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Journal Key:

Green = Steve | George = navy | Janet = Purple | Evelyn = Black

9/11/08 (Thursday)

We had another craft-filled evening, completing three more sea creatures. I believe that they are brothers, to go with the other ones. This time I took my time and sorted the colors out and made designs. Ironically, I worked on this while Cara watched Cinderella. (I'm tired!) She would like to also have a Belle movie and a Sleeping Beauty movie. I told her, maybe someday.

Her scratched foot seems to still be bothering her, so it was another quick bath, though not quite as quick.

9/12/08 (Friday)

Puma and Cara had a lovely day at Susan's. Everyone brought special things; PJ brought his garbage truck, and Casey brought a baby and a stroller. Puma participated in all of the activities, even going outside to play. I do recall Cara saying that she would "just not bring him outside," because he might get dirty, but apparently she forgot about that. I'm sure he really enjoyed it. Another mother arrived while we were getting ready to go, and Puma insisted on talking to her. "Do you know what color I am?" He had to repeat the question several times before she heard him. Then he answered himself: "Brown! And white, and black."

I snuck in a little work on my big jigsaw puzzle. Cara wants to help, but she never perseveres. I'm sure that's best for everyone. She did get out her Cinderella puzzle to do, and she can get the first six or so pieces by herself. We went and met Daddy at the IHOP, and afterwards we did the Cinderella puzzle at least twice more. Cara had gotten out the fire truck floor puzzle earlier, "for my daddy," and left it by the door, but we did not attempt it.

9/13/08 (Saturday)

I thought I should add a few lines about Saturday. In the morning at gymnastics, Em noticed that both PJ and another boy in their group were wearing Lightning McQueen shirts. I was amused later to overhear the other boy being called "DJ." Afterwards I asked Cara whether she would like it if we went to Chuck E Cheese. She was enthusiastically positive about the idea.

We had a nice time running around. Cara went to a lot of the little kiddie rides, but I personally think she's getting too big for them--she seemed to be riding them more out of a sense of duty or habit than anything else. She had fun climbing up in the tunnels, and climbed up the platforms without hesitation and without any difficulties every time. A clear improvement! We played some good games, like air hockey and their whack-a-mole variation, and Cara got her picture taken with Chuck E twice instead of once (that's an entirely fake Chuck E in a little car ride, not a guy in a suit Chuck E). We did get to see the birthday celebrations with the suit Chuck E, and I was surprised to find that Cara still remembered Annika's party, the first time we ever came to Chuck E Cheese. She brought it up all by herself.

She also played a few car racing games, where I had to push the pedals because her legs were too short. We did have a trip to the men's room--we also had taken a break out of her gymnastics class for a trip to the potty--and at around noon we came back home to see Mommy. Ironically Mommy was not there, but we were okay with that. I did have to play a computer game with her and read her two books before she would finally stay in for her nap. And now I think I've filled in enough and we can move on to Sunday.

9/14/08 (Sunday)

Yesterday Cara didn't really nap; we were relieved when Grandmama and GiGi showed up to pick up the little girl and whisk her away for some fun. Cara had a good sleepover, in spite of my having forgotten to pack pajamas or a pull-up! (Sorry--I knew something was missing!)

This morning, Cara was just waking up when I arrived. It was almost nine. She had been up a record three times in the night, once to use the potty and two just for fun. She was very snuggly and nonresponsive, but when we mentioned going out for pancakes and eggs, she perked right up! We all went out to the M-HOP for our annual Fred Zusselman memorial breakfast. Claire met us there.

The moment that impressed me the most today, I think, was when Aunt Claire arrived. Cara wanted Claire to sit next to her, so she asked Grandmama to move over! Claire was a huge favorite today. It was a day of adventure. It was also a day of using public bathrooms. Cara went three times in the restaurant: once, with Claire, because she needed to; once, with Claire, just to wash her hands (Claire suggested it); once, with Grandmama, because Grandmama was going. This time, for breakfast, I made sure Cara got her own cheese omelet. She still took a piece of mine, just for togetherness. (On Friday, after eating quite a bit of mine, she happily announced, "we two finished it!")

