Tippy Toes and Tantrums

Review: Python for Kids, A Playful Introduction to Programming

First she rejected nerds, then programming, but at the wise age of nine, she gave Scratch programming a chance after reading the Super Scratch Programming Adventure. Soon after, Python for Kids arrived, and she quickly picked up the book. 

Kevin could not have been happier. While no one mentioned the n-e-r-d word, Clover took a leap closer to Kevin's interests. "You know, programmers at Google use Python," he said quietly. Her eyebrows went up. Clover was more interested. 

Normally, she zips through books, then will either try or ignore what was inside. With Python for Kids, she took it in parts, following the steps lined out in the book. Soon after she started, she called out, "Mom! I made a turtle!" The book is fun and filled with things that I would have thought to be really complicated, like adding movement to graphics or basic game development, but it's broken down into simple parts. And of course, there are illustrations. 

While the book is geared toward kids, it's secretly for adults, too. When I figure out a new HTML trick, I feel like I've accomplished something huge, but when I see my husband's large tomes on different programing languages, it may as well be written in Greek because the writing is just as foreign. Python for Kids made sense to me, which means it must be perfect for kids. It's fun, and straightforward, building confidence as it moves. After entertaining activities, each chapter includes a summary of what was learned and programming puzzles to further try out those skills. 

Scratch was a great entry into programming, but Python definitely feels like the training wheels are off. She's moving into website design next, she said, which is something I don't know she would have been interested in before she got in to the intro programming books. When her bookshelf was returned to her room recently during the remodel, Python for Kids was given a prominent spot. Just don't call her a nerd. 

Disclosure: The review copy was given to us for free. All opinions are our own. 

Remodel: The Week Everyone's Dreams Came True

A rainbow over the recycling pile was a good omen. There was something for everyone this week. 

The most boring of the exciting things belongs to Kevin. The whole house fan he'd wanted for years was hooked up today. It's so boring that it was difficult to capture in a photo. We are ready for summer. 

My range arrived! Remembering the best piece of advice from wedding planning, which is to pick the one, most important thing and spend money on it, this was one of my non-negotiables of the remodel. I cannot wait to use this, just as soon as we uncover the pots and pans. Pancakes on the griddle this Sunday! (Hopefully.)

When I bought the Wolf, our sales guy at the appliance store asked if I wanted red or black knobs. After I said red, he said that no one ever wants black. Red is the signature. It has to be red. 

The television works! Rocket had been waiting for this day, well, since the TV was disconnected in July. He was watching a PBS video called It's Okay to be Smart, and about 30 seconds into it, he said, "This is boring, " and asked me to find something new. Now he'll never learn about DNA sequencing. 

Clover's loft bed arrived! It was backordered until late May, yet it arrived just slightly early. It needs to be moved though, not because it blocks the window, but because it overlaps with her new, super powered ceiling fan. I have enough worries with the loft bed to add decapitation to the list. 

This is moving weekend. The garage needs to be empty enough for baseboard painting next week. Wish us luck. 

How - and Why - We Ended Up with a Furby

The crazy eyes will get you.

No way, we thought when Clover made a very late addition to her Christmas list. No way are we getting a toy that will only hold her interest briefly, while annoying us for a very long time. That it was too close to Christmas would have been a solid final response, but really, there was a set of grandparents who still needed a gift idea because all of the other art supplies, books, and trinkets had been taken by other relatives who don't wait until the last minute to shop.

Please, no Furby, we continued. 

Suddenly, it was the eve before Christmas Eve, and the grandparents still had no gift. I started having second thoughts. It wasn't because my parents still needed a gift, but if they hadn't, the issue would have been moot. As we thought about what they could buy her, the Furby was the only thing left that Clover really wanted. There were two small reasons why I was weakening: one, I worried her friends would get one, and she'd be hurt, especially because her best friend already owned one and they wanted to play with them together; and two, a gift needed to be purchased. It was the third thought that was major, and won Clover a Furby: she's 10. She's on the cusp of growing out of toys, and into the realm of teen-dom. Shouldn't we hold on to childhood for one more Christmas? Next Christmas it could be electronics, and clothes, but for now, it was still a toy. 

That thought was how Kevin and I found ourselves late at night at a Toys R Us that appeared to have been looted. We waded through the mess to find there were no Furbys left. Of course, once we decide to let her get a Furby, it's too late. I drove through the rain to Target, while he looked on his phone to see if Amazon could still overnight (nope). Thankfully, pushed back on a low shelf, were six yellow and teal Furbys, ready for a home. 

We didn't tell Clover our opinion had changed, which meant when she ripped open the gift from my parents, she was both surprised and excited. One of the first things she said was to me, "HA! I GOT IT! HAHA!" Her moment of excitement was worth it, not only because it was the toy we'd rejected, but because how often in life do you get a present wrapped so that it cannot be guessed by size, sound, or shape, only to have it be the one thing you really wanted, but never thought you'd get. Even if we've learned more about Furbish than we'd ever wanted to know (and we'd wanted to know nothing), it was worth it.

