html { margin: 0; /* setting border: 0 hoses ie6 win window inner well border */ padding: 0; } body { margin: 0; /* setting border: 0 hoses ie5 win window inner well border */ padding: 0; font-family: verdana, 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; } form { margin: 0; padding: 0; } a { text-decoration: underline; } a img { border: 0; } h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 { font-weight: normal; } h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, p, ol, ul, pre, blockquote { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; } /* standard helper classes */ .clr { clear: both; overflow: hidden; width: 1px; height: 1px; margin: 0 -1px -1px 0; border: 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0; line-height: 0; } /* .pkg class wraps enclosing block element around inner floated elements */ .pkg:after { content: " "; display: block; visibility: hidden; clear: both; height: 0.1px; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0; } * html .pkg { display: inline-block; } /* no ie mac \*/ * html .pkg { height: 1%; } .pkg { display: block; } /* */ /* page layout */ body { text-align: center; } /* center on ie */ #container { position: relative; margin: 0 auto; /* center on everything else */ width: 902px; text-align: left; } #container-inner { position: static; width: auto; } #banner { position: relative; } #banner-inner { position: static; } #pagebody { position: relative; width: 100%; } #pagebody-inner { position: static; width: 100%; } #alpha, #beta, #gamma, #delta { display: inline; /* ie win bugfix */ position: relative; float: left; min-height: 1px; } #delta { float: right; } #alpha-inner, #beta-inner, #gamma-inner, #delta-inner { position: static; } /* banner user/photo */ .banner-user { float: left; overflow: hidden; width: 64px; margin: 0 15px 0 0; border: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center; } .banner-user-photo { display: block; margin: 0 0 2px 0; border: 0; padding: 0; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; text-decoration: none !important; } .banner-user-photo img { width: 64px; height: auto; margin: 0; border: 0; padding: 0; } /* content */ .content-nav { margin: 10px; text-align: center; } .date-header, .entry-content { position: static; clear: both; } .entry, .trackbacks, .comments, .archive { position: static; overflow: hidden; clear: both; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 20px; } .entry-content, .trackbacks-info, .trackback-content, .comment-content, .comments-open-content, .comments-closed { clear: both; margin: 5px 10px; } .entry-excerpt, .entry-body, .entry-more-link, .entry-more { clear: both; } .entry-footer, .trackback-footer, .comment-footer, .comments-open-footer, .archive-content { clear: both; margin: 5px 10px 20px 10px; } .comments-open label { display: block; } #comment-author, #comment-email, #comment-url, #comment-text { width: 240px; } #comment-bake-cookie { margin-left: 0; vertical-align: middle; } #comment-post { font-weight: bold; } img.image-full { width: 100%; } .image-thumbnail { float: left; width: 115px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; } .image-thumbnail img { width: 115px; height: 115px; margin: 0 0 2px 0; } /* modules */ .module { position: relative; overflow: hidden; width: 100%; } .module-content { position: relative; margin: 5px 10px 20px 10px; } .module-list, .archive-list { margin: 0; padding: 0; list-style: none; } .module-list-item { margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; } .module-presence img { vertical-align: middle; } .module-powered .module-content { margin-bottom: 10px; } .module-photo .module-content { text-align: center; } .module-wishlist .module-content { text-align: center; } .module-calendar .module-content table { border-collapse: collapse; } .module-calendar .module-content th, .module-calendar .module-content td { width: 14%; text-align: center; } .typelist-thumbnailed { margin: 0 0 20px 0; } .typelist-thumbnailed .module-list-item { display: block; clear: both; margin: 0; } /* positioniseverything.net/easyclearing.html */ .typelist-thumbnailed .module-list-item:after { content: " "; display: block; visibility: hidden; clear: both; height: 0.1px; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0; } * html .typelist-thumbnailed .module-list-item { display: inline-block; } /* no ie mac \*/ * html .typelist-thumbnailed .module-list-item { height: 1%; } .typelist-thumbnailed .module-list-item { display: block; } /* */ .typelist-thumbnail { float: left; min-width: 60px; width: 60px; /* no ie mac \*/width: auto;/* */ margin: 0 5px 0 0; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; } .typelist-thumbnail img { margin: 5px; } .module-galleries .typelist-thumbnail img { width: 50px; } .typelist-description { margin: 0; padding: 5px; } .module-featured-photo .module-content, .module-photo .module-content { margin: 0; } .module-featured-photo img { width: 100%; } .module-recent-photos { margin: 0 0 15px 0; } .module-recent-photos .module-content { margin: 0; } .module-recent-photos .module-list { display: block; height: 1%; margin: 0; border: 0; padding: 0; list-style: none; } /* positioniseverything.net/easyclearing.html */ .module-recent-photos .module-list:after { content: " "; display: block; visibility: hidden; clear: both; height: 0.1px; font-size: 0.1em; line-height: 0; } * html .module-recent-photos .module-list { display: inline-block; } /* no ie mac \*/ * html .module-recent-photos .module-list { height: 1%; } .module-recent-photos .module-list { display: block; } /* */ .module-recent-photos .module-list-item { display: block; float: left; /* ie win fix \*/ height: 1%; /**/ margin: 0; border: 0; padding: 0; } .module-recent-photos .module-list-item a { display: block; margin: 0; border: 0; padding: 0; } .module-recent-photos .module-list-item img { width: 60px; height: 60px; margin: 0; padding: 0; } /* mmt calendar */ .module-mmt-calendar { margin-bottom: 15px; } .module-mmt-calendar .module-content { margin: 0; } .module-mmt-calendar .module-header { margin: 0; } .module-mmt-calendar .module-header a { text-decoration: none; } .module-mmt-calendar table { width: 100%; } .module-mmt-calendar th { text-align: left; } .module-mmt-calendar td { width: 14%; height: 75px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; } .day-photo { width: 54px; height: 54px; } .day-photo a { display: block; } .day-photo a img { width: 50px; height: 50px; } /* * theme * */ /* basic page elements */ body { font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; } a { color: #36414d; text-decoration: underline; } a:hover { color: #CCCC99; } #banner a { color: #FFFFFF; text-decoration: none; } #banner a:hover { color: #FFFFFF; } h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 { font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; } .module-header, .trackbacks-header, .comments-header, .comments-open-header, .archive-header { /* ie win (5, 5.5, 6) bugfix */ p\osition: relative; width: 100%; w\idth: auto; margin: 0; border-top: 2px solid #660066; border-right: 2px none #660066; border-bottom: 2px solid #660066; border-left: 2px none #CCCC99; padding: 5px; color: #660066; background: #FFFFFF; font-size: small; font-weight:bold; line-height: 1; } .module-header a, .module-header a:hover, .trackbacks-header a, .trackbacks-header a:hover, .comments-header a, .comments-header a:hover, .comments-open-header a, .comments-open-header a:hover .archive-header a, .archive-header a:hover { color: #660066; } .entry-more-link, .entry-footer, .comment-footer, .trackback-footer, .typelist-thumbnailed { font-size: px; } /* page layout */ body { min-width: 902px; color: #CCCC99; background: #CCCC99; background-image: url("http://"); background-repeat: repeat-x; } #container { width:90%; margin-bottom: 20px; background: #FFFFFF; } #container-inner { border-right: 5px solid #292E33; border-bottom: 5px solid #292E33; border-left: 5px solid #000000; } #banner { width: 100%; padding: 50px background-color: #CCCC99; background-image: url("http://www.threekidcircus.com/test/mblegsheader.jpg"); background-repeat: no-repeat; height: 191px; } #banner-inner { padding: 15px 13px; border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-left: 2px solid #FFFFFF; } #banner-header { margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: #660066; font-size: small; text-align: left; font-weight:bold; line-height: 1; } #banner-description { margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 0; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: #660066; font-size: small; text-align: center; font-weight:bold; background: none; line-height: 1.125; } #alpha { float:left; margin: 0px 15px 0 15px; width:23%; background: #FFFFFF; background-repeat: no-repeat; } #beta { float:right; width:70%; background: transparent; } #gamma, #delta { float:right; width:20%; background: transparent; } #beta-inner, #gamma-inner, #delta-inner { padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; border-width: 2px 2px 2px 0; border-style: solid; border-color: #fff; } #alpha-inner { padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-bottom: 2px solid #FFFFFF; } #beta-inner { padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-bottom: 2px solid #FFFFFF; } #gamma-inner { padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-bottom: 2px solid #FFFFFF; } .date-header { margin-top: 0; background: #FFFFFF; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; text-align:left; color: #660066; font-size: x-small; font-weight:bold;text-transform:uppercase; } .entry-header { margin-top: 0; background: #FFFFFF; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align:left; color: #666666; font-size: small; font-weight:bold; padding: 5px; border-left: 5px solid #CCCC99; } .entry-content, .comment-content, .trackback-content { background: #FFFFFF; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; text-align:left; color: #333333; font-size: small; margin: 0; line-height: 1.5; } .entry-footer, .comment-footer, .trackback-footer { background: #FFFFFF; margin: 0 0 20px 0; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; text-align:right; color: #666666; font-size: x-small; border-top: 1px solid #dae0e6; } .comment-content, .trackback-content, .comment-footer, .trackback-footer { margin-left: 10px; } .content-nav { margin-top: 0; } #trackbacks-info { margin: 10px 0; border: 1px dashed #a3b8cc; padding: 0 10px; color: #292e33; font-size: 11px; background: #e6ecf2; } .comments-open-footer { margin: 10px 0; } /* modules */ .module { margin: 0 0 10px 0; } .module-content { margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; line-height: 1.2; background: #CCCC99; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; text-align:left; color: #333333; font-size: x-small; border-top: 1px solid #cfd4d9; } .module-calendar .module-content { margin: 5px 0 15px 0; } .module-mmt-calendar .module-content table, .module-calendar .module-content table { font-size: 10px; } .module-powered { border-width: 0; } .module-powered .module-content { margin-bottom: 0; padding-bottom: 10px; background: #FFFFFF; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; text-align:left; color: #292e33; font-size: x-small; border-top: 1px dashed #CCCC99; border-right: 1px dashed #CCCC99; border-bottom: 1px dashed #CCCC99; border-left: 1px dashed #CCCC99; } .module-photo { background: none; } .module-photo img { border: solid 1px #fff; } .module-list { margin: 0 15px 10px 15px; list-style: disc; } .module-list .module-list { margin: 5px 0 0 0; padding-left: 15px; list-style: circle; } .module-list-item { margin-top: 0; color: #666; line-height: 1.2; } .module-search input { font-size: 10px; } .module-search #search { width: 100px; } .module-photo img { border: 3px solid #fff; } /* comments */ textarea[id="comment-text"] { width: 80%; } .commenter-profile img { vertical-align: middle; border-width: 0; } /* one-column tweaks */ .layout-one-column body { min-width: 520px; } .layout-one-column #container { width:90%; } .layout-one-column #banner { width: 100%; } /* necessary for ie win */ /* two-column-left tweaks */ .layout-two-column-left #alpha { margin: 0; width:23%; background: transparent; float:left; } .layout-two-column-left #alpha-inner { padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-bottom: 2px solid #FFFFFF; } .layout-two-column-left #beta { float:right; margin: 15px 15px 0 15px; width:65%; background: #FFFFFF; } .layout-two-column-left #beta-inner { padding: 0; border-width: 0; } /* three-column tweaks */ .layout-three-column #alpha { margin: 0; width:20%; background: transparent; float:left; } .layout-three-column #alpha-inner { padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-bottom: 2px solid #FFFFFF; } .layout-three-column #beta { float:left; margin: 15px 15px 0 15px; width:50%; background: #FFFFFF; } .layout-three-column #beta-inner { padding: 0; border-width: 0; } .layout-three-column #gamma { margin: 0; width:20%; background: transparent; float:right; } .layout-three-column #gamma-inner { padding: 10px 10px 0 10px; border-top: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-right: 2px solid #FFFFFF; border-bottom: 2px solid #FFFFFF; }