Grandmama and I took Cara down to the boardwalk. We played minigolf and got through thirteen holes! Cara sort of played. Puma also sort of played. He used his paws, mostly, but his tail was also good. After thirteen holes, we had to go to the bathroom. Mom and Cara crowded into the stall. Cara asked, "Why isn't Mommy in here, too?" (There were two answers. One, there was no way anyone else could possibly fit. Two, Cara asked for Grandmama and told me to stay out.)

Before we left, we had to go onto the beach. We hadn't really come prepared for this, but we all took our shoes off and headed out. I got to carry my purse, Puma, three pairs of shoes, and a bottle of water. Mom manned the child. We must have been out there for 45 minutes. We built wet sandcastles and dry ones. We all got wet. I got to carry Cara's shorts, too, as she ran around in her underpants. We climbed on rocks. We saw jellyfish and a crab. Cara's instant response to the crab: "I want to see another one!" Cara sat in sand. She lay on her tummy in sand. She didn't exactly wallow, but almost.

All things must come to an end, though. By the steps to the boardwalk, there was a shower. I got soaked holding Cara in it; she also got soaked, but she had a change of shorts in the car! She loved the shower, though. She laughed and laughed as I hoisted her up and swung her into the water. It's a good thing she enjoyed it, because she sure needed it! Mom carried her back to the car half naked.

Our day of adventure continued when we went out to Friendly's with Aunt Claire. Cara got Claire to sit with her in the back seat, and then she sat with her in the restaurant. Then Claire got to take her to the bathroom. We went shopping after lunch, and we tried the bathroom at Old Navy. Well, I waited outside it while Claire took Cara in. We found some good pants and a hoodie for Cara. We also went to the bathroom at Target, where we got Cara some shoes, but I was allowed to be in charge then.

At Old Navy, by the way, Cara got to try on clothes in a fitting room for the first time. Claire and I had some pants to try, so we all went together and Cara got to try her new pants, too. They fit great, and she was ready to wear them out of the store. Eventually Claire explained the whole process and Cara was prevailed upon to change back into her own clothes. At another store, Claire and Cara found a machine that, for fifty cents, dispensed tiny animals. Of course, Cara got one. It's a little dolphin, and it's somewhat squishy. It's name is Lucy, and of course it's a huge favorite right now. It hugs people's noses and likes to hide in things. It's a miracle that we managed not to lose it while we were shopping, and we had Puma to keep track of, too!

The final public rest room count of the day: Five different venues, seven trips, Claire in charge four times, Grandmama twice, and me once. Not too shabby. It was a very happy day.

9/15/08 (Monday)

Steve very cleverly chose this morning to open the package Cara got in the mail from her great grandma in Florida. It came Saturday, but Cara had been out most of the time since then. It was a great way to get her going this morning, though. The package contained a card with cherries on it, some hair things, and some jewelry. Of course, Cara had to wear all of it at once, but somehow or other she shed it all before it was time to go. The only thing she brought to Susan's that she oughtn't was Lucy the dolphin. Susan suggested that Lucy could ride in Cara's pocket, but she did end up on the dishwasher eventually. (That's where things go when Susan puts them away.)

When I arrived to pick Cara up, she was outside holding a baby doll. She explained that it was coming home with her. I was astonished until Susan explained that another little girl had taken one home. The project today is impressive; it's a self-portrait. It has yellow hair with purple barrettes in it, purple eyes (Susan says they did discuss brown eyes), eyebrows, a mouth and nose, a body and arms with fingers. It's beautiful.

I don't think Cara has ever paid so much attention to a baby doll! She stripped her own baby to put its diaper on the new one. She tried to give it the hat. She gave it the bottle. She put it to sleep. She wanted to watch TV while her baby slept, but it woke up pretty quickly. The best part was probably when we found the jewelry from the morning and the baby got to wear it. The bracelets went on its legs. I got out an old bib and an old hat from when Cara was a baby, and the doll's outfit was complete. She got to sleep in the soft carrier the other doll usually gets, "with the little dolphin in it, too!" Cara explained every time. I'm sure Lucy enjoyed that.

