the great preschool search

So we are planning on putting James in preschool this fall to get him ready for Kindergarten. I really wanted to put him in a program similar to the preschool lab we had Sam in at Upper Darby High School. The problem is, the program at Strathhaven HS only allows for 15 kids, half girls, half boys, and kids in the program the previous year get first pick. That basically leaves only a couple of spots which are filled by pulling applications out of a hat. Ugh! So I have begun a preschool search in the area trying to find 1) somewhere that is close 2) somewhere not outrageously expensive (yeah, I know, good luck with that) and 3) somewhere that still has openings. Pretty much all of the four year old programs in the area are already filled! So far James is on two waiting lists.
So after calling and emailing programs friends had recommended, I did a google search for preschools in Wallingford and started calling. Well, Friday I got a call back from The Pumpkin Patch Preschool. Their program had seemed pretty nice online so I was waiting to hear from them. However, as the woman on the phone was giving me directions to come for a tour, I realized I had made a big blunder.

Me: Now where are you located?
PP Woman: Just down Route 5 across from the shopping center that has Lowe's and Home Depot.
Me: Huh. (Figuring out why Rt 5 doesn't sound familiar at all) I didn't realize there was a Lowe's there. I'll talk to my husband and we will get back to you.
PP Woman: (Not realising that anything is off.) Ok. Bye.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Philly suburbs I will clue you in on the problem. There is no Route 5 in the area- none, zero, zip, zilch. Apparently in my haste to find a school, any school, with open spots I contacted a school in Wallingford, Connecticut! Umm. That is a little too far a commute for my taste.

I think I made the Stupid List with this one!

It's a pin!

Samuel had his first win this weekend! We were starting to lose hope that he had any of John's wrestling ability at all- and maybe he doesn't, but at least he has a win. I don't know who was more excited about it, John or Sam. Of course they did have to import a wrestler from another county to find one as inexperienced and carefree as Samuel. I have spent all week trying to figure out why I can't post the video. When I figure it out I will let you know. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. The ref is cracking up through the majority of the match. Something about 5 year olds trying to wrestle and grinning from ear to ear at the same time...

marker mania

Sundays are the longest day of the week for our family. Mostly it is because John has all of his meetings for high council and has to visit other wards- which means I am on my own with the boys all day. I'm not complaining, it is just how it is.
Anyway, when John got home around 2 yesterday he went upstairs to take a nap because we had all had a long weekend and he had been up since 6am. I set the kids up at the table with paper, safety scissors and markers so they could make light sabers to their hearts' content then laid down on the sofa so I could put my feet up. I, of course, promptly fell asleep. When I woke up about 45 minutes later, the house was in pandemonium. The boys who were arguing over who got to use the tape dispenser, had cut several pieces of construction paper into little tiny bits which were strewn all over the kitchen table and floor. Under the paper the table was covered in red marker, James had apparently run out of paper had continued to create masterpieces without it. As I was drying James' hands off after scrubbing them to try and wash off some of the "washable" marker, I noticed that he had marker all over his feet as well.
"James, honey, what did you do to your feet?"
James looked guiltily down at his ruby colored toes, "I'm sorry Mommy, I was trying to trace my feet with the maw-kers and I couldn't do it right."
I searched the floor for any James sized marker footprints but am happy to say this experiment must have happened before he ran out of paper.
Whew! Sunday makes me tired! Or maybe it is the two kids...

super sniffer

I have a superpower. Every time I am pregnant I develop an extraordinary good sense of smell. I have no idea why this happens, but there is no escaping my super sniffer. For instance, if someone is eating peppers within a five mile radius, I know it. My kids are no longer able to sneak treats in the kitchen; even if I am in the attic with the door closed not only can I smell them in the kitchen, I can tell you exactly what they are into. So stinkers beware! If you have any odors you are trying to hide make sure you stay a good distance from me.

And if you happened to skip a shower or two, for mercy's sake, my stomache is still delicate so unless you want to get bowled over as I make a mad dash for the porcelin god, keep away!!!

the name game

With the new baby on the way the boys have already been discussing what to name her- I say her because they are convinced she is a girl -we don't have any proof yet. Samuel was set on Obi Wan Traverso until I painstakingly convinced him that Obi Wan was NOT a girls name. ("What about Obi Wan with the long hair down?" James confusedly asked. "No, not even then!") So then we ran the gammut of Star Wars girls characters and the boys, with John egging them on, came up with Asouka Tanno Ratto Traverso, compliments of Star Wars the Clone Wars.
Shoot me now!
Anyhow, I am not really sure the boys (all three of them) should have any say in the matter of naming the baby. After all, when presented with the opportunity to name their stuffed animals, Samuel came up with Marty Stripes and Marty Zebra for his zebras and Aaron the Elephant (Aaron pronounced AA-Rin); while James came up with the stunningly clever Lamby the Sheep and Lamby the Lamby for his Lambs and for his new dragon webkinz, what else but Dragon the Dragon! Not to mention that Samuel was lovingly referred to as Bagel in-utero while James was auspiciously called Wookie. Both courtesy of John.
I think if it is up to them we will end up naming our new arrival Baby the Baby or Girl the Girl.
Maybe I should invest in a Baby Names book.

new lingo

We finally broke down and bought James a webkinz this weekend. He is so excited I don't think he has stopped smiling for two days. Due to the webkinz the kids have developed a new lingo. Just before dinner tonight Sam announced, "Mom, I am so hungry I am down to a 72." (Referring of course to the hunger meter on the webkinz website) James chimed in, "Well, I'm a five!" I laughed and fed them dinner. As they were washing their hands James said, "Now I am 100." Samuel nodded in agreement, asking if we could play with the webkinz online...again.

banana bread and froot loops

Oh, the joys of pregnancy! Like many moms-to-be I have morning sickness for the first 16 weeks or so. This time around my doc prescribed this amazing anti-nausea pill that does a great job of quelling most of the sickness. However, the baby is already picky (definitely a member of our family) and food which is ok to eat one day is not any good the next- with two notable exceptions: banana bread and froot loops (without milk of course). So if you stop by our house, we may not have real food to offer but there will be no shortage of banana bread and froot loops...if I feel inclined to share.