Not sure how I should take this...

"Mommy did you do this when you were a person?"

"Um...do you mean a kid hunny?"

"Yeah, when you were a kid and a person."

Oh, okay then...

Reindeer!

"Bubu get down off that chair and close that window it's freezing outside!"

"But Daddy's getting a Reindeer!"

"What?"

"A Reindeer, Daddy's getting a Reindeer! I want to see the Reindeer!"

"What are you talking about..."

"A Reindeer!"

(Spike and Atty come racing.) "Yeah Reindeer, Reindeer"

"Bubu, Daddy said Rain Gear, he went out to the shop to grab his rain Gear."

"But I want to see a Reindeer"

"Well you will have to wait for Christmas then, if you're lucky you might spot one."

"Bubu, seriously get down off that chair, Christmas is still a little ways away."

(Although coming up fast isn't it!)

So...Praise the Lord, my hubby was grabbing his rain Gear because the Carpenters Hall finally called and he has a Job! We don't know how long, but this one sounds like it will at least last more then a week (which was all he got the last time they called). We have both been praying for something and we both got a little emotional this time around. Being that he has worked less then three months out of this whole year! So...Praise the Lord!! I'm doing the happy dance!

Clever boy...

Spike was sitting in a box in the playroom when the following conversation occurred.

"Mommy I'm in here, mommy I'm in here, mommy I'm in here"...repeat times a million...

"I see that Spike you're in there"...repeat times a million...

"Mommy I'm in here."

Big sigh..."Spike you're bugging me."

"You're bugging me?"

"No, you're bugging me."

"You're bugging me?"

"No, you're bugging me."

"You're bugging me?"

"Nooooooo, you are bugging me!"

"You're bugging you?"

Hiding smile..."No, You are bugging Me!"

"Ohhhh, I bugging you...giggle, giggle..."

The little stinker is driving me crazy!

His newest thing is to say "What mommy?" when I've told him to stop doing something or it's something he wants to pretend he didn't hear. He will say it over and over again in this innocent voice until I feel I might lose my mind, and then when I am on the brink of insanity and he is about to get in trouble because I refuse to repeat myself one more time he will say "ohhhhhh, okay" like he just got it. Even though I know he heard me the WHOLE time. I need to stop falling for that trick. He's a clever one that boy of mine.

Just kidding...

A conversation just had with my four year old.

Me- Bubu please stop running around the table with your socks on I don't want you to fall and hit your head.

Bubu- Why?

Me- Because it would hurt and I might have to take you to the doctor and I don't want to do that tonight.

Bubu- Why?

Me- Because it would be sad and it would take forever and I'm tired, that's why...

Bubu- ...Because the doctor would shoot me?

*What!* Where does he get this stuff? My sister and I couldn't even answer him, we just started laughing, which made Bubu laugh and then he started saying, "just kidding, I'm just kidding" which made me laugh harder. The kid seriously cracks me up...

suggestions...

What should mommy do to get this baby out?

Bubu "Go for a car ride and shake it out" *Which shows he is always listening to what we are talking about...I don't even remember him being around when we were joking about going on a bouncy car ride.

Spike AKA Ragga muffin "Daddy" *We all got a good laugh out of this one.

Atty "OUT BABY!" *I am assuming he is wanting me to shout the baby out...ha, ha!

I will be trying all of these, in order, in the next few days... ;)

A little conversation...

...with my wise and protective first born son.



Watching me make tea at the stove with hot boiling water.

(Just so you know I've burnt myself many times cooking in the kitchen...I get going a little to fast and before I know it I've done it again. I just recently got a super bad burn on my finger that had the whole family a bit grossed out.)



Bubu- "Careful, don't burn yourself Riah."



Me- "That's right Bubu I'll be careful, Safety first."



Bubu- "Yeah"



PAUSE



Bubu- "You're pretty brave Riah."



Me- "Thank you sweetheart."



ANOTHER PAUSE



Bubu- "I want you to be safe and brave," hand gesturing back and forth, "safe...and brave" he emphasized.



Me- "Yes that's a smart combination huh, you're right, safe and brave."



Bubu- Looking right at me with a serious expression "Yes safe and brave."



Oh my sweetest, you are so wise. Always the loving son, how did I end up with such a wondrous you?

It makes for a good laugh.

"Daddy I want to shit on you."

"What?!"

"I want to shit on you."

Hubby shoots me a bewildered scared sort of look.

"He's saying sit honey, he wants to sit on your lap."

giggle, giggle...

lost in translation.

"I want the bugs in pants movie mom."

"What Bubu?"

"I want the bugs in pants movie."

"Bugs in Pants?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know what you are talking about Bubu."

"The new movie." Insert exasperated sigh here, and possibly an eye roll.

"Are you talking about the Antz movie?"

"No! The bugs in pants."

"This one." Hold up the Antz movie for his viewing pleasure.

"Yeah, the bugs in pants movie!"

"This is Antz Bubu."

