Aidan and Jesus and tooting….

A: Mommy, I tooted again!

M: I know, I heard.  You sure have been tooting a lot today.

A: That’s because Jesus likes me to toot.

M: Really?  Why is that?

A: Because Jesus toots too, and he wants us to toot together.

Cute kid quotes of the day

Aidan-

A: Mommy, when I grow up, I want to get a job and go to work.

M: Ok, that sounds like a plan buddy.

A: Cool.  Now I can’t wait til I’m 5 and I’m a grown up.  But on this birthday, I’m just gonna be 4, so I’ll still be a little kid.

Emma-

M: Hey mommy, when you are in the 20th grade, that’s when you get married.  Then you get to kiss your husband and hug him all night long.  But you have to stop in morning, but you can do it all again every night.
<I am at a loss as to where she got this one.>

Jasper – the neighborhood cat

Thank goodness for Julia checking Craigslist.  She found this posting today.

“We live in college hill and have a beautiful male stray cat that we have been feeding off of our porch for about six months. We’re pretty sure that other neighbors have been feeding him too, but I don’t think any of us are in the position to take in another animal. I am scared that he will freeze to death outside, and I can’t take him in myself for long periods of time because he doesn’t get along with my other cat. I also have three dogs, and he doesn’t seem to be scared of them at all.

I don’t know about his past vet history, but we will give him away free to a GOOD HOME ONLY,
we don’t want him to end up back on the streets when it starts to get cold outside!!
He’s a loud purrer and very very sweet!
He is neutered
We think he has maine coon cat in him because he is huge and the way he looks.
He doesn’t seem bothered by our dogs, but likes to dominate our cat
Can be an indoor/outdoor cat
He gets along great with all types of people- adults teens and kids

Please help us find Oliver a forever home before it gets too cold outside!
Serious inquiries only!”

Julia showed it to Aidan and he thought it was Jasper too.  So I called the number and said “I think you are trying to give away my cat.”  Turns out they live just a couple blocks west of us.  I told her to check his eye (one pupil is blown) and she checked her picture of him – sure enough, blown pupil.

We had a good laugh about it.  I told her how all the people on our block feed him too.  No wonder he’s so big.  She’s going to share his real name with all the neighbors (evidently they all let him in their house too).  I told her not to worry – he sleeps in our house and kept my feet very warm last night.

I’m gonna get him a collar/tag tonight that reads “Jasper – and yes, I have a home, but I’ll eat your food anyway!”

My Funny Girl

Brian and I picked up Emma at school on Friday and she was proudly wearing an Indian feather hat she had made that day.

Emma: Mommy, Daddy, look at my feather hat!

Daddy:  That’s pretty neat Emma.  Are you an Injun?

Emma:  No Daddy, I’m an Indian.  If I was an Injun (engine), I’d be dressed like a car.

Silly, silly girl.

Long Overdue Updates

Yeah, it’s been August since I’ve updated.  But life has been crazy to say the least.  So here’s brief updates of what our family has been up to.

Emma started 1st grade and loves it.  She’s really improving on her reading and she’s great at math.  Each week they have a spelling pre-test on Wed and the final test on Friday.  Their lists have their weekly words and then challenge words – ones that don’t really follow phonics rules.  She always gets them right on the pre-test and has yet to take a Friday test.

About a month ago, she hurt her arm on the monkey bars.  We watched her that night and she didn’t complain any in the days following.  We didn’t think much about it.  A week later, it was hurt again.  As it turns out, it was broken – a small crack above her wrist.  We’re not sure which time did the trick.

Aidan has started pre-school and loves it.  He doesn’t understand though why he can’t go all day every day like Emma does.  He says he just wants to be at school.  He’s only been in trouble once (that he’s told me).  I asked him what happened and he said “I didn’t listen.  But tomorrow I’m going to listen.”  And no time outs since then.

He continues to be his wild, crazy self.  We love watching him dance.  He “shakes his booty” as he calls it, which is quite funny since his booty is the ONLY part of him that doesn’t move.  He just moves his upper body.  I even held his arms/ shoulders still and tried to help him shake it – no luck.  His latest thing is that if he wants something or to do something and I say no, he’ll say “But Mommy, I’ll give you a kiss and a hug cuz I love you so much.”  Little turd.

Caleigh is such a funny girl.  She has the funniest laugh I’ve heard in a while – it’s very deep sounding to me.  We’re still working on words – they’re coming very slowly.  But she definately has a great understanding of what you want from her.  When we tell her it’s time for bed, she heads right to the stairs, and then usually to the bathtub.  She loves baths and showers.

She has also become very independent.  You can’t feed her anymore.  You can’t help her up/down the stairs anymore.  And lately, she wants out of her high chair and to sit on the bench next to Aidan or Emma.

Brian’s been a busy bee lately.  He hasn’t been working since early Oct, but he’s still getting some $ thanks to some banked commission.  This worked out well since Julia & family were sick for what seemed like most of Oct and he watched the kids.  He’s managed to rebuild our front porch (VERY NICE – pics to come later) and I think this week he’s going to finally finish our downstairs bathroom.  He’s also proven to be a great husband/single-dad due to my update below.

I have spent the last month and a half essentially gone.  I was in Seattle Oct 5-15, 19-27.  Then we were on vacation Oct 28-Nov 1.  Now I’ve been in St Louis Nov 10-20.  This will be followed for now by a Nov 30-Dec 15 trip.  I’m busy working on a proposal for work, which is an incredible experience and one that I definately needed in my career.  But it’s been very hard on everyone, mostly Brian and the kids.

So due to all the working, I have not much else to update about me.  I work 10-12 hours a day, go eat dinner, go back to hotel to crash, wake up and it’s groundhog day all over again.  Though we did get some excitement last night – a bunch of cars at the hotel got broken into, including the one next to mine.  Nothing like heading to work and seeing the CSI’s all dusting cars for fingerprints (which I must admit was kinda cool).

I guess that’s it for now.  Back to work and proposal writing.

The Splat Heard ‘Round Oklahoma

Last weekend we went to Marlow, Ok to visit with the Hanley’s.  Sharon watched our kids for about 4 years.  While there and playing in their pool, Emma learned to do back dives.  She was great at it the first night.  Then on Sunday, when we tried to film her, she just couldn’t do it again.   We worked for hours but she just lost all motivation or courage to do it.

So Brian got the bright idea to show her how she wasn’t jumping back like she should -he’d just show her how she was falling backwards and not jumping so she’d see what she was doing wrong.  So up he goes (a bit too energetically), attempts a back dive, and SPLAT!!!!  It was seriously the loudest smack on water I have EVER heard in my entire life.  Everyone was outside and we were all instantly silenced, waiting for him to resurface and let us know he was ok.

After about an hour he said “too bad we didn’t get that on tape.  I think I’ll do it again so you can film it.”  I thought if you are willing to do that again, I’m definately willing to tape it.  Here’s the result:

Are you as shocked as we were?  I think his body knew of the upcoming pain and just wouldn’t allow it to happen again.  I don’t see him winning any diving competitions with that form, but we are proud of him just the same.  It’s a 10 for us.

The reason he sucks his thumb…

Aidan was doing SO good with not sucking his thumb.  He was only really doing it at night and not consistently.  Now he has totally regressed.  Ugh.

At least tonight he gave me the reason as to why he sucks his thumb.
Mommy:  Aidan, quit sucking your thumb or I’m not gonna let you sit on my lap.

Aidan:  But Mommy, I’m just making my thumb all shiny.  See? (as he proceeds to show me he spit covered thumb)

At least he says it with his adorable smile.

New name

The last couple of weeks Emma has been asking us why we didn’t name her Courtney.  I’ve just told her we didn’t, we named her Emma, and left it at that.

Sunday on the way home from church this was the conversation:

E:  Mommy, can we please go today to get my name changed to Courtney?

S: No Emma, we named you Emma.

E: But I’m supposed to be a Courtney.  I really want my name to be Courtney.

S: Sorry honey, but your name is Emma.  Before you were even born, God knew that you were going to be Emma.

E: (with eyes closed and hands folded) God, please can we go today and change my name to Courtney?  Amen.  <pause>  Mommy!  God said I can be Courtney now!

Update: just found out how Courtney came into play.  She said Courtney is the sister on Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses that reads books, and since she likes books, she’s Courtney.

It’s all in your perspective

This has been the 1st year that my kids have really gotten to swim a lot and actually get a tan.  Well, as much of a tan as my pale ones can get.  They still look pretty white next to Julia’s little dark ones.

The kids were taking baths the other night and Aidan has a pretty good tan going.  Of course, Emma doesn’t quite understand a tan.  Here’s her thoughts:

“Mommy!  Look at Aidan!  What’s wrong with him?  His butt is turning white!”

Butt turning white?  Rest of him turning tan?  It’s all in your perspective.

Aidan talk

I swear I don’t know where he comes up with stuff.  I was getting ready for work this morning and didn’t have a shirt or bra on.  Here’s our conversation.
Aidan: Mommy, are those your boobies?

Me: Yes

Aidan: Mommy, you have small boobies.

Me: Wow, thanks a lot buddy.

Daddy: Aidan, have you seen a lot of boobies?

Aidan: Oh yes Daddy, lots.

What a nut.