Random Crap from Today

-Elizabeth had a difficult morning. I think it all started when Miranda put on a pair of shorts that apparently she wanted to wear. Elizabeth only ever wants to wear what Miranda has selected even if Miranda selects second. Miranda picked out these $3 shorts yesterday and Elizabeth could have easily picked some too. But she didn't. So when I told her we had to leave soon and to get dressed she just sat there. I repeated myself a few times and she just looked at me with a giant pout and refused to move. At some point she went up the stairs, but just sat in her room pouting. I continued to ask her to get dressed and to tell her we were going to leave. Meanwhile Parker and Miranda had gotten dressed and were ready to go. At some point I offered to help her find clothes, but everything I chose she rejected so I gave up and told her to get dressed again. That's when she started screaming. First it was about not having anything to wear, then it was about me leaving her there. Then it was about me not letting her out of the room. It went on and on. I kept telling her to stop the screaming and get dressed. But she just kept screaming. At some point she said, "I need a hug!" (This was what we had previously discussed as a way to come back from being angry or mean or frustrated and what had usually been working.) But this time, she was screaming it like a wild animal. After about 5 minutes of this, I went in to hug her and calmly told her we were going to leave in 5 minutes whether she was ready or not. She then got some clothes, but needed help putting them on, which is total bullshit since she can get dressed in the dark with one arm tied behind her back. So I refused and she kept screaming. Only when Parker and Miranda were in the car and I was at the door did she somehow magically figure out how to get dressed and walk to the car. The whole thing lasted about 45 minutes which felt like 6 hours. The rest of the day she was totally delightful helping her sister, playing wonderfully and hanging out with Parker when he was sad.

-The girls have a swim intensive this week. I was a bit worried about it because after the normal 30 minute class, there is 15 minutes of playtime. I was worried for two reasons. The first is that Miranda gets really cold and can barely last 20 minutes let alone 45 in the pool. (Parker and Elizabeth are fine.) The second was that the girls can't stand in the pool, so the playtime would be getting from one platform to the other. With one adult for 4 kids, I was ready to run down, jump in the pool and save them from drowning. But...I was worried for nothing. She got cold, but didn't let it bother her. And during playtime, they both just swam back and forth from platform to platform, taking breaths when they needed to. I was freaking out, but they were fine and having the time of their life. When I went down to get them, the founder of the school was there and commented on how great they were doing. I had to agree. Miranda doesn't have the technique of Parker or Elizabeth, but I think she would do better in a panic situation since she can stay afloat for a long, long time.

-Parker started Lego camp today. It was held at a private school in a fancy part of Oakland. The camp had about 15 boys in it and I was little nervous about leaving him where he knew no one. But apparently, he did great. Even with the cast. They built a house and a car. Parker told me about all the kids that didn't behave and was excited to go back tomorrow.

-At the end of the day, the kids all asked to put capes (aka blankets) on to be "super". Then they jumped off the couch together over and over. They were laughing and goofing off and a great time.