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| Post-office party, all fancied-up and full of love |
Here we are, riding the crest of mid-December. At present, we are trying our very best to keep up with the many festive demands and traditions that come with this action-packed month. This has all been carried out while under the influence of varying degrees of snot and sore throats and whatnot -- annoying conditions that might slow us down in measly old November, but certainly not now. Not with so much at stake. But first, let me back-track, as I realized I never did post the golden annual school shots!
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| Juniper, Grade ONE. |
So, Juniper. Let's analyze this photo shall we?
Point #1: Check out that razzle-dazzle background we've got going on. Was that our only option? Hell no. There were any number of different choices, ranging from tried-and-true blue to "at one with fake nature". But Juniper would settle for nothing but the fanciest choice - and in this case, that meant the glimmer and sparkle of jewel tones. It is now on record for an inevitable discussion, years hence, when I get admonished for choosing the crazy psychedelic backdrop. I had NO SAY in the matter.
Point #2: The outfit. Oh, the outfit. Juniper and I went on a special trip to a relatively upscale consignment shop one day in the lead-up to photo week. We perused her size section for EVER, and proceeded to take about 6 dresses to the change room, tried them all on, and debated for some time about the best choice. It ended up being a heavily sequinned, frilly, short-sleeved black number, appropriate for a 6-year-old piano lounge or some such. But it was very important that this be the dress for photo day. Seeing as it was short sleeved, Juniper grabbed a heavy brown sweater as she flew out the door, putting it on inside out, no less. Then - guess what? She forgot to take the stupid sweater off for the actual photo. I #$*t you not.
This photo (and its back story) really sums up so much about Juniper. She is highly opinionated, frequently obstinate, and very passionate about most things in her day. This has led to many a "For the love of God, Juniper, just STOP arguing for the sake of arguing!" , and the exasperation that goes along with it. Nothing really matters all that much in the end, but it sure does matter in the moment.
And just when I think I have her pegged, she confounds me. We just finished reading Anne of Green Gables, for instance, which she LOVED. But we got to one of the very last chapters, where (SPOILER ALERT!) Matthew dies, and I just couldn't get through it. I knew what was coming, I'd read it about a million times myself, and I just bawled my way through. Juniper, who usually feels every story she's ever heard with crazy intensity, waited dry-eyed and somewhat impatiently for me to get on with it. At some point about half-way through, she said
Juniper: "so, is Matthew going to come back to life?
Tara: "ummm - no, sweetie, he's dead"
Juniper: "is he going to turn into a Zombie, then?"
Tara "----- ? What? Are you - what? No. He's dead."
Juniper "Oh."
And that was that about that. Juniper did not shed one tear for poor old Matthew. I'll be interested to see if the same is true when we watch the movie. I'll keep you updated.
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| Linden, JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN |
There isn't really much to analyze about this photo. There is, if you look closely, a mark on Linden's face, that would have been a VERY evident scrape had the photo been taken a few days prior. Likely there was another to take its place somewhere else a day or two later. So the fact that this is a relatively unblemished school photo is a small miracle. Currently, Linden is nursing some cut gums and sore front teeth from tripping on his way in the front door and smashing his face into the steps. But he keeps on truckin'.
Linden is... well, Linden. Hilarious and frustrating; incredibly sweet, and a downright devious imp. Some quotes from the last week or so:
Scene: Driving home one evening. It is dark. I notice Linden has his eyes closed - a relatively common occurrence these days. He tends to fall asleep 4 minutes before we get home in the evening, and then becomes a bear to try and get to bed. (Or he stumbles sleepily inside and then smashes his face into the stairs, as detailed above)
Tara: (loudly) Linden!!! Wake up!! We're almost home!
Linden (nothing)
Tara: (shaking his shoulder as best I can from the front seat) Wake up!
Linden: Shhhh, mom. I'm awake. I'm just imagining what I would do as a superhero. I can only imagine the best with my eyes closed.
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Scene: I hear some loud words coming from downstairs. Clark is clearly frustrated with Linden for something or other.
Tara: Linden, it seems as though Daddy was upset about something you did - is that true?
Linden: I just don't know the truth anymore.
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Scene: Linden emerges from the playroom, and comes to the table for supper
Linden: (proudly) I am an ARTIST!
Tara: That's true, Linden -
Linden: (interrupting) and a LEGO-IST! An artist AND a Lego-ist!
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Scene: In the car, after school
Tara: Linden, how was your day? Who did you play with with?
Linden: Oh, I don't like playing anymore.
Tara: What do you mean, you don't like playing anymore?
Linden: It's boring. Sooooooo boring.
Tara: Is that so? Then what do you enjoy doing instead?
Linden: Tidying up. It's the best.
(bulls&*%t)
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Anyway, I might as well also detail the crafty, holiday merriment that has been going on this week. Exhibit #1: Erin treated me to an early birthday present, in the form of a felting workshop with some lovely ladies. Here is the end result, whom the kids have christened "Lucy";
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| Lucy: she has a big nose, but a warm heart! (she's about 24cm x 12 cm or 8.5in x 4in) |
Exhibit #2: The annual gingerbread house. This is quite a labour-intensive tradition, which, from candy selection, to dough-making, to shape-cutting, to assembling and decorating. takes about 3-4 days. But yesterday was the big finalé, and we invited our friends Tim and CarolAnne, and their 1-year-old son Oli, to help out. This meant that there was always a large decorating contingent at the table, and 1 or 2 others following Oli around in his exploration of the house. It was, as Juniper declared, the "best day ever".
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| Oli: lounging, munching on a drill, contemplating life, and keeping it real with a small paddle |
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| The last stages of house assembly |
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| Linden, carefully decorating his very own house |
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| The finished product: One *sweet* gingerbread villa (complete with a little graham cracker house Linden made at school) |
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| Important close-up of a VERY creepy snow-man |
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| Juniper's innovation: a pretzel soccer net. |
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| Old grandma giantess (with a candy-cane walking stick), who stands by the clock-tower, and shouts the time at the villagers below. I did not make this up. |
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| And finally: the kids nestle in as Clark reads them our brand-new book: CarolAnne's Oli's Ocean Adventure, hot off the press! |
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