preparation anxiety

In order to get Jennifer ready to head off to Dallas with the boys, we'd stayed up late trying to get all the Anise Press product ready to show.  Much of our preparation had already been finished, but we were rushing to attend to last-minute details.  This morning, Dad and I started our work for the Book History Workshop as well, which left the girls alone to focus on watching Shakespeare adaptations and choosing donuts.  Thankfully, we did find time when we weren't working for walks and conversation.

arrival

Today, Jen drove to Austin with the kids to pick up Grandma and Grandpa Sam from Bergstrom Airport.  We've realized that the drive through Bastrop and back home is much more pleasant than the route from Houston, so Austin has become our habitual airport for visits.  The drive was pleasant, particularly the return.

Before the arrival:
M: I think Grandma Sam and Grandpa be so happy to see Tantor!  (Tantor is the wooden riding elephant which Grandpa built decades ago, and who is visiting the children of each of the families by turn.)

each part in its place

Later in the week, the boys will be going to Dallas to stay with Grannie and Grandad while the girls remain here with Grandma and Grandpa Sam.  This division of familial labor is necessary because Jen is flying to New York to represent Anise Press at the National Stationery Show while Dad and I teach the Book History Workshop.  As a result, the children benefit by spending time with their (very generous) grandparents.  It's win-win all around.

Sharkey's End

Gwennie has had Sharkey, her betta fish, ever since her friend Mary Lynn moved a couple of years ago and bequeathed us her pet.  Over the past month, Sharkey has been getting lethargic and unresponsive (even for a fish) and finally would spend his days floating, barely moving, at the bottom of the aquarium.  Finally, Sharkey went the way of all perciformes.

Gwennie got an appropriate casket container and we buried Sharkey, after a short service, behind the shed next to Mason. May he never be forgotten or replaced.

big and bigger still

1. What is something Mama always says to you?

G: I love you.  And, go do jobs.  Also, this house looks like a tornado went through it.
L: Go work! I mean, Go clean your bedroom!
C: Hmm . . . she always says to really work hard.
M: She just say, I love you, and I say, love you too.

2. What makes Mama happy?

G: A clean house, and sleep. And spending time with family.  And when Daddy’s home.
L: A clean bedroom. No, a clean house.
C: Having a clean house. Well, I don’t really know, but I think what makes her happy is when we do something big and have a lot of fun.
M: She watch me!

3. What makes Mama sad?

G: When she’s stressed, and when the house is really dirty.  When we’re fighting, and she’s really tired.
L: When we don’t do our chores. Or . . . going to a funeral.
C: When we’re really bad and not obedient. Like, run around the house and not clean up.
M: Linus makes her sad.

4. How does Mama make you laugh?

G: By telling funny jokes. I don’t like the not-funny jokes.
L: Does something nice.
C: Are these all about Mama? [It’s Mother’s Day!] Oh yeah! Well, she tells really good jokes, I think that’s one reason. And other reason is when Mama makes me laugh a lot by doing stuff that’s funny.
M: Um . . . medicine!

5. What was Mama like at your age?

G: She said she liked to read a lot, and she liked swimming in her swimming pool in the back yard.  And she said her grandpa, maybe – I don’t remember – they had this huge house, and there was a refrigerator in the guest house, and he had all these flavors of ice cream in it, and they had huge gigantic bowls with tons of flavors of ice cream.  And always got a stomach ache after eating so much ice cream.
L: Nice. And bossy.  I think she was bossy because Gwennie’s bossy a little bit, and they’re so identical. And she played a lot.
C: I think she might have had red hair. With curls. And blue eyes. She might have weared jeans.  And had white skin.
M: I think she was a Mama.

6. How old is Mama?

G: 39.
L: 42.
C: 39.
M: I think she’s big and big and bigger still.

7. How tall is Mama?

G: I’m guessing about this one, because I don’t know exactly.  Maybe – 5 and ¾ inches? Or five feet, three quarters.
L: 5 feet.
C: I have no idea. 5 feet.
M: Taller and taller and taller. This [stretching] big.

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?

G: Downton Abbey, or the weather maybe.  Or movies with Daddy when you’re working, stuff like that.
L: Downton Abbey.
C: Downton Abbey.
M: “Telephone Rock!”

9. What does Mama do when you're not around?

G: Print. Print. Anise Press stuff.  And eat treats and watch movies while doing Anise Press stuff.
L: Works on Anise Press stuff. She makes cards, prints, paints posters.
C: Working with Daddy printing and doing press stuff.
M: I think I went bye-bye. Then I come back.

  

10. If Mama becomes famous, what will it be for?

G: Her awesome business and all the amazing cards and posters.
L: Best. Press. Ever.
C: Because she makes really good things like press cards and I really like them, so I think that’s why she’d be famous.
M: They way she makes them laugh.

11. What is Mama really good at?

G: Her talents: making cards, and . . . sleeping.
L: Being a good Mom. She folds our laundry, makes our meals, reads books to us.  Turns on the tv.
C: Taking care of us.  Oh – having babies!
M: To go to walk on her hands.

12. What is Mama not very good at?

G: Being mean.
L: Video games.
C: Being older than Daddy.
M: She’s not good at not having treats.

13. What does Mama do for her job?

G: Watch us, and make Anise Press stuff.
L: Anise Press stuff. Is a good mom.
C: She prints cards with a press and type.
M: To work on the computer and fix it if it’s broken.

14. What is Mama’s favorite food?

G: Stir fry. [You always say stir fry.] Well, she loves that stuff!  And whatever you’re making right now, green vegetables. And you guys like that stuff called Taz – someplace I’ve never heard of.  That.
L: Stir fry.
C: I think it is . . . let me think for a while.  Hmm.  Hmm. It might be . . . stir fry!
M: I don’t know. I think she wants treats. I think she wants to eat this lemon treat. I think she likes Nerds.

15. What do you admire about Mama? 

G: When she does all this Anise Press stuff and stays up so late and that she thought of all this and makes it.  That she made this company.
L: She works so hard for Anise Press. And how much she does for us.
C: How she looks! And how she cares about me.

M: She has beautiful things.

16. If Mama were a fictional character, who would she be? 

G: Wait, I’m thinking.  Who would she be most like?  Ferncloud – from Warriors!
L: She’s a little bit like Hermione Granger. She reads a lot of books.
C: She might be . . . I have no idea! She might be the person who likes Paddington Bear – Judy Brown.
M: I think she would be Peg [from Peg+Cat].

17. What do you and Mama do together?

G: We don’t really do anything.  Seems like she’s always occupied.
L: Talk about video games, and I show her my legos. She listens to me.
C: We drive around with Greta, and we go to the store to get food. And I think that’s all.
M: Do our hands [making the round-and-round gesture].

18. How are you and Mama the same? 

G: We both like reading, and cats, but I like cats better.  Mama used to run a lot, and I like running, too.
L: We both like red hair and blue eyes.
C: We both have blue eyes. We both have light skin. Um, that’s all that I can think of.
M: Good. [You’re both good?] Yep. Good and gooder.

19. How are you and Mama different? 

G: I like having my hair long, but she likes having her hair short.  And I like wearing darker colored clothes, but she likes wearing light colors.
L: I like video games and she doesn’t.
C: We don’t have the same color of hair. I don’t have glasses, and she has glasses.
M: Not play the ‘puter.

20. How do you know Mama loves you? 

G: She always says so. And she takes care of me, and sometimes lets me do what I want.  She helps me with stuff, and lets me go over to my friends’ house and have my friends over.
L: Because she tells me it a lot.
C: Because she says that. I don’t think there’s any other way.  Well, she does hug me a lot, and I like that.
M: She walks.

21. What does Mama like most about Daddy? 

G: I don’t know, I really don’t know. . . .  No, it’s actually a lot of stuff.  Everything.  Well, almost everything.
L: I know one thing she likes – the way your eyes crinkle up on the edges when you smile.  And, because you’re pretty funny.
C: That you help her when she’s sick. Or when she’s printing.
M: She loves Daddy. . . . Can I get down now?

22. Where is Mama’s favorite place to go? 

G: To sleep.
L: The library.  Somewhere with her family.  Poland!
C: A restaurant.  Pei Wei.
M: Go to get lemon slush [at Sonic]

23. What is Mama’s favorite song?

G: “Furr” [by Blitzen Trapper].
L: “Fount of Every Blessing.”  Well, I know that’s her favorite Christmas song.
C: “Let It Go.” Maybe that’s just my favorite song.
M: Roll your hands, roll your hands, as gently as gently as. . . .

24. What is Mama’s favorite book?

G: Maybe those Laura Ingalls Wilder ones.
L: The one about the person who made the pie and everyone wanted to come and have a slice, and it had the recipe for the pie in it [Goody O’Grumpity].
C: Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? And If I Ran the Circus [by Dr. Seuss].
M: Crocodile Under My Bed.

25. What is Mama’s favorite movie?

G: Something I’ve never heard of, probably.  Frozen?
L: The Lego Movie.
C: Muppets Most Wanted!
M: Wild Kratts.

26. What would Mama do with a million dollars?

G: Maybe have us move and get a shop for Anise Press, and get Daddy a new car. Does that cover everything?
L: Buy a bigger house, buy a bigger pressroom, and buy lots and lots of Anise Press stuff.
C: I guess she’ll buy a whole store full of equipment, like type, and presses, and stuff that you use to do lots of stuff, and paper, and pencils, and building tools.
M: Go outside.

recital

first tooth

Casper's been working on a loose tooth for a while now.  Since it's the first time he's lost one, he's been entirely preoccupied by the process.  He's always got his hand in his mouth, worrying that incisor.  Fortunately, it came out pretty painlessly -- now he's only concerned about how long it's going to take for the Tooth Fairy to visit.

(Note: the Tooth Fairy, for reasons of tradition, brings each of the children a silver dollar and a little lesser change for each of their lost teeth.  Casper's been singleminded in his focus on that silver dollar.  A few nights ago, I found out why: apparently one of his siblings told him that coin is rare, and worth about twenty dollars when traded in. Casper has since been calculating the value of his mouth.  I had to let him down gently about the market value of his projected booty, but he's got such an upbeat disposition that I really don't think it bothered him.)

kitten heaven

Our friends' cat recently had a litter of kittens, and the children can think of nowhere they'd rather go.  Not only do they get to play with friends, but they get all the cuddling they could want.  (Well, almost as much -- Greta has a habit of breaking down when it's time to leave the kitties.)

It's amazing how cozy this kitten looks, given the manhandling it's getting from Greta.

lukelele

Ever since Linus got his tennis racquets for his birthday, Greta has been stealing them and walking around "playing" them.  She chants "my luke-a-lay-lee, my luke-a-lay-lee" and sings Peg+Cat songs.

When I asked about her lukelele, she said, "It's not a lukelele, it's a racquet!"

And when she referred to the Talking Tree in our backyard as "a bark" and I asked her about which bark she was talking about, she said, "that's not a bark, it's a tree!"

I love the way that this smear of chocolate on her face somehow formed a perfect, jaunty van dyke.

tramp disaster

This is a crisis years in the making -- but it's finally struck, much to the dismay of the children.  After several summers of the beating Texas sun, our trampoline developed a small rip near one side.  When the children asked me to jump with them (daily), I would demur because I feared that my jumping near the tear would cause it to spread and ruin the surface for good.  Well, they eventually wore me down.  Last night I was jumping with Greta in my arms when we came down and through and landed on the ground below.

Margaret was the most distraught, partially because she was alarmed by our unexpected voyage to the ground: "my tampa-bean, my tampa bean!"  But as you can see in the pictures above, the other children were also upset.  We're hoping to find a substitute surface (and padding and netting, while we're at it) so that we can enjoy the tampa-bean again.