As long as no one wakes him up. Please, do not wake him up.

One Decade of Motherhood

At 5:50 p.m. tonight I will have been a mother for 10 years. I have to be precise about the time because Clover is exact about things like that and insists she's nine until her birth minute hits. But really, motherhood began the second I found out I was pregnant, with all of the bed rest, horrible morning sickness, saying goodbye to caffeine for awhile and to my normal-sized ankles forever. Clover took over my body immediately. I was horribly sick, ate only refried beans for weeks (that includes breakfast which should make anyone ill), and craved sugar. At age 10, Clover would be perfectly content to live off of refried beans and Laffy Taffy. I've known her from the start.

She's always been strong and independent, but now her age is starting to match that. Now 10, soon 13, then 16, and then off to college. The pace is quickening, whether I like it or not. 

I'm lucky for so many things, but one that I reflect on often is that Clover is her age. Her interests are that of a girl, not a girl desperate to be a teenager. Those things will come, but she's in no hurry to get there. She's comfortable with herself, and she doesn't change to fit in, trusting that people will like her as she is. And they do. She's smart and sweet, with a range of interests so diverse, it was mentioned by her fifth grade teacher during her parent-teacher conference. One minute she's drawing cats and other cute creatures, then the next, she's talking about fantasy football stats, he said. The girl has range. 

Coincidentally, this is an appropriate time to change her room. With the remodel, it's time to repaint and redecorate, and she's seized this opportunity...and the Pottery Barn Teen catalog. Left behind will be the cutesy quilt on the little girl's bed, replaced with an ombre duvet cover, and a loft bed. There will still be Legos, stuffies with names, and enough books to fill a library. Signs of childhood continued, and not yet nostalgia for her past. 

Oh Clo, the last 10 years went by fast, and the next 10 will go by in a blink. Learning to walk was a big milestone of your early years, but the next 10 will be about learning to fly. 

I'll admit, I'm a little nervous about this next decade, but I cannot wait to watch you bloom. Ten years ago, you made me what I am, a mom. I love you, sweet Clover. 

When Life Pushes You Down...

Every school year I under estimate how that first week is a knock out punch. The problem is that the second week hasn't been much better. 

The kids were squabbling yesterday before school, and Rocket slipped on a deck of cards (left out on the floor, of course), which caused him to slip and spill water. He felt that this slip had been assisted by his sister, and was upset that she wasn't getting into trouble. The injustice of our justice system is a hot issue in our family right now. The other person never gets punished enough, according to my kids, marking one of the few times they're in agreement. 

Rocket went out to the backyard, picked up a stick to tap the glass, and when Clover looked out, he stuck out his tongue and flipped her off. 

She ran out of the room like it was on fire, screaming, "HE GAVE ME THE MIDDLE FINGER!"

That is what my life has been like.

The Bakery is Now Closed (Thankfully)

Rocket's class Bakery is over, thankfully. I love the idea, what it teaches kids, and the beauty of it all, but making nine dozen baked goods is a royal pain and watching my labor go underpriced is a dagger in my tired heart. 

It's the type of bake sale where a $1 can buy enough desserts to cover a small birthday party. This is Clover's loot on her second visit last week. No surprise, she got sick later that night. 

(The Bubble Tape container is her makeshift wallet.)

Last week I made four dozen cupcakes, three dozen Rice Krispy treats, and two dozen Trix Krispy treats. I don't want to see another marshmallow for months. 

A tip on the Trix Krispies - they are easy, colorful, and yummy, but I found they go stale pretty fast. Much sooner than the Rice Krispies do. By the next morning (what? I was just testing them), they'd lost a lot of crunch. 

Books for a Nine Year Old Girl: Read by a Fourth Grader

People will often ask what Clover is reading and I stand there looking dumbfounded instead of responding. I have no idea what she's reading, which makes me look like the least involved, most permissive parent ever because she could be reading Fifty Shades of Grey, for all I know, but it is really because she goes through books so quickly that there are moments where I know what she's reading, but in a blink, she's moved on. 

Clover tears through books quickly, which makes purchases seem wasteful. Recently she saved her money to buy Big Nate, and the book arrived Monday night after softball and just before bed time, but was still finished by the time she returned home from school next day. It was finished in an 18 hour period that included sleep and school. If it had been the weekend, it would have been finished by lunch. Thank god for her library card.

We're proud library users, which means books can come and go with less parental review. Everything is from the young reader section, so it isn't FIfty Shades of Grey, but standards for books that come for free are much lower than for ones that need to be purchased. Last month I did buy books to cover our trip East (we don't travel with library books) and Easter gifts, so this is what I know she recently read:

Princess Knight, Part One - She loves manga and comics, plus the book has a female main character, making it a winner.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - This is where my lack of oversight cost me because she'd already read the book at school. When I told her I'd save it for her brother, she took it from me and read it again, probably just to claim ownership.

