Itsy Bitsy Spider

Lanie got a musical puzzle for Christmas, from which she has removed all the pieces, stored in the toy washing machine, and operates by stepping on the puzzle to set it off, then she dances.

Rainy Day

Snow last week, rain this week, then back to cold.

Lanie at drop off today.

Vivian's Medicine

Vivian has an ear infection and has the "yucky" kind of medicine, as oppose to the good pink kind.  This does not bode well for trying to get it into her, particularly before work.

This morning at breakfast I got it out, said, "time for your medicine," and realized I was talking to an empty kitchen.  Sam showed up a few minutes later and I asked, "have you seen Vivian?"
"Yep," he replied.
"It's time for her medicine," I said.
"Oh, that's why she told me she needed a place to hide.  I told her my closet was a good spot." he said.

I let it be, 6:30 am is no time to be playing hide and seek.  About 20 minutes later I was walking through the dining room when I heard a noise.  She had relocated.

I eventually bribed her wtih a Hershey Kiss.  3 days down, 7 more to go. 

Lanie's Snack

Lanie thought she'd help herself to a snack yesterday and then was very upset when Vivian discovered what she had, and came to tell me.  She had located a bottle of sprinkles, managed to open it, got herself a bowl, and poured them in.  She had a very big tantrum when they were taken away.  Such a good snack!

Vivian's Hair

And I did have to cut it, which didn't faze her at all.  In fact I think she was kind of excited, which means the lesson was probably not learned.

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Lanie Getting Dressed

Lanie has been working hard to get dressed by herself.  One example of this is when Vivian had a sleepover at Nana and GrandJoe's.  Lanie went into Vivian's room, opened her drawer, took out her clothes, and proceeded to spend 20 minutes trying to put them on.  She then climbed into Vivian's bed and laid down to "sleep."  When she was finished with that, she took great delight in playing with several of Vivian's toys. 


The video below is Lanie "putting her pajamas on."  She likes them a lot because they have a cat on them, and she likes to say, "cat."

Maybe She Doesn't Want a Sister

Vivian has been trying to rid herself of a sister.  

There have been several occasions since Lanie was an infant.  Luckily, to do, it is more an verbal inquiry than actions, as far as I know. 
When Lanie was very small and had transitioned from bathing in the kitchen sink to the bathtub, Vivian looked at the drain in the tub and said something along the lines of, "oh, well, maybe the baby will get sucked down the drain."
I assured her that she wouldn't, that Lanie was much too big, and Vivian said, "oh, well that's too bad."

Another time we went through a car wash and Vivian said, "so can the baby get washed away in the car wash."
"No," I replied, "she's safe in the car."
"Well, maybe next time." Vivian said.

More recently we were celebrating Christmas and Vivian said,"auntie, maybe Lanie should come and live at your house, you can have her for Christmas."
Tessa replied something like, "that's very nice of you, but she lives at your house."
 This was a thoughtful way to get rid of her, compared to the watery ends she had thought of prior to this.  Also, a few weeks before Christmas when the temperatures dipped to 9 degrees, Vivian was not happy that Lanie was now trying to play with her toys in her room.

"When will Lanie get her own bigger room that could fit toys in it mom?" she inquired.
"Oh, when she's bigger," I told her.
"Like when she's two?"
"Probably a little older than that, we need to figure out where to put her bed and her toys."
"Well I don't like her playing in my room with my toys." Vivian told me.
"I know.  It feels frustrating for you."
"So maybe we can put her in the dining room?  She can sleep in there?"
"Vivian, that might not be a very convenient when we want to use the dining room."
"Oh, ok.  Oh! I have an idea!  She can sleep outside.  We can put her bed out there, it's very big."
"Yes," I told her, "there is lots of space.  But she might be a little cold out there."
"Yes," Vivian agreed, "she might freeze."

Lanie gets her own though.  She is rather good at grabbing handfuls of Vivian's hair and pulling and pulling.  I can tell by the yelling what is happening.  Yesterday apparently she had a vendetta against both the children because I found them both lying on the floor with Lanie holding a handful of each of her siblings hair while they screamed. 

The Cold and the Blizzard

 Too cold to be outside with temperatures below zero with wind chill.  Even the kids don't want to be out for long.  It's been a lot of indoor time and trying to keep the house and kids warm.  Looking forward to temperatures in the 30s this week.