A Toy Story

Last week, I received a phone call from school.  "There's been an incident with Kacia.  We would like you to come in and pick her up."  In the background, I could hear Kacia yelling and crying, "I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!"

That was not a sick call or hurt call from the nurse.  It was the dreaded phone call for any parent, a 'your kid is in trouble' call.  But, she's only in kindergarten.  Oh dear....

This is the basic story.  Kacia brought a toy to school.  It was a small stuffed animal pictured above.  She was playing with it during recess.  As anything from home would, it attracted many of her classmates attention.  Her teacher then told her to put her toy away in her backpack.  Kacia went toward her backpack, then she hid the toy underneath her jacket, and returned to play.  A few minutes later, her teacher saw that she had the toy again.  So her teacher took away her toy.  (This is when it gets worse!) Kacia then leaps in attempt to snatch it back from her teacher, and inadvertently scratches her on the neck.

There she was sitting by herself in the vice principal's office, all sobs, taking up as little room on the chair as possible.  I imagine not too many school kids this age get called in to his office.  Such a foreboding feeling.  Fortunately her teacher did not get really injured, just surprised. (Whew!  I envisioned a severed carotid.) 

Kacia defended that her classmates told her they really wanted to play with her toy.  The vice principal was very diplomatic about handling Kacia.  He spoke to Kacia with remarkable patience, and said, "We all make mistakes.  I know you are very sorry.  But the important lesson here, is that we learn from our mistakes, and we do not repeat them.  Understand?"  She nodded and repeated his words.

I took her home, and she cried herself to sleep.  When she woke, she had to recount her ordeal to her father.  Then, when we went to fetch her sister from school, Anakai climbed into the car and said, "I heard you brought a toy into school and scratched your teacher on her neck!!"  Kacia burst into tears again :(

Kacia's new vocabulary words for today are: disobey, confiscate, and punishment.  She wrote the above letter 5X.  She will also have to give away the very stuffed animal that got her into trouble.  Many lessons were learned, at school, at home, and from her peers.  Mrs. Korn and I both agree, she will remember this for a long time.

Tardy Twice?

Yesterday morning, I received a call from school saying Anakai was late for class.  Hmmm... I only received one call, and no call for Kacia.  Anakai had a tardy call once prior.  I wonder what is going on?

I picked up the twinkies from school, as usual.  On the way home, I asked them my typical set of inquiries about their day at school, "What did you learn today?  Did you finish your lunch?"  They answered enthusiastically.  Then I got more specific, "Anakai sweetheart.  Were you late for class this morning?"


"No. I was not late. I went to my class." Anakai replied.
"Did you go the wrong way, like last time?"
"No Mama.  I did not got the wrong way.  I went the right way." 
"Did you go to the wrong classroom?"
"No Mama.  I went to the right classroom.  I'm in Ms. Pomerantz's class."


Hmmm... strange.  Then Kacia began to say something, "I have a new job in my class.  I am a messenger!  I am a messenger with Alejandro." How sweet,


"What do you have to do to be a messenger, Kacia?"
"We have to carry an envelope to the office, or another classroom."
"You do?!" I say in my ever adoring mama voice.

Then Anakai begins to talk to herself... I go to this hallway and I look in this corner room.  No, that's not my class.  Then I walk to another hallway and I look in this corner and.... no, that's not my class either. Then I walk to the other corner, then I look, and this one is my classroom!


Ah-ha!!!  It sounds like Anakai wanders around the school before going to her classroom.  I ask her, "Anakai, what is your classroom number?" She doesn't know the answer.  Kacia blurts, "My classroom is 10-105!" 

"Anakai, is your classroom also 10-105?"
"No! I am not in Kacia's class.  I am in Ms. Pomerantz's class!"
"That's right Anakai.  Your classroom is 10-101."
I have her repeat it back to me.

The next morning on the way to school, I asked her again, "Anakai, what is your classroom number?" She is correct, but I'm not convinced.  (This is the part where I come up with a brilliant mama idea!)

"Kacia, I have a job for you."  She's enthusiastic about being appointed a task.
"What's my new job, Mama?"
"You can be mama's messenger this morning.  Can you walk your sister to her classroom first, before you go to your classroom?
"Yes I can!  Anakai is in Ms. Pomerantz class.  That is room 10-101.  Then I will go to my class after."
"Perfect."

The End. Hopefully....