Monster House

M: There's a monster in the attic! He can get out, then go back in the monster house. [By which she means our whole-house fan.]

tennis whites

After a cub scout activity in which he and his comrades visited at a local high school's courts to learn the rules of the game, Linus has become mildly obsessed with tennis.  One of his favorite birthday presents has proved to be a pair of racquets and a tube of balls.  (We were fortunate to find the racquets -- which are really in very good condition, compared to what we usually see -- at our local Goodwill.)

We haven't had a chance to make it back to the courts yet, but that hasn't stopped Linus, with his brother and sister, from getting some practice in.  Aside from attempting to develop some ball control by playing on the lawn, Gwennie has strung her rope from the back of the van to the garbage can and positioned it along the driveway.  This net has divided the cement into a court of sorts, which has provided a lot of fun (and an equal amount of competition).

(The look of pure concentration.)

nuke'em

As far as I can tell, Gwennie and Casper picked up this game (name and all) from our generous neighbors.  A sort of modified volleyball played on the trampoline, it has become pretty big at our place (after Gwennie set up the "net" by stringing her trusty rope across the tampa-bean's supports).

Linee's day

It's a joy to celebrate the birthday of our redheaded boy.

nuffing

Todd: And what should I dress this one in?
Margaret: mmm . . . nuffing?
T: Here are cozy sleepers!
M: You said I could be naked a little while! I want to be a naked baby!

M: I want that 'corn [unicorn] and the kitty cat! [her bank]

M: Can I be Naked Baby for a little while?
T: How many treats did you have?
M: I had so many treats! [reaching wide] 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!

M: [singing] take a key and lock my Gwennie up!

M: I sat on the potty and pooted!

ink-a-mite

Casper: [bringing in his lego creation] Are you going to ask why I have dynamite on this press?  It's because when you light it up here, the fire goes down and it shoots the ink onto the press. It's not dynamite -- it's ink-a-mite!

In preparing for Jen's trip to New York City for the National Stationery Show, we arranged all the work we're exhibiting to get a sense of how it will look (without the bookshelf facade, currently in production). Here's a sneak peek, modeled by the lovely Casper.

block party

Gwennie loves to plan activities and parties, and when her siblings don't listen to her directions about how a game is to be played, she sometimes becomes an impresario of lego.  Here's a recent festival I wasn't invited to.

Mama and babes

Margaret: I see you big tummy! Is baby Cinq still in there?

Jennifer: Do you like this candy?
M: It's a tiny bit spicy.
J: Do you know it's named after you?  It's called anise, and your middle name is Anise.
M: My middle name is Anise?

M: I found Casper's good friend Toffee.  He was under the table [apparently where she had hidden him -- in the supports under the dining room table]. I will put him back -- he will be safe down there!

tightrope walker

I swear, one of Gwennie's most treasured belongings is this old rope which we used, half a year ago, to tie the Christmas tree to the top of the van.  It is certainly one of her most versatile toys: she has used it as a tree swing, a tug-of-war rope, an obstacle course fence, and various other implements of fun.  This weekend, she tied it from the tree to the tampa-bean, and tried to teach herself to tightrope walk on it.  She did a fairly good job of disembarking from the tampa-bean frame, but the rope was so slack that once she got midway, she was able to walk along the grass.

This Little Piggy

On the way home from some errands, Greta saw a police car which had pulled over a car, and refers to the "buyer biterman."  It takes us some time to realize that she's saying "firefighter-man."

M: I got this honeysuckle! [popsicle]

M: [speaking to Miss Toni, Jen's midwife, during an appointment she attended]
I like you glasses.
You like my Mama's glasses?
You like my Mama's shoes?
You like my Mama's teeth?

M: 46 . . . 47 . . . 48!
Gwennie: 48 what?
Jennifer: Teeth -- she was counting my teeth.
M: With my fash-light!

M: [complaining about access to her tampa-bean] So many kids and some sisters!

M: My Daddy's going to work!

M: I don't want to be changed!
Todd: But you need a new diaper.
M: But Mama changed me yesterday.

M: [angry at my lack of immediate response] If you don't read me a story, you never see me again! You ride off in your car!