Esther's Examples ~ Table Manners

Esther would like to show you what makes your friends and family happy while you're eating!


Esther says nice things about the food she is given.  She never says "yuck" or "blech".  If she doesn't like it, she doesn't say anything, so she doesn't hurt the feelings of the person who made it.  That would make them sad.

Esther never throws her food if she is done or doesn't like it.  She puts it on the side of her plate and doesn't look at it.

Esther does not use her food to touch her friends.

If Esther gets food on her face or hands, she uses a napkin to wipe it off.

She does not wipe her hands or face on her friends or family.  If it happens on accident, she always says sorry.

When the meal is over and she is done eating, Esther always says thank you to the people who made her food.

If Esther remembers to be polite and sweet, it will make everyone who eats with her VERY HAPPY.

Esther's Examples ~ Loving Friends

Esther is back and is going to remind us how to love our friends.  We DO love our friends, but they are NOT family and so we cannot tell them in the same ways.

It is nice to have friends that are like us.

It is nice to have friends that are girls.

It is nice to have friends that are boys.

We can kiss our family. Our mommy and daddy and brothers and sisters.

We can get kisses from our family.

We do not kiss our friends. Even on their cheeks. We can hold hands.

We can hug their shoulders.

We can give them high-fives. We can tell them with words that they are our friends.

We can tell our teachers the same way. Holding hands, high-fives, and even "knuckle bumps".

But we save our kisses for family.

Almost Back...I Promise...

I've been sick.  Lots and lots of sick.  Sinusitis, migraines, ear infection, fever, sore throat, voice loss, body aches, retching, congestion, and the list just keeps going...it's verging on ridiculous!!

But.  After an abysmal 2 weeks of "running" (more like limping along and then getting sicker) I finally ponied up and went to the doctor...after I found blood coming from my ear this morning.

I think I didn't allow myself to be "sick" because everybody else was, too.  And when Elise gets sick, she sleeps, hits, spits, and is generally a sensory nightmare.  Which is why I've neglected this blog terribly.  We've been playing "Save the Littles", which is where I make sure that the little girls do not get clocked upside the head, etc. while Elise is on a rampage.

I have found myself getting nursemaid's/tennis elbow.  I wake in terrible pain.  I had honestly concluded that it was my 5am visitors (Elise and Charlotte) sleeping on it and making it lock into bad positions.  I discovered that is not the case yesterday evening.  It's Elise's fits of anger resulting in naughty bouts of "Crack the Whip" or "Red Rover" where my elbow takes the brunt.  I could really stand that this stage be over...like done...or I'll end up needing reconstructive surgery before I'm 40...and that's not that far off...

Elise is desperately concerned about me being sick...especially since I lost my voice...although she is hyper-aware that if she can't hear me tell her to stay out of the pantry, then what's to stop her?  So it's a mixed bag.

I like to think that if I can get everybody well, we will be in a really good place because even with all this mess going down, things are still pretty happy...We boogied to Christmas music this week on the way to school and celebrated the 6 month mark of finding "Scared Shrekless" (the Halloween special) on Netflix.  Elise loves "Gingey"!!  We've played with playsilks and plastic ponies, we've made tents, and played with dollies....you know, the ones I made and they're not supposed to touch...  All in all, things are going in a good direction...Including the giggles I was reduced to when I learned that Elise told her teachers that she went to a friend's house and played games and had cake with over Spring Break...with whom she did not.  And yet, when they tried to confirm this story with said friend, he confirmed her story, 100%...  So, even though we are struggling with the whole communication thing, something's sneaking through!  :)

Before the weekend is out, I assure you that I will post the next Esther Serial!  Watch for it!!