Main

May 19, 2008

Why are those dirty, neglected children cackling? And why are they so demented?

Confession time.

We are now swimming-lesson and gymnastics-class-free. And no "play dates" either. And we never go to the park. Or the public swimming pool. In short, we are child abusers who make our kids find their own fun right in their own backyard. That's not a euphemism. I really do mean in their own backyard.

Our house is small and right up at the front of the lot. This means that our back yard is reasonably large. It is completely fenced and we've removed all giant, impaling stakes and try to keep the chainsaws out of reach.

Most afternoons, when Henry and Eddie aren't obsessively getting down to some Lego-ing, they are out in the back. Sometimes I look back there and am amazed at what I see. For example, last December they started this great game.

We have one of those heavy-duty wheeled carts like you see in garden centers. They piled up all the outside toys on the back of it, and stuck a trike on the front. Eddie gets up on the trike and Henry pulls him around the yard.

What are they doing you say? Well of course Eddie is The Grinch and Henry is Max the dog. Dur.

They go all around the yard setting traps for the citizens of Whoville, and saying things like "heh heh heh No Christmas for you!" It is a laugh riot. Well, to me at least.

And that's why I don't feel bad that we don't participate in many of the traditional social rituals for kids their age. Sure, we do birthday parties and events like that, but my kids spend a lot of time in our yard working their imaginations. And that is just the way I like it.

Originally posted at the Plain Jane Mom Blog.

May 12, 2008

With my 3 lunatic boys, I find myself thinking about the effect of birth order quite a lot.

Charlie, charming #3, always trying to make a unique place in the world for himself. Today he went to school in his brother's birthday cake hat. With one tall red boot and one short yellow boot on. His answer to every question was "no" and he wouldn't kiss me goodbye. Not meanly, just trying out some new stuff.

Eddie, middle child. Always trying to get more more more attention. "Look at me! Look at me!" is his rallying cry. He is empathetic and concerned about others around him. (Watch me neglect the middle child some more: this paragraph of his is shorter than the others!)

Henry, oldest child. In-freaking-charge. I often feel guilty that he has to do everything first. He has to be the kid that I "learn on" -- the starter model. I certainly won't be as apprehensive about kindergarten for the other boys. I don't worry about potty training Charlie. I never worried about when Eddie would learn to crawl or walk. From Henry, I knew all these things would work themselves out in time.

No way to know the first time

But I didn't know that when Henry was doing all these things, and that has made his transitions more difficult. But is that a bad thing? He's had to be more self-reliant. He's always been the trail-blazer. He's rarely afraid of new situations. He loves being the biggest brother.

And while I think that being the first-born has placed extra stress on his life, today on his birthday I am reminded of the positives. He is my first child to turn 5, and I think I'm more excited than he is. When I tucked him in last night I told him that this would be the last time he would ever be 4, and we both giggled.

Sometimes it's good to be first.

Before I went to bed last night I popped into the boys bedroom to re-tuck everyone in. I snuggled with sleeping Henry for a while, and reflected on how 5 years ago we were not parents. I thought maybe we never would be. Then Saturday morning March 2, 2002 we got the call that changed all our lives.

"A baby boy was born -- come get him!" And we did.

Originally posted on The Plain Jane Mom Blog