March 12, 2007 by Barbara.

For a Monday, we read many books but I had trouble focusing settling down tonight and so this is just a list:

• A Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle;
• Beans on Toast - Paul Dowling;
• Shiny Dinah by Susan James;
• Soft Shapes: Seasons by AnnMarie McLaughlin;
• Mama Loves You by Caroline Stutson;
• Baby Caillou Time for a Bath, a book for babies but Reid still enjoys it;
• It’s Quacking Time! by Martin Waddell, about the excitement in a duck family as they wait for and then watch a duck hatch. I talked with Reid about our excitement waiting for her;
• Where’s Spot by Eric Hill, it’s got flaps (do all Spot books have flaps?);
• One Nosy Pup by Carol Wallace;
• Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too by A.A. Milne, customized by Ken to include Christopher Baskin Robin and other novel twists;
•  Dr. Seuss’s ABC;
• He Bear, She Bear by Stan and Jan Berenstain;
• Pigsty by Mark Teague; and
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems.

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March 12, 2007 by Barbara.

On Saturday morning, Reid and I met Amanda for breakfast at Cora’s. It’s not a fancy restaurant but you do need to wait to be seated. We were early but I figured Amanda might have gotten there even earlier since she doesn’t have a tyke in tow. Now this is where I often have trouble. When we met, Amanda had blond hair but it’s been brown for at least four years. I have trouble remembering that and often describe her as blonde when asking for her at restaurants. On Saturday, though, I was visited by a flash of brilliance. I asked the hostess if she had seated a woman that looked like me. The woman grinned and knew instantly where to take. For those of you who haven’t seen Amanda, I’ll state the obvious, she looks a lot like me. People often ask us if we’re sisters or assume we are and speak to us accordingly. It was funny and effective.

Once we established that if Reid didn’t want to sit against the wall, I got to get in first, we settled down at the table. I ordered a breakfast that came with one egg, a cinnamon bun done as french toast and a great big mound of fruit. I, of course, gave Reid the egg which she quickly ate and then looked reproachfully at me upon the news that there was no more. She ate some cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes before noticing that I was dipping my fruit in English cream. I offered her some on her plate but she refused. Reid appropriated the little pitcher and a strawberry which she shoved down into the pitcher before proffering it and immediately going for another piece of fruit. As Reid held out the kiwi chunk, with English cream dripping from the second knuckle on three fingers and a thumb, I convinced her that I didn’t need anymore fruit. She is just too helpful, that girl of mine, but still I diverted her to eating some of the cinnamon bun.

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March 12, 2007 by Barbara.

Reid noticed the cookie cutters on Friday and wanted to play with playdough. I could find only one small tub and so I told her to come to the kitchen and we would make some. She was all over that, as they say. We measured and mixed and then waited for the playdough to cool enough that we could work the food colouring in. Reid chose yellow and green but I wanted red and blue and so I made a second batch. Reid kneaded her lumps a bit but didn’t work the colour all of the way through and she didn’t want me to help. And that’s when I discovered I have a hang up about evenly distributed colour in homemade playdough. Reid finally decided to go wash dishes. I was so happy, didn’t mind the thought of wiping the floor at all - I had the playdough all to myself! I also added peppermint extract to the red and blue and almond extract to the yellow and green because I don’t like the smell otherwise. I got the idea from the Web - where else?

We now have vibrant red, blue, yellow and green dough in sandwich bags in the fridge. (I don’t want it to spoil any faster than it has to, though we did have fun making it.) I think Ken may think it a bit strange but then, I suspect he thinks many of the things I do with Reid are a bit strange but since they’re not harmful, he doesn’t protest.

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