Strep

Clara stayed home from school today after a throw up incident yesterday and a fever. So it became a father daughter day today, which started with a tricycle ride down to the Starbucks. Clara was good and tired when we got back (even though she doesn't even pedal), so she snuck in a nap with Berenice on the sofa. She had to be rustled though to go see Dr. H who revealed that the little bird had strep. Because one car is in repair shop, Ted and Clara walked/strolled down the street to the Walgreens to pick up her medicine. Good thing its a warm day! We got back in time for a PBJ sandwich (Clara's first and she loved it so much she asked for more!) and nap. She should sleep well.

Rainy Day

Today dawned gray and rainy. It was perfect sleeping-in weather (especially after springing forward), but unfortunately, it was, of course, Monday, and thus not a sleeping-in day (though no day is really a sleeping-in day with toddlers). Ted was up early since he left on a trip for work this morning, and Julie was up so that she was all ready to go before the bambini woke up. So it was that we all had breakfast together, which is highly unusually for a weekday morning. After Ted had left, Julie commented that everyone looked sort of sleepy, which prompted Joe to ask her if she took a nap at work. (You all know the unfortunate answer to that , Dear Readers.)

Rainy days don't get us down here at Raleigh House though, because a rainy day means we can breakout the Thomas umbrella! Here are the bambini headed into school this morning with Joe doing his very best to keep the umbrella over the wandering Clara. The parking spot by the door* was available, but we parked a bit away to allow for umbrella use.

Our first of three mornings and evenings without Ted couldn't really have gone any better. Clara screamed at Joe when they were getting dressed but Joe rose up to meet the bar! He didn't scream back and Julie gave him a power fist. Apart from that moment, the bambini were total rock stars this morning, putting on their gear with no horsing about, dawdling, screeching, or other assorted antics. Julie budgeted extra time for the usual shenanigans, but pulled away from the curb at 7:07am, eight minutes in advance of goal time!

Tonight has, similarly, been smooth sailing. It's true that Clara did stick her tooth brush in her hair and between her legs and thus had it taken from her, which caused some consternation; and it is true that Joe wanted to stand on the stool with her at the same time, and in his zeal to do so all but attempted to shove her off by virtue of aggressive encroachment, which caused Julie to remove said stool, which caused tears and protests of what Daddy does.

Daddy is not here though. We all miss him, and not just because he usually handles all things bathroom stool and bath time (though Julie would point out, as she did to Our Hero, to no avail, that she has often seen the bambini happily brushing away with their feet on the floor).

*Known among us Minnesota Ekkers as "the rock star spot."

Takeoff

Readers may recall a couple years ago when Ted found a little airplane tree swing on the side of the road. It has hung in our apple tree since then, and Joe has taken a few rides, though usually he was too timid to get in, and Clara took a couple as well. By now it was a little crooked and the kids are too big for it, though of course now is when Joe keeps asking to go for a plane ride. So Ted decommissioned the plane this weekend. Joe immediately wanted to play in it - and promptly got stuck. After this last ground flight, it was put to the curb with a free sign attached. Within an hour there was a couple pushing a stroller up the street who stopped and picked up that airplane. So there should be more airplane rides for a little person in store this season, but for us its the end of an era.

New Wheels

For the past year Joe has been riding a tricycle with a bum wheel while hitting his knees against the front fender. By bum wheel, we mean it would fall off at least once per outing. Joe never seemed to mind. He would just come to a grinding halt on one axel and wait to be repaired. How they let us have children I sometimes wonder.

Anyway, we knew come springtime we would need a new bike for Joe, so this weekend with temps in the 60s called for that new bike. He is still in learning mode, so we just got him the 12" frame bike at Target, which of course is decked out in a Cars theme. It was fun being in Target this morning with the kids, going to the shelf and picking up the bike and putting into the cart. He never had such a fruitful trip to Target before!

So this afternoon, Ted and Joe assembled bikes. There was also a new tricycle* for Clara that she got for Christmas and was ready for its maiden voyage.

Joe was very helpful taking off packaging pieces and handing said pieces to Ted who could sit in a chair most of the time - it's nice having a helper who gets joy in simply handing you things. After Joe's bike was assembled, we took it for a spin down the alley as seen in the picture. He took right to it, though the braking was a new concept, and he was looking at the peddles a lot, which made his steering a little questionable.

We waited for Clara to wake up before going on our first real family outing with the new bikes. Clara loved being pushed in her new pink bike, which allows the rider to not peddle when being pushed, and also comes with a handle for the parent - a clear need we realized after a year hunched over helping to push Joe along. Joe was a little dazed for the first leg of the journey - perhaps he was tired, or a little nervous about being on the open road, or was just testing out his brakes a lot. But at the end of the trip he was rockin' as they say.

So we look forward to a long bike riding season (with helmets from now on) with all of our wheels functioning.

* We at least knew we needed to retire the bum-wheeled bike. However, in assembling Clara's bike, it came with a spare part that was just what I needed to fix the old one. So now it works too!

Joe and Clara Screaming | The (Brief) Movie

Of late, from time to time, we have mentioned that Joe and Clara have been running around screaming like banshees, usually in advance of bath time. Here, Dearest Readers, is a slice of banshee pie. (Turn that volume up for the full, Raleigh House effect. It'll be like you're here.)