"There I was... There. I. Was..."

Stretch likes to tell the girls ridiculous, fantastical stories that have come to be known in our home as "There I Was" stories because that's how they all start:  "There I was.  There I was.  There.  I.  Was..."   Last summer, for some unknown reason, many of the stories featured go-go boots and a long white silk scarf.  As a result, Devil Pup has been asking for go-go boots since last summer.  (Yes.  I blame her father.)

Recently, Devil Pup acquired a pair of red, low-calf zippered patent leather boots.  She has worn them almost non-stop since getting them.

The girls are also encouraged to tell their own "There I Was" stories.  Today, Stretch asked Devil Pup to tell one.  It was quite short and a bit lacking in plot.  But we thought it was hysterical.  It went something like this:

There I was.  

I was wearing red go-go boots.  

And I was looking sassy.  

The end.

Boys and their toys...

Stretch bought this for himself today:

He and Devil Pup have already broken it out of the package and started playing with it.  My mother-in-law would be so proud.  When I was pregnant with Big Sis, I remember her suggesting that if we had a boy, perhaps we could not allow him to play with guns.  Yeah.  While living on a Marine Base.  That would work. 

Well, we didn't have a boy.  We had two girls.  And they love to play with toy weapons: swords, nerf guns, whatever.  To be fair, she only mentioned keeping the toy guns away from a little boy.

The Marine and both Devil Pups fend off zombies.

"Journey Home: A Marine Tale"

This is a story written by our newly minted 10 yr old (Big Sis) at school.  I haven't corrected her misspellings or grammar but I have highlighted a phrase she wrote.

I saw the ship that had taken me here, Iraq, 1 year ago.  It would now take me home.  To my family and home.  It had been a long year.  I was ready to go to my abode.

I stepped on the ship uncertain it would survive the trudge west.  But hopefull to return to my kin.  I was given a room key for my cabin, below deck.  My number was 303 .  The blue paint forming the numbers were nearly completly chipped off.  I instantly pictured the room dank and sad, with spiders and cobwebs.  I got half right.  It wasn't gloomy, but it was cobweb filled. 

For the first couple of days it was splendid, but then a storm hit.  I felt like I needed to abandon all hope, of seeing family and living.  The boat rocked uncontrollably.  Passengers were throwing up and screaming.  Two waves so high you'd think their water mountains, hurled them selves on deck.  One wave had caused a hole and the Captain was plunging lifeboats into the angry sea.  (which wasn't bright if ya ask me.)  I threw myself into the murdurous sea, trying to escape the yelling and the rocking of the boat.  That was a big mistake, 'cause I fell unconcious.

Next thing I know I'm bobbing along in a calm sea... above water.  I'm a top 3 planks of wood from a ship, perhaps the one I was on.  I look around  my compass is broken and I'm wandering in the ocean.  What could be worse?  Oh, great.  I see a fin, it's proboally a shark.  To my surprise it's a dolphin.  I take the rope around it's tail, and I glide after it.  Dolphins are popular in FL where I live.  There just might be hope, again.

Finally, I saw the shore.  My luck must have been with the dolphin, because this was the beach that was 2 mi. away, from my house.  Unfortanantly, it's a long walk, and would be tough without shoes.  My luck ran out.

The hot sand was burning my feet as I walked toward the wooden ramp.  I braced myself for the tiny, pointy, rocks in the parking lot.  The pain was standable, though it stung.  My feet were red, cut, and bleeding.  But, I continued walking.  When your a Marine, you learn to stand the pain and think about what's important.  In this case reaching home, I continued walking.

Yes, I see my house!  I wanted to run, but my feet were too sore.  I was laughing and celebrating.  As I knocked on the door and embraced my family.  For the first time in a year.


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Devil Pups rock!

First off, we live on an Army post.  In an apartment building made up of mostly Army folk. 

The other day, I brought our USMC flag in because of the wind and the fact that it looked like the bracket was about to come out of the wall.  This morning, Devil Pup decided to take it downstairs for a one-girl parade.  She later talked our neighbors' little girl to join her with their USMC flag (we are the only 2 Marine families in the building).  She tried to get our other neighbor's daughter to join her but was told, "I can't:  We're an Army family!"

So there she was (and she's back out there again as I type), marching around with a Marine flag that's bigger than her.  And probably freezing her little patootie off, too.

If a 6 year old has that much Marine Corps spirit, how can you refuse to donate to the Marine team in our efforts to support Valour IT?  Click on the button in the upper right part of the screen to donate and support our Wounded Warriors!

Nice to know we're still needed...

Last night, we found our 10 yr old sprawled out in our bed.  Usually, it is her younger sister who tries to invade us in the middle of the night.  We're lucky if Big Sis asks to cuddle at bedtime, so it was something of a surprise to find her in our room.  And it was clear that she intended to stay the night since she'd brought her alarm clock with her.