"No, bugs in pants." followed by defiant three year old stare.

"Alrighty then, bugs in pants it is." You win some, you lose some.

BTW, I don't suggest this movie. Didn't like some of the language in it, and it seemed a bit too violent. After the second viewing, the "bugs in pants" movie was on it's way back to Netflixs, hopefully never to be seen again.

Thank You Mayor of Whoville

So some time last week Bubu started calling his brother, Spike, a boob head. At first I thought he made this connection from seeing his brother nurse, get it, but then he turned to me yesterday and said this gem "Your such a boob mom." After I got over my initial shock I asked him "Where did you get this from, where did you hear this?" "From Horton, my Horton, Horton do that" he says. What?

Then sure enough I heard the boob reference this morning when he was watching his newest version of the Horton Hears a Who movie (for the one millionth time!). The mayor pleads for Horton to show the people of Whoville what a non-boob he is. Just one short sentence. Bubu picks up on the littlest stuff.

This morning he has told me a few times already that he is a boob now. "I am a boob" he tells me proudly. Good Grief...next it will be a perfect stranger at the grocery store, I can see it now. "Mom that man is such a boob" he will say, pointing his finger at some unsuspecting man and making the statement in a knowing and none to quiet voice at the exact moment that we are passing by the said man, well with in ear shot. I will then melt into a puddle of embarrassment, like I did when he use to shriek with excitement "Dada" at every man he saw. I remember all to well the little old lady at the grocery store looking at me with that "tisk, tisk" look because I had two little ones and a huge belly and wasn't wearing my wedding ring (because it didn't fit) and my child clearly didn't know who his father was. Oh the fun of it all...Thank you mayor of Whoville for giving my child one more thing to embarrass me with.

"You're driving me nuts!"

"Uggg, this is so annoying", "I'm so frustrated", "It's bothering me", "Urrrrggggg!"

"Would you like help with the play-doh Bubu?"

Being three is hard, very, very hard. Right now everything and everyone is driving Bubu crazy.
"You're driving me nuts" he will say with a sigh of annoyance. Where does he get this stuff from...it must be from his dad's side of the family.

"They tor-tur-ing me, ahhhhhh, urggggg, they tor-tur-ing me!" Followed by ear splitting screams and pitiful wailing. Telling him that his brothers touching him is not torture means nothing to him. "Your so annoying" is his new favorite phrase.

And talk about bossy! OMGoodness, he is constantly on rules patrol. He was bossing the babies around last night and I asked him to stop bossing, told him yet again he is not the boss. He looks at me all annoyed and says "You boss them". I tell him I will take care of it, talk to the babies and turn to leave and the little stinker tells me "No you Boss them MoM!" Apparently I didn't tell them off well enough.

He actually turned to me the other day and said "I'm sassing you mom". What the...

He falls apart about everything, and I mean everything. A sobbing pile of child done wrong. His world just falls apart if his underwear happen to be inside out when I ask him to put them on. Oh and telling him that he has to stay dressed, that he is to old now to run around nude all day, has been for a while, that alone can send him into a tizzy. Modesty means nothing to him. The boys Hates to be dressed, always has. I have had to take all the tags out of his clothes and everything just to try and appease the naked monster. Every little thing about being clothed drives him crazy and he then feels the need to follow me around the house telling me about it. "it's to tight", "it's to itchy", and of course the good stand by, "it's annoying me".

I know everyone talks about the terrible twos, but my little angel, turned psycho child sailed through the two like a breeze. Little did I know at the time he was saving it all up to surprise me with later. What a sweet little boy, he knows how much I like surprises.

Lima beans please

"Oh yeah, Lima beans *squeal* um yum!"

Did my ears just deceive me or did my oldest just squeal in delight at the sight of Lima beans on his plate?

Yes, yes he did.

The boy won't eat cooked Carrots, but he loves him some Lima beans.

He refuses to eat Corn right now, but will chow down on steamed Kale.

Won't touch Celery, but loves Broccoli "trees".

He's a puzzle that one.

Collard greens, "yum", steamed Green Beans, "yes please", Cauliflower, "love it", Bok Choy, "Delicious", Asparagus, "oh yeah".

Do you know what he picked for dinner, when I asked him the other night what sounded good to him? "Rice and Beans and Broccoli". What! Speechless. I mean really, what about fish sticks and fries? I'll even throw in some Lima beans on the side. No, I'm sticking with the red beans and rice with some broccoli mom, thanks...

And not to be out done, his littlest brother last night, threw the biggest fit over wanting more tomato, instead of eating his fish stick and tatter tots! He was coming unglued. Real tears and all!

Yes my go to meal in a pinch, is based off of fish sticks right now...just so you know.

Atty on the other hand balances it all out by rarely, if ever, taking a bite of his veggies with the exception of potatoes...that boy is a MEAT (and potatoes) eater big time, it's almost scary how he can pack it away! We are talking real meat, off the bone, kind of eater.

So I guess if I serve Lima beans, Tomatoes, and some MEAT (fish sticks don't fly with Atty, bummer) for dinner tonight I'll be covering my bases. Dinner at my house anyone?

Pray for the monsters

Lately bedtime prayers with Bubu have been an interesting experience. He prays for everything and I mean everything! From the light in the ceiling, to his shoes, to the ketchup he had with dinner. He will list every family member, extended family member, friends, neighbors, pets, the cashier in the grocery store we said hi to that day... the list goes on. But last night was a first, last night he prayed for monsters.

"Dear Lord Jesus I thank you for (everything under the sun) and please send your guardian angels to protect (everything under the sun)... and the monsters."

Apparently even monsters need prayers.

no not THE "F" WORD

So yesterday during preschool we started a new letter, the letter F. As part of the learning process we were talking about words that start with the letter F, like fish and frog, fence and fire. We went through some Flashcards with pictures of items that start with the letter F, then wandered the house collecting items that started with the letter F and putting them in our letter box. As we are doing this, I am confirming with them that yes that is an F word or no that doesn't start with the letter F. So flash forward, an hour or so and a child is being dropped off for care. All the other children are greeting him, his mom is putting his stuff in his cubby, and Atty grabs a frog from the letter box and hands it to the child. At that very moment Bubu yells out "F word" were as the mom whips her head around and stares at my son, then turns her quizzical gaze to me. I am left stammering, "um yes that is an 'F' word, frog"

I pretty sure for a moment she was wondering

what kind of a preschool I was running!

communication is a wonderful thing.

Interesting tid-bit of information, Bubu just informed me that boogers taste like apple. Just in case you were wondering.

Atty just recently started saying Mama, he's been a late talker, but has been making up for that in the recent weeks. Once he realized that shaking his head yes or no, opened new doors, he started communicating verbally too. So any ways, I had to go to the doctor last night because I haven't been feeling well, I was gone for hours, walk-in clinics suck, and when I pulled into the drive way, there was Atty staring out the window, and his face just lit up when he realized it was me, I could hear him saying "mama, mama" as I got out of the van, and he was pointing out the window at me, all excited. Right when I opened the door he lunged at me and wrapped his arms around my leg and snuggled in. It was really heart warming. I said to him "did you miss mama?" and he looked up at me and shook him head yes, raised his arms and said "up" clearly for the first time. too cute, so of course I picked him up! Being able to communicate is a wonderful thing.

the little things

I was going to rant and rave about what a harsh week this has been, being super sick myself and the two littlest getting pink eye (from were?) and a million other little frustrations that have put me into a rotten funk...but then this happened.

I am cooking dinner, stewing about how lame everything seems at that very moment, how monotonous my life seems to me sometimes (mostly when I am pissy) lost in mean thoughts, and grumpiness when my oldest child gets out this little piano, sits down by the kitchen and starts singing "Riah is a flower" (yes, he calls me Riah most of the time) He's repeating this over and over and pouring himself into playing that piano, pounding away, shouting out the words. Then he stops, looks up at me with his big blue eyes and says, "you like my song Riah?" Yes baby I do, I am now rapidly feeling guilty for feeling so frustrated with them moments earlier. Then he launches into a new song "Riah is beautiful" he adds in some other words, most of which I don't understand, you know cause he's rockin it, then comes back to his verse "Riah is beautiful", then as an afterthought adds "Riah is a flower" a few times, does a little piano number and finishes in style. Then asks his now famous question "You happy now?" Oh my Bubu, you are just the sweetest. You always seem to know when I need a pick me up. You always make me reflect upon my self and make me want to be better, improve. Be the mom that you deserve. So my harsh and very trying week, that had me wallowing in self pity has ended up leaving me with this thought. It's the little things that matter most, the sweet kind words, and how wonderful that my son has learned this. I must remember that he learns through example, and so that means..."snap out of it girl!"

The things kids say.

I gave the kids grape juice (juice is rare in our house) with snack yesterday and Bubu took a sip then he looked at me and said "this makes my head feel funny". So random. His vocabulary has been exploding lately, and he has been experimenting with feeling words and describing things. He has come up with some amazing stuff. He is such a copy cat too, which is scary. Seeing yourself mirrored in your child can be a humbling experience. A few days ago I heard him scolding his brother, he got down really close to him and said in a deep serious voice "you look at me" then he growled " stop or go to time out" with this horrible scowl on his face. He wanted his brother to stop getting into something, it didn't really have anything to do with him, but he has taken on the big brother role with all seriousness. And I saw me in his behavior, talk about eye opener! Lately he tells his brothers that they are driving him nuts, which is a saying he has coined from his daddy. He has also figured out that telling mommy she is beautiful gets him good results. I mean who can be grumpy when their three year old is looking into their eyes and saying with all earnestness, "your beautiful mommy" with a soft pat on the cheek. Oh I am a sucker! But, in all fairness, it works on his daddy too, which is a funny thing to watch.