Naptime

Hayley is barely two.  She still needs naps.  I still need her to need naps.  See exhibits A and B below:


But she won’t admit it.  She fights the nap war every single day.  Lately, however, she’s become a little more resigned and logical about the inevitable.  This was our conversation one day last week.
We eat lunch, take Corinne to kindergarten, read a story—the usual routine.  “Hayley,” I ask, “now what time is it?”
“Naptime!” she exclaims.
I carry her up the stairs while she tells me that she wants exactly 3 blankets in her bed.  I put her in her crib and cover her up with the right number of blankets.
“Mom—I’m going to be crying soon,” she informs me.
“Why are you going to cry?” I ask.
“Because you’re going to leave.”
“You’re right, I am going to leave your room.  But I’ll be downstairs and I’ll come and get you when you wake up.  Good night, Hayley.”
“Okay, good night, Mom.”
I leave the room and close the door as the crying begins in full force.  Between sobs she is saying, “I. Don’t. Want. To. Take. A. Nap.”
I go downstairs and jump right into project mode.  In a few minutes, all is quiet.  She’s sound asleep.
I love that girl.  She knows a nap is required but has to warn me that she’s really not as grown up as she often acts and that sometimes she feels like crying.  It’s so much easier to handle when she has prepared me first.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just finished all my Thanksgiving baking!  Spinach gratin, cranberry orange sauce, pumpkin roll dough, homemade crackers, roasted squash, and a salad.  The pies are all baked (chocolate pecan, cranberry-apple galette/almond tart/peanut butter cream/ cranberry cheesecake)—I couldn’t choose so I made them all!  We’re heading to Brian’s parents’ home for dinner so my work is done.  Hooray.  And now I can enjoy Thanksgiving!   I’ll try not to think about Christmas yet and all the shopping, baking, planning, sewing, wrapping, mailing, gifting, crafting, singing, etc. that I need to do in the few short weeks before the big day.  See, I’m not thinking about it at all.
Here are some pictures of one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions.  The tablecloth.  Yes, I know it needs to be ironed, but it’s not going to happen before tomorrow.  We’ve been adding to it for at least 6 years now.  Here are some of my favorite entries.  As I’ve read what we’ve been thankful for over the years, I realize that this is also a record of important events.  The things we are grateful for reflect our life experiences and growth.

  


If you could come over and sign my tablecloth, what would you write?

Halloween

See Alyssa’s Hermione robe?  I made it for her in 3rd grade.   And Hagrid’s Grant’s robe?  Made it for Evan in 2nd grade.  I think those costumes have been worn in some form by someone every single year.  Jillian could not figure out what to be.  The night before the school party, she found a picture on FamilyFun.com that she wanted to create.  I present the throw-it-together-in-1 hour washing machine costume.  Corinne couldn’t decide, either, so she was a witch for school and a cowgirl for trick-or-treating.  And Hayley?  A princess all the way.  With boots.  Where was Evan?  Too cool to dress up, but not above begging and stealing candy from Grant and his sisters when they got home.  See the granny/wolf and Little Red in the background?  Loved those costumes, Mitchell and Erin.  Thanks for partying with us!