Sisters

We are winding down the last few months of Rose's 100% at -home time before she heads off to kindergarten this fall, and I have a whole lot of feelings about it. She turns five in 3 weeks and starts kindergarten in 8 months--later this year! Amidst the challenges of caring for such a strong spirited little human, I have been making an effort to notice and appreciate Rose's self in all her intensity and connect more with her sweet nature. One thing that I always default to in my-babies-are-leaving-me crises are PICTURES! This week we have had some turbulent moments but an equal, if not greater number of sweet, darling, picture-worthy moments. I'm doing my best to navigate through all of it.

 What are the odds that Amber's hand-me-down pants (from baby Rose, 4 years ago) look so similar to Rose's current Costco pants? Striped pants sisters photo shoot--check!

 

Cute striped pants smiles notwithstanding, we had a rather rough start to our week on Monday. After I dropped Jay off at school, the girls and I went straight to a nearby park so Rose could play while I ran laps around the playground and Amber watched from the stroller. I've done it before, so this was nothing new.

The snow was melted so even though it was wet, it was only in the high 30s outside. Right when I started running, Rose dashed over and slid down the slide, which happened to be very wet. She soaked her little bum, straight through her jeans and started crying about it. I gave her various options, over and over: run around and play to warm up, go to the van to warm up, or pull down your pants and sit on a blanket in the van to warm up. Those were the three solutions to her coldness and I rotated through the list over and over each time I passed Rose's crying form while I jogged my small 1-minute circles around the park. Rose stood, storming and sobbing more loudly every time I suggested one. In between entreaties, I marveled at the girl's stamina. She cried for my entire 31 minute run.

We had some impressively circular conversations: "I'm cold!" --then go sit in the van to warm up! "But I don't want to sit on my cold pants!" --then go into the van and pull down your pants and wrap up in a blanket to warm up! "But I'm too cold!" [foot stomp/thrash/scream] Our circumlocution went on and on, round and round. It was so comical that although my patience was tested, it wasn't drained. Rose's eyes were all puffy and she was crying even when I finished running and we got into the van. She would not sit down in the van so I had to climb back there, pick her up while in a crouch and hoist-lift Rose into her seat while she screamed in my face. I yanked her jeans down halfway and wrapped her bum in a blanket and then buckled her in as she cried LOUDLY in my face. She cried all the way home.

She finally stopped crying after one last dramatic freak out over the removal of her wet jeans in the basement at home. She put on some sweats and then snuggled her whole self--head and all--under her fleece cow blanket on the floor in the hallway. It was such a ROSE moment! Sheer stubborness in the face of logical solutions, and a determination to have her cry. That girl! Jeff and I enjoyed a cozy parental chuckle when I elaborated and acted out the story for him later that night. Nobody appreciates a child's antics like the parents do!

 Standing in the van, mid cry.

Later that same Monday, Amber decided to follow her big sister's example and have a good long cry for herself. Mondays, seriously.

Amber had yogurt for dinner that night, and was rather pleased with herself when I gave her the bowl and spoon with a few bites left for her to paint with.

On Wednesday, we decided to visit Monsieur Blanc at his classroom. He has his planning period mid-morning. Rose lost no time in having Daddy trace her on his butcher paper--her favorite part about his classroom. Amber had fun gathering as many high-schooler germs as possible in the 40 minutes we were there. I tried not to think about it while Jeff and I talked and enjoyed an out-of-the-ordinary midday break. 

These girls love their Daddy.  It was SO CUTE when Amber saw Jeff walking towards her across the parking lot when we arrived at the high school. She lit up and started squirming in my arms and leaning toward him. I could just tell she couldn't believe  her luck, getting to see Daddy in the middle of the day! Amber loves her dada. Jeff and I both love it when Amber does her affectionate "head lean"--when one of us is holding her, she presses her head onto us. When she's facing outward, she leans her head back and presses the back of her head into Jeff's or my shoulder/chest. When she's facing inward while we hold her, she lays her head on a shoulder and hooks her little arms around our shoulders in a surprisingly strong little monkey-grip. It is adorable and endearing. 

While I was making dinner on Wednesday, Amber was cranky until she discovered that I had left the cabinet with the kitchen trash can unlocked, and she proceeded to rummage through the trash can, found Jay's recently discarded apple core, and walked around, happily munching and drooling sticky apple chunks all over the house. Letting the baby eat trash on the carpet was preferable to listening to a crying baby while I was cooking! Third child.  

This morning, the storms of last night had subsided. When we got home from dropping Jay off at school, Rose and Amber quietly retreated to their happy places. Rose got out her markers and coloring book. Amber climbed onto a kid chair at the play kitchen. They spent at least half an hour in their respective spots, happily doing what they love. Little girls are such dears!

 That Wub. I usually try to only let her have it in bed, but she's been so miserable and congested and growing molars lately, that she is so much happier with it all the time. So I risk losing the thing (it's our only one, and I refuse to buy another one this late in the game) and the baby stays happy.

Rose in her element, marker in hand. She looked up at the opportune moment and I managed to capture this gem of a Rose-face. Most of the pictures I get of her smile these days are of her fake smile or her goofy smile, but this is the essence of Rose: mischievous, fun-loving, artistic, intense, and beautiful.