Jesus' Birthday

Edee:  Hey--what are you doing?
Me:  Taking down the Christmas decorations because Christmas is over.
Edee:  Oh...Humm...wait so.....so, how old did Jesus turn?
Me:  Um....good question....hmmm... I don't know.
Edee:  Oh I tink him turned four.
Me:  Oh, really?
Edee:  Yeah, him was free but now him is four.
Me:  Well he's much older than that....

At least that much I know.

Christmas Prayer

Edee:  Dear Heav-eney Fadder:   Dank you for dis day.  Dank you for da food.  Dank you dat we might be safe.  Dank you dat Jesus will be safe in Mary's tummy.....

Merry Christmas from Edee and Chicken!

Lightning

We are driving to Eva's speech appointment in the morning.  I apparently was having a really hard time because I made two wrong turns to get there.  It's not far away and not hard to get there, my brain was just a million other places.

After I made the first wrong turn:
Me:  Sorry Edee, I have lost my mind....we need to turn around.

After the second wrong turn:
Me:  Ugh, I did it again!! Sorry Edee...we have to turn around again. What is my deal??
Edee:  I tink Yightning ha yost her mind.
Me:  What?  Who is Lightning?
Edee:  Her is our car.
Me:  Oh...I forgot that we named our car.  Ha ha, yes, let's blame this on the car....

She's awesome like that.
Let's not dwell too much on the fact that I made two wrong turns to get there, rather, I had the wrong time it started on my mind and completely missed the appointment.  I can't blame the car for that one!!

Wedding

Edee:  Mom, why are you going to you fend's (friends) weddeen (wedding)?
Me:  Because weddings are special occasions and we want to be there for our friends and family when they get married.
Edee:  Oh.  I'm going to have a PINK cake at my weddeen.
Chicken:  Me too!
Me:  I don't doubt it.
Edee:  Yeah, a big pink cake.  And den I'm going to cut it in haff and kiss my hubband when we are eating it.
Chicken:  Me too!!

Twenty

Edee:  One!!  Two!!  Free!
Chicken:  Two!!  Fwee!  Eight!  eyeven!  ee-teen!  two-teen!
Edee:  siss-teen!!
Me:  Alright, alright, alright.  If we are going to count, we better count right.  Let's do it together.  One, two, three.....(we I count all the way to twenty).  Good job guys.
Edee:  Chicken!!  We did it!  We counted to the highest number ever!!!!
Me:  Well, no.  Twenty is not the highest number ever.
Edee:  What's the highest number?
Me:  There is no highest number. There are infinite numbers.
Edee: Yet's count to it!!
Me:  Uh...let's just start with twenty.  Twenty is a pretty high number, after all....

Corn Cakes

Edee and I are reading a book in which a little girl makes corn cakes for wild animals.
We finish the book.

Me: And....that's why we shouldn't feed wild animals.
Edee:  Yeah.  Let's read it again.
Me:  Okay.

We start reading it again.

Edee:  We should make some corn cakes!
Me:  To make for wild animals?
Edee: No.  To make for ourselfs.
Me:  I'm not sure how to make corn cakes.
Edee:  First you take some corn. Den you take some yemmen (lemon).  Den you add da wadder (water). Den you add more yemmem.  Den you mix it up. Den a yittle bit more wadder.  Den you bake it.
Me:  For how long?
Edee:  For free (three) minutes.  Right.  Dis is how you make corn cakes.  We need to make a lot for our fends (friends).

I'll let everyone know how that goes.

Mermaids

We are driving in the car.  This is often a time for deep conversational topics--like "mermaids"

Edee:  Mommy, why aren't mermaids real?
Me:  Because someone used their imaginations to make them up.
Edee: Why did dey do dat?
Me:  Because maybe someone thought they existed at one time, but now we know they don't and they are fun to imagine.
Edee:  But I want them to be real.
Me:  I know.
Edee:  I want to see one.
Me:  I know, they are just for our imaginations
Edee:  And movies
Me:  And books, and pictures
Edee:  Well lions aren't real.
Me:  Lions are real!!  Just because you don't see something doesn't mean it isn't real.
Edee:  Jesus isn't real.
Me:  Jesus is real!  Honey....some thing are real and some things aren't; people have to choose what they believe in.  And even then they aren't always right.
Edee:  I want mermaids to be real.
Me:  Okay.  You can believe in mermaids if you want.  I don't see any harm in that for now....

Ironic that this came up right when I've been having some of that Santa guilt and wondering if it will cause a belief crisis later in life.  These are tricky lines we walk in parenting....

Elf

We are Elf on the Shelf people....barely.  I say barely because our Elf "Peetie" doesn't join us until the first day of the "12 Days of Christmas" and sometimes he gets forgotten.  Or, like last night, sometimes he does something exciting like have a marshmallow fight with some of the toys in the living room, but then Daddy will come downstairs in the early morning with Chicken....

I'm still in bed when Edee comes up to my room

Me:  Edee, did you see Peetie this morning?

Edee: Yeah he was by da boxes!!

Me:  Oh...that's it?

Edee:  Yeah.

I come downstairs.  All the marshmallows are gone.

Me:  Daddy....I came downstairs last night and saw that Peetie had got into the marshmallows....where did they go?

Daddy just looks at me bewildered and perplexed.

Me:  Chicken did you see some marshmallows?

Chicken:  Yeah!  Eat dem!!!

Me:  Daddy, where were you??

Daddy (sheepishly):  Uh...I must have fallen asleep on the couch. 

Apparently.  Mystery solved.

But there are more mysteries about this Elf to be solved.

Edee:  Mommy, why does Peetie have a tag on him?

Me (oops):  Uh....I don't know.  Why do you think?

Edee (sounding a little disappointed):  Oh.  I tink he is a toy.

Me:  Well, maybe Santa makes his elves like toys at his workshop to be his helpers.

Edee (perking up a little):  Yeah! 

She thinks about it for awhile.

Edee:  I tink my toys come alive at night.

Me:  Maybe they do.

Really.

Daddy pointed out that I had forgot a couple important common Chickenisms- "weally bad" and "weally" (really bad and really), which he'll add to his statements for emphasis.

Example:

This morning I changed Chicken's diaper and asked him if he wanted to take a bath.  He said yes, so I sent him up the stairs pant-less and diaper-less.

He starts to giggle.

Me:  Do you feel free?
Chicken:  Yeah!
Me:  I bet you do.  Don't get used to it.
Chicken:  I an weally naked!!  I an weally naked wight now!!


I can't think of an example of when he says 'really bad', but he'll repeat it over and over when he does.  Funny little man.

Little Sister

Edee:  Hey!!  Chicken is cutting up my cown (crown)!

Me:  Sorry....we can make another one.

Edee:  I wish I had a yittle sister.

Me:  Why?
Edee:  Because.  Because.....yittle budders are hard.  Yittle budders are hard for me.  

Me:  Sometimes they're hard.

Edee:  I want him to be Yizzy's yittle budder.

Lizzy has a little sister.  I think she's calling for a trade.

Chickenisms

Chicken has been so chatty and is saying things I've never heard him say before all at once.  It astounds and entertains me.  A few of the things that have been sticking around for the past while, however, need to be documented before all these new-found phrases crowd them out.

First and foremost, the word "anymore", pronounced "ih-wee-moah".  This frequents his vocabulary and is most of the time used incorrectly.  He seems to think that by tagging "anymore" at the end of a phrase, it makes the subject a negative.

Examples:

Me:  Are you poopy?  Let's go change your diaper.
Chicken: No!  I an poopy, ih-wee-moah!!  (I'm not poopy)
Me:  Chicken, finish your dinner.
Chicken:  No, I yike dis, ih-wee more!  (I don't like this)

Or, today:

Chicken:  I'n a pin-siss!!  (I'm a princess).
Me:  No....Chicken, remember?  You are a prince. A handsome prince!
Chicken:  No!  I'n a pince, ih-wee-moah!!!!  I'n a pitty pin-sess!! (....he would rather be a princess over a prince.  This is what happens when you have an older sister and play everyday with her and her friends).

You get the idea.  All throughout the day we're hearing "ih-wee-more".

It's also humorous how he'll add "wor-effah" (forever) at the end of a statement to show emphasis.

Like:

"No Eddee!  I want dat, ih-wee-moah, WOR-EFFAH!!!

Last one: he'll end something he says with the word "maybe".  It doesn't seem to have any meaning to him other than he may feel a little more grown up using such a cool new word.

Oh Chicken, Chicken, Chicken.

Baking Trouble

I'm doing my Thanksgiving baking and the kids are giving me a hard time in every aspect.  Mostly they are licking and eating and touching everything that I don't want them to.  I'm getting to my last straw by the time I find both kids man-handling a stick of butter.

Me: Edee!!!  You guys can't be serious!!! Stay out of the butter!!!
Edee:  Wah!!
Me:  Edee, no.  You do not stick your finger in butter, that is gross. I need an apology.
Edee:  Sorry.
Me:  Why was that wrong?
Edee:  Because it wasn't very nice.
Me:  Why wasn't it very nice?  What can you get in the butter if you are sticking your fingers in it?
Edee: Trouble.

I was going for germs but that was also an accurate answer.

Dammit.

Ugh....parent fail on so many levels.  Don't read this if you are a judgmental person.  And if you are judgmental and still decided to read this, I really don't care.  I know you have your moments too.  I'm keeping it real, folks! We are not the perfect family--obviously.

The kids are playing in the other room and I hear a crash.

Chicken: DAMMIT!!
Edee:  We don't say "dammit"!!
Chicken:  DAMMIT!!
Edee:  We don't say "dammit", Chicken!!
Chicken:  DAMMIT!!
Me:  Both of you stop!!!

My attempts to get them to not say it has seemed to increase the frequency.

Treats

Edee is sitting on my lap with a DumDum sucker in her mouth (as bribery) while I clip her fingernails.

Edee:  Mommy, I yove you.
Me:  I love you, too.  Why do you love me?
Edee:  Because you give me yummy teats (treats) all da time.
Me:  I see.

I suspected it had something to do with that.

Gifts

Me:  What do you think Daddy would like for Christmas?
Edee:  Um....maybe a carved pumpkin!!
Me:  Well that's creative.  What else do you think he'd like?
Edee:  Um maybe a  yar jacket
Me: What?  A jacket??
Edee:  Yeah, a yar one!
Me:  Uh...
Edee:  A jacket with syars ah over it.
Me:   Oh,  a jacket...with stars all over it?
Edee:  Yeah!
Me: Yeah I think he'd like that one.  What do you think Chicken would like?
Edee: Uh, bananas.

Yep, Edee's doing the Christmas shopping this year.

Chimney (Round II)

Edee:  Why does Santa come down our chimney?
Me:  To bring presents.
Edee:  But we have a door Mommy! Why doesn't he come in the door?
Me:  I know....but the reindeer land on the roof, and so Santa comes down the chimney with the present.
Edee:  But....we still have a door!!!

She can't let go of the obvious fact that it's absurd for anyone to enter a house through the chimney when there's a door.  Last year she didn't have a problem with Santa coming down the chimney.

Raw

Me: Edee!!  Chicken!!  Stop eating the raw dough!!
Edee:  Why?
Me:  Because it will make you sick.
Edee: Okay.
Me: You too, Chicken.
Chicken:  Awight.
Me:  Chicken!!  Get that out of your mouth!  Edee stop encouraging him!
Edee:  Okay.... we can't eat da rotten dough, Chicken. Rotten dough will make you sick.
Me:  RAW....but rotten dough would make you sick too....either way please stop.

Chocolate Cake.

Edee has been eyeing a container in the kitchen with a small chocolate bundt cake inside over the past few days.  I keep trying to hide it but she keeps spotting it.

Edee:  Mommy, can I haff some of dat cauck-it  cake?
Me:  No Edee, not right now.
Edee:  Why?
Me:  Because it's for Mommy.
Edee:  Why?  Why is it Mommy's?
Me:  Because Daddy bought it for me when I was having a hard day.
Edee:  But I want some!
Me:  Sorry, but remember how I said no more chocolate treats today since you snuck into the chocolate chips and spilled them all over the floor?
Edee:  WAH!  It's all gone! Da cake is all gone!! I didn't get any!!!
Me:  No there's still a piece left....wait, it's gone!   I guess Daddy ate my last piece....
Edee:  AWWW!  Can I yick da fosting off of da yid?  Pitty pease?  I didn't get any!
Me:  Okay....fine....here.

Yeah I obviously just forgot about the no chocolate thing.  What I give into for a few minutes of peace...
My mind is completely somewhere else and a few minutes pass.

Edee:  Uh, uh Mommy?  I haff to tell you some-peen.
Me:  Okay, what?
Edee:  Mommy, I am haffing a hard day.  I'm haffing a really bad day.
Me:  Aw, I'm sorry.  I know you are.
Edee: Yeah I'm haffing a bad day and you need to make me a cauck-it cake.

It's just barely sinking in about now what she's doing here.

Me:  I'm not making you a chocolate cake.  We don't get cake every time we have a bad day.  Plus I told you no more chocolate, remember?
Edee:  I'm having a pitty bad day, can you make me a saw-bewwy cake?
Me:  I'm not making a strawberry cake either.  Or any cake.

Smart little girl here.  She picks up on everything....especially the things I don't mean for her to pick up on!

Eating Birds

Both of my kids ask "Why?"  a lot.  Like, A LOT a lot.  I'm sorry to say, it can get quite obnoxious.  Especially because Edee asks it in such a whiny, grating way.   I'm feeling annoyed just typing about it, to be perfectly honest.

Edee:  Mom, do we eat any birds that fly?
Me:  Yeah....like turkeys.  And ducks.  And some people eat geese.  We eat birds like that.
Edee:  What about little birds?
Me:  No...we don't eat songbirds.
Edee:  Why?
Me:  Because they are too small too eat.
Edee:  Why?
Me:  Because there's not a lot of meat on those small birds.
Edee: But but yi-yons (lions) eat birds!  Small birds!
Me:  I'm sure they do.  Cats and lions can eat small birds.
Edee:  Why don't people do?
Me:  Because lions don't mind eating feathers and bones but people don't do that.
Edee:  Why?
Me:  Because it's yucky.
Edee: But I yike to eat chicken on da bone!
Me:  But do you eat the bone?
Edee:  No.

I think the conversation is over (and this was the shortened version).
No such luck.

Edee:  Do people eat fah-mingos?
Me:  No, I don't think people eat flamingos.
Edee:  Why don't people eat fah-mingos?
Me:  Well, I don't know, maybe some people eat flamingos but Americans at least don't.
Edee:  Why?
Me:  Because they are not birds that are in our country to eat.  I don't think other people eat them either.
Edee:  Why?
Me:  ARG.  Just Because.  They aren't the kind of bird people eat.
Edee:  Why?

and so on.

So, if anyone out there knows if people can eat flamingos...I have a three year old who really wants to know.

Chicken Prayer

Chicken has loved saying family prayers lately.  It's pretty cute.  They almost always go more or less like this:

"Dank you wamiwee.  Dank you wamiwee.  And dank you wamiwee.  Dank you wamiwee.  Dank you wamiwee.  Dank you wamiwee.  And dank you wamiwee.  And dank you wamiwee."

I'm glad to know he's thankful for his family :)  I'm sure thankful for him!

Mad Tummy

Edee:  Mommy, I'm ready to eat breakfast.
Me:  Okay.
I hear her tummy grumble
Edee:  Mommy, my tummy is mad!!
Me:  Why is it mad?
Edee:  Because it's hungry.

Just made me giggle today.

Daddy's Fault

A little while ago I wrote a post about how Chicken will tell us that he's tired, followed with a declaration that it's Daddy's fault.  Now all the sudden everything is adamently "Daddy's wault" anytime fault is mentioned (usually in jest).  Of course I find this hilarious.

The other day Daddy found a way to use this to his advantage.   He came sauntering downstairs with Chicken in tow.

Daddy:  Hey Chicken, you're pretty cute.
Chicken:  Yeah.
Daddy:  Yeah, and it's Mommy's fault.
Chicken:  No!  Daddy's wault.

You can imagine that they both had smug little grins on their face after that.

Falling Down.

We were at a shoe store trying to find some shoes for Edee.  The size we needed was high up on a shelf out of reach, so we asked a store employee for help.

Employee:  Watch out, sometimes boxes stacked this high will fall down.  Here they go.

Boxes start to fall.  Chicken has an intense serious look on his face.

Chicken:  Oh cap!  Oh CAP!  OH CAP!  WALLIN' DOWN!! Oh cap.
Employee:  Ha ha ha!  That's so cute that he's saying "oh crap!"  That's hilarious.

Uh...well, I guess I'm glad she got a kick out of it.  I was inwardly quite mortified.

Gum

Kids are so fascinated with gum.  Especially when it's forbidden to them.

Chicken:  Gum Mommy?
Me:  Yep, I'm chewing gum.
Chicken: Lemme see it.

I blow and pop a bubble

Chicken!  Ah ha ha!! Pop go a wea-sell!!!
Me:  Pop goes the weasel?!!
Chicken:  Yeah!  Again!  Again!!

And you can guess how we spent the next 15 minutes.

Love

Edee: Chicken, I yove you.
Chicken: I yove you too, Edee.  Weally much!!
Edee:  I yove you weally much too.  Dis much!!

She opens her arms wide.

Chicken:  Watch dis, Edee!!

He opens his arms wide too and stands on his chair.

Melts a mom's heart.  They can be such hair-tearing  rascals and then in the blink of an eye they are little angles.  The angel part usually only lasts a blink of an eye too, unfortunately.

Diaper Change

The kids had run upstairs while I was finishing up cleaning something downstairs.  Suddenly I hear called out-

Edee:  Mommy!!  I change-ded Chicken's diaper!

This is one of those mommy moments when it's possible to be filled with both dread and amusement at the same time.  I paused, then hurried upstairs, not quite sure what I would see.

Chicken was sitting on the little trainer potty while Edee was proudly waiting to tell me her accomplishment.

Edee:  I change-ded Chicken's diaper!!
Me:  I see you took it off.
Edee:  I change-ded it.  First I took off da snaps on his onesie, den I took of him diaper!!!
Me:  Wow.... (scanning the bathroom for the diaper and any signs of a heart-stopping mess. Fortunately I found the wet--and only wet--diaper in the trash bin, nicely bundled. Phew).
Edee:  See?!! I did it.
Me:  Okay...well, um, that's alright, but he needs to wear a diaper.
Chicken:  Yit on da potty!!
Me:  Good job, I see that.  Are you going to go pee?
Chicken:  Yook, boy parts!
Me:  Yes I see.  Sit back down. Time to get a diaper on.
Edee:  No, I wanna do it.
Me:  Let me help you....it's not a bad thing if you learn, I guess....
Edee:  No I can do it myself!
Me:  I'll get the diaper...
Edee:  Okay, I know how to do dis. Sit down on your diaper Chicken. Sit down yike dis.
Me:  Tell him to lay down.
Edee:  Okay, yay down yike dis. Okay yemme see....
Chicken:  Ow, legs hurt!!!,
Edee:  Don' worry.  Okay, hmmm....dust 'coot (scoot) you yittle bum onto da diaper.  Ok, no, you need to 'coot a yittle more.  "Coot your bum on wight here.
Me:  Here....let me help just a little
Edee:  Awight.  Yet's see...where are the snaps.....

Needless to say, when all was said (and a lot was said) and done, Chicken needed a brief re-diapering.  As much as I've wished that there was someone else around to help change diapers, and as "fun" as the kids thought it was,  I don't think we're ready for this to be Edee's new responsibility.

Mess

It's early in the morning and Daddy, Edee and I were all snuggling on the couch while Chicken was finishing up his cereal.  From the kitchen we here Chicken yell out.

Chicken:  Uh oh, Mommy!  I may-a mess!!
Me:  You made a mess!!?
Chicken:  Yeah! I may-a mess!
Me:  Oh no.
Daddy:  Are you going to clean it up?  Get a towel and clean it up!
Chicken:  No.  Eat it.

We all started laughing...because we could envision what happened next.

A few minutes later he runs in saying "I did it!"

This is not the first time he's been so distressed about a mess and then determined to solve the problem by eating it.

Potty Mouths

When Edee needs to go to the bathroom, there's usually an announcement yelled out of "Potty!" followed by running up the stairs.

Yesterday after such a proclamation, Chicken followed after her with a "Potty, too!"

I was putting some things away just outside the door and listened to this conversation.

Chicken:  Poopin,' Edee?
Edee:  No, dust pee.
Chicken:  Why?
Edee:  Cuz I dust need to pee.
Chicken:  Oh.  Doin', Edee?
Edee:  Potty!
Chicken:  Poopin'?
Edee:  NO!
Chicken:  Put it in dere Edee!

I don't know if he was referring to putting some poop in the potty or something else, but I came to intervene and help finish up potty time.  I got distracted cleaning something else up in the bathroom and somehow in that time the entire remaining roll of toilet paper got put in toilet.  Welcome to my life.

Bastille

In the car we generally only listen to two different CD's:  Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Nursery Rhymes.  If I turn on the radio I hear a huge fit in response, so grown up music seems like a thing of the past some days.

Needless to say after months and months of the same kids music every time in the car, I'm going a little crazy.  I tried pushing my luck and put a Bastille CD in a few days ago.  So far I haven't been met with any protests.  It's kind of shocking, but I'm rolling with it as long as I can.

Yesterday we got in the car to take Edee to Joy School and the music had been playing for awhile.  The next song started to play.

Edee: Hey.  I know this song.
Me:  Yep, Mommy has listened to it quite a few times.
Edee:  Who sings this song?
Me:  A band named Bastille.  Can you say that?
Edee:  Ba--wait, do dey help people?
Me:  Uh....maybe.  They sing and play music for people, which makes people happy.
Edee:  Yike what kind?
Me:  They sing and play instruments like the drums and guitar.
Edee:  And the violin?
Me:  I'm not sure if they use a violin or not.  We should listen to find out what we hear. Do you hear the drums?
Edee:  Yeah.  Dey play da music for people?
Me: Yes they play the music and record it on a CD, or you can go see them in a concert.
Edee:  I wan to see dat!!!!
Me:  Me too....(muttering to myself) but Daddy didn't want to take me.

At least I have another couple fellow fans to listen to them with now.

Sick

I had just put Chicken to bed and was arranging some pillows on the couch.

Edee:  What are you doing, Mommy?
Me:  I'm going to lay down for a little bit because I don't feel good.
Edee:  You don feel berry good?
Me:  Yeah, I'm sick.  I have a cold and I'm very tired.
Edee:  Oh you're sick.  I will take care of you.  I will......put a banket over you.
Me:  Oh.  Thank you.
Edee:  And I will...hmmm....(very sympathetically) you know it's okay to be sick sometimes, Mommy.
Me:  You are right Edee.
Edee:  (stroking my hair). It's not berry fun to be sick.
Me:  No it's not.
Edee:  But you know some people don't like to be sick, and some people do.
Me:  Well...I don't know about that.
Edee:  Well, people are all different.
Me:  Um...well you are right about that.  We are all different.

After imparting her three-year old wisdom she took care of me the rest of the evening by snuggling up with me and falling asleep.  What a sweet little girl she can be.

Tired

Chicken woke up at 5:00am.  It's only 9:30am and let's just say that it's been a long morning.

Chicken and I are sitting on the couch while he's drinking from his sippy cup.  He puts it down and looks seriously at me.

Chicken:  Mommy.
Me:  What.
Chicken:  Tired.
Me:  Me too.  And guess what?  (I start tickling him) It's your own stinkin' fault!!
Chicken: (maintaining the seriousness of the situation, despite the tickling). No.  Daddy's wault.
Me: Why is it Daddy's fault?
Chicken:  Cuz.


We had that exact conversation twice today.

The funny thing is that when I had I got up with Chicken (at 5:00am) and came downstairs,  I heard Daddy's phone vibrating a few minutes later.  He was getting a call from work (which never ever happens, especially so early in the morning), so I woke him up and he spent an hour on a phone conference trying to fix an issue.  So maybe it really was Daddy's fault.

Bear

We are loading the kids into the truck to go on a little family excursion.

Chicken:  Beer go?
Daddy:  What is he talking about?
Me:  He's asking where his bears are that go on his carseat straps.  Chicken, they are in the car on your other seat.
Chicken:  Where my beer go?  Where my beer go?  Where my beer?

We just had to laugh.

Medicine

Daddy is watching a "How It's Made" video about how pills in blister sheets are made in a factory.

Edee:  What is dat?
Me:  Yucky Medicine
Daddy (speaking to me): That one looks like birth control.
Me:  It does.
Edee:  When I an older, I get to eat yucky medicine like Mommy!!

Daddy and I just look at each other.

Me:  Um....maybe...medicine is yucky, Edee.

Boston Talk

We stayed over at some friends' cabin with them this past weekend.  Pam is a mom/grandma figure for us, so in the morning when Chicken woke up entirely too early, she whisked him away so that we could sleep in. I hear them talking in the kitchen as I'm seeing if I can fall back asleep.

Chicken:  Is dis?
Pam:  A pineapple.
Chicken:  Is dis?
Pam:  It's a pineapple, we'll cut it up lat-ah (She has that classic Boston accent).
Chicken:  Oh, pine-abal.  Cut it.
Pam:  Yeah, we'll cut it up lat-ah.
Chicken:  Cut it, lad-ah.

Talking like a big boy and a true New Englander now.

Boy

Chicken is such a boy.  Such a two year old boy, now.

He loves attention and praise for his skills.  Something we hear a lot of from him is "Wat dis!!!"  (watch this!!).  He wants you to watch him while he runs, throws, eats, jumps.....pretty much anything that he thinks is pretty cool.  We hear it over and over....and over.  It's usually followed up with "Yee dat??"  (Did you see that?).  He'll keep asking until you acknowledge that you saw what he did.

Yesterday morning though, it shone through that he has a big sister and is in touch with his feminine side.  He woke up in a rage at 4:45 AM demanding to watch "Yawbewwy Yort-cake" (Strawberry Shortcake) and to eat chicken nuggets.  I was not a happy mommy--it was a HUGE fit and TOO early.   So I am saving this mostly for revenge 14 years from now when he brings home his first date--I'll remember bring up how much he loved My Little Ponies and "Yawbewwy  Cake".

Scary

I took the kids to the mall a few days ago to buy Eva tap and ballet shoes.   There was a huge Spirit Halloween store set up in the entrance.  The kids loved it last year in the children's section, so I thought we'd go in a browse costumes, even though I'm set on saving money and trying to come up with my own.

Not a good idea to go in the store.  There was a scary display in the front that had both kids jump and plenty of bloody, dead looking things.  The store employees were pretty creepy themselves.

So we left after I was reassured that I don't want to spend $40 per costume, and we ran our other errands.

Chicken couldn't soon forget the scary Halloween store though; especially because we had to pass by it again on our way out.

The whole ride home he repeated like a broken record:

"Scary.  Hallloween.  Scary.  Halloween.  Scary.  Halloween.  Scary.  Halloween......"

The way he emphasizes his "L's" made it pretty cute.  "HaL-Loween"

But poor little guy. We still have a whole month's worth of Halloween.

Morning

Daddy and I almost always have a difficult time waking up in the morning.  The kids either wake up too early, or we stay up too "late" (if you call 10:00 late),  or most likely, it's a combination of both.  We also often have kids joining us in bed in the middle of the night or waking us up, preventing a restful sleep no matter when we fall asleep or wake up.  Sigh.  It never ends.

This morning as both kids were ramming and jumping on our barely moving bodies, they were chatting with each other (since neither of us were responding to their endless requests and questions).

Chicken:  Baby!
Edee:  I not a baby, I a yittah (little) big girl!!
Chicken:  Me big girl, too!

Daddy snorts a little.  This is the first sign to me that he's actually somewhat awake.

Edee:  No you not, Chicken!   You are a yittah stinker boy.
Chicken:  Yeah!!  Me 'tinky boy!!

That one had me laughing.

Edee: Yes, you are!  A stinky diaper boy!

And.....we're awake.  Another day of nonstop Edee and Chicken has begun.

Happy Family

There's a song we sing from church about loving each other and being a happy family.  The chorus simply goes:  "We are a happy family."  The kids are familiar with the song as it's sung at both church and home.

Chicken recently had a birthday, and looooooves singing the Birthday Song.  He's created a new version that he's been singing repeatedly the past few days to the tune.

"HAPPY WAM-WEE (family) TO YOU!  HAPPY WAM-WEE TO YOU!!"

I'm not going to lie; it's adorable.  He sings it so sweetly.

Gross

Chicken is pretty emphatic when he thinks something is gross.  He hates having his  hands messy and is always asking to "wahss hans" (wash hands) if his hands are dirty.

The other day Clayton found some remains of the previous meal on his hands.  I didn't manage to see it in time, but we hear the declaration of "EWWWW, GOSS!!  HAN!  GOSS HAN!!"  Before I was able to assist him, figuring he'd be begging to wash his hands soon, all the sudden he declared in the most matter-of-fact way, "Eat it," and the gross substance was gobble up.

It gave Daddy, Eddie and I a good laugh...though it was quite gross.

Excuse me.

Chicken can be so polite.  Twice today he has said "excuse me" to me, but he has his own way.   He gets his vowel sounds switched around and it comes out as "skeeze you".

What a darling boy.

Swing

All the family is piled on Mommy and Daddy's bed (technically the guest bed; but since our room is under construction, we are sleeping on it in Chicken's room).  

Chicken:  Weeneen!
Me:  Huh?
Chicken:  Weeneen!
Me:  What is he saying?
Daddy:  No clue.
Me:  Say it again.
Chicken:  Weeneen!! Weeneen!!
Me:  Winning?  I have no idea

As I'm saying this it was almost like a little "screw this!" look crossed his face, and he got up, ran across the bed and leapt onto the clothing rack, hanging there by his arms, swinging.   It's the same clothing rack that I had told the kids NOT to hang on.  But we had to laugh--when telling didn't work then he had to show us that he wanted to do some "swinging".

Movie

Edee:  Mommy, I don feel berry good.  I nee you to take care of me.
Me:  Ok, what should I do to take care of you?
Edee:  Uh, turn on a moowee.
Me:  I need to clean the kitchen first.

She wanders off.  A few minutes later--

Edee:  Mommy, I so tired, I need to watch a moowee.
Me:  If you are tired you can go lay down in your bed.
Edee:  No no no, I can yay on da couch and watch a mowee and cyose my eyes.
Me:  Okay, well I'm so tired that I can't put a movie in until the kitchen is cleaned.  Maybe you can help me, then I can turn on a movie.

She left the kitchen pretty quickly again after that.

Ewa go?

Poor, poor Chicken.  He has had a rough couple of weeks. Edee started Joy School earlier this month (a preschool program), so two times a week we drop her off for two-and-a-half fun-filled hours with 5 other three-year-old buddies.  She's also starting a dance class, and is very involved with many friends.  I can't blame him for feeling a little left out and being stuck alone with me all the sudden--it was rare before this for them to be apart for very long.

I hear:  "Ewa go?"  repeatedly during these times that she's gone.  When I tell him "Joy School" or what-not, the response is usually "Why?", in the sweetest inquiry voice possible. No matter what I say, it's usually followed by another "why" or "Ewa go?".  It's just a little heart-breaking.

I think the straw broke the camel's back after a few weeks of this, because when I picked her up from Joy School and she was telling me what she learned about, Chicken interrupted:

"NO!!  YOP!!  YOP TALK 'BOUT IT!!"

Every time Edee tried to break in, she was met by another yelling chastisement from Chicken.  She couldn't get one word in  He's only freshly two, but his feelings are quite pronounced about the situation.  Now any time we go anywhere he asks: "Come, too?" (Can I come too?).

  I find it quite endearing how much he misses her when she's gone, but I'm hoping this phase passes soon!

Oatmeal

Edee:  I wan fuit 'naks too!!"
Me:  Edee, Chicken got fruit snacks because he ate his breakfast all gone.  You didn't eat all of your oatmeal!
Edee:  Yes I did!
Me:  Last time I checked you didn't...did you finish it later?
Edee: Chicken ate mine all gone.  I fink he did.
Me:  I hope not, he's allergic to cow milk.  You should have eaten it.
Edee:  Yes, I did and I put da bowl in da sink.
Me:  Well... I saw your bowl on the table before we left so I know you didn't do that.  We can check when we get home this afternoon to see if you ate it all gone or not.

Later, on the way home.

Edee:  Mom.  I did eat my oatmeal all gone
Me:  Okay, we'll check as soon as we get home
Edee:  You go upstairs, mommy, and Chicken can watch me while I finish eating it.
Me:  Uh.....hmmmm.....sounds a little shady.  I think that solves this dilemma.

I forget about the conversation by the time we are home and Edee gets into the house while I'm packing up things from the truck.  First thing when I walk in the door, she runs up to me:

Edee:  Mommy, I ate it all gone and put my bowl in the sink.

First thing I do is check the garbage can.  No oatmeal.  I look in the sink--there's a bowl with only a little bit of oatmeal left.

What really happened to the oatmeal is a mystery.  Maybe she did eat it this morning.  Maybe Chicken did  and luckily he didn't have a reaction to the milk.  Maybe she hid the remains (ugh...not good).  Maybe she ate it after it sat on the table for 8 hours (really not good!).  Either way, I had no choice but to give her fruit snacks.

Mushy

Edee:  I'm hungee!!!
Me:  I know, we are almost home and I'll get you something.  You can have milk with a chocolate straw.
Edee:  I don want dat!!!  I want some-ting mooshy.
Me: ......mushy?  .....like what?
Edee:  Yike ice keem.  or tacoyate puddin.  (like ice cream or chocolate pudding).

At Joy School today she got to paint with chocolate pudding...apparently she was in heaven, which is not surprising!

Sunbutter

Chicken has food allergies, so our family is on a strict "no nut" policy.  The only substitute we can have for peanut butter is "Sunbutter"--made from sunflower seeds.  That or soy butter, but that thought is not very appealing; and we like Sunbutter so we'll stick with that.

Edee:  Mommy did you bing a snack?
Me:  I made Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.
Edee:  I don yike Yun-budder.  It's feaking me out.
Me: .....freaking you out, huh?
Edee:  yeah wit all dos punkin seeds in dere.  It feaks me out.

I guess I had the same reaction to soy butter....so I shouldn't be so surprised.  And yes, I clarified that there are no pumpkin seeds in the Sunbutter.

Decoration

Chicken turned two this week.  He loved saying Happy Birthday throughout the day and absolutely loved singing along to the Happy Birthday song.  He's talking more than ever, and, like usual lately, I haven't been recording the cute things.

One thing I want to remember though is his current love for the word "decoration". In a sing-song type voice he'll randomly start saying "Dec-or-a-shin, dec-or-a-shin...." like it's the most fun word to say.  Super cute.  I wondered if he just heard it once and thought it was a fun word to say; and assumed that he had no idea what it meant.  Then tonight he finds my sunglasses (which had kindly been "decorated" with stickers), puts them on his cute little face, and starts saying, "dec-or-a-shin!".

He must know what it means after all!

Keys

Me:  I can't find my keys anywhere.  I feel like I'm losing my mind, I have no idea where I put them.
Daddy:  Kids, Mommy has a fun game for you.
Me:  ....?
Daddy:  Yeah, it's called "find Mommy's keys".  If you find them you will get....
Me:  Uh....a piece of candy

Both kids quickly crawl off to the kitchen and under the table to a corner where they had been playing yesterday.  We soon hear a jingle.

Me:  Those little stinkers!!  They took my keys!  I would have never thought to look there.
Daddy:  Maybe I should have simply asked them if they knew where your keys were first.

They've spent the next 10 minutes begging for another "game", thinking they've just been introduced to an easy way to score candy at 8am.

Unique

Me:  Edee we need to trim your toenails
Edee:  Okay, only cut da big one.
Me:  No I need to cut all of them.
Edee:  Yeah, and my kay-see yittah toe.  It so kay-see (crazy).
Me:  It is so crazy how it curves and sticks up like that.  I've never seen a toenail do that before.
Edee:  Yeah. I don yike my big toe.
Me:  Why not?  I like your toes!!
Edee:  Yeah, but, it is unique.
Me:  Unique?  Ha, it is unique, but unique is good.
Edee: It is unique and I don't like it berry much.

Of course I assured her that her toes are great and wonderful!  It's my own fault for always commenting on how her toes are weird like her father's.  Perhaps I used the word unique....

Croc-i-gator

My kids continue to grow before my eyes.  Chicken will be two this month. Crazy.
He is continuing to talk and learn quite a bit.  It's always amazing to witness.  I've missed recording a TON.  So, so much cuteness lost to my memory already.  If only my brain wasn't a sieve.

However, I can't forget the Crocigator.

We've been visiting family across the country, and of course the time change has made everyone tired/grumpy/confused/awake-when-should-be-sleeping.

One evening my mom and I took the kids on a drive so that they would fall asleep.  It was only half successful, as Edee fell asleep and Chicken did not.

All the sudden from the back seat I hear: "Yoook!!  Yook!  A Crocigator!"
Me:  "Where?"
Chicken: "Dere!  Crocigator!"
Me:  "In the clouds?"  (We like to look for animals in the clouds).
Chicken:  "Yeah!  Couds.  Crocigator!"

I love the made up words and knowing exactly what they mean.

Chicken Conversation

It's in the 6am hour.  Chicken and I are the only ones awake and are eating breakfast.  He's looking up at me over a bowl of Cheerios from the kiddie table.

Chicken:  Doing?
Me:  Eating watermelon.
Chicken:  Doing?
Me:  Eating watermelon.
Chicken: .....Doing?
Me:  Eating watermelon. What are you doing?
Chicken:  Good!!!

He returns to his Cheerios. For a moment.

Chicken:  Edee doing?
Me:  Edee's sleeping.  Shhh.....quiet.
Chicken:  Edee eeepin'?
Me:  Yes.   Is Daddy sleeping too?
Chicken:  Yeah.
Me:  Is Chicken sleeping?
Chicken: Yep.
Me:  No...you are awake!  Are you sleeping?
Chicken:  Nope.
Me:  Is Mommy sleeping?
Chicken:  Nope.
Me:  Is Daddy sleeping
Chicken:  Nope.
Me:  Silly Chicken.

He gives me a humongous smile.  He starts eating again.  I start humming a song.

Chicken:  YOP!!!!  YOP YINGING!!!! YOP!!

He's holding out his little hand, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.  I remember when Edee started yelling at me to stop singing....I didn't expect this so soon from my Chicken.

:(

Blog

I just finish posting the previous blog post.  I sigh.
Edee looks over at me; she's wrapping some yarn around my phone.

Edee:  "Are you haffing a hard time?"
Me: "No, I'm fine."

A minute later I catch her looking at me out of the corner of her eye with a little grin.

Me:  "What?"
Edee:  "I don know."

Another minute passes.

Edee:  "What is dis you are doing on da compooter?"
Me:  "Writing on my blog."
Edee:  "A bog?  What is a bog?  Can I wite on you bog?"
Me:  "Okay."  I hand her the laptop.
Edee:  "I'm witing about da air-pane (airplane)."

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Me:  "Okay.  Can I have the computer back now?"
Edee:  "No, I not done."
Me:  "Here's my phone.  Why don't you type to Daddy about what you blogged about?"

I pull up a hangout with Daddy and give her the phone while I type this up.  As I'm doing so, she's typing up a message for Daddy and is narrating aloud.

Edee:  "I am goin to Gampa's house on an air-pane.  An I an going dere and dere are cats dere.  I yove you Daddy because I yove paying wit you and dawing wit you and I yove Daddy yo much and I yove paying wit him a yot of da times, and I yove going to Grampa's."  She pauses and looks at me. "Gampa is your mudder, wight?"
Me:  "Right"  (She says Gampa for both Grandma and Grandpa...)
Edee: "I yove my mudder's mom because her is fun. I yove mommy's mudder so much."  Pausing again, talking to me:  "I yike your mudder too--and I yove you daddy."

We send the message to Daddy.  It looks like her previous typing up on the blog. I tried telling her she typed the word "egg" but no amount of convincing had her believing me.

I get an response from Daddy:  "Hi child.  Or convulsing wife."

She then pulls up my camera and takes a picture of what she wrote on the computer.  I'm just observing this.

She then gets distracted with taking a few pictures of her face, then her rear end.
 I.....just don't know.  All I know is this all just got documented for posterity.

Morning

Daddy let me sleep in this morning.  It was much appreciated; Edee had climbed into bed with us at least two or three times last night and interrupted both of our sleep.  He may have been the one who got up with her each time....but I need more beauty rest than he does, and he knows this.

It was about 8 o'clock and Daddy finally let the kids loose to rouse me from my deep slumber.  Edee was the first to make it upstairs and jump on me in bed.

Edee:  "Mommy, I wake-ed you up.  Can I watch some more 'Dis Old House?'"

Now I know what they've been up to all morning.

Me:  "No....that's a daddy show, and he's getting ready for work right now."
Edee:  "Hey!  But I yike Dis Old House!  Girls can watch it too, Mommy!"

Way to call me out on my gender stereotyping when I classified a home-improvement show as a "Daddy Show".  I am proud of my girl.  And she really does love watching Ask This Old House.  I'm glad of this because in a few years she can be Daddy's assistant to all his projects and I can spend more time where I belong, in the kitchen.

Chicken was next to make it to the bed.  He does what he usually does--jumps on me yelling "Mommy!" and gives me a big hug.  Then he says:  "Gashesh!!  'Ere you go." He grabs my glasses off the night-stand and tries to put them on my face.  Today they were more like smashed on my face and the hinge bent, but luckily it bent back without snapping.

And thus a new day with Edee and Chicken has begun.  Good morning.

Awww, Cute.

We are driving to the YMCA.  As a tangent, let me tell you, the membership has been more than worth it--not only because I enjoy having a pool to take the kids to and a place to work out, but because babysitting is included.  That means if I want two hours to "ride a bike" (AKA: read a book while slowly pedaling my feet), I have it on any given day.

We were listening to a kids' audiobook on the way over (it's only 4 and 1/2 miles away, but any amount time in the car for kids can be too long) and the characters in the book were visiting an aquarium.  There was mention of a baby shark.

Edee:  A baby s-yark!!  Awwww!!!  A baby s-yark!!  Cute!!
Chicken:  Coot! Awww!!!  Coot!!  Baby yahk!! Awwwwwwww!!!  Cooooot!! Awww!  Baby yahk! Cooot!!

I wish I could provide a visual of Chicken when he thinks something is cute and does this.  He lightly clasps both hands and places them on the side of his face, leaning his cheek on them.  He learned it from Edee, she does the same thing.

Trust me, you would be saying "Awwww, cute!", too, if you saw it.

Fan Fight

It's early morning, I have just come downstairs with the kids.  Chicken turns on a fan by the window and Edee immediately protests.  She turns it off.  He turns it back on.  You get the idea.

Edee:  No,  Chicken!! I don't yike a windy seasons!
Me:  What don't you like?
Edee: Da windy seasons!! I don't yike 'em!!
Me:  Windy seasons?
Edee: Yeah!  I don't yike dem, Chicken!

I don't quite know where she comes up with this stuff.  We already knew that "snow season" is her favorite season, and now we know "windy seasons" are her least favorite.

Why?

Clayton has started asking "Why?" lately.  Like a lot.  And repeatedly.  I thought this stage didn't come until later? Either way, it is here, and here to stay.

I try to answer his train of "whys" for as long as I can and not cop out with saying "because", but apparently I still do it since when Daddy asked him why he was doing something the other day he replied with a proud "A-cus!!"

Why are these kids so cute?  Why?

More Chicken Chatter

Kids change how they talk all too fast.   I know they are supposed to grow up and it's a good thing and all (some days a really, really good thing), but I love the sweet little things they say.

Chicken used to always refer to a butterfly as simply a "by".  Now all the sudden he's calling it a "budda-by".
*sniff sniff*.  Growing up.

He's also started counting--only when Edee's getting in trouble though.  I'll hear, "YOP IT!! ONE, TWO!!! EIGHT!!".  I'm crying inwardly again, but for different reasons this time.

Chicken also calls a mosquito a "key-tow" while Edee calls it a "bas-see-tow".  It's especially cute when she's talking about a "basseetow bite".

He has also become pretty skilled with jumping and throwing.  After a jump he's particularly proud of he'll yell out "EEEE- dat???"  (Did you see that?)

Did I mention he'll be two in less than two months?

On the Phone

Edee was on the phone with Grandma.  She had been asking me a bunch of questions about the cats at Grandma's house (we will be flying there in a few weeks) and I told her I didn't know and to call and ask Grandma.

I'm observing the conversation as it shifts from cats to our house.

Edee:  An dis is our wibbing woom (living room), and dis is da T.V.  Do you hab a T.V?  Good.  An do you see dis box?  An dis one?

She's walking around touching things and pointing to rooms as she's saying this.

Me:  Edee, she can't see what you are pointing at.  Just talk to her.
Edee:  Okay....oh, oh, oh, wait.  And dis is our ki-chen, and da table, and da tares (chairs).
Me:  Edee, she can't see it.
Edee (in a matter-of-fact, "duh, Mom" voice):  I know.  Dat's why I teying (telling) her all about it.
Me:  Well...alrighty then.

Can't argue with that.

Lazy

Me:  Edee, go throw that away.  We don't leave trash on the floor.
Edee:   No, I too tired.  I nee to lay here on the couch.
Me:  Hey, lazy bones!  Get up and throw this away!  Where do you think you get those lazy bones from anyways?  From Mommy or Daddy?
Edee:  Umm......hmmmm.....from Chicken.

Well played.

Bored

I've tried to avoid using the word "bored" around my kids.  It slipped out the other day when Edee was bouncing off the walls--I asked her if she was bored.

I didn't know if she knew what it meant, until today when Edee came up to me, obviously seeking some entertainment, and said, "Mom, I sooo boring.  I want to do a caft (craft)."

Well, she's just about figured out what it means.  Time to start teaching the adage that "only boring people get bored".  

Pies

Edee and I were talking about making some muffins out of an acorn squash we had on the counter.  I was telling her that it was kind of like a pumpkin and would taste good in muffins, just like how pumpkin tastes good in muffins.

Edee: Memah (remember) when we got a pumpkin and made it to a pie?
Me: Yeah I do remember that.  We made lots of pumpkin treats with that pumpkin.  Pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin milkshakes, and pumpkin whoopie pies with lots of delicious cream cheese frosting!!
Edee:  Yeah!  a YOT of fost-in for da big poopie pies!
Me:  The what pies?
Edee:  Poopie pies?
Me:  You mean whoopie pies.
Edee:  Oh!  Ha ha ha ha whoopie pies! Oh wight.
Chicken:  A Pink-a-Pie!!
Me:  Not Pinkie Pie, Chicken.  Not poopie pies either.
Edee:  Ha ha ha ha ha!!
Chicken:  Pink-a-Pie!!!  Pink-a-Pie! Pink-a-Pie!!!

Pinkie Pie is Edee's favorite character from My Little Ponies.  Apparently his favorite too.  Personally, I prefer the pumpkin whoopie pies (with delicious cream cheese frosting) above all the before-mentioned pies.

Funny

I don't know why it took me THREE YEARS to figure out how magical driving in the car with little ones can be.... all you need is an annoying kids' songs cd playing in the background.  Maybe I didn't have any clue what an impact it would have on the peace level in the vehicle.  Or maybe the thought of listening to kids' singing off-tune to senseless nursery rhymes was really unappealing (probably most likely the case).  Either way, driving is fairly pleasant now with the kids.  I'll take the annoying songs over screaming any day.

The kids especially like the "No More Monkey Jumping on the Bed" song on one of our CD's.  This version tries to be all hip and new-agey, which, let's be honest, is obnoxious...but it works for them.  The "doctor" in the song will have a different, goofy voice from verse to verse.  There's one point when the doctor sounds really silly when he's scolding Momma Monkey.  The kid's laugh every time.

While driving back from church we were hoping a certain little Chicken would doze off for his nap.  We didn't have any luck until we were just a few yards from our driveway and he started nodding off.  Daddy decided to keep going to secure the nap.  I had looked back and saw he was conked so we headed back.   Just a moment later, the silly Doctor voice  in the monkey song played on the speaker.  Suddenly, from the back seat we hear:  "Ha ha ha! Wunny!!"  I turned around just in time to watch Chicken's eyes flutter closed as he instantly fell back asleep.

I think that he was trying to hold out on his nap until he listened to that part of the song and his tired little body just couldn't hold out.  But his mind didn't give up!

Toad

The kids and I were spending the afternoon in the backyard while Daddy mowed the lawn.  He had brought the kids a toad that had hopped in front of the mower.  Edee loves toads.  Some tolerate her better than others; this one was avidly trying to escape her tight little grasp.  Once she brought it over to me, showing me that it was "sleeping" on it's back.  My stomach churned and I declared him dead... just as he popped up and hopped away.  He didn't manage to get that far from Edee, unfortunately for him.  Clever escape tactic though.

When Daddy was done, he parked the lawn mower and came over to check on everybody.

Daddy:  How's it going with the toad, Edee?
Edee:  Good.  I'm taining it.
Daddy:  Training it to do what?
Edee:  To not hop away fom me.

Training continued and I got distracted with uploading pictures on my phone.  Chicken also decided he wanted up on the mower so I humored him and helped him into the seat for a pretend ride.  Edee comes up to us holding out her hand.

Edee:  Yook!  I foun a catapiyahr!
Me:  Nice.  Hey....where is your toad??
Edee:  I put it in da dirt, an put da dirt ovah it so dat it woudant hop away anymore.
Me:  Ack!!  You buried your toad!!!!???
Edee:  No no no.  It wadant dead.
Me:  You buried it alive!!  It might be dead now!  Show me where you buried it.

The toad was quickly excavated.  It had been placed in a shallow pit and completely covered in damp earth.

Me:  Oh no....Edee....it's.....it's alive?  Oh my gosh.   Don't you ever do that again.

Training was over at that point. Daddy returned the toad to live a free, happy life...though I'm sure he's scarred for the remainder of it.

Nothing

Me: What did you learn about in church today, Edee?
Edee: Nuffing.
Me:  Nothing?  Seriously... you are too young to be saying that. What did you talk about in class?
Edee: Nuffing.
Chicken: Nuh-fin! 
Me:  No... and you are definitely way too young to say that!  Chicken what did you learn today in church?
Chicken: Nuh-fin!

And they both start running around the table.  Alrighty then.

Spell It Out

Edee:  Mommy, I want to pay beedts.
Me:  No, I'm sorry.  Last time you played with my beads you made a huge mess and wouldn't clean it up.  You're not allowed to play with my beads anymore.
Edee:  No no no.  I want to pay beedts.
Me:  Edde, I said no.  Don't ask again.

A few minutes later

Edee:  Mommy, I want to pay beedts.  B-A.  Beedts.
Me:  I already said no.....wait, are you saying beads?
Edee:  No no no.  Beedts.  Beedts.  B-A-B.  Beedts.
Me:  Say it again.  Bees?  You want to play bees?  I don't understand.
Edee:  Beedts.  Q-R-S, Beedts.
Me:  Beads?  Bees?  Beets?  I have no idea.
Edee:  Dat one (she points to the screen saver on our TV screen of a beach).  Beedts.
Me: OOOOOOHHHHHH.  Beach.  I see.  Okay, let's play beach....

Why didn't you just say so?

The fact that she was trying to spell it out for me when she can't spell yet was just priceless.

Jog

Edee crawls into bed with me this morning.  As usual she's our wake up call.

Me (to Jeff):  What time is it?
Jeff:  6:15
Me:  Ugh.  Okay.  I'm going to go on a jog.
Edee:  No Mommy!!!  I don't want you to go on a gog!  I want you to yuggle me.  Don't go on a gog.

I think it will be a sad day when she figures out those "S" and "J" sounds.  I'll miss hearing about yuggles and gogs.

Monster

Chicken is the cutest little critter on the planet.  His adorableness hasn't dimished with his toddlerhood, but his deviousness and troublemaker-ish-ness (.....I apologize for the made up words)  is increasing pretty steadily.  Sometimes I want to tear my hair out about it.

Lately, his behavior has prompted the chorus from an Imagine Dragons song called "Monster" to run persistently through my mind.

A monster!  A monster!  I've turned into a monster!
A monster!  A monster!  And it keeps getting stronger.

Occasionally I just have to belt it out at the top of my lungs, like when he's climbed on top of the table for the 47th time after pulling him off and scolding him to stay down.  It seems to just boil from my chest and spills right out of my mouth.  It can't be helped.

I shouldn't have been surprised then when he came down the stairs just now and sings out:  " A mond-ner!  A mond-ner!!"

It's quite the self-declared truth.  And has become the theme song of our house, both Edee and Chicken run around singing about being a "mond-ner".

Found it!

When I "disappear" for longer than 15 seconds, Chicken has the tendency to break down.  He's a momma's boy, that's for sure.

Recently when he sees me after one of those disappearances he yells: "Mommy!!  Found it!!"

 "It" is referring to me.  It's almost to funny to correct (and when I've tried it hasn't worked), so I think for this occasion I'm okay being an "it"; especially feeling as much love from this little boy as I do when he says it.

Sandwich Love

Chicken was throwing a fit because he was hungry.

Me:  Alright, alright.  Look!  I'm making you a sandwich!
Chicken:  Awight.
Me:  Here is your sandwich.
Chicken:  Dank-you, samich.  Yuh-you, too, samich.  (Thank you, sandwich.  Love you too, sandwich).

He said it with such sweet adoration while gazing at his sandwich before the first bite.

True love is the love one finds between himself and his food.  Learned at such a young age too.  *tear*

Lion in the Trees

Yesterday evening we went on a little hike by the reservoir near our house.  It's quickly becoming a favorite summer spot.

Daddy:  Look at how the shadow from the sunset is making a line on the trees.
Edee (in genuine fright): Ah!  Oh no!  A lion!!!
Chicken:  Lion! Lion!!
Me:  No!  There's no lion!
Chicken:  Lion!
Daddy:  A line!  Not a lion!  A line!
Me:  Liiiiine.  Liiiine.


Both kids were still skeptically peering through the trees to make sure no lion was getting ready to jump out at them.  I don't think we had them completely convinced.

Ocean

We headed for the coast this past weekend for a little family day trip.  Chicken fell asleep on the car ride there, and we wanted to keep him that way so he could squeeze a decent nap in for our busy day.  He was successfully transported from his car seat into an Ergo baby carrier I was wearing, still asleep.  We started walking to our destination and chatted quietly.

Me:  Oh look, the ocean!

I hadn't spoke any louder than we had been talking previously, but my tone was a little more excited.
Chicken immediately began thrashing frantically, yelling something.  We unsnapped the sleep cover over his head.

Chicken:  O-YIN!  O-YIN!!!

I guess someone was also excited to be near the "o-yin" (ocean) and even his subconscious self wouldn't allow him to miss out.  We all started laughing once we realized what was going on, and he joined in with some hearty laughter of his own, which made us laugh all the more.

  I will never forget how funny that was!!

Little Women

I've recently started reading "Little Women".   Before Edee goes to bed I'll tell her a story from the book, usually something I had just read about.   I don't know if I originally intended to have it be a nightly ritual, but it has become one.

We've been sick recently, and Monday night I was exhausted and out of patience, so Daddy had bedtime duty.

Daddy, calling out from her bedroom:  "Who are these 'little people' Edee keeps asking me to tell her a story about?"
Me:  "Little Women.  I'm reading the book and I tell her about it.  Just... make something up."
Daddy, coming down the stairs some time later: "Well, just so you know, the little women have super hero powers."
Me:  "Fair enough."

Calvin

Edee often asks if we can go over to friends' houses.  It's been an especially hard week since we've been sick and missed out on playdates and had to cancel plans.  We're all feeling a little deprived of outside social interaction.

During Chicken's naptime Edee asked to read a Calvin and Hobbes book.  So we spent awhile reading.  I had just finished another page and was wondering how much of the comic she could really be understanding (Calvin does have a rather extensive vocabulary) when she said:

"Mom, I wish I could go to Calvin's house."

Ha ha.  Well, she understood enough to know how awesome Calvin's world would be.  Who wouldn't want to spend a day with Calvin and Hobbes at their house?

Chicken Chatter

I'm still gushing over how cute it is that Chicken is talking.  It's amusing and adorable.

Sometimes, he's Edee's little Echo:

Me:  "Edee!!!  Chicken!!  Come down stairs!"
Edee:  "I am coming!!"  (pitter patter footsteps)
Chicken:  "Comeen!" (pitter patter, right behind her)


Sometimes, he's a little facetious criminal, like when snuck under the dining table and dumped a huge bottle of water on the floor:

Me:  "Chicken, you need to say 'Sorry, Mommy!'!"
Chicken:  "Yawee, Cay-tin!"  He has a huge, mischievous grin on his face.
Me: "No no no.  Sorry to me.  Sorry to Mommy for having to clean up your mess.  Say, 'Sorry Mommy!'!"
Chicken:  "Yawee, Cay-tin!!"  Still with the grin.
Me:  "Alright stinker.   Here's a towel.  Now say, 'How can I help you, Mommy?'."
Chicken:  "Help.  Daddy!!"
Me:  "Fine, you little jokester.  Clean up."

Sometimes, he's pretty demanding:

"Again!"
"Mo-mee" (More please)

Most of the time, he's just darn cute:

"Wud-you, too!!"  (Love you too).

Donkey

Edee:  I hear geese.
Me:  Mmm hmmm.
Edee:  No wait.  I hear da neighbor's camel.
Me:  The neighbor's have a camel?
Daddy:  Donkey
Edee:  I hear da neighbor's donkey.
Me:  Ah.
Edee:  Ha ha, yiyyie (silly) me, I taut dey were geese.


Because it's so silly to think she hears geese... (as opposed to thinking she hears a camel).  What a funny girl!!

Ant

The past few days we've been spotting big carpenter ants in our house--much to my chagrin, but to the delight of the kids.

Chicken is walking up the stairs, holding something pinched in between his fingers.

Chicken:  Ant!!  Ant!!
Me:  Do you have an ant?
Chicken:  Yesh.
Me:  Is it a dead ant?
Chicken:  Yesh.
Me:  I thought so.
Chicken:  Tiy-it!!  Tiy-it!!  (Kill it)

Edee has been teaching him more than just ponies, pink, and panties, that's for sure!

Earlier this morning:

Edee:  I killed a ant, Mommy!
Me:  Ew.
Edee:  Yeah, ha ha ha wit my bum!!!
Me:  Oh my.
Edee:  Yeah.  Furst I took it in da bankett (blanket), den I took it to the chair an I yat (sat) on it wit my bum!!!  Ha ha, yeah I killed it wit my bum!!!!
Me:  Wow. I think we need to wash the blankets....

Hummus

Chicken and Edee are sitting at the counter having a snack.  Edee is eating strawberries and Cool Whip, Chicken is having hummus and crackers.

Chicken: "Hummus!!" (He pronounces it almost perfectly).  He's looking at Edee expectantly.

Edee ignores him and eats her strawberries.

Chicken:  " 'ere you go."  He holds out his spoon to Edee.

I turn my back at this point and start doing something.  I should have realized trouble was brewing.  Edee hates hummus.

Edee:  "WAAAHHHHH!! Yucky!!"

I'm not sure what just happened, and turn to see Chicken watching Edee with interest.  He then holds up his spoon and whacks her on the head.

Edee:  "WAAHHHHHH!!! Chicken hit me wit his hummuy-ey 'poon!!!  Wahhhhhhh waaaaah!!

Me:  "Don't hit your sister!!!!"  I take away the spoon and go back to my business.

Chicken: "Out!"  I'm not sure what he's trying to say.

Edee:  "Yop talking about it, Chicken!"

Chicken:  "Out!!"

Edee:  "Yop talking about it!!  Yop talking abou' you and me!!"

Chicken:  "Poop".  He points to his diaper.  I know what that means.

Edee:  "Yop talking about it!  Yop talking about it, you goofy goof!!!!"


Just another day at home with Edee and Chicken.

Song

Edee and I were singing songs to each other one afternoon while sitting on my bed.  We had been singing about how we love each member of our family.  Then Edee came up with an original song that sounded something like this:

I yove Mommy,
Her yoves me.
Her runs berry fast,
but she hurt her foot,
and she hurt her toe,
but I still yove her.

I had been training for a relay race a few months ago and sprained my foot; then earlier that morning I had stubbed my toe.  Those must have been memorable things to her because they made the cut into her song.  I'm definitely not very fast, but it was nice to hear someone thought so!

Guacamole

Me:  Edee, look, there's a lot of those little play dough balls that fell on the floor.
Edee:  HOE-WEE BAUCH-A-MOE-WEE!!!!!!  I'm ON MY WAY!

She leaps down from the kitchen chair and quickly gathers the play dough.

Me:  Um, what was that you said?
Edee:  I sayed Bauch-a-moe-wee.  Dis what you say when you see pay-dough on da four: 'HOE-WEE BAUCH-A-MOE-WEE!!'.
Me:  Ah, I see.

Daddy had recently asked me if I ever say "Holy Guacamole!".  I guess I do!

Ponies and Pannies

Chicken is all boy.  There is no doubt about that.  But, it's a certain type of world one grows up with when one has an older sister.

For example, Edee loves My Little Ponies, so Chicken does too.  Today he was hollering for "Peen-KA Pie" (Pinkie Pie) and "Dashhh" (Rainbow Dash).

Edee also has My Little Pony and Hello Kitty Panties.  The past few days Chicken has been trying to figure out how to put them on over his clothes.  The other day when we had company over he put a pair on each leg and tried coming down the stairs with them on to show off.  They kept falling down and I intercepted, ruining his proud moment.  He was pretty upset.

Today he came running into the kitchen with three pairs in hand, waving them and yelling "PANNIES!!"

I'm sorry Chicken.  Someday, when you have kids of your own, you may understand why this needed to be recorded for posterity....and the internet.....

Demanding

As Chicken has been working on his verbal skills, he has also become quite demanding.

Words are powerful.  He's figured that out.

When he wants me to pick him up, it's an adamant:  "Hold it!!".  Sometimes it's "Hold you!!".

When he doesn't want me or Edee to do something:  "YOP IT!" (Stop it), with hand held out firmly.

When he doesn't want to do something:  "NO WAY!".  Personally,  I think a simple "no" would suffice, but I've yet to hear a "no" without the "way" to follow.

It does add a certain emphasis to it.

It is cute how he says "Yesh."  for "yes", usually with a toothy grin.

She Loves Me Not

Edee:  Mommy, I yove you.
Me:  I love you, too.
Edee:  Yeah, but, but yumtimes I don't yove you.
Me:  Oh.  Well, I understand how you might feel that way sometimes.

And I do understand.  I really do.

Daddy; Deconstructed

The conversations I post are usually between myself and the kids, and occasionally Daddy is involved.  But this one between the husband and I was just too good to pass up.

Daddy:  "Mmmmm.  Dinner smells delicious.  What is this?"
Me:  "Well I really wanted to use up that leftover chicken, and we had ham and swiss so it's a play on Chicken Cordon Bleu.  I guess you could say it's Chicken Cordon Bleu pasta."
Daddy (in his most refined, snobbish voice):  "Yum.  A delicious decomposed Chicken Cordon Bleu."
Me:  "Um.....so, I think you were trying to say a 'deconstructed' Chicken Cordon Bleu."
Daddy (looking a little sheepish):  "Oh..... Yeah.  That One."

I just lost my appetite.

And this calls for a little more wife time in front of the Food Network Channel, methinks.  Until then we should stay out of the fancy restaurants.

Dad's Day

Ever since Mother's Day, Edee has been questioning non-stop about whether it's "Dad's Day" yet.   Edee is a party lover, so she is always wondering when the next big celebration is (I've been asked equally as much if it's my birthday yet, too).

So on Monday when Edee asked if it was Dad's day and I was getting ready to break the bad news yet  again, I realized that Father's Day actually is coming on Sunday!  I shared the exciting news that it was time to get ready for Father's Day.  Edee was thrilled.

Of course it still seems like an eternity away for her still, but at least some preparations are undergo that have kept her content for the time being.  We've had a couple conversations about "secrets" and "surprises", and how she can't tell Daddy anything that we are doing or it won't be fun surprise.  So of course the first thing Edee said when she saw Daddy later that evening is, "Daddy, we are making a surprise for Dad's day, it's a secret!!!"

I know.  What's the use of asking a three year old to keep a secret.   It's just an invitation to spill the beans.

Daddy covered his ears, I groaned and braced myself; but fortunately she admitted she forgot what the secret was and didn't have much more to say.

Then this morning--

Me:  What should we have for our Father's Day dinner?
Edee:  Cawutts an Teees!
Me:  What?  Carrots and Peas??
Edee:  Oh, no no no.
Me:  I thought that was an odd request from you...say it again?
Edee:  Cawutts.... an Tees....
Me:  Carrots?
Edee:  Yeah, and sauce, and tees.
Me:  Carrots with sauce.....and cheese?
Edee:  Yeah!!

Um....yummy?  I'll have to run that one by Daddy.  At least he got off the hook with the peas, both he and Edee aren't fans!

Singing All the Day

My kids love singing.

Chicken LOVES "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".  It's the only song he sings.  He requests it at bedtime when I'm putting him down by saying:  "Tink-ah!"

When he does sing it, he sings it so sweetly; it sounds something like this:

Tink-ah, tink-ah, yittah yahr!  Howa wondah.......ah! ....dia-mon....high....
Tink-ah, tink-ah yittah YAHR!!  Tink-ah.....Tink-ah....yittah YAHR!!

