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Overheard in Missoula
I'm stirring my iced tea at Liquid Planet, waiting for a bagel to toast. Two young women approach the counter.
...The taller one, "Um, like, I have a question? This is gross."
...Cute, confused counter guy, "Uhhh, okay.... what's your question?"
...Taller one, holding up her iced coffee conconction, "No, I mean this is gross. It tastes, like, wrong! Like coffee or something!"
...Cute, annoyed counter guy, "Yes, you ordered an iced mocha. That's chocolate and coffee mixed with milk..."
...Taller one, clearly baffled, "Yeah, but, like, it's got a gross aftertaste!"
...Cute, patient counter guy, "Like, coffee?"
...Taller one, triumphant, "YES!"
...Cute, lauging counter guy, "Hmmm...."
...Taller one, angry, "Well, it's gross..."
So posts are going to be a little lean 'round here for a few weeks. I've got to get myself better-minded and cross off a couple "shoulds," which right now includes blogging. Madeleine is having some problems with her friends and we need to work on it. She's also still very clingy when most of her peers are becoming more independent and she's not as happy in general as I know she can be. Some have said it's just being 4-ish. I wish I knew. Any of you with kids have any thoughts?
Here are Pooey and Teeners pictures, taken with my new camera phone. I love my new camera phone. Maybe that's Tiny's issue. She's got sibling-to-a-camera-phone jealousy...
...The taller one, "Um, like, I have a question? This is gross."
...Cute, confused counter guy, "Uhhh, okay.... what's your question?"
...Taller one, holding up her iced coffee conconction, "No, I mean this is gross. It tastes, like, wrong! Like coffee or something!"
...Cute, annoyed counter guy, "Yes, you ordered an iced mocha. That's chocolate and coffee mixed with milk..."
...Taller one, clearly baffled, "Yeah, but, like, it's got a gross aftertaste!"
...Cute, patient counter guy, "Like, coffee?"
...Taller one, triumphant, "YES!"
...Cute, lauging counter guy, "Hmmm...."
...Taller one, angry, "Well, it's gross..."
So posts are going to be a little lean 'round here for a few weeks. I've got to get myself better-minded and cross off a couple "shoulds," which right now includes blogging. Madeleine is having some problems with her friends and we need to work on it. She's also still very clingy when most of her peers are becoming more independent and she's not as happy in general as I know she can be. Some have said it's just being 4-ish. I wish I knew. Any of you with kids have any thoughts?
Here are Pooey and Teeners pictures, taken with my new camera phone. I love my new camera phone. Maybe that's Tiny's issue. She's got sibling-to-a-camera-phone jealousy...
posted by Mignon at 11:54 AM
LOVE the movie star glasses. Watch your back, Dakota Fanning!
Sorry to hear you won't be around - please hurry back, and good luck with Madeleine.
See, Quinn even agrees with me that his toes are delicious!
I'm sorry to hear that Madeleine may be going through a tough time. I'll be thinking of your family. I hope everything gets resolved soon, so that you can come back to blogging a lot!
Pooey does look more boyish with the new hair.
Good luck with all the mommy stuff. I wish I had some ideas for you... my best guess is that she can sense the changes coming that I'm sure are stressing you and Jim out and it's bothering her too.
I think about you every day. I know it's really hard right now. It gets better, I promise.
Four year olds experience what I like to call the "puberty" of the under 10 set. I taught four year olds and I think it is one of the toughest ages - EVER(aside from real puberty). I went back to Infants after a year with 4's.
By 4, girls have learned that their words have power - and they begin to exert that on other girls around them. They are also socialized enough to know that they can't ( or shouldn't) just punch the offending girl in the chops. There is also a hormonal surge that happens at 4 - a growth spurt. Lots of tears and drama.
Plus, they are at the concious crossroads of being a little kid and being a Big kid. They want both things.
One of my favorite books is "Girlfighting" by Lyn Mikel Brown.
Hope this helps Mignon. It is normal, but that doesn't make it easier.
And Pookie just knows that toes are delicious...and someday he won't be able to do that, so he's got to get it all in now!
I can tell you that four is a tough age. They're like sponges. They want to know everything, but they also think they already DO know everything. They want to be BIG KIDS and do more...but they're frightened of the larger world and all of the things they don't know about it. And friends...well...making and keeping friends means a bright four-year old like your daughter has to be able to find another kid who is just like her. Anything else is just too frustrating. More independent kids are scary and babyish kids just don't work out either. There is a remedy. Here it is: KINDERGARTEN. Until then...things can go either way from day to day. Godspeed and good luck, my friend.
Ditto on the four year olds. My son had a lot of anxiety and suddenly couldn't bear to be separated from me. My daughter, who is normally almost TOO sweet and cooperative, was stubborn, hard-headed and constantly wetting her pants.
There's a book by Louise Ames just on four-year-olds. Check it out of the library.
Well crap. Spawn is turning four next month and I was so looking forward to it. Potty training is done, the terrible twos are done. Easy peasy, right? You've all blown my idyllic dreams of a four year old.
I suspect TB might be on to something. They tend to absorb all the stress around them like sponges.
oy. blogging. it is SUCH a smug, time-hogging lover.
I'll miss you. I mean, I know you're not gonna disappear permanently, but -- still. I can always count on your blog for some soul-food-reading. Your shit never stresses me out - it just makes me feel all warm-fuzzy-like. I equate reading your words to eating chocolate.
How's *that* for a send-off, eh?
Oh! and I almost forgot - no, we weren't dining at your beloved CnS the other day. We were in Sellwood, at a super-average mexican restaurant, Cha Cha Cha. it wasn't first choice, but you know how it is with the kids. ya gotta take what you can. bleah.
Thanks for sweet email. Its such a shock.
Cute pics. Even though it looks like Q is chewing his toenails.
Did the woman ever figure out she was drinking coffee? What did she think she was drinking? A margarita?
Poor dim mocha orderer. Had a hankering for chocolate, didn't like coffee, and foolishly ordered mocha. "Um, like, I have a question? This is gross." Classic!
I have blocked out my memories of Ben's age 4. I think it was much improved over age 3, which was particularly hellish, and easier than age 5, which involved the huge transition to full-day kindergarten. I'm looking forward to his entering first grade, and I don't want anybody to tell me if 6 is a tough year.