Laughter is good medicine

Upon waking up one morning, Jack came out of his room and said; "I'm bored."

About his squash one morning; "I'm delighted."

Referring to the wizard figure Jeffry is allowing Jack to play with; "Old Wide Wizard" vs. "Old Wise Wizard".

"Darth Thader" vs. "Darth Vader".

We had split pea soup and rolls the other day. Jack likes bread, but even moreso, likes the butter on his bread. He'd cut his roll in half and was trying to figure out how to butter it. He asked me to cut his roll. Since he'd already cut it, I told him he was "doing a smashing job" whereupon he started smashing his roll. I don't often instigate much laughter from Jeffry, but this time I sure had a hand in it.

Jeffry likes to read before he goes to bed. His comics are always more visually exciting than my novels, etc. I often glance over and comment on something I see. Recently, it was a Star Wars comic and I asked about C3PO. Jeffry said; "Seriously?" Like a true non-Geek, I'd mistaken the characters since it was actually R2D2 I was referring to. More laughter.

C-3PO

According to Young Master Jack, this fellow...

is called

3M-PPO

August stuff

Poor Jack. We finally got him to make the "th" sound and now, all the "f's" are "th's". Oops.

"Mom, you have to get more bike gas 'cause my bike's goin' slow."

"Mom, did God made the sky?"

Jack now enjoys making up nonsense words, and his own songs. He was singing one as Leesha and I chuckled about it, and then announced; "That's it for today Leesha. No more songs."

Maggie:
is into "reading". She'll pull books out of the bin, or off the shelf, then proceed to open them up and babble away. She was even trying it with the egg cartons. I'm not sure what all is written inside, but she thought it was interesting.

"Puppy" is the word. I think at this point it means any- and every-thing.

We have a 1 gallon ice cream bucket in with their kitchen toys. She likes to put this on her head, and when I'm paying attention, I'll say; "Where's Maggie?" and she'll pull it off so I can say; "Peek-a-boo!" She did say "Beee" herself once too.

Leesha
is on board with trying to potty train Maggie. She says she peed on the big potty today. I'm thankful for a big helper.

A moment for Cara

I know, I know. You're thinking I actually had some significant time to myself that did not involve work or sleep as those are the two longest activities I do without the kids. But, no, this is just a reflection on a moment where I was simply Cara, and not mommy.

The house has been closing in on me with statements like: "Put a window in me!" "Make me a row of desks for a future classroom." "Move the kids furniture in here, and move all of yours downstairs." "Insert flat screened tv here" and the like. So, with another "day without Daddy" looming in front of me, I ventured out to the mall with the babies in tow.

First stop: Macy's. Simply because there is shaded parking and it's been hot. I walked into the mens department and was presented with a deal: Levi's for $32.99. Jeffry told me he wanted new jeans and these are a good price. I even seemed to remember that I had a credit at Macy's which would make them even cheaper. Score. I locate the rack of the baggiest ones I can find, which is hard, seeing as how so many people are wearing the "skinny" jeans - bad fashion choice, if you ask me, and would not suit my husband whatsoever. I find his size, and close the deal.

At dinner, I present my purchase. He thanks me and lets me know he'll try them on when the weather is more agreeable. That moment came after lunch today. I was sitting at the table, and he decided to try them on in the living room. I did note as he was putting them on that they didn't go on with the ease that most of his other clothes do. I had gotten a smaller waist size because I think he's lost weight and that he looks better when his clothes hang on him, not on his belt. Jeans on, my husband looks "fine". I remind him that they'll stretch out a bit. He asks if they look good, I respond with the best "come hither" nod I can muster. He asks; "So this is what people go through every day? Just to look good?" I start laughing despite the cheese I'm trying to eat. He continues: "So I should start doing that 'thing' with my hair?" and attempts the 'dry swirly' look Justin Bieber does. I continue laughing. As he takes them off, he suggests something about a boxer thong. And now I'm laughing again.

So, my wonderful husband, always and forever, thanks for the love and the laughter.

Maggity Mae

Maggie either doesn't like her diapers any more, or is just fascinated that she can take them off, even if they're on backwards. I'm going to have to start putting more clothes on her.
Of course, I am partially to blame because I am following through with my plan to let her go naked now that she's walking in an effort to see how early we might potty train her. She'll stand up and pee on the floor. I'll run over and try to get her on the potty (which she loves to sit on so long as I'm not making her). Last night, instead of a diaper, she was wearing undies. I was in the bathroom and she came in to observe. Then she proceeded to try taking off her undies to sit on the potty. She was wet. I have no idea if she's starting to "get it", or was simply "monkey see, monkey do"-ing. Either way, I think it's progress.

