Life at Lothlorien

Turns out CC isn't as clueless as we thought. On Saturday, I reminded them that we were going to a birthday party. CC immediately looked worried and said, "Oh, Mama. We're going to the King's birthday. Since I got the Baby Jesus, I need to bring the cake." I explained that we were going to her friend K's birthday and that her mom would provide the cake. Ever since then, CC continually checks to see when she is going to need to bring the cake for the King's birthday. The phrase "next year" is just a concept that she doesn't understand yet. Right now, we're on "a lot of days from now" and "I will tell you when." I am doomed.

I feel like the world is back right. After being so ultra-proud of my 6-year old, he proved that he was still 6. Monday was the celebration of 100 Days of school and he informed me while getting dressed that morning that he was supposed to collect 100 things and bring them to school. I started to lecture him about doing these things ahead of time, when he reminded me that he had 100 marbles and that all we needed to do was count them out. So, I showed him how to count by 2s and make sets of 10s while eating his breakfast and we were done. It was just a relief to have him be a normal kid again.

I didn't even realize I was being manipulated until I got the rest of the story from my DH. We were tucking the kids into bed. I was reading CC's story. She only got one story because she wasn't brushing her teeth after being told several times. Dad was reading B's two stories. After I finished CC's story, she joined B and Dad and I went into my room to watch TV. B comes in a few minutes later and asks if I will read his second story because Dad's eyes are tired from the flu. I agree and read "Pinkalicious" to both kids (CC gets to listen to his story, but can't pick or interact -- that's the rule). My DH later tells me that B came up with the tired eyes reasoning second -- his first comment was to have Mom read his second story so that CC really got a second story, too. I have never felt so proud of being manipulated in my life.

I am still trying to figure out how I came to have such an amazing son. He has decided to do the laundry. He is 6 (almost 7). He has helped me with the laundry off and on. His loved sorting the colors as a preschooler. He has always loved adding the soap. Now, we have a front-loading washer and dryer with see-through doors, so he watches the laundry spin. Finally, I showed him how to empty the pockets and allowed him to pour the soap on his own and he just took off. He sorts the clothes, puts each load in a laundry basket, zooms it through the house, loads the washer, adds the soap, and starts it. He listens for the beep, moves stuff to the dryer, empties the dryer and piles it all on my bed. He collects dirty laundry and empty hangars. He wants to know what all the compartments on the washer are and how the soap actually goes in. He empties the lint filter. I feel I must make a video tape of this because in a few years he will never believe that he voluntarily did chores.

Today was Mardi Gras and I was a bit sad. We were supposed to spend the weekend in New Orleans with friends at the parades and such but, one by one, we all came down with the flu and had to stay home. The kids and I are all well; my DH is the final victim. So, to cheer myself up, I bought a King's Cake. I know that you are supposed to eat the King's Cake on 12th Night -- it was just the closest I could come to Mardi Gras (especially since I really couldn't drink Hurricanes on flu meds). The rest of this story is actually from my DH. The kids loved the King's Cake, of course, and wanted some of it for breakfast on Sunday. Dad agreed for a special occasion if they could answer his questions. I was proud of him for talking them through the tradition and meaning of the King's Cake and proud of their knowledge of things like: Who is the King of Kings? Who is God's son? Who came to visit the Baby Jesus? etc. Both kids want the Baby Jesus. At the end, Dad explains the