For memory's sake...

I have been doing a ton of reflecting lately and was about to write yet another post on my ponderings. BLAH! Instead, let's focus on some kid things I don't want to forget (if I haven't already!). Here are a few things that cracked me up or warmed my heart recently:

1) Ava had a play date on Wednesday. Shortly after her friend left, Ava came to me and said, "Mommy, _____ told me a private secret." My stomach immediately got sick and I very nervously choked out a response. "Do you want to tell me about it?" She replied, "Yes. ____ told me she has a freckle on her bum." My reaction- hysterical laughter. Ava was very serious about this and yes, bums do fall under the category of private things. I tried desperately to recover the opportunity to remain a safe place for her and said, "It is very good to check with mommy to see if something is okay. " I then proceeded to tell her that it was funny that ___ told her that, but it was the best policy not to talk about butts with our friends. OH! That private secrets would always be so innocent!!

2) Ava stayed at my parents last weekend. My mom said to her, "Maybe we can sneak over to Katie's to see her new puppy." Ava got very serious and whispered, "Why do we have to sneak?" :)

3) We ate at McD's with her little friend yesterday and she got a Madagascar toy that shoot little paper discs. She's been sneaking, hiding around corners and shooting them at me. It may actually take me by surprise at some point if she weren't giggling uncontrollably while hiding.

4) While at Ava's ballet class today, Phin turned off the light switch near the entry door. Would you believe this exposed light switch turns off the lights in the ENTIRE place- waiting area and both studios included...thank goodness he's cute. I turned it back on but the teacher came out and asked, "Did the lights out here just go out too?" I had to explain...to which she replied, "OH! I thought we must be having a storm or something."

5) I was putting Phin to bed recently. When putting our kids to bed, we kiss them and with each kiss list a family member that loves them, the final kiss/hug is biggest, including tickles on their sides and we say, "But Jesus loves you the most." This night he said, "Caleb love me." Me- "what?" Phin- "Caleb loves me too, mommy." (Caleb is a 10 year old boy from our church who is very kind to Phin. Never underestimate how deeply kindness speaks to children;)

6) Phin has been really into Chloe lately. She has been doing a lot of gabbing. My favorite moments to witness are Phin sitting facing her and he gets her to gabb. He says, "Da, Da, Da, Da?" and she replied, "da, da, da". It is priceless;)

7) Breakfast 'round here can be a bit crazy, but we've found a good way to keep two kids quiet. Ava now feeds Chloe her babyfood, while I prepare the older kid's breakfast. Love the dynamic of working together as a family!

8) Phin brought me the phone this evening and said, "I call ganpa" So I dialed my dad's number. When he answered...
Dad- "Hello"
Phin...silent.
Me in background, "Say Hello, Phin."
Phin- "Hi ganpa"
Dad- "Hi Phin!"
Phin- "Hi"
Dad- "what are you doing?
Phin- "I reading Splat"
Dad (Obviously having no idea what Phin said)- "I love you"
Phin- "lub you too granpa. I reading Splat now. Bye"
Pretty good for a two year old, huh?;)

9) Phin is really into being a big boy of late. If you ask him "Are you a baby Phin?" He quickly and firmly replies, "I not a baby!" So...when he was refusing to pick up his blocks yesterday, I (being the wonderful, manipulative mom) said, "Oh, you can't pick them up cuz you are a baby, right?" He completely stuck to his guns and surprised me by replying, "Yeah, I can't do it..."

10) Picking up his toys has suddenly become a battle, yesterday when Marc told him to come and pick up his toys, I replied, "Give him a minute he is taking a drink." Phin finished his drink but instead of going to pick up his toys, started playing with something else. I then said, "Phin go to Papa and pick up your toys. Instead of doing so, he returned to his bottle and said, "I can't, I am getting a drink." Yep a smart cookie...and perhaps a little lazy too!

11) Ava came home from Awana a little overwhelmed. "Nate and Eagan both want to marry me and I am FOUR. I don't want to get married yet and I don't want a boyfriend even." Me- "are you still kind to them?" Ava- "Yes, I am kind to them, but what can I do about this. I couldn't marry two people anyway." Me- "well if you were grown up would you want to pick one of them to marry?" Ava- "I guess if I was grown up, Nate could be my king and Eagan could clean up the castle."

Chloe doesn't speak yet, but right now...well, today she's woken herself up with big poops disrupting both of her naps. I am exhausted and would be angry at her, but she's adorable. The minute you look at her, she's all smiles. How can you be angry at a kid who loves you with her entire body? She's all arms and legs a'reachin' to be picked up. When I pick her up she grabs my face with both hands and tries to eat my face. Sounds cannibilistic, but it is adorable...so despite terrible, and I do mean terrible sleep last night and today....I'm keepin' her;)

Finally- in honor of Nicole Foster's "Fess Up Friday" blog posts...today I called the art center to ask what time Ava's art class was tomorrow (we are putting her in a clay animals class). The lady asked me three times if I was sure it was tomorrow. I, of course, replied, "Yes". She looked and looked and finally said, "I am sorry ma'am I may have to have someone call you first thing in the morning, the only class with clay for that age group I see is on Saturday." Still, not realizing my mistake, I said, "right, that is the one." She kindly said, "But tomorrow is Friday." Seriously, I thought tomorrow was Saturday...so I laughed and thanked her for keeping me from making an unnecessary trip to the museum on the wrong day. It is 8:30 and now I am going to bed...obviously, I need a bit of sleep;)