Lately the girls and I have become big fans of the author Gerald McDermott. When I was a kid I was totally captivated by the drawings and colors of Arrow to the Sun. It starts out using desert tones, but as the story progresses suddenly bright vivid blues, pinks, greens, etc. enter into the picture. I really wanted my girls to have this book, so I special-ordered this Caldecott Medal winner from B&N. We truly enjoy it, but we've read it so many times I went looking for other options.
We have been going once a week to the Cumming Library this summer, and I'm not sure who finds it a bigger treat: me or the girls. Their eyes and jaws hit the floor the first time they saw the library and were told they could have any book on loan FOR FREE! I thought C was going to faint. She devours books like they were cakes....not cakes...I mean, you shouldn't get the idea - well...it's not that she eats so many...I...uh...moving on...
For the twins and I, our treasured discovery was the books of Gerald McDermott. We enjoyed Raven, but most recently we found Coyote, or as my girls call him, "Coti-yoti." "Coti-yoti" is the story of how the coyote got his coloration. You see, "Coti-yoti" has a nose for trouble...and he finds it. He attempts to join a band of crows in singing and dancing. The crows at first tease him, giving him feathers, but once he becomes rude and boastful...well...hey! What am I telling you for? Go read the book!
Another first for us this summer has been gymnastic classes. We had our first one last week on Tuesday. This was the twins first class in which they were required to follow directions and listen. They...uh...sucked at it. I mean, I'm sorry - they are my own flesh and blood, and I love them dearly, but trust me, it ain't roses that come out of that end. The teachers were WONDERFUL, but truly...my kids really screwed up their class. I apologized and was told it was no big deal, but I'm pretty sure that was the longest 30 minutes of their lives.
So I mention this because we are really focusing on taking turns, waiting in line, and sitting still to listen to instruction. And it's going about as well as you'd expect...clearly they take after their father or my brother...Tonight for the book we told them they had to sit still and listen quietly to the book. Twin B, surprisingly enough, did BEAUTIFULLY. She sat with her head cocked to the side, very attentive and with good posture. Twin A, on the other hand...I don't know WHERE that girl gets her stubbornness!! It's clearly not from me! I'm sure of it!! It can't be me. Nope. Nope. Nope. I'm not listening. LALALALALALALALALALALALALA...
All through the book I'm trying very hard to get Twin A to listen quietly and sit still to no avail. In exasperation at the end of the book I look at her sternly and say severely, "Clearly YOU are 'Coti-yoti!' You have QUITE the nose for trouble." Then I turn to Twin B and say, "You sat very nicely through the book. Thank you."
Twin B beams with pleasure and says, "I did a GOOD job, Mommy." Then she stands, pointing at her sister. She mimics my look and tone and says, "But YOU, Twin A, YOU have nose trouble!! You need to wipe it!!"
"Coti-yoti" was not the only critter howling at that point!
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