7 1/2, going on 47

Madelyn turned 7 1/2 on Thursday. I was helping her get ready to go to the park, and gave her the usual talking-to about not throwing a hysterical fit when it's time to go home. She told me, "But I can't help it!! It's because of my nerves."

Her nerves, huh? Well, this explains a lot.

It's like living with a miniature version of Mrs. "Oh, my poor nerves!"  Bennett. Raise your hand if you can hear her shrill voice in your head right now. It's exactly like living with Madelyn!

Hahahaha. I'm JOKING. But only sort of, because she will immediately start crying if you bring any of these subjects up: contact lenses, scary Halloween dreams, 7th grade shots, pulling teeth, diving boards, Grandma Nora, Coach Callie and Mrs. Comstock, getting baptized, going under water, weeping angels (well, she has good reason to be scared of those) and ingrown toenails.

Anyway, ever since she was 2 or 3, we've celebrated her half birthday, because the poor girl was practically born on Christmas and has her birthday overshadowed by the holidays every year.

 So while she was at swimming lessons, I blew up some balloons, put up a banner and wrapped a few presents I had laying around in my stash. She was so excited! She'd been upset because she had to go underwater at the pool and she got water up her nose. This cheered her right up.

She got a Polly Pocket, a glow dome, a dress and blue Bubble Tape. Yep! She's spoiled! I love spoiling her, though. She's a great kid.

 

Then we had mini strawberry shortcakes, and before dinner we toasted some marshmallows.

 

 She is SUCH a good sister to Luke. They are the best of friends and love to play together.
 

(At least one of them is not afraid to get their face wet...)

And speaking of Luke, I wrote this entry in his little notebook journal I keep the other day:

"In the past few days, he has: eaten fish food (twice), put a purple Otter Pop in the washing machine (it miraculously survived intact through a cycle), got pizza bite innards on 6 different spots on the white rug, shoved Candy Land cards into the VCR, stuck a little plastic square down inside of his ear, used my green cutting board to dig through the gravel:

 ....put Madelyn's stuffed caterpillar into the diaper pail, scraped/bruised his chin at the playground:

 ...scattered the pieces of 5 different board games all over the floor, went up the ladder and dropped Rummikub pieces off one by one, saying, "See ya, number 5!" etc., ate the rind of a watermelon:

 

...put rocks inside the printer:

OH and put rocks inside the watering cans, picked the English daisies and strawberries from our garden, figured out how to unlock the front door and deadbolt and let himself outside, ran away from Madelyn and her friends to go down to the mailbox and put rocks into the compartment where they put packages. And just generally made messes, threw things and had screaming tantrums. He flips out if you go to the bathroom and he doesn't get to flush the toilet, or turn off the shower, and will come flying in from the other room to do it."

 And figured out that he could get himself drinks from the fridge! And how to climb up onto the kitchen counter (he already mastered the bathroom counters), so as to be able to reach all the scissors and pens and other forbidden stuff.

 And dumped mom's powder foundation all over himself, smeared on blush, and put all the Q-tips inside of the Kleenex box. That was just this morning.

update: Today (Sunday morning), he refused to let me dress him after bathing and I left him for a minute in his bedroom, jumping on his bed in the buff with a diaper in each hand. Then he pooped on the carpet.

So in other words, we've all had a busy week. Good thing I love my kids so much, because they can be STINKERS. Here's one last thing: Luke doing his cardio workout.

Must go clean up another mess now.