Category: Kids

It’s not easy being green (belts)

 

Yes, we had our green belt exam yesterday. And since we’re all now wearing green belts, it appears as though we passed. You’ll note Kyra looks less than enthused. The exam was tiring and all she wanted to do was go home. I look a little dazed. Andrew, I think, is contemplating sparring (which he gets to do now that he’s a green belt). 

I’m glad the only item on the agenda today is a play with my mom. And a little writing. And some laundry. Okay, so that’s more than one thing on the agenda. I’m going to quit now, before I add even more items.

A nose for eggs

I do this every year. Every. Single. Year. I hide an egg right here:

And every single year, it’s one of the last eggs that the kids find. This year? Andrew was at the mantelpiece–the egg not three inches away from his nose–going through the stacking dolls as if I could’ve hidden an egg in there. And I stood there and repeated, “Your nose, right in front of your nose. Your nose.”

Eventually he got it.

“To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle”
— George Orwell

The weather is brilliant here. Usually it’s raining/snowing and freezing. And since Miss B had the extremely nutritious breakfast of chocolate bunny, I think maybe I’ll take the kids outside for some vitamin D. Plus, we need to get into walking shape for the Walk for Animals this year. 

Hope the weather is as nice where you are. Happy Spring, everyone!

Unpacking the weekend

Oh, it’s busy here at Chez Tahmaseb.

 Last night, after Kyra’s ballet:

  • Dinner at the Chinese place inside the grocery store (mmm, orange chicken)
  • Target for a birthday present.

Today:

  • Birthday party, a three-hour birthday party.
  • Panera, up the road from birthday party (mmm, Panera). Writing will occur.
  • Boy Scout dinner (mmm, unspecified Boy Scout food) after merit badge weekend (Andrew is earning the crime prevention badge, but I keep referring to it as crime scene investigation–Boy Scouts do a lot, but I don’t think they do that much.)
  • Shopping–Kyra and I have made the executive decision that we need new spring styles.

Sunday:

  • Play with my mom
  • New swim lessons for Kyra, at the same time as the play–still working on how to manage that one
  • Banquet for Andrew’s swim team (mmm, pasta, and why we need those new spring styles)

In which Miss B says the b-word

So, last night, the kids were squabbling. I wasn’t paying too much attention since it was one of those fights that eventually wears itself out, but apparently it was about which one of them was the bigger tattletale.

At one point, Andrew told Kyra: “You’re a snitch!”
She responded with, “Well, you’re a bitch!”

Cue the sound of brakes squealing. I’m pretty sure Andrew and my facial expressions were mirror images of each other.

“What did you say?” I asked Kyra.

Here’s the thing: She didn’t know and given our shocked reactions, didn’t remember. She was going for the rhyme. She could have easily called Andrew a ditch, or a witch, or some guy named Mitch.

She just went with the letter B.

Now, we’re not lax about language in our house, but we are open about it, at an age-appropriate level. So, naturally, the sort of conversation I have with Andrew about language (and I think it’s important to talk about such things) is much different from the conversation I’d have with poor Miss B.

We had a quick talk about why we don’t use that word. She’s aware of other words we don’t use, but I’m pretty sure this is one she hasn’t heard before, at least not in our house.

Then, very inappropriately, Andrew and I started to laugh. And had a hard time stopping. We probably should’ve left the room, since poor Miss B was so chagrined.

But then we cooked some scrambled eggs and pizza for dinner and all was forgotten.

Still, I’m eternally grateful they weren’t having the sort of conversation where Andrew might have called her a duck.

In which I once again reveal my mash-up addiction

I wonder if you have to be a certain age to enjoy this. I thought Andrew (aka classic rock kid) might. He does like Metallica and has Enter Sandman on his iPod. His response when this was done:

“It’s weird.”

I, on the other hand, love it. Love. It.

Not only does the band in question, Rock Sugar, have this mash up, it’s apparently what they do. All mash-ups, all the time. Dude. Even better, they’ve taken Madonna’s Like a Prayer and combined it with AC/DC’s Shook Me All Night Long. Definitive proof Like a Prayer should’ve been a heavy metal song all along.

I tell you, these guys are genius.

So, if you’re of a certain age, enjoy:

In which Van Halen (almost) makes me drive into the garbage can

First, let me tell you about the best thirteen dollars I’ve ever spent.

For Christmas, I bought Andrew a stand for his electric guitar. I don’t know what it is about having it out and perched on its stand, but he plays it all the time now. Maybe pulling the guitar from its case is simply too arduous, or it’s merely a case of out of sight, out of mind.

Guitar stand = best impulse gift idea ever.

Plus, guitar on stand looks really cool in our living room (yes, the living room; we’re informal, at best). I keep expecting Mick Jagger, Ric Ocasek, or Billie Joe Armstrong (pick your era—or in my case, it’s all three) to stroll in at any moment because the guitar looks so awesomely cool just sitting there.

I can hardly stand it.

Anyway, Andrew is a real classic rock kind of kid. He knows the opening to Smoke on the Water, and Sunshine of Your Love. Naturally, once he learns Stairway to Heaven, the trifecta will be complete.

So given this, it wasn’t all that strange when, on the way back from guitar lessons, the conversation turned to Van Halen.

Andrew: Mom, do you know this Van Halen song? It goes Na na na na Na Na.
Me: Is it Jump? Na, Na na na na na Na Na na na na.
Andrew: No, that isn’t it.
Me: Panama? Na na na Na na na na na na
Andrew (sighing): It doesn’t sound like that at all. It’s Na na na na Na Na.

I ran through my (admittedly) limited repertoire of Van Halen songs (and is it really a Van Halen song when they were fronted by Sammy Hagar? Or was David Lee Roth the worst thing to happen to Van Halen. Discuss on your own.).

Me (trying again): Well, can you remember any words?
Andrew: Actually, I’ve never heard a Van Halen song.
Me: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were in the driveway at this point, and OMG, y’all, I nearly drove into the garbage can.

Me (after a deep breath): Why are we having this conversation?
Andrew (after a giggle): Long, convoluted explanation involving a rerun episode of My Name is Earl.
Me: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andrew: And Mom, you really don’t know how to Na na na a song.
Me: I’m revoking your TV privileges.

We’re golden!

Yes, it’s true. We had our test for gold belt today. Here’s how we did:

Andrew is actually more excited than he looks in this picture. Kyra’s mood = her expression. For some odd reason, my hair is poofy. The best part was Kyra’s face while she watched the mother/daughter black belt duo perform their self-defense moves.

Now I think a nap is in order.