The Swine Flu strikes the Thomas Clan....well, kindof

The Mighty Raptors had a huge tourney planned for this weekend in metro Bham. SEVEN of the Might Raptors, Myself, EK, MikeyT, and Unc were all scheduled to stay the weekend with my in-laws. We had it all planned. They kids were excited. Mikey T was excited. Emma Kate was BEYOND excited. MeMe and Hoppy were.......well, even they were excited (and scared!!!).

Then this text message came early this morning.....

"Tourney postponed--swine flu....."

Yep, it seems Hoover High School, one of the hosts, decided against germs from 11 year old boys from all over the state and beyond to converge into their gym, and the other hosts soon followed suit. Probably smart, but devastating to this chic......

Another Video...

Here EK sings her all time favorite, Itsy Bitsy Spider. For some reason, she loves to sing in the bath. She sings the entire time she is in there. She gets stuck in this song and sounds like a skipping record. Please excuse the end where she tries to eat the washcloth. Gross.

Bodda Getta

If you know Auburn, you will (kindof) recognize this. If not, you still cannot deny the cuteness of a two year old's voice. Just listen.

Thank you, Growing Room

I am not, and never have been, a breakfast person. Don't eat it. Don't like it. Not a fan. I generally don't even get hungry until lunch time. Look--stop yelling--I know it is not healthy. I have always known it and I am working on it, with help from the growing room.

I know I brag about this place to the point it is annoying. But come on, they feed my child two times a day. TWO TIMES. Hot breakfast. Hot lunch. That is more than she would get from me in the morning. I think two days a week of fruit loops, with or without milk, is enough. Seven days of that would get old. But thanks to the growing room, she gets a HOT breakfast 5 days a week. Included in my weekly tuition. SCORE.

But, that is not all. Growing Room feeds ME. Every morning, they offer me coffee, ice-cold OJ, and some sort of muffin, bread, pig-in-a-blanket, or fruit. I usually grab my OJ and run, but today I did a double take. Today they had these......

Warm, gooey and De-Lish. So, thanks Growing Room, thanks for feeding my child twice a day and thank you for my OJ and SINamon Rolls.

Disney on Ice

For months now my two friends, Alicia and Allyson and I have been planning on taking our tots to see Disney on Ice in Montgomery. We have talked and planned like we were invading a smallcountry. We have gotten our three girls together a lot--play dates at the park, dinner at Alicia's, trick-or-treating on Toomer's Corner. But this was going to be the first time we traveled, in one car, together with three very spirited two year olds. Emma Kate is the oldest. But she doesn't go to school every day with the other two and she sits back and watches long before she engages.

Mary McKinnon and Emma Kate share Sunday mornings together in their nursery class at church. Mary McKinnon is the spirited one of the bunch and keeps us laughing.

Ella Grace is the youngest, not quite two yet. She is sweet-natured and could give you puppy-dog eyes that would make you give her a million dollars. But, let's face it--they are three two-year olds. We were excited and anxious at the same time.
We decided that we would (of course, these are my sewing buddies) make them matching Ariel outfits. They were too cute! We met at Allyson's house and started the task of installing three massive carseats into Allyson's Tahoe. How many moms does it take to put in a carseat? Three. Two to install the carseats and one to try and keep the toddlers from running into the street.
We were successful and so we piled all three girls into the car---with poor Alicia in the wayyyy back. We popped in a movie for the girls and headed to Montgomery. We got there in plenty of time, but since the girls wanted to hold each others hands as we made out grand entrance, we missed the first part of the show with featured the Cars cast. The girls had no clue so it was ok. The usher took us to our seats and---SCORE--Allyson hooked us up with floor seats right by the ice. No one in front of use and we could literally touch the characters as they skated by. We had pre-packaged snacks but we did opt to get the girls each some toy from the over-priced vendor. Emma Kate got some three foot Ariel flashlight for $18.00 that she hasn't picked up since. She also go a $10.00 bag of cotton candy (after she spilled her animal crackers on the floor when she was watching Simba the lion do a triple axle), but it did come with a cute Tinkerbell hat.

Emma Kate knew some of the characters, but since she doesn't watch TV, she didn't really know the stories. She had never seen the Lion King or Tinkerbell, but she did know who Ariel was. She was consumed by the show---they all were---and they were perfect for the entire time.

After it was over, we headed to Red Robbin because the girls and the mommies were starving. As we were leaving, a stranger stopped me to tell me how well-behaved our girls were. HUH??? Do what? Are you serious? I had never heard that from a stranger before? I guess he didn't see Emma Kate and Mary McKinnon argue over the dum-dum suckers. Or maybe he didn't witness when EK threw her crayons on the floor and had a mini tantrum because she didn't want to sit in the high chair.

