The big girls went back to school today. It was a happy day until I realized how much Astrid counts on her big sisters to play with her.
They play ring-around-the-rosie and hours of Candy Land. They play Little People farm and baby dolls. They sit and read to her and play dress-up.
They are Astrid’s best friends. Her only friends.
And now she is alone. With me and the cats.
She asked me to play Candy Land – which I did – but she needed more people to use the other two ‘guys’ so she made Truffle the cat and her stuffed reindeer play with us.
And then she got really, really sad that neither Truffle nor the stuffed reindeer could pick up the cards nor move their ‘guys’ because – as she said loudly “MOMMY, ANIMALS DON’T HAVE HANDS!!!” And she shoved them away from her game.
And she sat there crying that her stuffed animals and cats could never be that fun to play with because they only have feet and NO HANDS.
So she sat at the window all day just watching for her sisters. “You know mama, my friends with hands who can play games.”
I told her she was discriminating and it did not make me happy. Even friends without hands can be fun.
But she insisted she was right by telling me “No mama, animals just aren’t that fun to play Candy Land with.”
I’ll take her word for it.
Damn cats.
Astrid is wearing:
Purple velour dress and tights from Target, very cheap pink sparkle boots from Old Navy, faux fur bear coat from Oilily, and her typical hat from NuxieMade.
Seriously, damn cats.
I bet Louie could play Candyland with Astrid. Or at least chew up the other two pieces!
{She’s adorable, you’re hilarious. Win-win.}
I’m thinking dogs are also useless board game players…not that I really want to find out.
Aw, Astrid. You could play Candyland with us. Except Dylan takes the guys and puts them on his trucks, and Abbey gets upset, so we move to Memory, and then he moves the cards, so we move to Go Fish, and he steals the pairs and runs around the room.
An hour and she would welcome the cats.
Oh my word he would drive her crazy. That is so funny.
She is so sweet! I could eat her like a cupcake. And those darn cats! They couldn’t pick up the cards with their mouths?! Probably too busy licking those useless paws of theirs!
Give me a break. You just want the older girls around so YOU don’t have to play Candyland!
xo
Hey, don’t out me like that.
Darn cats!
She is so adorable!!
I think it’s time to teach old cats new tricks.
And can Astrid be more sassy and adorable???
Huu huuu… even more reason for me to have another baby!!! For my only daughter, Miss Chatterbox, it’s pretty much like this everyday. It’s better for her on school days, but on holidays, she’s always complaining about not having anybody (fun) to play with (implying that *I* am not that fun somebody, of course. Grrr). Hugs for sweet little Astrid! Doesn’t this make you feel so blessed to have three daughters?
ps: those boots kicked ass!
I know – I am totally not fun. My kids will tell you that flat out. lol
#1 The pictures are beautiful!
#2 I hate playing Candyland
#3 Cats aren’t good for anything
..and #4 – do you think I can wear pink sparkle boots?
Why yes I think you can pull those off!
Astrid makes me smile. And I want that hat for myself. Also, cats are not sisters. They’re just handless, nonCandyLand playing only foot havers. Damn cats.
LOVE the hat!!
Okay Astrid, but 9 out of 10 people with hands prefer to use them for something besides Candy Land.
I need to talk to that 1 person.
She was mourning the loss of her daytime play buddies. Good thing there’s after school and weekends.
As for cats, they may not play Candyland, but they’re always good for dress up!
I know – I love my big girls being home and love when they go off to school but Astrid pretty much wants them home all of the time.
I can’t let my girls see your blog or they will be pissed I don’t get them such stylish clothes! Oooomg she is adorable and smart!
Damn cats, indeed
I am seriously cracking up. As in snort my drink just came out of my mouth. And she is just adorable!!!
Vivian has not been to school in two weeks. We spent Christmas at home in Richmond and then she stayed with my parents for a few extra days,and then was home with us over New Year’s.
She finally went back on Tuesday when I went back to work, but not two hours later I got the call that she was running a fever. After a very tense day of illness that included a trip to the ER Tuesday night when she spiked a fever of 105, she’d fully recovered yesterday with twice her normal amount of energy. And she kept putting her baby dolls and Lambie in the chairs around our kitchen table and talking to them and feeding them and whatnot. And that’s when it dawned on me – she missed her friends at school. She’s my social butterfly; she needs that human interaction.
It was bittersweet to realize that I’m not her one-and-only anymore.
P.S. She’s back today. Finally. Blessedly. Dear God, she NEEDED to go back.
And now I’m home sick. See how that worked out?
How is she feeling? So scary!!!
What?? You can’t teach that cat to play candyland?? Damn.
I LOVE these pictures. They are gorgeous.
Oh Astrid. Come to Florida and play with Miss Ali. I have hands, Candyland and hot chocolate on the stove right now. P.S. Bring those boots. I want to borrow them.
Hot chocolate? Forget the kids…I’ll be right down.
That makes me all sad for her. I picture her standing at the window with those big blue eyes all forlorn that her sisters have left and she has no one (or not enough) fun to play with.
I’m totally checking out what you can do with your camera and am down right jealous.
m.
Instead of a blog conference this year..I really want to go to a photog workshop.
Oh, candyland is Ivy’s favorite game too…bring Astrid on over and they can play!!
I am not sure who I feel more sorry for, poor Astrid missing her able handed sisters or you having to play candy land. Maybe she could try playing baby dolls with the cats instead. I remember doing that as a kid and dressing up our pet kitties and pushing them around in the dolly pram. Just make sure you trim their claws first.
Yes one of our cats agrees to the pram…thank goodness!
She’s totally right. We seriously need to make some animals with hands.
Now if we could make some kitties that can do ‘jazz hands’ we’d be rich.
That would completely take over the Internet.
Have I already told you how much I adore the name Astrid? Well, I do!
She is so sweet! I love how much she was missing her sisters. And, yes, everyone needs a fur coat. What a gorgeous outfit for your gorgeous girl!
JDaniel hops all over the board even if it isn’t his turn. He would drive her crazy!
I dance with joy on Mon, Wed, and Fri when Hope has school…I’m so effing tired of tea party and Memory…shoot me…
but then I still have to entertain Brooke when she’s gone…and she’s no good at Words With Friends yet…
What a sweet little story. Actually, I think that my 19 month old is suffering from the same affliction – a mum who is nowhere as near as fun as the other kids. My daughter goes to daycare for a couple hours a week, and it was closed over the New Year holiday. Every day she woke up and signed to me “go babies? go babies? go babies?” and then was devastated when I said not today. Sigh.
Okay I had to giggle because she doesn’t look like she has hands in these photos, either! HA HA HA!
Her outfit is so cute.
xo
OMG so funny. I must point this out to her!!
So cute!!! Those cats..come on…get with it…move two spaces with your paws.
Man, if my cats could play Candyland and drive the Thomas trains up and down the tracks, my job would be a piece of cake. They are not earning their keep, I tell ya.
The hat and the coat are so freaking cute. Hope Astrid adjusts soon to life with you and the felines!
ASTRID IS SO IN WITH HER FAUX FUR.
lOVE THAT BABY!