Charlyn’s Web

Now honestly, see if don’t you think it would be pretty hard to be upset with this otter:

(Click thumbnail to see full-sized photo)

Col. Panic leaps out of bed each morning (not really but it sounds good) leaving me to rock in the waves of his departure. He enters the bathroom and shuts the door. I am prepared to quickly drop back to sleep. Sleep is important to me.

Then I hear it. The barely perceptable sound of feet on the carpet and the sounds of the bathroom door being opened.

“Hello Papa!” yells a little voice.

Groan.

Usually, I can go back to sleep, lulled by the sound of the shower but now my sleep is disturbed by an Otter singing.

Loudly.

Or talking.

Loudly.

Or laughing.

You get the point.

Then they emerge from the bathroom and she proceeds to help him pick out what he is going to wear that day. Sometimes she whispers.

Then they leave the bedroom and I am left in relative quiet, except for the occasional sound floating down the hallway. Then… they return!

One is inexcusably happy, cheery, even bright.

Disgusting. A Morning Otter.

Morning people. They are so…so….so peppy! How could this child be mine? And an Otter too? (here you thought she was a chipmunk). Otters are fun loving- as in not serious people. They laugh at many things. Apparently, they like MORNINGS and getting up early.

Groan. I don’t know where she got it. Not from me! It’s all the Col.’s fault.

Usually is anyway.

What 4 year old goes to McDonalds and wants a salad?

And what 3 year old gets chicken nuggets and then eats most of her Mother’s salad?

I don’t think it has to do with marketing or wrappers– they like salad. I’m surprised they like it over the other things they could get there though.

But I’m not complaining!

Our Chipmunk is a cute little thing. She comes and eats with us but not as often as she used to, once upon a time. This isn’t your normal Chipmunk who carries nuts and seeds around in her cheek to hide away somewhere for winter eating. No, this Chipmunk stuffs meat or carrots into her cheek and it’s not for winter chow time.

I try to help things out by cutting the meat really small but instead of chewing and swallowing one bite at a time; she stuffs all the small pieces into her cheek at once. Then chews. And chews. Chews some more. No swallowing though. This can go on for ages.

“Please finish your dinner.”

Chewchewchewchewchew….chew…chew.

Chew.

Chew.

“Stop chewing and SWALLOW it!”

Chewchewchew….chew…..

The cheek is sticking out about an inch. She’ll just sit there with the enormous wad in her mouth, chewing once in awhile.

“Try drinking some water and swishing it around in your mouth to wash it down.”

Chewchew- well, you get the point.

There have been times ***Gross out warning! Read at your own risk*** when we have given up on her and had her spit it out and she eats it for breakfast. Sounds harsh (and disgusting) but it doesn’t seem to bother her.

Like I said earlier, she doesn’t do it so much anymore- thank goodness! I don’t know what causes it- what would turn our lovely KJ into a chipmunk?

On the way to church KJ was singing a song of her own making. I tuned in long enough to hear this line warbled:

“My mind is goooone!”

Join the club. I didn’t think it would happen so young.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, LEMON, O, P……

We took our little Sunshine in for her 3 year checkup last week. She wowed the Doctor with her smiles and laughs. She was cooperative through the whole thing- even when the Doctor pulled some built up ear wax out. Our Doctor is moving out of the area and she will be sorely missed. We’ve been with her through all those infant check-ups, three times over. She sat through my list of questions with number one- once she was so anxious to see my list she grabbed it from my hand. (Tip for all Doctor appointments- make a list! I get amnesia when I enter that small room.) Some how the list kept getting shorter with each kid. She is verbal and we shared the same type of humor. Now, with fewer and fewer appointments ahead of us (Lord willing), we will not get to know the next one as well.

Anyway, how the children grow! For those of you who don’t have kids or for those that it’s a foggy memory- to monitor the growth of children they are put on a chart that determines what “percentile” they are in. If a child is in the 50th percentile then they are average- 50% of kids are shorter and 50% are taller.

Here’s the stats-

TG- 36 pounds (close to the 90th percentile) 40 inches (90th percentile)

KJ- 37 1/2 pounds (just under the 50th percentile) 43 3/4 inches (75th percentile)

HP- 62 1/4 pounds (just under the 90th) 53″ (4′ 5″- Over the 97th percentile)

KJ looks like she is still the “Pixie” of the family. As a perspective at three she was 30 pounds and 38 1/4 inches.

KJ was 2 when people started asking her name. She wouldn’t answer. I was busy with a 6 month old and realized that I hadn’t made sure she really knew what her name was. So I asked her- what IS your name?

“John.”

What? Thinking she said Sean.

“John.”

Where did that come from? Did she really think her name was John?

I asked some more questions and determined that she did know her own name.

But for the longest time she told people her name was “John” although most of the time people didn’t understand her anyway.

The other day at the breakfast table she asked why we didn’t name her Johnny.

I did point out that her middle name is the female Germanic version of John; otherwise it was just a dumb oversight on our part.

KJ has figured out how to pump herself on the swing! What fun!

Hans learned when he was a month from being four and he still loves to swing high- then jump out.

KJ is four and a half so she was a little slower in learning it but I also didn’t work too much with her on it. She’s been having fun swinging away out there.

The aliens have left. They were only here for a short while.

They flew off and took their politeness with them.

I am not sure if I am happy or sad.