Hattie's babies

Elsie has never played with dolls. She doesn't trust them. Well, she doesn't like their eyes. Since she was two, she has bunched up her baby blanket and called it "Baby Pinky." And she treats it just like a baby, feeding it a bottle, rocking it when it cries...but there is in fact no baby in there. Just the blanket. She got a doll last Christmas at the Harrington Christmas and the eyes would open and close and she got one look out of the wrapping paper and cried right in the middle of gift opening. Dolls are just not her thing.

So I have been so surprised and delighted by Hattie's love of dolls. We had three dolls that she would hold every so often, but then a few weeks ago our neighbor girls invited us over to see if we wanted any of their playroom toys that they were going to give away. We came home with an incredible amount of toys, and mostly dolls (5!) and doll gear: a double stroller, high chair, carrier, and rocking cradle. Honestly, I was most excited for myself. I love everything that we got to bring home!

When we got home it was Hattie who started putting the babies in the stroller and walking it around. She shoved one baby in the high chair and gave it the play bottle. She calls her bottle her Na, and she kept saying, "Na! Mama! Na!"

As it turns out, she calls all of her babies Mama. And she plays so hard. She moves them all around and now that her babies are up in her room, she gets them situated and then reads a book in her chair.

I'm so delighted by her playtime. And in a surprise twist, Elsie has joined in, following Hattie's lead.

no, how about...

Elsie would like me to play with her every minute of every day. She is my sidekick and gladly helps me with my jobs so that we can play house after. I have tried to explain that we are actually living house together every minute of every day, but clearly that is not the same as playing house.

So today, like most days, I decided I would play with her for 30 minutes, uninterrupted, exactly as she wishes. No diversions, no phone, no trying to sneak out of the game. I would be in it fully. Here are the highlights:

E: How about this is a ship and Hattie is the mom and we are the little sisters. How about I just caught this salmon and we are making it for dinner. 

B: Sounds great. I'll put it on this fire I just made.

E: No, how about I already cooked it, so you just have to cut it up.

B: Okay. I'll chop it up and give it to Mama to put on our plates.

E: No, how about I put it on the plates because I caught it. How about I do all the cooking and cleaning because I love it. Actually, how about I am the Mama and Hattie is the baby.

B: Great thinking. I love that plan. How about I have to go change the baby up in her room and put her in an outfit for the day?

E: How about the stairs are a mountain, and so you only need a water suit to swim to the stairs and then you climb to the land that is upstairs. (once upstairs) Hey Ivar! Do you want to play house with us? 

I: Sure. Let's pretend I am the bear that is sleeping through winter. And this closet is my cave and I build legos in here all winter long. (clever kid. I take note of his clever ways...)

E: Great! 

B: I have the baby changed, Mama. Let's go back to the boat.

E: No, how about you don't say that. I say that. Because I'm the Mama. Let's go back to the boat kids!

B: Thanks Mama. I love having you as the leader.

E: How about this is your bed I just made for you and you love it. No, how about your head goes at this end. So turn around. And let's pretend it's winter so tomorrow the water will be ice and we will ice skate! How about the baby is always wearing her water suit so if she walks off the boat she doesn't drown or anything. How about she is a baby who can even swim! 

B: That is a safe idea. 

E: How about when you were sleeping I went to get more food, and when you woke up you were sad because you didn't know where I was.

B: Mama? Where are you? I can't find you and I feel sad. 

E: No, how about you don't cry that hard. You just say the words. And how about when I come back you are so happy to see me.

B: Mama, I am so happy to see you! I felt sad when you were gone and now I'm so glad you're back.

E: You don't need to feel sad when I am gone. I am here now.

I could go on and on and on and on and on and on. Because this went on and on and on and on for 30 minutes. You might be interested to know that the bear came out of hibernation and proceeded to terrorize the people on the boat and that this new story line was not received well by the captain of the ship. 

Elsie is a riot. I love her so much. And I knew I had to write this one down because these are the days to remember. And what feels like monotony today will surely feel like magic down the road.

Every and Blowa

Somewhere in that sea of children is a father who is adored by his kids. 

Well, I'm blog-logged. I feel like I have so much to write and say, and don't know where to begin. For sure I have two big posts in me: one on all the emotions we felt during the birth of our adorable goats, Cici and Presh. The other post will be on my amazing weekend trip to Seattle with my sister, folks and brother to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday. Those posts are being held up because I think I threw away the cord that gets my pics from my phone to my computer. I'm sure I could use the cloud or something fancy, but I still regularly use my CD player-boombox that I got in 1999, so I just need to find that cord.

In the meantime, I just want you to know that my kids are really into playing house and that for three days in a row Hattie has been assigned the role of the grandma. She has a stuffed animal the is Grandpa. And she can be a cantankerous grandma so I hear a lot of "No! Grandma! Stop pulling the roof off! Now go take a nap again!"

And I want you to know that Elsie woke up yesterday and told me she wanted to "go to lots of different places for just a short time." I told her that was called running errands. But that wasn't it. She said, "no. it's like when we go to Cub, and the bank and another store. I just love that!" I confirmed that is definitely called running errands. And she said, "Well that is what I want to do today then." So we ran errands.

Also, Elsie decided the name for the new baby will be Blowa if it is a boy. Her exact quote (and she is so quotable lately...) was, "It rhymes with Noah, a good Hebrew name." Where she got that, I will never know, but she is right. If it is a girl, Ivar has chosen Every, straight out of his reading book. When he read "every" he stopped and said, "oh that is pretty. we should name our baby that if it is a girl." Blowa or Every. Rory and I have a few other options up our sleeves...

And here's the father, peeking out of the children...

a baby goat is born!

I was dreaming that I was back at Gustavus, moving into my dorm room with my roommate Jill. And then Rory knocked on the dorm door and asked if I wanted to grab dinner with him at the caf. I was processing how fun it would have been to be in love in college, sort of thinking about the dream while I was still in it. It was one of those perfect dreams with no conflict, and so, so good. We walked outside and Gustavus took on some Ivy League campus in the fall, glorious and stunning. And Rory took my hand and we started walking towards the caf. And then from a far away land, I heard that same Rory whisper-yell, "BECCA! THERE IS A BABY GOAT!"

I woke up so confused and listened to my six year old jump off his bunk and pound his legs down the stairs yelling, "I'm coming Dad!" And moments later I heard the front door slam and shake the whole house. 

I thought some more about my dream and realized that even though I didn't get Rory in college, I get him for the rest of my life. 

Elsie came in my room and reminded me that this is the day she wants to stay in a "cozy bath all day, except for mealtimes." We went downstairs and watched the baby goat and mama's in their goat pen on the live stream Rory has hooked up. And after her cereal, we ran her cozy bath. 

You can watch the fun too! I believe this is what happens when you mix a computer programmer with a hobby farm. Rory has set up a youtube channel to watch the goats. Precious is the newest mama, and Ivar thinks her baby will be named Presh. Which is presh. And Darcy is in full labor as I type this. It should be an exciting day of viewing! 

YouTube Live Stream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nObZbwcPjF4

I don't know when I've ever been so amused...

Oh my word this blows my mind. This is hilarious. And we could probably make a killing hosting this in our barn but we most definitely will not. Because it is absurd. And weird. And goats poop and pee all the time, as they will. Thank you Kathy, for sending this on to me! I have not laughed so hard in a long, long time!