Big Sis used to regularly join me at night in 2003 (she was just 2 yrs old at the time), during Stretch's first war-time deployment.  But in recent years, she's been quite the independent type and she's never been a particularly touchy-feely child. 

Last night, I know she was feeling vulnerable for a few different reasons.  So when we found her in our bed, we left her there despite the crowded conditions (she's almost as tall as me now!).  It was nice to know that she still needed us.

And she'll always be my baby.

"Don't talk about it!"

The Devil Pup lost her first tooth 2 nights ago.  It had been loose all summer and her permanent tooth was already coming in behind it.  Every time I tried to wiggle it, she would clap her hands over her ears and scream, "Don't talk about it!"  It all came to a head 2 nights ago when she brushed her teeth.  The tooth was SOO ready to come out that she started bleeding when she brushed it.  Which completely freaked her out.

Oh, the wailing, the screaming, the hysterical caterwauling!  She covered her ears and screamed and cried.  After her bath, we continued to try to calm her down and convince her to let us remove the tooth.  Finally, she grudgingly allowed me to try.  My first and second attempts to get the floss around her tooth were both unsuccessful except the second time, it came close enough that she had to spit her tooth out.

I've never seen anyone transform so completely, so quickly.  Instantly, she was talking about how cute her tooth was.  She was so proud and happy and showing everyone her tooth. 

Oy!  Hopefully, the next tooth will be easier...

Surprise!

Yesterday afternoon, the girls came downstairs with a surprise.  Big Sis had styled and dressed Devil Pup for a performance.  They can be so goofy and cute sometimes.  I try to remember this when they are being royal stinkers! 

Speaking of being stinkers, Stretch and I had quite a surprise last night when we went upstairs to go to bed.  We found that both girls had commandeered our bed!  They had also placed sticky notes above their heads on our headboard.  The one above Big Sis read:
"Dear Mom,
Since you are smaller than daddy try please to sleep with us.  We had a tingly feeling --
[Big Sis]
(over)
PS. My head needs to be ellivated
Please allow me 2 pillows"

The one above Devil Pup read:
"Dad, you can sleep in our bed remove my fluffy pillow tho
-- [Big Sis] and [Devil Pup]"

Stretch was a little put out (not really, well, maybe a little) that they'd kicked him out of his own bed and tried to put him in one of their twin beds.  I couldn't stop laughing and almost woke them up.  Stretch ended up making up the guest bed and that's where we spent the night.

oh, yeah, she IS tall...

Every so often, I get a reminder of just how tall members of my family are. 

This week, Devil Pup turned 6, one of the last to do so in her Kindergarten class, I might add.  She had her well-child check-up where we learned she was over 90th percentile for height.  That really wasn't news as that's about where she's always been, except for that brief time as a baby when she was off the charts. 

No, the reminder came when I took her to school.  We waited in the office as her teacher sent 2 of her classmates to escort her back to the classroom.  Now, I know the little boy that was sent is probably the smallest kid in the class, just a cute little peanut.  But I swear she must have sent the 2 tiniest kids in class. 

As Devil Pup joined her friends, I noticed that she towered over them, by almost a full head! 

Then after dinner last night, both she and her sister started foraging through the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator as if they were starving.  I repeat, this was after they'd eaten dinner.  Immediately after.  I'm just glad they aren't boys.  I don't think we'd be able to afford that.

The Devil Pup is 6 today!

It's so hard to believe that it's been 6 years since our "baby" Devil Pup came into the world at a whopping 8 lbs. 14 oz. and with a head full of hair.  That was a big surprise.  But it wouldn't be the first time we noticed how different she was from her sister.  

As a baby, she was so easy-going and laid-back, even when her sister got her all "dressed up" with stacking rings: 

Now, we can't get her to stop talking or moving, unless she is drawing or coloring.  And even then, she's usually talking.  But some things don't change.  Our Devil Pup, for all her impishness, is a sweetheart who always wants to make others feel better.  She is still the go-to kid for cuddles.  And she still loves a good adventure.

I can't wait to see what she'll conquer next!

DP today after school.  I wish I could say she was meditating, but she was just being goofy.  It was the first non-blurry shot I got of her.

Conversations with the Devil Pup

I have the funniest conversations with Devil Pup while we are alone in the car. Awhile back, we had the following exchange:

me: I love you, DP!
*silence*
me: I said I love you!
DP: I heard you.
me: Well, what do you usually say when someone tells you that they love you?
after a pause, DP: Thank you.


And then, today, after a failed attempt at getting a milkshake (the first place we went to was out of chocolate):

me: DP, talk to me so I know you're awake! (Usually, she's Chatty Cathy and this is not an issue and I didn't want her falling asleep.)
DP: My throat is sore!
me: Why is your throat sore?
DP: Because I didn't have any milkshakes!

