May 28, 2009

Mike was home for dinner tonight after being out of town for a few days (we ate out last night after Christian's t-ball game).  As Christian sat down at the table, with all of there, he said,"The five Walkers again." I don't know, it was just sweet.

May 24, 2009

"That was good singing!" -Christian, referring to himself. "You're going to sing on Broadway!" -Michaela, with great confidence.

May 20, 2009

While Michaela was brushing her teeth tonight I brought two books into the adjoining room and set them on a little chair so that she could pick them up on her way to bed.  I went in to the bathroom and told her,"I'm going to start a load of laundry; your books are on the chair..." She looked at me and said through her toothpaste,"Um, which chair?  There are, like, 70 chairs in this house."  I laughed and told her which one, because of course she was right in that I was so ambiguous.  This is also Mike's favorite thing about me!

May 18, 2009

"Ii-y tat!" (Kitty Cat), giggling. -Eliana, upon seeing this...

May 16, 2009

"Mmmm, you make macaroni and cheese just like Steak 'n' Shake!" -Christian, when he saw Eliana's bowl of macaroni and cheese, which I made from a box for dinner tonight.  You know it's good when they compare it to a restaurant.

May 12, 2009

Christian had been at a friend's house where he played a video game for a significant period of time.  Lately he has not had much, if any, screen time at home, so this was quite different for him.  At dinner he complained of a headache, and so we were discussing how video games were not that great for a variety of reasons. Mike said,"Christian, when you are out in nature [Christian is on a loving nature kick lately] do you see anything that flashes really fast [imagine hand motions, like blinking lights really fast] in front of your face?"  Just as quick as those flashes to which Mike was referring, Christian responded,"A lizard when he..." and Christian made a zipping noise and wiggled his hand back and forth like a fast lizard. Mike and I looked at one another, barely able to suppress a great deal of laughter.  And Mike admitted that that was one of the funniest things he had heard. Clever, aren't they?

May 11, 2009

Eliana came into the kitchen and said,"Paper?  Paper?"  I saw that she had something in her hand, assumed it was a pencil or a crayon, and said,"You need some paper?  I'll get you some."  She trotted out of the kitchen, utensil in hand. A few seconds later I heard a little voice, calling from another room..."Mommy, I need some toilet paper!"  It was Michaela. A light bulb came on above my head; I said,"Is that what Eliana was asking me for, toilet paper?"  Michaela responded,"Yes!" I laughed, first because Michaela had sent Eliana on this mission, second because I thought Eliana had a writing utensil when she actually had a fork from a play picnic set, and third because this seems to be a common theme around here!

May 3, 2009

We were listening to Mozart.  After the CD ended, a new one began; Bruce Springsteen started singing "Born to Run."  Right in the middle of her sentence Michaela said,"Who is this?!"  I said,"Bruce Springsteen.  He's called 'The Boss'."  She replied,"He sounds like Jon Abel."  Jon leads the worship in our contemporary service Sunday mornings. By the way, as "Born to Run" was playing, I ran into the computer room to write this down, so I wouldn't forget it (I thought it was cute), and slipped and fell on our hardwood floor...I apparently am not born to run.

May 2, 2009

Michaela came downstairs late last night, when I thought she was already sleeping.  She said her nose was bothering her.  I debated giving her some Benadryl or not; I don't want to overmedicate my kids, but I also know how miserable allergies can make you feel.  I decided to give her some.  The dose for ages 6-12 is 1-2 teaspoons.  I gave her about 1 1/2 teaspoons, and she said,"Why didn't you fill it up to here (the 2 tsp mark)?" My thinking is of course that she is not 12 and could use a smaller dose.  I said,"Because you're 6, not 12!" She grinned and looked at me and kindly told me,"I'm not 6!"  Right.  This would be my oldest child, the one I gave birth to in 2001, making her eight years old.  Mother-of-the-Year Award, here I come!

April 30, 2009

I went to the bathroom the other day and as usual Eliana followed me in there.  When I was finished she pointed her finger at me and said,"Pee pee?"  I said,"Yes, Mommy went pee pee in the potty."  She smiled and said,"Good job!"

April 28, 2009

Here's an example that shows my mom's mental state after she has been here with us for a week, bearing witness to the disaster that we are, trying to help us get unpacked, watching us run around like chickens with our heads cut off... (referring to her Steak 'n' Shake burger) "This burger reminds me of Five Fries."  She was actually thinking of Five Guys, another burger place we've been to up and down the East Coast. I think she's tired.

April 25, 2009

At Michaela's soccer game this afternoon, I heard my mom say,"They're goin' down!"  The other team had won all but one game, which they tied.  Our girls scored a goal.  And then they scored a second goal, defeating this team, and it was their last game, too! Not that she's all competitive...I also heard her say,"We all need a little slice of humble pie!" Just to keep it balanced.

April 21, 2009

This afternoon I was sitting at our dining room table and Eliana was standing in the chair next to mine; we were having a bite to eat.  She put her head over on my shoulder and said,"Love you." Could she be a sweeter little girl?  I can't imagine it.

April 20, 2009

The Nerf basketball hoop had lost its hook, the part that attaches to a door.  Very important part.  It had come off and  Mike and I couldn't get it back on.  Both of us spent a good handfull of minutes trying to figure it out, it seemed like it should be so simple that anyone could do it. Christian asked me late in the afternoon to hang the thing up and I told him I couldn't because it was broken.  He had both pieces and a few minutes after asking me about it he came back in the kitchen where I was beginning to fix dinner and said,"Well, mom!  You should have just asked a little child like me." And sure enough there was the thing fixed, and sure enough it was so simple that a child could figure it out.

April 15, 2009

Christian, upon seeing our President on the cover of a paper we received in the mail the other day... "Barack Obama is pretty famous."  He said it so seriously, with a little downward nod of his head, an integral although hard to communicate part of this quote.