First Tooth

Anakai lost her first tooth!  She said it did not hurt, and she didn't even cry.  Buh-bye baby teeth, guess who's a big girl now?

The tooth fairy visited our home for the very first time last night.  I hear the current rate is $5 for the first tooth per kid, and $2 subsequent teeth.  FYI, Kacia's same tooth is a bit wiggly now.

In Our Bedroom

Everything is "twin size"

Here's a quick little story for you...

We assembled Anakai's "new" bed recently.  

"Can I sleep in your new bed, Anakai?" asked Lola Beth.

"No." Anakai replied,

"That's MY new bed.  

You sleep in your old bed.  

Because you're old."

Road Trip Recap

It was a very safe and uneventful drive south.  Thank heavens for that.  With three carseats occupying the back row, every inch of the boot cleverly filled with luggage and toys, and mom riding shot gun; I reflect on this travel adventure like a decorated soldier to his battle story.  It took us three days to complete the thirteen hundred mile passage from The Big Apple to The Sunshine State.  Three  v e r y   l o n g  days.

We were well equipped with all sorts of treats, tricks, and technology.  The kids had books, stuffed friends, snacks, DVD's, Leapster games, the windows for wondering, each other for sharing, singing, and sometimes quarrelling, oodles of time, and endless imagination.  I had TomTom, audio books, and my small dream catcher hanging from the rear view mirror.  (I figured out why I hung it there -- to help protect me if ever I fall asleep at the wheel.  That, and the Starbucks double shot helped greatly.)  Mom tended to all our needs - like snacks, drinks, tissues, blankets, gadgets, games, garbage, and the occasional referee-ing.

Here's my top three most memorable moments of this trip:

3.  Driving through the Shenandoah Valley at sunset, listening to the little giggly girls play a game of Hide-n-Go Seek with Mr. Sun.  Such a perfect driving game with the setting orange sun ducking behind mountains, then peeking out again.  It really made the kiddies laugh for many miles.  Which made me laugh for many miles too :)

Sometimes the sun's strong glare came right at me, and made it tricky to see the road - like in this pic.

2.  At dusk somewhere in the Blueridge Mountains, I pointed out to mom how the mountains looked very purple.  As in 'purple mountains majesty'.  She agreed in a whole new way.  Then told me that she once saw the 'amber waves of grain' in Wisconsin.  We even sang the song!

And my #1 Most Favorite Road Trip Moment, was also an Apology Award winner in the previous post, and is definitely worth the repeat:

Kacia: Ooowww!!  Mama!  Brittany bit me.
Mama: Brittany.  Did you bite Kacia?
Brittany: Yes.
Mama: Apologize to her.
Brittany:  I'm sorry.  I thought you were Anakai.

We stopped for breakfast somewhere in Georgia.

Thanks for tuning in and listening to me share the sweetness I feel from these girls.  Until next post, I'll leave you with this thought from my good friend Lia, "It's too early to start having a bad day."  

South for the Winter

We visited NY for our winter break.

Here's the fr-fr-frozen Hudson River.

 Where there's snow, build a snowman.

Here's our adorable stow away pretending to be luggage.

Here's two - I mean three - sleepy girls in carseats.

Best Apology Award goes to this conversation:

Kacia: Ooowww!!  Mama!  Brittany bit me.

Mama: Brittany.  Did you bite Kacia?

Brittany: Yes.

Mama: Apologize to her.

Brittany:  I'm sorry.  I thought you were Anakai.

Ahhh... back in the sunshine state!

Better to be at the beach with snowflake sunglasses, I say.

No ice burgs here, whew!

Weekend Scenes + The Dot. Story

We went to the beach at sunrise.

We went for a walk at Wakodahatchee Wetlands.  

I can't seem to get their smiles synchronized, so here are two pics.

It's "day #3" at school which means its a P.E. day.  We wear our school t-shirts (that are way too big even though its the smallest size they sold) gym shorts, and sneaky sneakers.

K+A just love kindergarten!  They are eager to learn, and are absorbing so much.  Kacia began spelling and writing her name before Anakai did.  Being twins, Anakai elected to copy her sister.  She, too, would write Kacia's name at the top of her page.  It created confusion for their teacher.

So the latest project for these identical twins is - writing ones own name correctly.  And also recognizing which one is their own name, and which is their sisters name.  Below are their names written correctly, by each twinself.  Something 'singletons' never have to go through.

