Fun with Saza

Making choices

Her teachers suggested that since Kendall seems to be arguing/negotiating with me over any and everything needing a bit more autonomy these days, maybe letting her have a bit more control over some little things would help.  Like what she wears to school.  They assured me that they would know it if she has dressed herself and would not think I had lost it.  Done.  The choice of school attire is now entirely her own.  The very next day she went to school like this: 

 

 

3 headbands. Yellow shirt. Striped leggings. Pink and purple scarf. Red coat. Pink and black converse shoes with princess socks (not shown).  And she took the microphone as an accessory. 

Sass Spray

 

Earlier this year, I decided to try out a method of discipline used by the mom of a very polite little girl in Kendall's class.  Sass Spray.  It's a drop of vinegar on the tongue.  Bad tasting and healthy!  At first I tried the apple cider vinegar and Kendall's response to that was, "Mmmmm, this is good!"  Ok.  Regular white vinegar it is.  It is NOT good.  All I have to do is dunk my finger in it and swipe her teeth with it ... taking great care not to be bitten. 

 

The other night, Kendall was being particularly sassy.  I got the vinegar out and put it on her sink as a warning.  After being called a particularly ugly name, I went to make good on my promise.  But it wasn't there.  Knowing I'd put it in her bathroom on the sink but doubting my own sanity, I turned the house upside down for this stuff.  Finally found it in the trashcan under Kendall's sink (taken out from under the sink for the picture).  Nicely played kiddo.  

 

Best toy in the house!

 

I kept ONE box from the move and put it to great use!  HOURS of entertainment!  

 

The definition of "needy"

 



In my attempt to help Kendall be grateful for the things she has in life, I decided that she and I would participate in the Easter basket drive in my building.  We picked up an empty basket, went shopping, then returned it as full as we could get it.  She only got "sad" once that one of the stuffed animals in the basket was not staying with her.  We were both very proud of her (Kendall has never been short on self pride).

 

 

Fast forward a few days and the following conversation occurred:

Kendall:  "Mommy, I think you're a needy person."
Me:  "You do?  What makes you think that?"
Kendall:  "You only let me buy clothes off the sale rack at Gymboree."

We then had a conversation about needy vs thrifty.

Fast forward another day:

Kendall:  "Me and ___ and ____ played needy kids today at school!"
Me:  "Um, you played what?"
Kendall:  "We pretended that we were needy kids!"
Me:  "What did you do when you were pretending to be needy?"
Kendall:  "Oh you know, just walked around like we were poor and needed help from others who are more fortunate."

I'm honestly not sure if I should continue explaining or if I should just drop the subject for a while! 

Lucky for Ralphie

 

 ....that the first thing I see in this picture is a saint of a dog who allows himself to be used as a pillow for my child.  The second thing I see is the slime he has deposited on my new couch pillow that had been covered up with a sheet.  It seems that the sheet is not good enough for Ralphie's slime because he actually went to the trouble of uncovering the pillow and moving it to a better position for sliming. 

Sprink Break Fun crammed into a day

Fun with friends at The Lot!  And a little early St. Patty's day celebrating too!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

Of course the first day back to school from spring break was St. Patrick's Day.  So in addition to having to get up by 6AM (which neither of us had done in a week even though I worked through spring break), remembering to pack lunch, remembering to pack naptime paraphernalia, remembering a coat, remembering princesses dolls that HAD to be taken to school, figuring out what color day it was at school so we knew what was going on, and getting out the door by 7:30, we had to remember to wear green.  Thankfully, I had been reminded a day earlier because, as it turns out, Kendall did not have anything green in her closet that was "pretty enough for school."  I had also completely spaced on the fact that it was Purim on Sunday and she was supposed to be in a costume for her gymnastics class.  It didn't seem to bother her at all but I felt bad about it all day.  Finally she told me to stop apologizing because "there's always next year."  I'm going to let her wear a costume next week and plan to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. 

 

Her green outfit was purchased the day before St. Patrick's Day.  Said outfit was then rejected the morning of St. Patrick's Day and by some miracle, I won that battle and got her in it.  Then I forgot to take a picture as we rushed out the door so her official St. Pat's Day picture is in the car. 



 

 

I also had to bribe her for the above picture.  This was my first attempt.

 

 

After work/school, I had to drop off some boxes at her friend Loraina's house.  She happens to live right across the street from the school so I avoided the nightmare that is carpool on the first day back (it's like people forget the carpool rules whenever there is a day off and the normal 30 minutes sitting in the car doubles!).  Finished off the day with an impromptu playdate at Loraina's house.   

Unanticipated snow day

We baked homemade banana bread, blueberry muffins and made guacamole.  Then we took some muffins and bread to the sweet elderly couple next door.  Then we watched a movie.  Then did some art.  Then did some internet shopping.  And before we knew it, it was 10:00.  In the morning.  Longest.  Day.  Ever.  

The Little Mermaid!

Interesting show.  Not interesting enough for me to be heartbroken over the fact that we had to leave at intermission due to a very public and very ugly temper tantrum over the fact that they ran out of Ariel dolls.  It was 9:15 at night after a really long day so the tantrum was understandable but still unacceptable behavior.  I think she enjoyed the first act, though!  

Face Painting

Kendall went to a birthday party last weekend where she had her face painted.  I still can't decide if these kids looked like they should be in the cast of Cats ... or in the band Kiss.  Either way, it was impressive!  

New backyard

View from my new hammock.

I was actually able to spend a full minute there and take two pictures before it was commandeered.

We may have to implement a hammock time share system here.  But I will admit that I have spent some time on her swing too!  :)

Fancy princess dinner in the new dining room

New bedroom!

February was a blur of divorce finalization (finally) and moving chaos.  After a nightmare of a move from which a National Lampoon movie could have been made, Kendall and I are now settled in our new home in Richardson, TX and loving it!  We would not have survived this move without Nana's help.  Here are some picture of Kendall's new bedroom: