After a radio news story on healthcare, Brother had a few questions.

Dad tried to explain the bill and proposals at a five-year-old level.

Brother's reaction?

"They can't do that. That's illegal. It's kinda like robbing."

Our little parrot

Sister is at the funny parrot phase of learning to talk. You can pretty much bet on her repeating the last word you say. It makes for fun games round the dinner table. For example, ask "who do you like more daddy or mommy?" She is likely to say "Mommy". There's no real meaning, but it is entertaining.

Some of her current cute words include using "down" for up and down both, using "please" and "more" as a generic way to phrase any inquiry for anything, calling through all our names every morning from her crib including "Nooe-ma", and almost getting animal sounds right with her current favorites baa and woof.

Birthday notes.

It was some ago that brother had a birthday but what he said that day still makes me smile.

Mom: you're five now do you feel different?
Brother: after a pause ... Yes, yes I do.
Mom: what's different?
Brother: another longer, thoughtful pause... I know what it is that's different. It's my age!!

About cake brother said: My tastebuds have changed. I do not like cake anymore.
BUT if it is chocolate cake - I guess I'll have some.

Brother named the cat at deer camp. He called it Kyler. Dad asked how to spell that. He said k-i-l-l-e-r.

Brother asked me last night to please "pause" the book.

He also told sis to sit on his lap, then quickly changed it to, "No maybe I should sit on yours."

Last night sister blew on her spicy food because brother had told her she would not like it because it was too"hot". Too cute.

Then after dinner brother told me he could not wait to grow up. Why? Well, he said he would get to change his routine. You know things like take showers in the morning instead of at night. Yep that is a really great thing about being a grown up!

Sissy's current thank you: tay coo. I like to think she's really saying, "stay cool".

Thanks!

Sister has officially dropped her adorable "tay too" for a just plain "anks" or "sanks". I will miss the old versions: tee tue, ti tue. Love the littles!

Brother scored a goal on Saturday and even though he set the shot up with hands... Well, we're gonna count it anyway.

He did it!

It's official. Brother is really learning something in kindergarden. Today he impressed us, and even himself, and went all the way across the monkey bars at the park. He was so pleased and, as he said, "not scared anymore at all."

All the while Sister is tumbling up and down the slides and stairs and seems to have inherited Brother's new no fear attitude from the get go. Yep, I think we're in for it with that one!

Not exactly the right question.

Yesterday when I peaked in on a "napping" brother he said, "Can I wake up now?"

It took him a second to figure out why that was so funny.

I no longer care

...if toys are picked up at the end of the day
...if I leave the house messy when going out of town
...if laundry sits and sits and sits until someone runs out of socks or underwear
...if clothes I am wearing (and not changing - again) have pee or worse on them
...if my 'list' is more of a fantasy than actual things I will eventually do
...if the bed is made

How could I, why would I? The really good stuff is...not this stuff.

A Tummy Grumbled and he said...

"That was just my belly farting. "

Warmoff - what you do in a hot tub or lake after swimming

Lincoln Log Architecture

Brother: We need a chimney?

Mom: Why do we need a chimney?

Brother: (Rolls his head back like it is the most obvious answer.) For Santa Claus.

Big Enough

Sister is officially a walker, which to Brother makes perfect sense.

He said, "Sister's feet finally got big enough for her to walk. They have to be the right size to fit the ground hold up her body. Her tummy is BIG but her feet are big enought now to hold her all up."

Tellin it like it is

Lately Dad has really been stepping it up with the meal preparation.
Over dinner the other night I commented that he was getting to be real hand in the kitchen.

Brother looked at me like I was crazy and said, "No he's not! We had a fire tonight. I've never seen that when you cook in there."

Turns out in the prep a potholder got a little too close to the stove. That'll teach ya.

Good Point

It really is amazing how they think.

Last night the boys were watching a History Channel show about Yellowstone and the possiblity it will again someday be an active volcano. When the narrator noted that experts want to know when, Brother said he shouldn't ask that question.

He went on to call it a bad question.

OK, so confusing at first. But when we got to the heart of it, in his mind asking 'when' is associated with the desire for something to happen. For example: when are we gonna be there, when can I have ice cream, when can I get out of bed (all among his own 'when' questions of the last 24 hours).

He just couldn't fathom asking why 'when' about something you don't want. So from his view, I agree, that is indeed a bad question.

Not my kids...

Tonight Sis did the cutest thing...almost. She crawled over to her baby doll, picked it up by the hand, handed it to me and said, "Baby." Well okay it was really more like "beh-beh," which is just like "bath" and "brother" in her language but believe me, she said baby. I gave baby a hug and gave the doll back to Sissy. She took baby in close for a cuddle of her own, and just as that big ole proud mama "Awwww" was arising to mind - she bit it. Yes, bit it - or maybe tried to eat it. Put the baby's head in her mouth and chomp! So much for awww. Not my kid....


Not to be out done by a baby, brother was up to his own antics. I hear lightsaber noices coming from the bathroom. It's tub time so Brother is sans clothes and has chosen the most conveniently located and ready-at-hand weapon. Yes, he is waving it around the bathroom and has moved on from the lightsaber noises into a high pitched, "Darth Vadar Ween! Darth Vadar Ween! Darth Vadar Ween!" chant. Again, not my kid....

Wanting More

About his sister:
"You really can't give her anything that's food. She just wants more and more and more. It never stops."

Yep, I'm Tired

I put the baby in the bath with her sock on.

Ten minutes later..."Mom, why is Sissy wearing clothes in the bath? Is that new?"

Yeah, I really don't have an answer for that one.

National Kindergarten Conference

Having just returned from our organization's national conference, Brother wanted to know more about what I'd done. I explained that we had classes all day to learn more about the industry.

I knew he understood when he said, "So you had class all day, like kindergarten?"

Bust the Wall Out

This is what happens when you get your story picked three days in a row to go up on the board at school.
Ava has recently "bust the wall out" with stories of her baby brother.
Brother said he once busted the wall out when he brought the crystal from his baby sister and that he hopes to do it again soon.

Just a Number

Two stories...

First, we let the kids stay up way, way too late Friday. When telling brother that he'd need to go right to be because he stayed up way past bed bed time, he wanted to know how much past bedtime. We told him 2 and a half hours (told you it was way too late). Not quite getting the idea, he wanted more information. I told him it was how long school lasted (9-11:30 fyi). He quickly said, "Oh, I see, I though that was 8 minutes."

Second, tonight brother told me that he thought a friend from daycare had a sister who was maybe 18 (she's in elementary school, so I doubt this is accurate). I said, 18, huh...how old do you think I am? "Oh, you know, 95 or so." And your gramma? "She's 96." Thanks. Needed that.

Playing Games

Today brother enjoyed a big play day at pre-school. He said his favorite game was T-ball because he really gave that ball a 'whapping'.

He also enjoyed the 'balance beano,' which he said is made to make sure you learn to walk straight.

Goosebumps

It was a bit chilly this morning climbing out of bed, so chilly in fact brother said even his leg hairs were feeling cold. "See," he said, "they're like icicles sticking out because they are frozen."

When I told him those were called goosebumps, he said, "You say the craziest stuff sometimes mom."