Here's a quick story I don't think I've told yet.  Its one I will always cherish.  I'll call it:

The Dot. Story
When Anakai and Kacia began brushing their own teeth (probably when they were about three years old), I noticed they did not use the mirror.  They would just face each other.  I mentally categorize it in the 'ok that's probably a DNA thing.'  I encouraged them to use the mirror, and watch themselves.  Their own self, and how it is a tool to see your face.  One day, I watched Kacia looking at her reflection in the mirror, and she discovered her dot beneath her left eye.  She saw there wasn't a dot underneath her right eye.  She tried to wash it off, rub it, but it didn't come off.  That's when she showed me what she just discovered.  "Mama look."  pointing to it.  Anakai came by and also peered at what Kacia was pointing out.  They both looked in the mirror intensely and shrugged, "Mama, Anakai's dot is gone."

Since then, they've decided that Kacia has a dot, and Anakai's is simply missing.

Letter "Mm"

What are 6 things that begin with letter "Mm"?

And "Mmmmmrs. Service"

September Update

The long Labor Day holiday weekend up north in NY is usually symbolic of the summer season ending and the school year starting.  But here in south FL, the summer never ends and school has been in session for a couple of weeks already.  

Here's some of the latest in the twinkies' world:

Kacia's crayon drawing of the pool.

They've become little tadpoles in water.  They are getting more comfortable in deeper water, where I have to tippytoe.  (Being only 5' tall, I tend to drown standing in most wading pools and need a life vest for jacuzzis :)

Most important, they understand water safety rules, the respect for water and other swimmers.  K+A can hold their breath longer and stronger each time.  Their newest favorite game is a set of colorful dive rings.  I toss 'em in the pool and they dive for 'em.  (No pics/video of that, unless I get a waterproof mama-cam).

They love swimming so much that at home, they draw pictures of a pool and pretend their little animal friends are swimming in it.  They have a toy 'take a deep breath' then swim across the pool.  Sometimes, their toy coughs and needs to sit out poolside for a 'breather'.  They also tell the toys to 'walk walk walk no running' around the pool.

The twins love watching the US Open "tennis ball" on TV.  Kacia (the fashionista)'s favorite player is Venus, because of her beautiful dresses.  Anakai (the accesory queen)'s favorite is Caroline because of her yellow nail polish with matching panties.

[Note to Santa who might be keeping tabs on these twinkies by reading our blog: perhaps two tennis racquets for Christmas?]

Here they are eating donuts and holding a free balloon from the supermarket.  They call grocery shopping "going to the balloon store".

You know a donut was dropped on the floor, frosting side down, within seconds.  The nice part was watching Anakai share hers with her twin sister.  What a sweetie pie is Anakai!

This was noticed by this enamored gentleman nearby who took the liberty of getting her another one.

Gotta be grateful for good people on our planet.




And here's a couple of giggly girls with grapes.


Who tucked a grape in Kacia's back? 

Here's a clue: she's wearing blue.

Hair Cuts + A Popsicle Story

Ta-dahh!

Bubbles, bows, and a fresh hair cut at Snip-Its.

Now its time for a treat.

Oh to love a treat this much!

How yummy they make these popsicles look.  I fell entranced.  I watched the vibrant colors of these delectable treats slowly melt away.  That icy sweetness.  That sensational flavor.  I must have some!

I suggest, "Who wants to give Mama a taste?"  Suddenly the bestower of yummy-ness is invisible and incommunicado.   

'Earth to twins with popsicles.  Come in twins.'  Nothing.

'Hello?  Can Mama have a taste?'  Nobody.

Until, of course, they need to dispose of their sticks.  That's when Anakai, with her big brown eyes and her cherry flavored smile, wrapped her little arms around my neck to kiss me adoringly and say,

"I  l o v e popsicles."   (blink. smile. and hands me her garbage :)

Such is the life of a mama... always getting the stick end of the popsicle.  Sigh...

Got Twins?

At least this is more humane than papa's invisible fence for twin toddlers idea.

Short Tales

Wansaponatime there were three little girls all staying at their Lola's house in Florida. Here are just some of the stories...


A Sharing Saga
(Sound of Brittany whinning)
Beth: Brittany, what's wrong?
Brittany: Anakai won't share!
(Beth looks at Anakai sitting quietly two feet away, with her hands together.)
Beth: What won't she share?
Brittany: She's flying a pretend kite and I asked her if I can fly it but she said, "No"! (waaahhh)
(Anakai walks away, still flying her pretend kite.)
Beth: Why can't you fly your own pretend kite?
Brittany: I want her to play with hers, but she won't share (wahhhh...)
(Anakai turns around, and offers her empty hands to Brittany.)
Brittany: Thank you Anakai.

Tic-Tac-Toe
Kacia and Anakai began playing with the big tic-tac-toe board at the playground. They were both "X". Everyone won.

Breakfasttime
(Anakai and Brittany are both clutching the same bowl of cereal)
Mama: What's wrong guys?
Anakai: MY cereal!
Brittany: No, no, no, no.
Mama: Anakai, let go and sit in your own chair. Eat your own cereal.
(Anakai begrudgingly lets go, and sits down at her empty cereal bowl.)
Brittany: Hmph!
(Brittany then shoves the bowl of cereal to the middle of the table, away from Anakai.)
Mama: Brittany? you have cereal, now eat!
Brittany: I don't want any.

Letters
I was cleaning up a pile of styrofoam letters, when I noticed a letter had bite marks on it. I held it up to Brittany and asked, "Do you know what happened to this letter?
Brittany shrugs.
Mama: Are you sure you don't know?
Brittany: It kept going in my mouth.
Mama: It did?
Brittany: I had to bite it so it would stop.

A Pain In The Arm
Brittany: [whinning] Gramma, my arm huuuuurts...
Beth: It does? Then we'll have to take you to the doctor.
Brittany: Gramma! I can't find the pain anymore.

Frozen Frogs

We're finally "South for the Winter" and wouldn't you know it... its cold. How cold is it? So cold, I had to ask C to mail us our winter coats. So cold, it dropped to 34f degrees. So cold, it froze the oranges, stunned the sea turtles, and frogs. (They're really easy to catch now.) Here's a small, slow little brown frog clinging to the end of a stick.

surrounded by a swarm of pony tails in pink.

"Mommy, It's Stuck."

One of Kacia and Anakai's latest favorite activity is stringing together beads. All kinds to make into necklaces or bracelets. An activity every mama wishes for her sweet angels. Quiet. Focused. Sharing. Until Kacia points to her nose and says, "Mommy, it's stuck."

What is stuck? I mean, here I am supposedly monitoring and momming with complete attention.

Long story chopped, we had to call the pediatrician. We successfully dislodged a sparkly pink bead from my daughter face.

Keyless Entry

I just watched Anakai show Kacia how to unlock the master bedroom door from out in the hall using a toy shark. First she used its dorsal fin, but that didn't work. So she turned the shark around to use the tip of its tail. Voila! Anakai successfully turns the doorknob and quietly smiles to Kacia and says, "Shhhh."

A Snipit

Anakai doesn't even know how much trouble she's in.

Yesterday morning, I woke up to Anakai over me with a pair of scissors in one hand and locks of my hair - little baby fist fulls - in the other. I heard another 'snip' before I could comprehend what exactly was happening. It's when she held up her trimmings to show me - that's when I knew my nightmare cometh true. She gave me a haircut while I was asleep.

Thanks Anakai.

Silly Stories

There are so many little stories to tell. Here's just a few!

My friend Lia, Anakai, and I were sitting quietly in the woods on some rocks. Lia said, "I wish I knew where my 2007 tax returns were." Anakai replied, "I do!" "Where?!!" Lia asked. Anakai got up and proceeded to peek under every rock and pile of leaves, leaving none unturned.

Kacia was spelling out a word I pointed out to her, "L - O - V - E" That's right Kacia! After clapping and praise I asked, "What does that spell?" She enthusiastically replied, "Bear!"

When the twinkies say anyone of these three words: "frog" "fork" or "fire king", it often causes mild shock since it sounds much like cussing.

Kacia often talks in her sleep. I've even heard her giggle, then fall right back asleep. One night, she turned over and said, "Meeow. Meeeow." and continued sleeping.

When Anakai really really enjoys something she is eating (like chicken adobo or vanilla ice cream) she will get up and change her spoon to the biggest spoon she can find. Sometimes she uses a soup ladle for her bowl of cereal.

Kacia is really into the color blue. Especially straws. She will only drink her beverage if she has a blue straw. So we kept having to buy another pack of colorful straws just so Kacia can quickly use the very few blue ones. Anakai thought this unfair, and thus began the battle for the blue straw.