This praying mantis landed on our back step one day last week. We were all fascinated. It was the biggest mantis I’ve ever seen. Bella picked it up on a stick so we could see it more clearly.
Our next door neighbor had several trees removed today. It was very exciting with all the big trucks, including a huge crane that lifted the trees over the roof of her house. It was sad too to see all those lovely maples taken down before they’d even reached their full glory. Somehow that seemed worse than taking them in the summer.
Of course I totally gave up on our morning math and reading routine. School books simply cannot compete with heavy equipment. I know when I’m licked. Instead I did five or six loads of laundry, including the sheets from my bed, cleaned the kitchen floor and the microwave, and then did Sophie’s math and Bella’s reading lesson during the afternoon nap time.
Bella said that when one of the trees is cut down it makes a little wind. Like the other trees are sad to see it go and crying. I think she’s been dwelling in Narnia quite a bit of late. She later said that yesterday’s high wind storms were like the trees knowing in advance that some of them were going to be cut down and they were mourning.
Bella asked for a lollipop for her cough (special cough drop lollies on a stick) and I said sure. Then Ben came in and said the cutting down of the trees was making him sick. At first I thought he meant he was sad. Then he started coughing and Bella started chuckling and said, “I see where he’s angling.” Indeed he was angling for a lollipop too, “The tree dust is making me cough.”
Lucia has become an expert pickpocket. So far she’s lifted my iphone and several used tissues from my jeans pockets. The tissues are really the icky part. I’ve pulled about five of them out of her mouth today. Many of her older siblings are very bad at remembering to throw them away. Just ick all around.
Lucia has also become addicted to tapping on my laptop keyboard. She has, of course, discovered caps lock.
And she is now fully mobile, having overcome her uncertainty about thresholds and transitions from carpet to tile and “wood”. She will crawl from one end of the house to the other. Though she has not yet explored the bathroom. Still, I assume that nothing is safe.
The other day I went into the kitchen in the late afternoon and realized that I forgot to eat lunch. And so went to the fridge to get something to eat. And then remembered that in fact I did eat a quesadilla for lunch. Oh yes, I was really coherent that day. Thank you, head cold. I am positive that I didn’t forget to feed the kids, though.
After we investigated the mantis, it flew about ten feet into the hosta. I didn’t know they flew!
By the way, did I mention what an awesome husband I have? He took the wide awake baby to the other room at 5 and let me sleep another three hours. I don’t feel well, but I know I feel much, much better with those three hours of sleep than I would had I got up at 5. And he’s feeling sick too and has to go to work today. My hero.
And now I’m done with my random collection of events and photos. Time to go to bed.
