War and Peace it isn't...

...but I'm not sure there is a sweeter sound than your 3-yr old reading, "Tom and Betty come see! Come see Bunny ride!"
The new thing we do is she reads to us for 5 minutes at bedtime, then we read to her, but guess what? She doesn't want to stop at 5 minutes!
Read, Ainslie, read!

First Soccer Practice

Sorry, but I think all this gear on someone 42 inches tall is funny. She liked it--despite running full force into a teammate about 2 minutes into practice.
Games start next Friday. Craig's comment, "do they have another practice before their game?" What was he saying...?
This works out well in the new economy. Free weekend entertainment.

Carla's Lily Vanilly

Dumb name, huh? I wanted to just name her Lily but apparently I had to give her a schmancy AKC name.

She chose me. I have never seen anything cuter than the herd of Labrador puppies that met us at the gate. All boys. The two girls I was to choose from were inside, all washed and fluffed. First, I picked up her sister. She was loveable. Cute. Bigger. Then I picked Lily up, and she immediately snuggled up to my chin and started licking. She was the runt of her litter (which she quickly outgrew!) but that was that. She had chosen me.

As a puppy, her immense cuteness saved her many times. Bibles, complete works of Shakespeare (we said she had a Taste for Literature), Tivas, the infamous $1000 work CD... destroyed. There was the time she got her head stuck in her feeder while we were out, she just haaaad to get that last nugget.

I got her when I didn't have a baby, and thought I might never. Cycle after disappointing cycle, she knew when I was sad. I could cry into her soft fur and she was so content, even proud, to let me.

Craig worked from home and he told me that every single day at 5:15, she would go watch out the front window, knowing I'd be home at 5:30. She needed to be ready. I'd come in the door and she'd run up the stairs in front of me, hop onto our bed and flop over, ready for her belly rubs and attention.

That changed after Ainslie arrived, and it was so unfair to my sweet doggie. One day she was IT, and the next, she was our dog.

Still. The reduction in the amount of attention did nothing to reduce her loyalty. I was undeserving.

She was great with Ainslie. My two blonde girls. Rolling over each other, hugging each other. Lily loved listening to stories. When I'd read to Ainslie, Lily would come in and lay down and I swear, she was listening.

The diabetes diagnosis two years ago was bad, but not deadly. She took her shots like a champ, and even though her cataracts got bigger, nothing stopped her. The Addison's disease though, was a different story. She hasn't been herself since fall. I kept waiting for a Sign. Loss of appetite, something. Finally, she helped me help her.

Goodbye, Best Dog Ever, my Lily Lou.

January 14, 2002-March 19, 2008

Ramona Rides Again

Do you remember the Ramona books, by Beverly Cleary? I loved them--and this week, one of the local school district's DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) selection is Ramona the Pest. Ramona is 5 and in kindergarten and since you know I think Ainslie is waaaay advanced, LOL, I thought she'd love the Ramona books.

We needed to trade in library books this morning anyway, so I went delving into the Student Fiction section. Man, I was transported back in time for those few minutes. Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, Eleanor Estes... Found Ramona the Pest--and all the other Ramona books, but thought we'd start with this one, as well as the usual Little Kid Book selections.

I convinced Ainslie she needed a nap today because she has a) a cold and b) dance class tonight, so we got set up in her bed, and started Chapter 1. Chapter 1 was 40 pages--but we loved it! Until---

Ramona did NOT get chosen to be the wake-up fairy, after an already harrowing first morning at kindergarten.

Ainslie started howling, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ainslie, HONEY, what's wrong?"

"I wanted to be the wake-up fairy!"

After some snuggling and convincing that things would pick up for Ramona eventually, she calmed down and we finished the chapter, and I promised to read chapter two later.

Can I just squeal? Despite the tears, I am beyond thrilled that my little girl was so into the story that she cried for Ramona! She was paying attention; she was so engaged and invested! I wax histrionic about my passion for kids being avid readers, but...SQEEE-EEAL!

I can't wait for chapter two!

Well, that was quick

This week has just disappeared. We've had something going on out of our ordinary each day, and it's just flown by.

A couple of early morning conference calls (gotta love it when clients live in a later time zone and it's early for them) have gotten my days started early. Worked all day yesterday, minus taking Ainslie and I to the dentist. She was a star! They asked if they could take her in a different room so they could work on both of us at the same time. I was nervous about that, but Ainslie said, "sure, that would be fine." She loved the dentist! Add that to Things I Should Learn From My Preschooler.

Lovely (not) snowstorm Tuesday did something funky to the garage door... parking outside until we try a little more to figure it out or call the garage door people.

Ainslie had a sleepover with Grandma and Grampa. Packed her own suitcase at 6am. Shirt, pants (that yes, did have a little pink in them, to match the shirt), jammies, library book, summer hat (that she likes to sleep in. I know.) I casually suggested packing some underpants so she did. Three pair.

I'm getting a manicure and eyebrow wax during preschool this morning (well, not at the preschool, you know what I mean) so I can appear well-groomed at my Pilot next week. Leaving for lovely Pittsburgh early Sunday morning, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this class stands up to what I've put on paper.

Girls' night out tonight.

Play date tomorrow afternoon.

Gymnastics and Easter Bunny breakfast on Saturday. And packing. Mine may take a smidge longer than Ainslie's did.

Parenting Moment or Country Song Title?

I Love You To Pieces But I Don't Want to Hold Your Trash

Angel on My Shoulder, Snot on My Shirt

I'm Out of Cheese, But You're Still Whining


If you can think of one, post it in your comment!