for future reference

Bedtime conversation b/w me and Parker tonite:

Parker: "Mommy, do you know I love you sooo much?"
Me: "Yes. Do you know I love you soooo much?"
Parker: "Yup. Mom, did you know I really really don't like salami?"
Me: "Ummm... no I guess I didn't. Thanks for telling me."

Lillie linguistics

All week long Lillie has been bringing me her favorite book called, "Night Night Baby." Whenever she does this she says "Nahnah nahnah" over and over and I assumed she was saying "night night". Well yesterday before putting her down she kept saying "nahnah nahnah" and along with it signing "banana". I was so confused as to what she wanted. So I got her "Night Night Baby" book out and asked her to show me. I read this book to Parker a thousand times and to Lillie a thousand more and knew there were no banana's in the book and so by process of elimination I was going to figure this out! We sat there and read every page while Lillie kept signing "banana" and saying "nahnah" over and over again. Well, wouldn't you know right here on the very last page was a great big yellow banana!!! Okay, so it was a great big yellow crescent moon but in Lillie's little brain it was a banana high in the sky and she was thrilled to pieces to show it to me as she proudly signed "banana".

Sugar and spice and everything nice...

Okay, I admit it... I am smitten by my daughter. Never, in a million years did I think that having a little girl could change me the way it has. I always thought I would have a house full of boys running around playing ball, trains and diggers. I LOVE boys well, two in particular, and I love the sounds they make when they are pretending to crash something and I love the growling noises that come from their throats when they are playing dinosaurs or wrestling. Then this morning, while doing my hair and makeup, Lillie added another demension to my heart and I once again was changed as a mom.

While sitting in my room applying some blush, Lillie came over, sat next to me, grabbed my mascara and started pretending to apply lipgloss. She first put it on her lips and then she put it on mine and then she put some on her cheeks and then preceeded to "smear" it all over my hair (not sure what that was about). At this point I began to put my hair in a ponytail and while I was doing so, she was intently staring at me. She then got up, walked into my bathroom and came running back with another ponytail holder for herself. She doesn't have a lot of hair and what she has is baby fine so it hadn't really occurred to me to try a ponytail but she was soooo excited and happy about the idea that I couldn't help but oblige to the request. The result: The cutest, littlest Pebbles ponytail ever. She inspected herself in the mirror, gave me a big wet kiss and then ran to find Parker to show it off. Everyday my kids give me several reasons to fall in love with them and this was one of Lillie's moments. (Parker's moment came when he saw her ponytail and said to her, "Lillie, I like your hair. You look sooo cute.")

I am reminded daily of the precious little lives I have been given to love and raise. Someday, the growls and ponytails won't be around and I hope and pray that I can say that I appreciated every moment and few were taken for granted.

RSVP

Tonite Parker, Trevis and I got to talking about birthdays. With Trev's only 2 weeks away and Parker's next month we were talking about parties, gifts, cake etc... Well, at one point in the conversation Parker goes to Trev, " Dad can I come to your party?" To which Trev replied, " Do you think I should have a Chuckie Cheese party too?" Parker dead serious answers, "No. You should have a bowling party and I should be invited."

Parker quote of the day

After explaining to him that the line for the waterslide at the pool was too long to wait on. His cheerful reply,

"Seriously Mom... I can handle it."

Morning runs

The kids and I are in quite the routine of taking a morning run. We have several runs that they can chose from. We have the ever popular "playground run" in which at the end of the run we stop at the park so they can play for a little while. We have the rare but very favorite Dairy Queen run" in which after running a long run if they are good they can have a special treat. We also have the "library run" where they can pick out a video and the "dollar store run" where they can choose a cheap little toy for sitting good and behaving (those are just a few). This morning was very very sticky and hot around here. I thought by going at 7:45 it would be cooler but it was already 86 degrees and muggy. I got the kids in the stroller and asked what run they wanted today. Thinking they would want a DQ treat to cool them off (since they were sweating just sitting there) I had already planned on that route when Parker goes, "Mom? I really want the no-run run today." When I questioned him what the no-run run was his reply, " It's when we just don't go running and we just sit around."

Last I checked, I do all the running and they do just sit there.

Because I said so

Our normally happy in the morning Lillie woke up yesterday on the wrong side of the bed. For whatever reason she was cranky and just didn't want to be loved on. After trying several times to give her morning kisses and snuggles, Parker finally gave up and said in his no nonsense tone...." Lillie... noone likes a grumpa wumpa. That's what you are Lillie. A grumpa wumpa. And I don't like it. Smile and be happy Lillie!"