I Do Not Like Them Sam I Am

Posted on March 31, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

Yesterday Piper and Sissy went to a theater arts camp. The day’s theme was Dr. Seuss. They wrote their own scenes, designed their costumes, and memorized their lines.

After the play, they read all of Dr. Seuss’ books and did related art projects. One of the activities was based on “Green Eggs and Ham” and the girls made lists of “like” and “do not like.”

Here’s Piper’s:

She likes dogs, raspberries, goldfish, dogs, unicorns, chocolate, Iphones, books, gold necklaces, and dogs.

“I couldn’t think of anything I didn’t like, Mom,” Piper said. “I kind of like everything. It’s a beautiful world.”

Management Problem

Posted on March 29, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

When you send a Piper upstairs to get dressed in the morning, you have to be specific. “Go get dressed!” could mean anything. Piper gets distracted along the way. Pirates coerce her to join their marauding ways. Visiting aliens might attack. There may be kittens involved, even though we don’t have pets. But she will put on actual clothes. The task will be done. Just probably not to your expectation. Again, we may have a management problem.

Here is Piper’s idea of “getting dressed” yesterday morning.

“I’m ready to go, Mom! Today, I’m a cowgirl. And I’m saucy!”

Break Up

Posted on March 27, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

Maybe I should have seen it coming, but I’ve been in complete denial.

It’s more like a transition than a break up; hearts hurt just the same.

Sissy and Piper have slept together for years. They have their own rooms, but they’ve chosen to share the bunk beds in Piper’s room. Sissy has the top bunk. Piper burrows into a bottom nest below. Piper snores. Sissy has gotten used to it.

But over the last few weeks, Sissy has been sneaking out and going to her own room. It makes sense. She stays up much later. She likes to sleep in. She wants her space and privacy. Piper still springs out of bed with the sun. She likes to kick the top bunk and try to jostle her preteen Sissy awake so that she’ll play with her. Sissy is not as tolerant as she used to be.

Piper doesn’t quite understand the break up. The absence stings. Last night as I was tucking her in, Piper asked me to climb up into the top bunk. She just wanted someone up there while she dozed off. I found myself in a world of pink flowered pillows and stuffed animals. It’s a little girl’s world. Sissy isn’t much of a little girl anymore. My heart cracked a little, too. Then Piper called through the dark, “Okay, Mom. You can go now. I’m fine. Sissy’s just next door. I know where to find her.”

Winter Wonderland

Posted on March 25, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

It’s the first day of Spring Break. Piper and I opened up the window this morning expecting to see the buds of cherry blossoms. Instead we found this:

Piper said, “Those aren’t cherry blossoms, Mom. Everything is covered in marshmallows!”

Brain, Child

Posted on March 25, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

Guess what Piper is reading today? This.

http://www.brainchildmag.com/2013/03/something-borrowed/

Congratulations! It’s a healthy guitar.

Posted on March 23, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

There is a lot of music in our house. Piano, guitars, drums, flute, tambourines, bongos. It’s a noisy place. It’s a lot of fun. We’re working on our family band. A Piper loves her microphone.

Sissy got her very own guitar for her birthday this year. Last night while Sissy and Piper were sleeping, we hung up the guitars. When Piper came down for breakfast she blinked hard at the wall. Then she announced, “Our guitars had a baby!”

Let’s Make a Deal

Posted on March 22, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

Do you ever have one of those mornings when everyone wakes up late and grumpy ~~because we all stayed up too late watching basketball and no one bothered with the dishes or baths~~?

Then everyone is slow to the breakfast table. Sisters snap at each other. Parents direct and redirect and threaten. It’s not pretty. It’s not our best selves. Family and cooperation can be tough stuff, even when love fills your house.

But then, just as you’re combing the last pigtail and reminding everyone to brush their teeth for the twelfth time, a Piper gives you a kiss on the cheek and breaks through the whole morning rush with this:

“Mom, let’s make a deal. I’ll stop using my whiney voice and you stop using your angry voice. How about it? Deal?”

Deal.

March Madness

Posted on March 21, 2013 by melissa.scholes.young

Piper made her NCAA picks this week. She chose mostly based on the team’s mascots. She’s partial to birds, dogs, and cats, of course. After a lot of simulated animal noises to imagine the battles, Piper picked…Marcats to win it all. Meow.