Samantha's first blog

pamelamyers | August 30, 2013

Sam put on her first puppet show last night. Where she got the idea, I don’t know, but we did our best to accomodate her request. She has these popsicle stick things that look like people that she is always asking Mark and I to draw on, and she has quite a collection of people and animals now.  She used those for her show.  We took a great video of her doing it that I wish you could all see because the pictures don’t do it justice. It was one of the most adorable things Mark and I have ever seen her do. The show went on for quite a while (probably about 5 minutes, which is actually a long time for a kid her age). She kept coming up with all these scenarios and each puppet talked in the highest, squeakiest voice she could muster.  All her animals seem to talk in that high squeaky voice. When she seemed to be taking a break, I clapped and said it was a great show and she’d peek out over the side and say, “It’s not done!”

Here are some pictures of her show. I love how creative she is now. Her mind is just exploding with imagination.

Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment �
Tags:

pamelamyers | August 26, 2013

Sam has been acting out a bit lately, being really defiant and bossy. I am sure it is totally normal for her age, but it is infuriating for Mark and me. Last night she was really acting up and the last straw was when she was mimicking me. You know how kids do:

Me: Sam, get in here and clean up these toys!

Sam: No, you clean up these toys!

Oh, I don’t think so. I had just about had it and flipped out and told her she was punished, and that her punishment was that she was not allowed to watch TV the next day. We talked about it for a long time after that, about how it is disrespectful to me to imitate what I say like that and that although we have fun together and we are friends, more importantly, I am her Mommy and a grown-up and she has to do what I tell her to do. She told me that she can’t wait to be big like Mommy so she can be boss.  I told her, yes, when you are a Mommy and have a little girl or boy of your own, you can boss them around too.  Go for it.

I really do think she mostly understood why she was punished. Mostly. She apologized, and asked me if she could watch TV before bed. I told her no, and she very calmly told me, “Mommy…I am talking nicely…I am not yelling, I am being good…” and so on. I had a hard time making her understand that, yes, it was a very good thing that she was being respectful and nice, but she needed to understand that her actions have consequences. That maybe next time she wants to act out, she will remember, hmmm…maybe that is not a great idea because last time I wasn’t allowed to watch TV. I put her to bed really early and she fell right asleep.

This morning, I stuck to it even though she asked me a hundred bajillion times if she could watch TV. I kept telling her no, and that I had to stick by my word or when I tell her next time she is punished it won’t mean anything. Mark mentioned to me early today that this punishment is like punishment for me too and I agreed – I probably let her watch too much TV but wow, it is nice to get her to settle down and be quiet in front of one of her shows while I eat or something like that. But, I kept distracting her with other things and I have to say, she made it through the day with flying colors. She did ask me occasionally if she could watch TV but when I said no, there were no fits, no crying, no yelling, nothing. She was so very good. We accomplished so much – she played with a lot of her toys, and she even helped me wash my car. I didn’t even let her play with my Kindle, or my phone or any other electronic device, since I figured that was just about the same as TV.

I finally told her that if she kept being a good girl I would let her watch TV after dinner, since that would be a full 24 hours without TV.  I let her watch a show, and let her pick, and she picked Curious George, one of her current obsessions. Interestingly, she watched it and when it was over, that was it. She didn’t ask for more, she just went off and played. I was pretty impressed with my girl today. I think we both learned a few things. Maybe TV won’t be so important to her, and maybe I can turn off the tube more often. Wouldn’t that be something in this day and age?

Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment �
Tags:

pamelamyers | August 24, 2013

We spent another fun day at Tyler Arboretum. We really do love that place. It is always a good time. Today was the Butterfly Festival which is the day the butterfly house is closed and they are all set free. In retrospect, it was not necessarily the greatest day to go since it was mobbed (we usually are there when no events are going on) but there was a lot to do to amuse Sam.

There was an exhibit with some cool bugs – Sam actually touched this African millipede or whatever it was. It was huge! I touched it too, it was just really smooth, not wet or slimy or anything, but I was proud of her for doing it since he looked kind of gross!

We stopped at the pond, which is always fun. Only once we saw a frog on the edge but every single time we go she has to look for them. I always think maybe we will get lucky, but not this time. Mark brought the binoculars though so Sam could get a better look at the turtles, which are always sunning themselves there.

As you can see, Sam loved them!

Mark’s parents came along this time, which was really nice. Sam got to show them all of her favorite places in the park.

One of Sam’s favorite places is this little house that is full of books. Each time we go, she makes me read at least one or two.

Sam wanted to read The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. I started reading it, but boy, that book is long!

Ah, the frogs. Sam loves the frogs. Hopefully, she won’t have to kiss too many as she gets older before finding her prince. She deserves the best, after all!

We were in the vegetable garden and Sam found some cool things. I think this was a seed pod of some kind.

Of course, Sam had to bury it so it would grow. It is hard to explain to her about plants sometimes – what grows when picked, what doesn’t – but she tries all the same. I think it is good that she at least tries to understand and respects nature.

Mark found her this tiny little watermelon. She was so excited about it that we had to go back and see it quite a few times.

Last stop was the benches next to the fragrance garden, another favorite spot.  Sam specifically asked me to take her picture here. As you can see, she posed pretty nicely!

Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment �
Tags:

pamelamyers | August 22, 2013

Today was Zephyr’s 15th birthday. Sam always helps us to celebrate in style. Here are some pictures from the party.

Sam drew all the decorations and taped them up herself (although I wrote the Happy Birthday sign). She said they had to be down low so Zephyr could see them. She also added some silk flowers that were part of her never ending collection of stuff she assembles from store floors.

A smooch for our number one kitty. 🙂

And a biiiiigggg hug!  Poor Zephyr, always getting smooshed.

Sam helped me pick out Zephyr’s cake at the supermarket. I usually make an angel food cake since Zephyr likes those, but this year we just had no time, and Sam would have been disappointed if the cake had no frosting! Zephyr was happy with the tuna I put in her bowl. Sam insisted we had to get the cake with the balloons on it that she saw when we were shopping. She was very definite about the cake.

Yum! Blue frosting is awesome! Happy birthday, Zephyr. We love you so much and hope we have a million more birthdays to spend with you, our sweet little tabby.

Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment �
Tags:

pamelamyers | August 21, 2013

Sam LOVES construction vehicles, especially bulldozers. Aqua, the water company, has been digging up the street that intersects with ours since May and they have been parking the construction trucks at the library across the street at night. When Mark last took Sam to the playground, he let her climb aboard! Boy, was she excited!

Mark said she wanted to look inside the cones to see what was in there.

The experience certainly gave new life to Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (which we read almost every night at bedtime). I love that, as girly as she can be, she is a bit of a tomboy inside.

Category: Uncategorized | No Comments �
Tags: