Functionally speaking

We've had a problem lately with the kids talking about bodily functions at the table. I don't mind if Laura tells Evan and Kendra that she baachied in the potty two times today and got 2 Skittles. I don't mind if Evan tells me that he went to the bathroom at school. I don't mind if Kendra asks to leave the table to go to the bathroom. I don't mind if someone says they pottied for a really long time today. I do mind when someone makes up a story that involves a lot of bathroom words. So we've made a rule that you don't talk about bodily functions at the table. It's a rather lax rule because of the above-mentioned things that I think are acceptable, and because technically, blinking and sneezing and having a runny nose are all bodily functions also. But the kids know the rule and what it means. Especially Laura. Or maybe it's except Laura. Who often, when hearing someone talk about anything related to any part of a body, yells, "They're talking functionally!"

Sure, why not

"Mommy! Take a picture of my Lego guy!"

"Ok, sure!"

You're jealous of my coolness

I just fixed a typo in a blog post of mine. From November of 2008. I'm cool like that.

Literally

Evan: Can people punch?
Mommy: Yes, people can punch. Punching is when you hit something with your fist.
Evan: But can people punch literally?
Mommy: Yes, people can actually punch.
Evan: But can they punch literally?
Daddy: Do you know what literally means?
Evan: It means, like, really fast.

After note: Yes, we did explain what literal and figurative mean. This conversation led to a couple days of pointing out different things people said or that we read and deciding whether it was figurative or literal. That's a conversation everyone has with their 6-year-old, right?

Why oh why

Why oh why do you have to be so pretty?
Don't you know that I love you so much already?
And that it's already hard to get out of your snuggle when you would rather hold on tight awhile longer?
And that I like your kisses plenty well even without you having such kissy pink lips?

And that I love telling you "yes" even when you don't blink those big blue eyes at me?

And that batting those long eyelashes just makes me giggle right along with you?

Why oh why do you have to be so pretty?

Oh, and thank you, God, for such a lovely treasure, both inside and out, in Kendra.

Flower

I wanted to blog about something, but I couldn't figure out how to say it best, that it got my point across without sounding just the opposite as what I was trying to say. Since I couldn't figure it out, I forgot about the blog post and wrote a short e-mail to the parents of the other child involved. And I decided that short e-mail summed it up very nicely and that I'd share it here:

I’m one of those people who’s very opposed when someone refers to a too-young child having a “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”. Kids grow up soon enough; don’t push the idea of girlfriends/boyfriends on them. That being said…

It did something to me yesterday when my daughter received her very first flower from a boy. And the amount of love that was shared with that early spring dandelion was staggering. Because my daughter received a flower from her very best friend – your son.

Thank you for having a wonderful son who can be my daughter’s “bestest friend”.
Lynnette

Things I'd normally ask on Facebook

--Why is there Dishwasher Cleaner? A dishwasher is designed for cleaning things. Why would it need cleaned? And, if it does need cleaned, then wouldn't it stand to reason that your dishes are coming out dirty also?

--And, why oh why, does Kotex now have designer pads? Not the package, but the pad itself. Given the intended use of a sanitary pad, why would anyone care if it has a purple and green swirly leaf pattern in it (yes, in it)? Is it supposed to make it a more appealing product? I just can't imagine any reasonable female exclaiming, "Oh, YES! I got my period! Now I can use those sweet designer pads I picked up at Wal-Mart the other day!!!"

I'll now return to my regularly scheduled trip through the Sunday paper coupons...

Praying for good sleep

The other night, as I got down out of the top bunk from giving Kendra her bedtime snuggle,
I peeked in the bottom bunk and saw this sweet little girl sleeping so peacefully.
I had to go grab the camera to take a picture.

She was sleeping with her hands folded. 

And I thought it was such a calming sight.

A few days later, this same sweet girl fell asleep on the way home from town.
Unlike normal, I was able to get her in the house and laid down asleep.
She stirred briefly but went right back to sleep.

I thought she looked adorably snuggly, so I took a picture. 

Then I walked around behind her and saw this. 

Her hands folded between her knees while she slept. 

Maybe she's taken Mommy's prayer that we all sleep well a step further
and is now praying for the good sleep while she sleeps.

New tricks

The other night at bedtime, Kendra happily declared, "I learned how to do the button on my jammies all by myself!"
And, mastering that snap (it was a snap, not a button) would have seemed like a great accomplishment.

If she hadn't figured out how to do this two weeks earlier.

Good job learning so many new things, Kendra!
I'm always proud of you!