Ramble

Well, I have to start somewhere. I am SO out of habit of getting on here. I have to catch the blogging bug again. Thought I'd just journal a bit to get me started.

Such a gorgeous day! I didn't leave the comforts of my own house and yard...and that's how I like it. First things first, Miss E called on her daddy to put up her new swing and trapeze bar. This was a bday present from her Papaw and Gramma that has been sitting sadly in the house for a couple of weeks. I tried to put them up in place of the old bucket swings, but it took a little more muscle and some tools I didn't have access to to get the old stuff off. Anyway, once they were up, there was no keeping E off! She swung and hung from her new bar all...day... long!! Didn't want to come in for lunch, or the movie (that A was watching) or anything else. She was such a trooper-trying and trying again to pull herself up on her own. And she figured it out pretty quick. Her first comment? "A (her BFF) will not believe this!! She is going to be so proud!!"
A has a trapeze bar that she can monkey around on pretty good, and E's still mastering the "steps". The first step, she told me, is to swing from your hands. The second step is pulling up to a sitting position. The third step is standing up. She just comfy enough at step two. :)
So E had a big day. So big, in fact, that I managed to fail in something that I'm usually fanatic about.
Sunscreen!
I did one application, but that was not nearly enough for today. The poor thing went to bed sporting red cheeks soothed with aloe vera. I feel terrible. Her first burn, I think. Not bad, as burns go. But man! That's my fault, and I hate it!

OK. On to Miss A. Poor little A. In recent months, A has developed a very intense, very real fear that has become quite the obstacle. This fear infringes on our daily routines, it trumps playdates and other usually enjoyable activities. And it just may be the beginnings of me going gray.
This monster that we just can't shake....is the wind.
Oh, the wind.
It terrifies her!
It causes such a hair raising, stomach turning scream from the depths of who-knows-where out of this child. If I could bottle it I know I'd make millions in the horror flicks.
And the fear is growing! Today, we're all out front, trying to get some yard work done. E is scooting/biking around. J is trimming hedges. And what am I doing?? Trying to accommodate this ridiculous beast!! I feel like I'm riding the fine line between recognizing the fear and feeding into it. I don't want to dismiss what she is obviously having trouble with, but My Gosh! she can't live inside for the rest of the windy season!
Anyway, A is freaking out, a minute into our front yard activities. She's been in all day whilst E ran around out back. But now that we're all out front, she needs to come too, right? Ugh.
She panics and tries to run back in the house. I try to help without totally giving in. Set her up a chair on the porch where she should be blocked from the wind. Now she cries and panics over seeing other things blow in the wind, and wants to save them, but can't make herself leave the porch.
-Let me say-today was not a windy day. As I told A, "it's just a nice breeze! It feels good!". Just so you're not picturing me forcing her out in a blustery mess!-

**Sorry-I have to throw this in-J just came down the hall to get me...holding a fly swatter like it's a baseball bat...apparently he just got buzzed by a ginormous grasshopper and needs my help.

OK. If you know me well, you're laughing right now. Hard.
Uh...and how am I going to be any help with that??
I guess just moral support....mission accomplished! hee!**

ANyWay.... I let her sit in the car. Windows down, so she doesn't melt. That didn't work either. Any breeze that came through the window set her off.
Long story short, I let her go in and set her up with a movie. I come back out to help in the yard. FIVE minutes later, go back to check on her...and she's asleep on the couch!! It's now 4:30 and waaaay to late for a nap, but I didn't have the heart to wake her. I gave her till 5 then roused her up. The poor kid!
Any suggestions from my few but loyal readers?? Heard of anything like this before? I'm sure it's a somewhat common phase around this age, but whew!! It's wearing me out!
I threw together dinner while J hung with the girls outside (the breeze had died down for a bit!), and after he drug them in for a bath...we had yummy bratwurst then played a fun board game, read a few chapters from the Magic Treehouse series, and hit the hay. E went straight to bed. A was up a bit later (as usual) since she snuck in a nap!
All in all, a great day.
If you made it through this...bless you! and--I'm sorry! :) I'll scrounge up some more interesting posts in the near future. I guess I needed a jump start to get back on track!