Watch that boy

Yesterday Zion had a friend over to play. A girl friend. He was very solicitous of her- when they went outside to play he offered to bring her snack out for her in case she got hungry. When they were swinging on the deck chairs he offered to get her shoes so she wouldn't get splinters. And then he suggested that she could sit on his lap in the chair. She did.

I was cracking up listening to all of this, but I was also amazed by Zion's apparently instinctual ability to turn on the charm. Cause let me tell you, he does not behave that way with his sister, nor with his boy friends. He only trots that stuff out for the girls. And he must do it well, cause not only was E pleased yesterday- the mothers of girls in his preschool class have told us that "all the girls love him", his teachers, if you recall, referred to his "harem", and G's mom reported that G said, "All the girls at Zion's new school will look at him and go [insert sound that is a cross between a swooing Ooooo and the screaming of Beatles fans]!"

I hear a lot of people talking about needing to watch out for their pretty daughters when they become teenagers. Without engaging the cultural double standards that lead to a great deal of that fear I'd just like to say...I think I may have to watch out for my son! He definitely likes the girlies.

Pie revolution

Yesterday Kenny came up to hang out and have a belated birthday meal with us. At his request I made a fresh (uncooked- at least the fruit part!) blueberry pie. And it was SO GOOD! He and I immediately started brainstorming other summer fruit pies that could be made this way (3/4's of the fruit is left raw, 1/4 is cooked into a glaze, pie is open topped). Strawberry, peach, apricot, boysen/black/raspberry, sweet cherries...strawberries with a rhubarb glaze...yummmmm. I can't wait til our next open air bake sale so I can buy some other fruits to experiment with! Eating the tests will be so very very delicious...

Here's a pic of yesterday's pie after we'd eaten some of it :)



A very tiny picture. Blame Kenny's iphone!

Farmer's Market and Real Estate

You've all heard me rant about the local farmer's market. Last year we had two whole farmers there. This year? Down to one! Holy crap. We're up to 3 bakeries however. Perhaps they should rename it the Open Air Bake Sale. That'd be more accurate, any way.

However, despite the total suckassity of the farmer's market, we've realized we LIKE living in New York. We like our friends, our town, our social life...and nearly everything else aside from the long winter and the aforementioned market. So we're taking a deep breath and looking at buying a house (well, to be perfectly honest we've already done that. As you'll see). The downturn in the real estate market has def been our friend, though we're wishing it would get a bit more friendly, if you take my meaning. Still not a lot around here that one could conceivably buy on a single professor's income- at least not without doing a lot of work. And since neither of us are overly handy that would = more money for us. Which we don't have. Vicious circle.

We did put one offer in on a house here. The house was great- but it was across the street from the thruway. When we came to our senses with regard to that (and the life-long damaged lungs it would give our children) we withdrew our offer. At least we realized it before we'd bought the damn thing, right? Talk about decisions you'd live to regret.

So now we're just waiting to find out if the housing market LIKE-likes us or not. Cause the farmer's market clearly doesn't...

Shrieky- McShriekerson

So, Liel has started doing this "zero-to-shrieking" thing. It's really annoying (and painful on the ears). One moment she and her brother are playing, more or less happily. The next? He's displeased her in some way (usually deserved- he grabbed a toy out of her hand, for example), and she's making sounds usually associated with a boiling tea kettle. Or dog whistles.

If we ignore it (yeah, we're working on more hands off parenting. no, it's not lazy at all, why do you ask?), one of two things happens. Usually Zion makes a teeny attempt to pacify her, and usually that works. She instantly returns to her sunny, smiling self. Sometimes, however, if Zion is annoyed himself, or tired, or sick, he continues on his destructive course, and Liel continues on hers. At this point Robert or I feel obliged to stop knitting/reading/eating/drinking/talking, put on our Stern Parent Voice and demand that they explain what's been going on. After this, the cycle is free to repeat itself.

Parenting small children can really give one an appreciation for a cyclical view of history.

Huh?

It's come to my attention that people actually read this blog. From time to time ;) So for you, oh best beloved, I will post. Now and then.

Look! I finished a sweater! If you're not on Facebook, you might not know that. Or have seen it (*cough*mom*cough*).



I finished a *different* sweater today. No pics yet tho. I'll post them here tomorrow, most likely. Rest assured, is very cute.

Also, Facebook may be becoming sentient. I've now heard two reports of it suggesting friends for people who they actually KNOW but have no friends, workplaces, or schools in common with. Watch your back, yo.

Potterwatch, over and out.