Spoon

This morning's explanation for why Daddy poured a green plastic spoon out of the milk jug:

‎"Well, one time when I was making my chocolate milk at dinner and Daddy was upstairs and he couldn't help me because he was up there, I tried to make the chocolate milk on my own but I couldn't pour the milk because it was too heavy and so I tried to use a spoon, you know, the spoon for the chocolate, and I was gonna scoop some milk out and when I was holding on to it it accidentally fell in."

Shesh Shoe

One of AJ's newest words is "shoe." This morning he put it to good use when Landon sneezed and I heard sweet little AJ voice say, "Shesh shoe."

Easter Egg Hunt

This morning I took Aidyn to a little Easter egg hunt at the grocery store in our town. I had decided a little while ago that we weren't going to do easter baskets this year and, besides, the hunt is the fun part anyway. The flyer advertised that there would be over 2000 eggs and there would be first, second, and third place prizes in each of the age groups.

Before we went I advised Aidyn that there would probably be a lot of other kids looking for eggs in the same place she was. I asked her, "So, how do you think you'll need to be?" I've found that if her attitude is her choice (and her idea) in advance and with time to prepare herself, she is much more likely to behave nicely. I expected her to say that she would need to be fast but still be careful not to run into other kids or something like that. But, she completely rocked my Easter weekend. She said, "Well, I guess I'll have to be really patient." I pressed her further and suggested that she would need to be really fast and she looked up at me and said very quietly, "Oh. Well, that's not very much like the real Easter at all."

I admit that I kind of dismissed her as we rode toward the store. I had completely missed the profundity of what she said. Competitive person that I am, I was so focused on that first, second, or third place prize for her. When we got to the store I took her to the 4-5 year-old aisle and turned her loose looking for the little shiny wrappers of 2000 chocolate eggs. I kept my eyes on her every moment as she gently walked along, simply moving out of the way of the faster and more aggressive hunters. She actually purposefully passed every other pile of eggs or so and pointed them out to some of the other kids. One of the store workers came up to her and showed her a big pile of eggs and she just nodded and looked at other kids as if to say, "Yeah, I saw them." I told the worker that I thought she was trying to save some for the other kids and the worker, incredulous, replied, "Well, no one has found those ones yet!"

Then I looked around. Oh my. Bigger kids were pushing littler ones. Adults were grabbing whole bunches of eggs for their kids. Parents were even getting the "big eggs" that had the first, second, and third place prizes in them--actually leaving their preschoolers alone in an aisle with 50 other people and running ahead to grab a plastic egg with a prize inside. I looked back at my little girl as she smiled up at me and said, "I think I have enough. Thanks for bringing me here, Mama."

As we left the store we walked past the table where parents were arguing over prizes and the rules of the hunt and came home with our 35 shiny chocolate eggs. I told Aidyn how proud I was of the way she had acted with kindness, gentleness, patience, and love for the other kids. Her only response was, "Ok. Thanks mom. Can I have one of these candies right now?" Oh yes, Baby. You can have one of those candies.

Pink

Aidyn: "I like every color. As long as it's pink."
Daddy: "What do you mean?"
Aidyn: "Well, you know, light pink...dark pink..."

Um

I hadn't seen AJ in a few days thanks to working long hours over several days in a row. Last night when I picked him up from church I discovered that he had learned a new "word." I sat him on one of the tables in the lobby to put his coat on and he sat there contemplating something very deep as he just repeatedly said, "Ummmmm, uuuuuuuhhhhm. Um? Ummmm. Uhhhhm."

Open Windows

Last week when it was so nice outside we slept a few nights with the windows open in our bedroom and downstairs. On our way home from church during that time I mentioned that we might be getting some rain and I might need to close some of the windows, but I would probably leave the one in our room open. Granted, she was very tired, but Aidyn began to cry softly from the back of the van. I asked her to tell me what was wrong and she just sobbed out, "Windows open scares me!!" When I asked for more details she continued, "Because if it rains then water will come in and we'll all drown!" She eventually calmed down after an explanation that only a few drops of water would come in and a definite promise that we would not open her windows.

Why Did You Sleep Cold?

Me: "I was so tired. I was out cold." Aidyn: [perplexed and hesitant] "Mommy. Why did you sleep cold?"

Cotton Stuff

Aidyn came with Daddy and the boys to visit me at work recently. We got lunch from the hospital cafeteria including "cotton stuff"...also known as cauliflower!

I Have To Find Something

At church a couple weeks ago Aidyn was feeling a little sad about something. She, very dramatically of course, grabbed a Bible from one of the pews, sat down, and started turning through the pages. I asked her what she was doing and she said, "I have to find something." A few minutes later she let out a sigh and smiled as she pointed to the name of God somewhere in Genesis. "That makes me feel better," she said.

Me Time

Scene 1. Our living room. Aidyn is watching tv and generally relaxing in front of the tv. Landon is in his swing and fussy. I am holding AJ who is not feeling very well. Me: "Aidyn, would you please give Landon his binky?" Aidyn arises from her comfortable spot on the couch and replaces Landon's pacifier. Returns to her show and sighs, "Finally! Some 'me time.'" End scene 1.

Right-eyed

Aidyn has been practicing her wink and informed me recently: "I think I'm right-eyed. See? [winks with her right eye] But, I think you are left-eyed because you wink like this [attempts to wink with her left eye to no avail]. Ohhhhh. I am right-eyed."