Half Magic - Pre-Harry Potter magic and wizardry.

The Silver Crown - Another old book about magical powers, this time via a mysterious crown.

Oddfellow's Orphanage - We love Emily's artistry (The Black Apple) and had to have this. 

A Whole Nother Story - A time machine, scientist dad, a psychic dog, and kids, all on the run from the CIA.

Arabel's Raven - Funny book about a girl and a crazy raven. I think the NFL team was named after this book.*

Savvy - Each member of this family receives a super power on their thirteenth birthday. This book has won a bunch of awards, and it looks good enough that I'll likely pick this when it's our turn to suggest a book for our Mother-Daughter book club. 

Darth Paper Strikes Back - This is the second in a very cute series. I bought the first book about Yoda thinking it was strickly an oragami book. Clover loved it anyway.

*Belief not based on facts. 

Rock 'n Roll Tweendom

There was a lot of screaming and yelling at our house last night, probably (hopefully!) due to some serious nervous energy before the school Rock Concert today. Our performer wasn't happy with anything, including how I tried to ruin her life by washing the jeans she intended to wear for the school show today (families and community concert is tomorrow). I washed her pants because they were balled up on her bedroom floor, which I was told does not indicate they are dirty. Lesson learned! All those pairs of underwear tossed about her room must be clean too. The jeans were in the dryer, so our diva was able to wear them today, but possibly missing the grunge feel she was going for. Gymboree jeans with embroidered flowers are the new punk.

After observing the girl tornado, Rocket said to me, "Mom, I know when the teenage years begin."

Me: When?

Him: 10.

This is when our nine year screamed at him that it begins at 13, "duh!" I think he was being polite and meant to say nine because, oh my god, sometimes I cannot imagine how it can get worse. 

Indestructible Crocs: Ready to Survive the Apocalypse

Clover lost her pale pink Crocs on the last day of the kindergarten museum. She's been running around in the sand pit and she and her classmates decimated the giant sand volcano that they made erupt as an interactive exhibit. When she realized the Crocs were lost, we looked in the sand pit and dug around the edges, but couldn't find anything. She went home barefoot and Kevin returned to the school over the weekend to dig up with pit, but the Crocs were forever gone. This is a school wear kids often take off their shoes before entering a classroom, which made the likely explanation that another kids inadvertently took them. 

We gave up and bought a new pain, even though I was kind of annoyed. That was the end of the story, until two years later. Once again, it was the annual kindergarten museum time, and Chloe - who'd visited the museum with her second grade class, said, "The Crocs are back!" At some point, the Crocs were found buried under the volcano site. They had been so deep that roots had grown through them. 

The Crocs have become a permanent part of the museum collection, brought out each year for the class event. The big roots are gone, likely lost in storage, but the dirt and sand remain. Chloe's now in fourth grade, and she has a big sense of pride that something of hers was forever left in kindergarten, but put on display each year. This must be similar to how museum benefactors feel when they see their name above wing.

Honestly, despite surviving some harsh conditions, the Crocs can easily be cleaned off and pick up where they left off, ready to be worn for a few more years. They are that tough. 

Cell Phones, Ollies, and Diego

I had the unfortunate experience of having to attend two funerals within a week. Here is what I learned from being surrounded many older people: they have cell phones; they turn up the volume on their cell phones so they can hear the ringer; they do not turn off cell phones or ringers, even in churches; when their cell phones ring in church, they either can't hear their cranked up ring or they believe that if they ignore it, it will end. Two funerals, three cell phones ringing, all belonging to old people. Not one was answered.

In other news, determined by what's on my iPhone:


My kids started skateboard camp. First, it was only Rocket, but when Clover saw his cute new skateboard, she developed a desire to ollie. This is the girl who is still scared of ice skating and bikes over 12 inches high, but we sighed, told her she'd have to stand on the skateboard not lie down, then forked over the money to add her to camp. Giant surprise: she loves it. She's no threat to Tony Hawk, but she's conquered a fear, which is especially awesome considering she is the only girl in a camp full of boys.

Kevin and I spent the day in San Francisco this weekend, walking around the Mission, stopping at Renegade Craft Fair, and loading up on pirate supplies. It was awesome.

Now I am experiencing the joy of listening to a nine year old dissect the intellectual gaps in Go Diego, Go! Clover: This is obvious! Duh! Did they have too little money for special effects? This is horrible! Obviously ice is slippery! Those bobos aren't really sorry, they just said they were sorry. First the blanket was on the llama's neck, then on her back, then on her neck. A llama can't move her own blanket, so how did it move? Are we supposed to believe this is magic? This is weird and stupid. Rocket (to everything said by his sister): Yeah! Oh holiday vacation, you test my patience.