Sigh.

After changing N's diaper, I picked him up to carry him down the stairs.

Me (giving him a hug): "You're getting big. You're growing up too fast."
N: "Yes. I are."

(I know. I need to potty train him. Soon. I will soon.)

We're Still Here

I know, I need to blog. The boys are as funny and entertaining as ever, but they are also keeping me busier than ever.

Since I've blogged, N has turned 3, my parents visited for Thanksgiving, and Christmas has come and gone. All were fabulous events, but I haven't had time to sit down and write about them.

Oh, do I look different? My Christmas present was a new laptop. It's red and fast. In my youth, when I thought of red and fast I thought of a Corvette. Now in my not-so-youth, I'm probably more pleased with a red and fast computer than I would be with a Corvette. Don't get me wrong, a Corvette would be fun, but it's just not practical.

Anyway, I just wanted to let my 5 faithful readers know that we're still alive.

Judo Joy

After not looking forward to Judo all day, I overheard the following conversation:

Z: "L, it's probably just going to be a games and randori practice" (randori is practice fighting)
L: "Really?!? Cool. Is that just because it's close to Christmas?"
Z: "Probably."
L: "I love around Christmas time"
Z: "Yeah."
L: "Christmas joy."
M (breaking into song): "Joy to the world....the Lord is come...."

Do You Like Being Homeschooled?

Thanks to a homeschooling message board I visit, I asked each boy this question out of earshot of the others yesterday.

Me: Do you like being homeschooled?
L: Yeah!
Me: Why?
L: Because if I was in school I wouldn't get to play with my brothers all day. And I'd be away from home.

Me: Do you like being homeschooled?
Z: Yeah, because [a friend at Judo] has to go to school and he told me about it and it sounded bad and kids spit on him. And because I think it's a little bit fun and they [the schools] are doing a bad job teaching.

Me: Do you like being homeschooled?
J: Yes, because you're the nicest teacher. And I'd miss you.

Me: Do you like being homeschooled?
M: No. I mean yes.
Me: Why?
M: Because it's fun. You have math to do....and.....(he ran off)

Me: Do you like being homeschooled?
N: I don't wanna go to preschool [at co-op]. I want cake.

What's for Breakfast?

I returned from running weekly errands at about 8 am. I unloaded all the bags from the van, and M started rummaging.

M: "What's for breakfast?"
Mommy: "Pickled pigs feet and fried lizard."
M: "Oh." (long pause) "Have we ever had that before?"
Z: "I think she's kidding. She better be kidding."

Dinner, Anyone?

Last week I made chili for dinner. It's not a favorite, and I know that, but I like it and it's inexpensive and filling so I continue to make it periodically. This last time I made it I asked who liked it and Z, J, & M all raised their hands.

L said: "It's not as bad as it usually is."

Two nights ago, as I was kneading the pizza dough, L walks through the kitchen.

L: "What's for dinner?"
Mom: "Pizza."
L: "Have you started doing something different? Because it's not as bad as it used to be."

I need to explain to him someday that his wife might not be as accepting of his compliments as I am.

Negotiations

The boys have a snack at 3:00 everyday. It's predictable, it's about halfway between lunch and dinner, it works well with our activities. It keeps them from asking for food all day long.

M (at 2:40): "Can we have snack?"
Mommy: "In twenty minutes."
M: "Oh. How about 3 minutes..."
Mommy (interrupting him): "No, at 3:00"
M: "...uh, 2 minutes, because then it would be zero minutes faster and I'm hungry and I don't like twenty minutes and I don't want to wait and it's not fair."

I had to laugh at his reasoning. Being four must be fun. He actually thought that might persuade me.

The Media

Want a scary example of media bias? Go read this post by Jenn over at White Trash Mama, watch the video, and follow her instructions.

Overwhelming majority, eh?

Theology With a Four Year Old

M: "Did God make everyone?"
Mommy: "Yes, God made everyone."
M: "But not the bad guys, right?"
Mommy: "God made everyone."
M: "Even the bad guys that put him on the cross?"
Mommy: "Yes, God made everyone."
M: "What'd he do that for?!?!"
Mommy: (pause while I try to figure out how to explain the origin of evil to a 4 year old)
M: "Hmph. Guess we'll have to wait and ask God about that."

The Baby Is Getting Smart

N saw an old picture of L, Z, J, & M.

N (excitedly): "Hey! There's my guys! (tone switches from excited to confuzzled) Hey!! Where's N?!?!?"

__________

N really likes chocolate milk. I indulge him and put just a pinch of chocolate milk mix in his milk. Sometimes the pinch is actually just a granule or two of the mix. This worked well for the past year or so, ever since he started asking for chocolate milk. He's started to catch on, though, and this scenario is starting to become more common.

N: "Chocolate milk, Mom."
Mommy: pours milk
N: "No shake, Mom."
Mommy: puts a pinch of chocolate milk mix in the milk
N: "No shake, Mom. Thanks, Mom."

Then he holds his cup up over his head and looks quizzically up through the bottom of the cup. If he can see the chocolate milk mix sinking to the bottom (he can't see the chocolate sinking if I shake it) he gives me a grin. If not, he furrows his brow and walks off.