DEAR GOD, HE'S ONLY 5!!

As most of you probably already know, Santiago is the master manipulator. On more than one occasion I've harped on and on about his supernatural ability to twist virtually any situation to suit his needs, and can talk himself out of just about any web, particularly if he was the original spinner.

Apparently, not all his teachers were fully aware of this...er...talent, and when I picked them up today, Teacher Rose says, laughing a little nervously, "Boy, that Santiago, he's a smart one."

"What did he do now?" I think, but say instead, "Oh, is he?"

"Yes, he's quite the negotiator," she continues. "He went over to a group of 4 kids today who were all completely engrossed in a game they were playing, and I overheard him ask if he could play."

At this point, Chago suddenly has to pee as disappears from the room.

"And when they said 'yes' he then said something like 'Okay, but let's do it this way', which none of them wanted to do."

"But instead of arguing with them or getting mad he just said 'okay, well you don't have to, but I'm going to do this and this and that and that and it's going to be a whole lot of fun."

"And before I even knew it, he had all 4 kids following him around doing exactly as he said...to...the...letter."

[This is one of those moments when Mommy tends to say 'That's my boy!' and I usually mutter something under my breath about how the world has enough trouble without another little Amy running around.]

PRE-K SCHOOL PICS ARE IN!!

THIS JUST IN: APPLES NOT FALLING FAR FROM TREES

"So, how was everyone's day today?" I ask when I pick them up from school yesterday.

"Fine," says Chago in his oh-so-typically Y chromosome way.

"Today was brontosaurus day," begins Saia....and then she moves right into the details of the four games they played outside, who won, who cried, and who ended up in timeout (this is when she usually fingers her brother for something he hasn't copped to yet), and then she effortlessly and without interruption recounts all the books they read, the various projects they each produced, the two different snacks they had (and not just what they ate, but who ate what exactly), what the teachers said or did or forgot to do, who napped and who didn't (again, casually rolling her eyes in her brother's direction), who was at school on time and who was late, who left early and who was out sick, what everyone wore (and of that, what was brand new), that Teacher Teresa brought her dog in to visit today, and, Mom, don't forget tomorrow's gymnastics, and who's going on vacation this summer and where, and who's going to summer camp or karate school or swimming, and what time and how often everyone went potty, and how often, for crissakes, everyone inhaled and exhaled throughout the freaking day!!!!

And yes, all in one sentence. And all in the span of about 20 seconds.

And she knows nothing of caffeine or chocolate yet, people!

Amy swears my mother did this to her on purpose during those two years she lived with us when the kids were really learning to speak. She calls this the curse of the [enter my maternal family name here]. :) I think it's freaking hilarious!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

To our daddies, grandpas, tios (uncles), brothers, nephews, primos (cousins), and especially our donor!!

Hope you all have a truly phenomenal Father's Day!

Mama's ClanMommy's Clan

HOUSE HUNTING BEGINS TO TAKE ITS TOLL

For the last 6 weekends we've spent our entire Saturday (9am - 6pm) out looking for a new home. Our landlords are coming back from Europe waaaay early, so we need to be out by the end of July. On average, we're looking at about 12-18 homes every single week!! Needless to say, it's been a thoroughly exhausting task.

Last Saturday it became obvious that our efforts we're beginning to wear on us all as we're cruising up to yet another random house in some random 'hood in some random town within 30 minutes of my work and the kids' school and I ask the kids (apparently, just one too many times that day) whether or not they wanted another snack (it should come as no surprise to any of you that I tend to overpack for our little outings and will do virtually anything to keep the kids' blood sugar level on an even keel).

So poor Santiago, exasperated with me as usual, says "No, thank you, Mom! I'm really full of it!!"

[And boy if he didn't hit the nail on the head with that one!]

MIND YOUR OWN BEESWAX

On the way to school the other day I overheard Chago telling Saia that his legs were looking so much whiter lately. "Why?" she asked him. "I don't know," he said.

So, of course, I take this as a teaching moment and proceed to delve into the deeper aspects of tanned skin versus untanned skin, melanin, the dangers of UV rays, sunscreen, etc, etc, etc.

We're about a block from school at this point as my little diatribe took up our entire commute when Chago decides to chirp up, "Mom..."

"Yes, babe, what is it?"

"I said 'wider'."