Tonight I had the honor of putting the sweet FIVE-year-old to bed for the first time. She was excited. It was a challenge. As we lay in the darkness, trying not to chat, she told me that sometimes it is better to NOT have a kid. She detailed the reasons why: some kids don't listen, some kids always run away, and some kids are j u s t m e a n .

Her Sweet, Sweet Voice

Mommy has been in Milwaukee for business for a long time, missing Genevieve more and more each day. Life with Daddy is so fun and action-packed, there has not been time to miss Mommy, so no need to talk on the phone, right?

Tonight, Daddy had a break. Gigi went to Aunt Kristen's house, her favorite place in the whole world. Mommy had an idea, a brilliant one at that: Call Kristen's house, but asked to speak to Lily.

After I asked Lily about her recent injury, I asked her to do me a favor. I requested that she let Gigi know how much I missed her, and give her a big hug. She put the phone right then, and did just as I requested. Then, she HANDED THE PHONE TO GIGI! Gigi took it without arguement and started chatting! Yay! She told me all about the really fun game they were playing - hospital iceskating in outerspace. Huh?

All Good Things Come to an End...

4 years, 10 months, and 15 days. It was great while it lasted. Tonight Gigi finally realized that she can get OUT of bed, A L L B Y H E R S E L F ! ! ! Sigh. Here we go. I had plenty of time to prepare for this epiphany, but in the moment I had no idea how to talk her back into the bed. We both lost our cool. There were tears, threats, and loss of privileges. Maybe she'll forget the discovery by bedtime tomorrow!

Halloween at Happen, Inc.

Happen Inc had the most WONDERFUL pumpkin patch of all! We selected our pumpkin for carving and found that it was prepared! No pulpy junk, straight to the fun part. Genevieve was an enthusiastic carver at first, but soon found it much more convenient to simply have me carve to her specifications.

Where does she learn these things?

As we were leaving Grammy's tonight, Genevieve raised a concern that we did not visit the ducks. Daddy told her that Grammy said the ducks were gone. Genevieve's question -- did they go on their migration? Really!

We passed a fancy candy store with a pig wearing a tophat. "Mommy - I just saw something really funny -- a pig wearing gentlemen's clothes!"

Maybe the tuition is worth it after all.

Sunflower Power

It's been a strange gardening year - cool, rainy. We had many "volunteers" (plants that come up that we did not plant). Mainly, sunflowers. They are huge, made John look like a short guy.

As an educational tool, John plucked the head of a big one for Genevieve to play with and learn about the seeds. The "head" of the sunflower is bigger than Gigi's (and John's for that matter). She has spent a great deal of time picking at it, making a huge mess (Don't worry, Mommy. I put my hat over it).

Today, she found a new use - Kings Island for bugs! Specifically, the little whip. The bugs had ride after ride.

She gave them quite a bit of variety -high, low, twirls, up-side down.

Kings Island Adventure!

At long last! She has been tortured with every trip to Aunt Kristen's, passing the "Tiny Tour Eiffel" and interesting-looking rides for over a year and a half. Finally, Genevieve got to go to Kings Island with Lily and Alex (Mommy, Daddy, and Kristen too)!

A picture paints a thousand words, but in some cases does not give the true representation of the day. Exhibits A – E, below.

It appears Gigi spent the day out-of-sorts and Alex spent the day smiling and waving. In fact, Gigi had a wonderful time! Lily had a wonderful time! Alex’s time was a bit more variable. He was not so enthusiastic about the rides, and protested often. However at the end of ride torture, he consistently announced “that was really fun.”

Lily’s favorite seemed to be the wave pool. Gigi’s could not be pinpointed so easily.

We Love Stricker's Grove!

This year's trip to Stricker's Drove was double-friends and double fun! Genevieve took Leela, and Rye came with his family and neighbor Alex.

Along with the usual rides, we were excited to learn that the girls were tall enough for the BIG rollercoaster this year! They rode it repeatedly. The other favorite was the ferris wheel.

Along with the rides, they got to enjoy all-you-care-to-drink soda. The special treat they chose (as if soda were not enough) was cotton candy.

Genevieve LOVES fruit. It is by far her food of choice. Today she enjoyed a pear. This is what she gave me when she was finished.

Yay! The pool is open!

What a fun day! Aunt Coney, Uncle Daniel, and Alice came to visit. We had a cookout at the Volz house, and headed to the pool for the first dip of the season.

Genevieve headed straight for the baby pool. After some convincing (and realizing that Lily was NOT going to play in the baby area), Gigi tried the big pool. She was very excited to learn that she was tall enough to stand on tip-toes!

Lucia arrived in an identical bathing suit. This was not the least bit interesting to Genevieve.

Lily and Genevieve got to stay up late and watch the fireworks from Kings Island.

Go Tim Caps!

We took a trip with the Hogans to the new ball park in Fort Wayne to cheer the Tin Caps on to victory. Genevieve could not quite get the name down.

"What are the called again, Mommy?"

"The Tin Caps."

Oh, of course. GO TIM CAPS!"

She sat next to TJ and talked his ear off. She May have fallen in luv just a bit too.

She was actually quite interested in the game (or sitting next to TJ at least). She enjoyed the bounce house and T-ball in the kids area. Daddy took her to the merchandise shop and offered her anything she wanted (earlier she expressed interest in a pink foam finger) from the store, or a snow cone. She picked the snow cone.

TJ got TWO game balls, and gave one to Gigi. The nearby tween-age boys were green.

