Something Unsettling Has Happened

Four and a half years ago when they came to live with us, #4 looked like this:

Little, messy, cute. You can also see her in my header picture above: I’m in the Mustang with #3, #4 and #5. She’s wearing the same shirt and I’m not entirely convinced the pictures were taken the same day. I think she wore that shirt all week.

This week I turned around and saw this (and, of course, snapped a picture):

Umm, yeah.

Kids grow up. I get it. I’ve seen it happen and every parent seems shocked when it happens to their kids. But here’s the thing: I’ve watched her four siblings change too, and that didn’t surprise me.

#5 is exactly like his Dad. They both value making people laugh, bacon, and boobies. Every change in #5 brings him closer to that.

From the very beginning I could see the spark of who the three oldest girls were becoming. The opposite of an afterimage. I merely stood by and witnessed. Cool, yes, definitely. An honor.

But not exactly surprising. More like watching an image coming into focus, like on a Polaroid. You know it’s coming and it’s fun to watch the edges sharpen, the color blossom, the picture become clear.

Maybe it had to do with their ages when they came to us. Maybe it’s more about this one being the most ethereal. The one most likely to be taken by elves.

But this one, this #4.

I didn’t see it coming. Caught me totally off guard.

She had a choir concert this week, that’s the reason for the dress. I was putting her to bed that night and I told her how pretty and grown up she looked. She said, “I know, it’s crazy, right?” She then proceeded to tell me not to worry, that I would only see her dressed that way for 5th grade promotion (in a couple weeks), 8th grade promotion, her prom, and high school graduation.

I’m glad she stopped there. That was all a bit much for me. She doesn’t even wear a bra yet.

Oh, thank god. She’s still in there.

What It Is, or How Simon Discredited My Mother.

I’m a little afraid to post this. My mom might get mad. More than anything, I can’t stand it when my mom is mad at me. No wait, I can’t stand it when she’s disappointed in me more. But mad isn’t good either.

I was seeking the appropriate link to serve as proof of the proper name of the Mystery Utensil when Simon’s comment came through about it being a butter pick. And I was like, yeah, it could be a butter pick. And then I couldn’t find a link to prove what my mom told me it was.

But I totally found a link that says it’s a butter pick. Check it out.

Mom told me it was a pickle server.

Maybe I heard it wrong. Maybe it’s my fault. “Pick” and “pickle” are so very close. Or it could be an intergenerational game of telephone; I believe this was my great-grandma’s. Perhaps through the generations “butter pick” morphed into “pickle server”.

Or, maybe it’s multi-functional. Because I found this link to a very similar item that, while different, is quite clearly labeled as a pickle spear.

While I am convinced that it would work quite nicely as a butter pick, it also is perfect to spear pickles:

Which is how I used it on Memorial Day. Which made me happy. So there.

Meanwhile, I discovered that it is possible to get many other nifty utensils in my silver pattern, including a bacon fork.

Simon, if my mom yells at me, I’m sending her your way.

It All Started Out With Bad Directions

#1 had a doctor’s appointment today and I looked up the directions for her. In my defense, I didn’t do anything to her that I wouldn’t have done to myself. Had it been me driving, the same thing would have happened. Well, up to a point anyway. She got lost, missed her appointment, and it’s my fault. So here are some pictures, a little visual salad of my past week, while I wait for her to find her way home again.

#2’s Choir concert. She’s in the front row on the far right. She was good, and she looked like she was having fun up there (neither one of those really comes through in the picture). I harassed the tech guys (adults) at the booth during intermission and gave them our info in case they need any help. They looked kinda relieved. I’m not quite sure what I’ve gotten myself into.

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Casey, listing to starboard on a basket of clean laundry. She gets more sausage-like every day.

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Gratuitous Tiny Nephew baby foot picture.

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These are shots of the room that #3 & #4 share, before we spent a few hours on it. Believe it or not, this wasn’t that bad. We gathered four baskets of laundry, two bags of trash, and two bags of donations.

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Action shots of the puggles unmaking my bed. Casey wraps up like a burrito and Jack jumps on her head and then they bite each other’s faces through the bedspread. Neat.

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Picture my sister sent me on my phone. Look familiar? Slightly-Larger Nephew strikes again.

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Herbs that CC planted before work. This makes me very happy. We have a bajillion deer and planting in boxes on the deck is the only way to keep plant things from being eaten prematurely by animal things that aren’t us.

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And finally, the silver Mystery Utensil my mom gave me for Mother’s Day (I had to have my sister mail it to me because I was flying with only a carry on bag and I was sure it looked weapon-like, considering how bothered they were by my tea canister on the way out). I know what it is only because my mom told me when she gave it to me. This thing was the highlight of my Memorial Day. Anyone here know what it is?

That’s all I got. Happy Wednesday!