep - and they were all lining up to go into the stable. Kind of a neat Christmas experience, in spite of the traffic.

Today was also the day that Pook's first tooth came out! This morning I was running around trying to get bags packed when she said, "Momma, I can push my loose tooth over and make it lay flat." I watched her do it, and then I told her that it was probably ready to come out. A few minutes later she came running into the bed room with the tooth in her hand! I still can't believe she pulled her own tooth out!

Stressed out? Me?

I would have been only twenty minutes late for work today instead of thirty, but when I turned off RR 620 onto Lakeway Boulevard, a little voice in the back of the vancar said, "Mommy, this is not the way to my school!" Oops. And then, "I am not big enough to go to your work, Mommy. You are crazy!" Sorry Beanie!

Last night the kids made Christmas cookies. They had a blast patting out the dough but it was a little sticky and sometimes the cookies broke when they tried to lift them onto the baking sheet. Bitty kept asking for "a lil tine bit more flour." Beanie figured it out pretty quickly, but one early attempt didn't work out so well. Pookie said, "What's that?" Beanie replied, "I tried to make a star. It's all jacked up!"

Party Time!

Today was school party day for Pook and Bean. Pookie's party was held after lunch. The kids got to do some crafts, and then exchanged wrapped books which was a lot of fun.

Beanie's party was in the evening and included performances by the two classes. Beanie is the only girl right now. She and her classmates did a super job of singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"!

Art by Bean

More stuff you can't see...but too cute not to publish! You can click on the pictures for larger images.

Pook is famous!

You probably can't read this, but I came across it this morning when I was cleaning up the kitchen and thought I would post it anyway. She is listed on the right, last one under "Native American Women." "Shhh! Shhh!"

A Day of Firsts

Yesterday when Pookie woke up she came wandering into the bathroom where I was getting ready for work. She pushed her hair out of her face and said, "Mommy, I have a loose tooth!" Knowing that several of her school friends, who are almost six, are losing teeth, I ignored her. A little later, after she had gotten dressed and eaten breakfast, she was telling Tracy goodbye and she said, "Daddy, I have a loose tooth! Feel it!" This time I decided I'd better check things out for myself. Sure enough, I pushed on her lower center right tooth and it wiggled! I am so not ready for this!

Last night, I was cleaning out the girls' backpacks and getting them ready for today. In Pookie's "FISH" folder there was a little photocopied book inside a ziploc bag labeled "Please return daily." I took it out and asked Pook about it. She said, very casually, "That's my book I have to read tonight."

I braced myself. I put her brother and sister in bed with some books to look at. I sat her up on the counter and handed her the book.

Pookie: "Cat sat. Cat...runs?"
Me: "Sound it out. R - a - n."
Pookie: "Cat r-a-n, ran. Cat ran over to the food."
Me: "No, look at the words and sound them out."
Pookie: "Cat ran in...to the pot...pan. Cat ran to the man. Cat runs and runs and runs."
Me: "No, that's the same word from before."
Pookie: "Cat ran, ran, ran. Cat sat! The end!"

I told her what a great job she did and then she read it again, on video for everyone to see, and then she read it to Beanie and Bitty. Yea! Pookie can read!

Pouty Pook

This week Tracy is working a late shift, so he was home when I left with the kids this morning. He buckled them in and told them goodbye and Pookie was very sad. To cheer her up, I told her that on Wednesday (pizza day) he would come to her school and have lunch with her.

Pook: "If Daddy comes to my school to eat lunch with me, that will make me feel a lot much more better!"