After the game, players were available for autographs. I could not explain this in a way that made sense to Genevieve. I enthusiastically told her that the players would sign their names on her ball. She looked at me as if I were insane. She said it was HER ball, and she wanted to write her name on it. I had no good response.

We were also able to run the bases. Gigi LOVED it! So much so that she ran the bases four times.

Artist? Or complusive?

She started grouping found objects by color when she could barely walk. I thought this was a developmental milestone that was past. Today I looked in her “igloo” tent and discovered I was wrong. Green is the color of the day!

We have converted her! When Genevieve sees a "great Clips" she refers to it as Daddy's haircut store. Her "haircut store" is the salon where she had her first shampoo, cut, style, and manicure. She always objects when I suggest she can get her haircut where Mommy and Daddy do.

Today we made the transition with no arguement. I think the trick was letting her know it was time for a haircut while she was still groggy (or glurry as she puts it) from a car-nap. She was nervous because she loves her long hair. She said, "she can cut just the top hair, right?" Once in the chair she asked if the stylist was going to put her curls back in.

My Little Problem Solver

Such a big girl she is! Her helium balloon floated to the seiling, out of reach. Rather than call a parent. She moved a chair and got the giant "tweezers" (as she calls them) to pinch the string, and retreived it herself.

We celebrated cousin Crissy's birthday at Ault Park today with Aunt Sharon, Patrick, Aunt Ceci, Bobby, Pria, Crissy's friend Rob, and Grammy. Sharon brought a picnic for all. Ceci brought a delicious cake and toys. Genevieve had big fun walking over big rocks, swinging, and blowing bubbles with Pria.

She worked to engage Aunt Sharon in conversation. On question ammused us all - "Aunt Sharon, have you ever floated up in the sky withOUT using your imagination?"

Fake Fruit - Finally!

We attended a Peanut Butter and jam concert featuring a string ensemble, with special guests from the Madcap Puppet Theater. The story of the Gingerbread was performed. Although it was a “repeat” Genevieve found it just as hilarious as before.

After the show, we shopped at a nearby thrift store. Gigi’s big score? Fake fruit! Genevieve loves fake fruit (and real fruit as well). The first time she saw it at a craft store, she could not understand. It’s not real, but it is not for playing. What is its purpose? I explained that it is used for decorating (another concept she could not quite grasp). Since that time, she asks to decorate her room with it. At every visit to the craft store, she spends time looking at the fake fruit. Any time she discussing decorating her bedroom, fake fruit is always involved.

Daddy took her to the Earth Day celebration at Sawyer Point . She won some prizes (thanks to Daddy eavesdropping on the trivia questions), visited the petting zoo, and played on the big playground. She saw her friend Rye briefly.

Another Collection

Genevieve was excited to tell me of a new addition to her leaf collection (which I was unaware existed). “Daddy gave me a maple leaf! Do you want to see?” She took me to her room, and showed me her collection, showcased in a purple hat box. I knew immediately which “leaf “ Daddy had given her.

Like a Prayer

Genevieve has recently showed an interest in praying. She explained that praying is just talking to God - sounds like she is listening at Kid's Club. She recited a prayer, which I was not sure I heard correctly. However, at bedtime she said she like to pray. She instructed me to close my eyes & tuck my folded hands under my chin. Then, she recited the same prayer as before:

Love God (dramatic pause)
Help me (longer dramatic pause)
When my legs aren't working
And Jesus' last name,
Amen

Seems like a prayer with limited application - but I'm hardly a prayer expert.

No shaking, but a milk shake

Gigi is driven to distraction by "balleting." She wears tutus almost every minute she is at home (and sometimes outside too). She wants to be called Angelina (as in British mouse ballerina who wears pink). It seemed that going to a belly dancing class at Twin Lakes would be a no-brainer - Great outfits, dancing. WRONG! She was just plain mad that it was not ballet. She refused to participate. Grammy and Mommy tried the arms. Grammy had a fancy belt.















Her tune changed when Daddy suggested we walk to Steak and Shake for "happy hour." Milkshakes all around! Geneveive ate hers in record time and finished Mommy's too. She got a paper yellow convertible to assemble and add stickers. She decided to give it to cousin Alex, who was so pleased. Mommy was pleased by her generous choice.

Bowling With Grammy

Yep, you read that right. It's not the most likely Grammy and Gigi event, considering that neither really have the strength to lift a bowling bowl, and one is in a wheelchair - but that is just the event Daddy planned for Tuesday afternoon. It was Twin Lakes event that we tagged along on.

We were not sure if either would bowl, but both did! Grammy got two strikes, and Gigi got a spare. Genevieve's ball speed starting off was about 1.2 MPH, but by the end she averaged 2+!

A Helpless Nearly Four-Year-Old

She is REGRESSING. Is it all for attention? Is she developing new phobias?

She wants an escort everytime she goes to the bathroom. We question her to find out why, and the explanations vary, but are all far-fetched. She is afraid of the radiator pipe. She 's afraid the beds will vroom out of the bedroom and get her because they don't like girls that aren't beds (this is the most often-used reason). Huh???

She explains every night that she cannot go to sleep "without a parent." She would get a lot further if she used the I- cannot- go- to- sleep- without- my- beloved- mommy-dear approach.

Often, she tells Daddy she cannot eat her vegetables unless he helps her eat them. When he feeds her, the whole bowl disappears.

There is one area in which she is fiercely independent - her dress. Ugh. This is where Mommy would be happy if she were to remain little forever. She has some lovely clothes. With them, she creates some pretty dreadful ensembles. She believes they are beautiful. She always picks a bow to match - but often leaves it behind for her favorite pink polka-dotted one.