We gave Grandma Anne in Florida a call. Beforehand, we discussed what Cara was going to say. She was going to say, "Thank you for the things," I believe. So, I called, and Cara came over and I put her on, and she said "thank you." She listened for a little while and then said it again, and then she waited a moment and said, "good-bye!"

We got out the video camera after dinner and Cara, when she wasn't trying to watch herself in the view screen (we may eventually have convinced her that was impossible), played. She did "I'm a Little Teapot," and she got out her old Playmobil 123 toys. They went through some good routines: the old "cow stuck in a tree" and the sick bird needing a doctor. A couple of them also went on their little potty, complete with sound effects, wiping, and hand washing.

9/16/08 (Tuesday)

Cara and I had some rough mornings last week, but Mondays tend to be easy, and this morning was pleasant also. I made toast and one egg for Cara (I used to make more than one, but have finally realized how much egg she actually eats in the morning), after explaining that I couldn't make pancakes. After getting dressed she put on the bracelets and necklace from Great Grandma Anne and we got out the door, remembering to take Susan's baby doll back with us. Cara decided the baby wanted milk while we were in the car, and she sang some songs to it.

I understand it was a bit of a trying day at Susan's. Cara is not an excellent communicator of her needs. For instance, today she dirtied herself during her nap (apparently this is a bit of a trend--quite odd, since she's woken up with a dry pull-up every morning I can remember this month) and started crying. She cried through her whole nap, without making it clear to anyone that she just needed a change of clothes.

However we had a pleasant evening this evening. There was more filming to be done: we managed to record Cara making dinner rolls, and also got her playing hide-and-seek with her fairies. Mommy got to do the bath and is reading again tonight: she is a very popular bedtime reader these days. I am still in demand to read books before bedtime occasionally.

Cara is a firm believer that salt and pepper should always be used together. Mommy asked me to pass the salt so that she could put some on her broccoli. Seeing this, Cara stood up in her chair, reached, failed, and eventually asked me to give her the pepper "So I can give it to my Mommy."

It is taking a lot of coaxing lately to get Cara to clean up and brush her teeth. Getting stickers is not as much as an incentive anymore (though it is still very useful for setting a limit on our bedtime reading). However, this evening, for the first time I can remember, I made a threat that involved the old "If you don't come in here by the time I count to three..." and it actually worked! By the time I got to two Cara was ready to come in.

9/17/08 (Wednesday)

It's hard being a popular bedtime reader! But at least Mommy did not have to give the bath tonight: that I was allowed to do. We had another morning with an egg and toast for breakfast. I had been talking to Cara about making a movie with Puma in it, so she was very attached to Puma this morning. Last week Cara got to take Puma to Susan's; this morning she wanted to know if it was Friday yet, so she could take him again. I'm not sure how to explain to her that that was a one-time event! She was standing there with Puma in her arms, looking so bereft, so I let her take him in the car to Susan's. Fortunately she was content to leave him in the car when we arrived there.

Even though PJ was home sick from Susan's today, Ron had a great day with him and it was decided that we were all well enough to have playdate at the Loefflers'. (The kids are all going to get whatever it is anyway: Cara is already sniffly today, and it may very well be time for some Daddy Daycare at the Genzano house tomorrow.) As a nice sick day meal, we all had pancakes, and there were enough leftover for Cara to have pancakes for breakfast tomorrow, too! We spent some time all running around outside with our runny noses. I don't know what it is with these kids, but they all want to run around all the time.

Cara got a little damp running around in the grass without her shoes on. I specifically told her that she needed her shoes on to go outside, and we put them on, but then at some point she just took them off again, and her socks got wet. When we got home, she took her socks and pants off, and we had an early bath. The Merbabies, after a long hiatus on the couch downstairs, were requested in the bath, and the various toys spent a lot of time scaring each other (Cara finds this very amusing).

Finally, in our pajamas, we took some footage of Puma. Puma did not have the starring role, however, and it turned out that we spent most of our time looking at the mural in Cara's bedroom. Then, after a whole lot of coaxing, we did some cleaning up and some brushing of teeth.

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