I do believe she's saying "hi" now. She'll also tell you what a Puppy-Dog says. If I'm playing with her and telling her that the horse says "neigh" as I shake my head, she'll sometimes shake hers too.

She's pretty good at standing up for herself and will cry out when Jack has dealt her an injustice. She'll hold on to whatever it is she has and still wants with great tenacity. (that was a vocab word from high school)

She threw a toy down the stairs recently, and Jack (who was downstairs) picked it up and threw it back in the kitchen. They continued this game for several minutes.

When I try to take pictures of her, she spots the camera and toddles over to "see" the image that I've usually failed to catch. To think that only a handful of years ago, we were still using film and they'd have to wait to see the pictures.

"Princess Mommy"

Jack-isms:

"Urkel-ears" instead of "Hercules" the ant from his new "Toby" book. This led to me trying to explain to Leesha who Urkel was. Not as funny when you have to explain him.

"Leesha, don't run the air or the car will starve." That, after the van wouldn't start recently while we were on errands. I'd left the kids in the car with the air running.

Leesha: "Jack, how much do you love me?" Jack: "About 20."

We also got him to say "tthh-ree" instead of "free"! He sticks his tongue way out and curls it up for the "th" sound.

Before Christmas last year, I bought some marshmallow shooters at a craft fair. They're made from pvc pipes. Upon their rediscovery, Jack wanted to take them apart. They were the toy of the day and he loved making all sorts of guns, etc. He brought me some of his creations and told me one of them was a crown. He put it on my head and called me; "Princess Mommy".

Do You Realize?

After Cara changed Maggie's, I found the nicely wrapped up package of the dirty diapers and picked them up and threw them away as I often do. I then went to the kitchen and washed my hands.

Apparently Jack watched this whole thing and said, "Why did you wash your hands? Was it because you touched a yucky, smelly diaper?"

"Yes. That's exactly why I washed my hands", I replied.

To this he said, "Hmm. I didn't realize..... I didn't realize".

Kid talk

From the basement where Leesha and Jack are playing (nicely for the time being, fingers crossed and holding breath) ... Jack in a sing-song-y voice; "Sir Topham Hat."

On the way home from church, Jeffry asked Jack what his remember verse was. Since I helped out in his room last week and knew it was the same from the time Leesha had helped out in his room, I started it out, and finally Jack did it on his own; "I can do all fings frough Christ who gives me strengf."

Moments later, he spotted something on a window and figured it was a bee. He told the bee to hang on tight. We didn't see a bee, so asked him where it was. "Where I'm pointing!" (I figure he's heard that from us.

Jack, narrating his own ball game; "1-zap, 2-zap."

For snack, he requested "Grant crackers" (graham crackers)





Maggie: "Wootsie baba." (no idea what that means, but figured I'd want to remember it someday.

She's also added "Hi." to her vocabulary and has a lot of fun pointing at stuff.



After talking about school and math, Mom to Leesha; "Leesha, I'm sorry life is a story problem."

Maggie Mae's Birthday Videos

  

"Momeee momeee momeee!"

The other night, we took a few minutes together as a family to watch some of the Speed Racer movie. Not long into our viewing, Jack says; "Dad, would you stop the movie for a minute so mom can go get me some more milk?" When Leesha offered to go get it, he then asked if Dad would wait for a few minutes while Leesha got him the milk. I should add that it felt like the first time I'd sat down all day and I'd just gotten comfortable, so was greatly relieved when Leesha offered to help.

Leesha has recently purchased new earrings. After observing them, Jack comes to me and asks; "When I get your age, can I have earrings?"

After some shopping, Jack was in the house while I brought in the rest of the stuff and Maggie. He'd gotten into the medicine cabinet and had a metal tool which I use to scratch my ear (my ear canal almost always itches - most annoying). He told me; "I gettin' some issues out." I think he meant earwax. And yes, I did take it away from him and once again reminded him that he's not to play with stuff in the medicine cabinet.


Maggie has added to her vocabulary. She now says Mama and Mommy; the latter with the traditional long "e" sound. After lunch the other day, I got a couple of cookies and sat down to dunk them in my milk. Maggie started in with; "Mommy mommy mommy...." I'm pretty sure she wanted a cookie because she quieted down when I gave her one of mine.