The girls were really good and we were all pleasantly surprised at how easy the afternoon was. We were sure the girls would fall asleep before we hit the highway, but much to our surprise they were still awake as we pulled into Allyson's driveway. While we unloaded carseats the girls ran inside to play. We mommies were ready for bed, but I really think the girls could have played for another two hours. Emma Kate has not stopped talking about "dose yions, dat one yion is bad wif dark hair," or "tinkerbell fly over my he-ad!"

We cannot wait for our next adventure with our double-named friends!!

Momma's Girl

Travel around the States Day at school--she was Texas

Since the day Emma Kate was born, she was a daddy's girl. Emma Kate's list went something like this...

1. Daddy

2. Hoppy

3. MeMe and MaMa

4. Sissy

5. Unc

6. Joseph-the cousin

7. Lucy--the dog

8. Bean

9. Markers

10. Candy

11. PlayDoh

12. Gummy Bear Vitamins

13. Her DOCTOR (although, she is a pretty great doctor, Dr. Williams)

13. Amy (me.)

It was pretty sad. But, it didn't bother me too bad. I knew I was the one that was usually signaling bed time or washing her hair or telling her she could not put marshmallow creme in Lucy's ear canals or run across Veteran's Parkway during rush hour. I understood that one day she would look at me in a whole new light, like I now look at my mom. One day, it would hit her like a ton of brinks and she would have that "A-Ha" moment where she realizes that moms do all that stuff to protect their children (ok, and pets).

But-WATCH OUT--over night my child has become a momma's girl. Literally. She went from calling me Amy (see earlier posts) to referring to me as Mommy. But she never really called me mommy. She would just bark orders at me or point at me. But, the other day, out of nowhere, she started calling me "momma."

Momma, come sit here momma. Or Momma, pay wif my hair momma. Or I go to the store wif momma, momma.

She is my shadow and she wants me to be around. She wants me to do her hair, sit by her, play a game with her. I don't know what changed, but suddenly I moved to the top of the list. THE TOP. (OK, maybe still behind Hoppy.)

Maybe because I got her some squeaker shoes that squeak every time she walks. Maybe it is because I took her to Disney on Ice (More later). Maybe it is just because she realizes that I am her only momma and she'd better be nice to me ;-)

Whatever the reason, I am eating it up.

Grandparents...

Grandparents are special. I know this firsthand because I am lucky enough to still have three of mine here on this earth!

My Ma-Ma and Pa-Pa are amazing. I like to think that I am like them-- (and like my mom) smart, funny and down-to-earth. I strive to be as frugal as they are, but fail miserably.

My grandmommy (AKA Bean) is probably one of the strongest people I know. She has seen considerable loss in her life; she has endured more than most people ever could imagine. She has lost a son, a husband and a grandson all too early from sudden accidents. Another son nearly tore her family apart, but she has managed to hold on to those she loves dearly. Her faith is amazing and I strive to be as loving as she is.

I only knew one of Mike's grandmothers, his Dad's mom, Emma Katherine. Emma Kate is her namesake and I am privileged to have known "Gan" while Mike and I dated in high school.

Emma Kate is blessed to have three very fine grandparents of her own and I cannot explain how much I lean on each one of them.

My mother, living down the street and all, loves Emma Kate (and my nephews) and gives selflessly to them. She sees Emma Kate at her worst, quite frequently (late afternoons--see earlier posts), and she still offers to get her from school every afternoon (after she has been surrounded by 100 tenth graders all day, ugh). Emma Kate is not always pleasant to her MaMa but Emma Kate is always welcome at her house and she knows it. That is a huge source of constant comfort to Emma Kate (AND ME!!).

On top of that, my grandparents and mom pulled Ashley into our family as if she were blood the day Mike and I were married never thinking for once that she was any different than anyone else in our family. They have loved and treated her like she was my own biological daughter and for that I am forever grateful.

Mike's mom spoils Emma Kate and Ashley like it is her job! I have no doubt that if it were an option, she would quit her job, move to Auburn and keep Emma Kate full time.....and like it! Her granddaughters are her pride and joy and they will never fully understand how much MeMe has sacrificed to keep them happy.

And finally, Hoppy. Emma Kate is madly in love with her grandfather and I am pretty sure the feeling is mutual. They have a special bond that will never be broken. That is the one person that Emma Kate has never shown her bad side and probably never will. At one point I thought it was because she shares Hoppy's momma's name or because he pretty much has the monopoly on the grandad thing, but I don't think either of those things is really it. I think they are just kindred spirits. Hoppy works hard and is a quiet soul, but his girls (Ashley and Emma Kate) are the joy in his life.

I know this is a bit mushier than my usual posts, but we were talking a lot about grandparents today in the office and when you hear others talking, you realize that what you have is special.

So--to PaPa, MaMaG, Grandmommy, MaMa, MeMe and Hoppy--thanks for everything you do for Mike and Me and especially our girls!