Family Matters - Week of 10-29-06

Every week I write about my family. Welcome to it.

Annie (4yr old Clownfish)

Annabelle, Annabelle. How cool is she? Too cool. How much fun is she? Too fun.

How much does she lie? A lot.

And I sit here, and I roll my eyes and huff through my nose and I wonder just what it takes to teach children not to do this. They are averse to punishment--and I fully expect this--but when you tell them they won't be punished sometimes she lies even then. Ugh.

On a more positive note, Annie is fiercely into helping Mom and Dad on their tasks, as much as she can. She's now carrying in groceries, she's being (somewhat) nicer to her sister, and she seems to go to bed with much less fuss than a year ago.

Since she's in that 'tween age smack dab in the middle of 'so young and cute' to 'going to school' it's tough to gauge her progress on things. This simply reminds me I should get those workbooks out and go through a few.

Ah blogs, making better parents post by post.

Abby (2yr old Pirahna)

Abigail plays no games now--Annie hits her, there will be a smack upside the head for Annie.

However, she is picking up Annie's bad habits of screeching when she doesn't get her way, and hitting Annie because Annie does something she doesn't like.

I'd also like to note that while I'm complaining about certain behavior (lying, fighting), these kids are practically model children compared to some of the hellions I see on a regular basis. You'd think hell froze over before some people actually taught their children manners. It's weird. I complain about these little things because the big things are just fine--I love my babies and are incredibly proud of them. I'm sure you realize I won't be typing this every single time, as this is just understood.

Anyway, I try not to be too hard on her, but sometimes I get upset and Abby is the first one to offer a hug or a kiss and she's very much forgiving. She's also going to be 'trouble' as they say. Meaning she has little fear of trying new things, so I expect her to move into her daredevil life very soon now.

Oh boy, the medical bills are just calling my name already.

Ericka (her myspace)

Ericka, patron saint of the Erwin clan, has been trying to keep her sanity amongst the pressures of life.

Wow, that sounded horrible. Let's back it up.

Ericka, patron saint of the Erwin abode, works hard on finding time to watch kids, work at a job, see her friends, and keep her curmudgeonly husband in clean clothes. Ah, that's better.

Anyway, Ericka and I had to back out of going to the AT vow-renewal(tm) shindig, and that sucked. Then she tries to hang out with a friend of hers, Leah, pictured here "gettin busy like she just threw a hizzy":

But that fell through.

Now, of course, I'm headed off to Virginia for another geeky Magic event so she's by her lonesome on Saturday. Meh.

I'm officially going to make her day...somehow. I'm still thinking of how to achieve this.

But it will happen, damnit.

Just you wait.

Etc.

I'm still sick. It still sucks. It's been almost a week. Kill me now (or cure me, or something).

To tide you over, here are some great pictures:

 

And lastly, my 30lb cat Caesar, who lives with my mom (and is holding the cat for reference of its hugeness:

I fear for his heart, ya know. 

I'll drown my beliefs
To have you be in peace