Role Reversal

After getting all the kids ready in the morning, I said, "Now I get to get dressed." Lisy, who loves clothes and likes to help me, ran across the house, into my bedroom, and into my closet. She grabbed two shirts and enthusiastically waved them up and down saying, "Pick one! Pick one!" Well, what do I expect? I always give her a choice of two shirts. I just never expected my 2-year-old to turn the tables on me.

Always the fashion diva, one day I told her to go get dressed. She came back wearing sweatpants under a skirt, dress-up shoes, and that's it. She was very proud of herself.

-MR

Men Men did it

We call Benjamin "Ben Ben," however in Lisy-eese this translates into "Men Men."

She has decided that the cause of all her woes is her brother Benjamin, and even if we see her trip in the middle of the floor - yards away from anyone else, she'll come sobbing to us saying that "Men-men did it."


My brother came to visit for a postponed Thanksgiving. I took him into the room where Rachel was sleeping, so I could show off the Christmas presents we got for the boys; however - the silence was broken when he got a shock. He saw Rachel, and proceeded to say "Dang! She's huge!" amidst reminders to be quiet and "shush" so as not to wake her.


-Dom

Later on his wife tiptoed in the room to take a look, too. She came out laughing, incredulous. Rachel is much bigger than their daughter, who is 2 months older.

-MR

P.S. - a new poll is up. Last poll only had two responses (probably MaryRuth and me) :P So take the poll - goobers :)

table rules

Growing up, my family had the rule that there was no singing at the dinner table. I was surprised to find out that other families didn't break into song at the drop of a hat like we did.

With my children, our dinner table rule is that there are no animals at the table. Animals include, but are not limited too, toys, stuffed animals, animal noises, and eating like animals.

-MR


Maybe one day, those rules will work. There are always loop-holes too, like a kid who is asked not to sing at the table later has to go potty and sings full blast, so the whole table is serenaded with "I am a child of God" from the bathroom.

-Dom

Belly Dancing

Over the summer we went to a street carnival. Each intersection had a band or dance group performing. At one block we saw belly dancers. Well, we've taught our children about modesty, which includes not showing your belly button in public.

Sammy: "Mom! Why are they showing their belly buttons in public?"
Mom: "Well, that's part of the belly dancing costume. It's what all belly dancers wear."
Benjamin: "I'm never going to belly dance!"
Mom: "Good. Boys don't belly dance. Only girls do."
Benjamin: "Mom, never belly dance. Don't show your belly button in public!"
Mom: "OK, I promise." Not that I ever would, anyway.

-MR


I appreciate that they have a strong opinion of what should not be done in public - now if we can get that to include a normal (as opposed to a child's) fashion sense. "Sorry, camouflage and tie die don't go together, Sweety."

-Dom

big word

Samuel described the game he played at church:
"I was supposed to close my eyes and choose one, but I kept my eyes open and chose this."
"Sacrament? Why did you choose sacrament?" I asked.
"I couldn't read it. I just like big words!" he replied.

He's definitely my son. I like big words, too.

-MR

It's a dog, it's a cow, no it's Tom Turkey

Elisa proudly exclaimed, "Look! Dog!"
MR: "Uh, no dear, mommy just isn't that...."
Elisa: "Dog!" and continues to mutter incoherently.
MR: "... good at drawing a turkey."
Dom: "Did she say cow?"
Elisa: "Cow!" as she proudly and enthusiastically point's to the turkey MaryRuth had drawn on the calendar.


MR - Awww, I didn't think it was that bad :(
Dom - Hehehe, Elisa calls them as she sees them, and she saw a dog-cow.
MR - Next year I'll try drawing a cornucopia.

The other white meat?

In the grocery store, Benjamin was growling and being ferocious. It came to a culmination in the following conversation:

He said "I gobble you up!"
I said "What?"
"I'm a meat eater and you're a meat!"

I guess that's how lions or dinosaurs could look at it also. We're all made of meat - charming thought, huh? Just stay away from my son when you feel particularly juicy.