Oh, the things kids say...

After getting off the phone with my sister (who has 5 kids), I was explaining to Big Sis that they would be wearing the same color t-shirts as a family each day they were at Disney. I also said something about that being just another reason for us to only have 2 kids (somewhat easier to keep track of them). Big Sis informed me that she wanted 8 kids, but she wanted to adopt them. When I asked why, she said she didn't want something the size of a baby coming out her butt. I informed her that you don't "poop" babies. Instead, they come out of your "she-she." Big Sis was horrified by this: "But that's a really small hole!"

Then, this nugget from L'il Sis (aka Devil Pup) when she was throwing a tantrum, not wanting to do her homework: "Grown-ups have an easy life because they get to do whatever they want and children have a hard life!" Oh, really? Maybe I'm not making her life hard enough?

Devil Pup Diaries

After dinner one night last week, we went for a walk around our neighborhood. L'il Sis insisted on taking her school backpack with her despite our warnings that she'd have to carry it the whole way. It still had her school folder, her math workbook and her lunchbox in it! And she ran almost half of the time while we walked about 1-1/2 miles.

Then a day later, as the girls and I were returning from an errand, I hear her say "uh-oh," from the backseat. Moments later, her sister dimed her out with, "You broke Mom's chair!" That's right: My 5 year-old broke the back of my driver's seat. The entire piece has to be replaced. That's what I learned the first time I went and sat at the dealership. I'll be going again this week for the actual work to be done. Because I have nothing else to do with a move looming over my head in 3 months.

I may need to change her moniker on here from L'il Sis to DP (Devil Pup).

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had a great Valentine's weekend with good friends in for a visit. But in some respects, it might have been a rough Valentine's for Stretch.

On Friday, Big Sis (9) came home from school with a little pink gorilla with "I Love You" on its tummy from the boy who keeps trying to hold her hand.

Then today, a little boy from L'il Sis' (5) class who lives in our neighborhood came by with a hand-made card with a flower taped to the front that read, "Will you be my Valentine?"

It's not easy being the father of girls.

Oh, the modesty!

Tonight's conversation with the 9 year old, regarding the boy who keeps trying to hold her hand:

Me: So, why does Jimmy like you? Because you're smart?
Big Sis: No.
Me: Or funny?
Big Sis: No. It's pretty much my looks.

Good thing L'il Sis is a toughie...

It's never a good thing to get a call from the school nurse. Especially as you're headed out the door to pick up the kids. Earlier this week, I had just such a call. Apparently, our 5 yr old had had an inauspicious meeting with a playground slide. Result: an abraded chin, bruised gums and loose front teeth. None of her teeth had been loose when I sent her to school that morning.

I picked her and her sister up from school and drove immediately to their dentist's office. She was x-rayed and examined and should be fine. In fact, her teeth already seem to have tightened up and no longer seem to be in danger of falling out of her head. But the whole time, I kept thinking 2 things: (1) this was very reminiscent of my sister with whom she shares more than a passing resemblance; and (2) these types of things always seem to happen to her and not her older sister. *sigh*

Gee...Thanks?

It finally got chilly here. Not cold, but chilly. I was wearing an old college sweatshirt the other day with the name of the state of the state school I attended. Big Sis asked about it and I said it was where I went to school. High school or college, she asked. I explained that while I attended both in that state, the shirt actually referred to the college I attended. Big Sis studied it for a moment, then said, with surprise, "And you still fit in it?"

I know that to a 9 year old, I'm getting dumber by the day. After that remark, I really don't want to know what I look like to her.

Reading milestone

It took 2 nights, but L'il Sis finished reading Green Eggs and Ham tonight! Woot! She is the child that I can never get to practice her sight words, etc. Unlike her sister, she's usually not happy to sit still to have a book read to her and has had little interest in learning to read.

So. This was huge! I'm so proud of her!

She's a genius! Um, maybe...

I walked into our 5 year old's room to find her "writing" D-O-G on Stretch's back. He deciphered the word and then exclained, "I think she just spelled Devil Dog!"

I had to start laughing. He'd obviously forgotten that the back of his t-shirt had the words "Devil Dog Run" on it.

Time for Toys for Tots!

It's that time of year! For the first time, I'm able to help out at our local Toys for Tots warehouse where toys are sorted and distributed. One of the Marines noted today that this year the warehouse is emptier than he's ever seen it. While the need continues to grow and surpass previous years, the donations are down. So, please, if you are able, consider donating a new unwrapped toy to Toys for Tots.

To learn more, you can read last year's post. Meanwhile, my favorite Marine commercial:

Trick or Treat