He gets a little lost sometimes but he loves the 'twinkle little star' part and trying to say "diamond".
It's adorable.

This morning Edee was singing a church song we sing often at home, "Love One Another".
It goes like this:

As I have loved you
Love one another
This new commandment
Love one another
By this shall man know
Ye are my disciplines
If ye have love
One to another

Her version went something like this:

By dis com-maaandos,
By dis commandos.
By dis COM-maaaaaandos!!
By dis commandos!!
By dis com-maaaandos,
By dis commaandos,
By dis comm-mandooos,
By dis com-maaaaaaaandos!!!

I should have asked her what that songs means to her.  Because as of now, with all these commandos, I'm not so sure what she might say.

Ta-DA!!

I love how both of the kids say "TA-DA!!" when they've done something they are proud of.  Instead of "Ta-da", it's "Ta-Ta!!"  accompanied by hands up in the air in victory!

I just love these little human beings of mine.

Wud-you

Oh Chicken.  Chicken, Chicken, Chicken.

How soon these sweet angelic babies grow into little devils toddlers.

I love this little boy with all my soul.  There really are no words to explain how much I sincerely and adamantly adore him.  But... I've been through this stage with Edee, and I know what's coming.  It's not pretty.   He's almost two and it is showing more and more every day.

And I'm terrified.

Enough of my melodramatics.

I haven't been keeping up with all the hilarious dialogues in our house, and it's immensely unfortunate because Chicken has become a chatterbox and says laugh-out-loud funny things all the time.   I've missed a lot of good material and the memories are already slipping away.  So I'll just start with the sweet stuff from today.  I'm sure we'll have plenty of the stinker stuff in my future.

Chicken woke up bright and early calling for Mommy from his crib.  As I went to retrieve him and we walked by Edee's room he called out for her.  I shushed him and told him she was still sleeping.  Then I do what I always do and lay down with him in our bed, hoping that by some chance he'll fall back asleep and I can have a few more minutes of rest (It's kind of like pressing the snooze button on an alarm clock.  Only the snooze button doesn't work most of the time.  *humph*).

Chicken didn't choose to snooze, and only a few minutes later Edee, in her Edee-only way, comes dashing into our bedroom.  Chicken quickly slides off the bed, runs to Edee with open arms and gives her a big hug with a "WUDDDD-YOOOOUU!!" (translation--"LOVE YOU!!!").   He held her tight for a moment as she stood there a little dazed and confused, still barely awake.  

Daddy and I agreed that it was possibly one of the most precious things we'd seen.   It's no secret that Chicken loves that big sister.  Today was just verification of that.

Oh Boy, Boys

I'm walking Edee to her church class:

Woman, speaking to someone else:  Oh, here's Edee.  This is the one who really likes Dean!!

Me:  What?

Woman:  Yeah, she has quite the thing for another little boy in her class, it's really cute.

Really.....

Later that day after church, me and Edee are talking under a tree while Chicken and Daddy went inside.

Me:  Is there a boy at church that you like, named Dean?

Edee:  YEAH!  He has bue eyes yike we do!

Me:  Wow, cool!  Are you friends?

Edee:  Yeah!  He's not my age, he's so much taller than me!

Me:  Blue eyes and tall?  Hum...

Edee:  Yeah, we were youd, one time, a yittle bit, but den we were quiet again.

Me:  Getting in trouble during class, are we?

Edee:  Dust a yittle bit, we got quiet again.

Me:  I see.

At the dinner table.

Me:  Edee has a little boy at church she likes Daddy.

Edee:  Yeah!  He has bue eyes, yike we do, an is sooo taller dan me.

Daddy says no words.  The look on his face is enough.

A few hours later, completely out of the blue.

Edee:  I can't WAIT until I can marry dat yittle boy!!

Uh oh.  I had no idea young love started this young.

Playing

Edee brings over a few toys.

Edee:  Mommy, will you pay with me?
Mommy:  Alright.  I'm Ursula.  You Poor Unfortunate Soul..... What are you doing Princess Celestia?
Edee: I inspecting you because you making bad choices
Mommy:  What, bad choices?
Edee:  Yeah, you making all bad choices under the sea.

I'm glad she understands the concept of bad choices.  There are some days when I would never guess she did....

Still

Edee climbs in bed with me this morning.  She, Daddy, and Chicken have already been awake for a little while.  I'm still trying to wake up.

Edee:  Hi Mommy.  I yove you.
Me:  Good morning Edee, I love you too.
Edee:  Whoa, you beff is stinky.
Me:  I'm sure it is.
Edee:  Dat's okay.  I still yove you.

She gives me a great big hug.
True love :)

Pets

Our family is driving from our apartment across town to the new house we bought.  Daddy and I are chatting in the front seat about house projects (of which there are many).

Then quietly from the back seat:

Edee:  Daddy?  I nee a talk to you about yumting.
Mommy:  Daddy, your little girl is trying to talk to you.
Daddy:  Yes, Edee?
Edee:  Um, Daddy, did you know dat dere aren't any pets at our house?
Daddy:  ......Yes.
Edee:  Yeah.  Dere's no fish, no dogs, and no cats dere.
Mommy starts laughing
Daddy:  You're not starting that passive aggressive thing where you make a statement and expect me to know exactly what you want, are you?
Mommy:   I think it's pretty clear what she wants.

I'm thinking Daddy's comment about being passive aggressive may have been a passive aggressive comment towards me.  And I don't know how much longer we are going to be able to say "no" to pets.  This isn't the first time this has come up.

Busy

Me:  Edee, can you grab me a diaper for Chicken, please?  Quickly!!
Edee:  Uh,  I can't....I'm busy wite now.  I'm.....uh, yinging....."My little pony, my little pony"...
   
 She gives me a sideways glance to see if I'm buying it as she walks away "singing".

Me:  You are not busy, and the diaper is right there!! Hand it to me please.
Edee:  Ugh!  Awight.

What a stinker!!

No Way!!

Chicken is now occasionally speaking is "sentences", meaning more than one word together at a time.  His favorite sentence right now is "No way!"

While driving in the car:

Edee:  Mommy, can I haf annuder cookie?
Me:  No, sorry, I only had one for each of you.
Edee:  AWwwwWW!!
Me:  Ask Chicken for his, I don't think he likes it.
Edee:  Chicken, can I peese haf you cookie?  Pitty peese?
Chicken:  NO WAY!!
Edee bursts into tears
Chicken:  No!  No way, no way, NO WAY!
Edee: WAAAHHHH!!  I wan annuder cookie!!!
Chicken:  No way!  Cacker!!!  No way!
Edee:  I not a cacker (cracker), I'n a cookie!!! WAAAAAAAAAAH!!

I hope no one looked into the car at the point.  I'm laughing, Edee's bawling dramatically, and Chicken is yelling at Edee while waving a cookie at her.  Oh dear.  We tried to warn Edee that one day Chicken would talk back, hit back, and potentially be bigger than her.  Those days are coming.

Porcupine

Chicken had a haircut a few weeks ago.  He did not enjoy the process.  We had Edee run and grab my Kindle and I pulled up an episode of Wild Kratts about porcupines.  That occupied both of them while we finished shearing Chicken.

Later we were talking about what Edee learned about porcupines.  She was able to tell us that they have quills, and that the quills are pokey.  We then realized as we chatted more that she was calling the porcupine a "pokey-pine".  Makes sense!

Chicken is talking more and more too and it's getting fun.  These are some of my favorite things he'll say lately:

 "Ape" for grapefruit (my kids looooove grapefruit.  It's wierd; I know).
"Upppp" with extra emphasis on the the "p" sound when he want picked up.
"Wushhh" for when he wants to brush his teeth
"Wah-yah" for water

It's so fun watching the light come on as he's learning how to communicate better.

Awake

It's late in the evening as we are driving back home.  The sun is setting.

Me:  It's quiet back there, are you guys awake?
No answer
Me:  Hey, are you asleep Edee?
Edee:  Yeah! (giggle giggle)
Me: Oh, you are asleep, huh?  Chicken? Are you asleep too?
Chicken:  Yeah!!  (giggle giggle giggle)
Me:  Oh silly kids. You are asleep or awake?
Edee:  Asleep!!  (giggle giggle)
Chicken: Yeah, wake!

Silly kids.  And I can't believe my little boy is speaking in sentences.  This can't be happening!

Right Back At Ya.

It's enlightening to view yourself from your threenager (our new term for Edee) reflecting back to you the things your often do.  Some things are good, some are bad; it happens often.
One example:

I'm typing up a blog post (the one about Edee's dreams) and Edee climbs onto my lap.

Edee:  Mommy, can I watch 'My Yittle Ponies now?'
Me:  One more minute Edee, I need the computer and want to finish typing something.

Edee picks up my phone and starts typing numbers into it.  I'm not really paying attention to what she's doing because I'm typing.  She's quiet for a little while.

Edee, holding up the phone:  Otay, Mommy.  Your one minute is up.  It time for me to watch 'My Yittle Ponies' now.
Me, amused:  Okay Edee.

I start pulling up her show.

Edee:  Dank you Mommy, you were a good yistener (listener).

She'll be a good mommy.

Dream

Yesterday morning and I'm snuggling with Edee on the couch.

Me:  Did you have any nice dreams?
Edee:  Yeah!  A YUCKY dream!!
Me:  A yucky dream??
Edee:  Yeah, it wah weally yucky!
Me:  What happened?
Edee:  A dog pooped in my mouth!
Me:  Yuck!!
Edee:  Yeah, an I spit it out!  I spit it out on the gound outside!
Me:  Goodness.  I'm glad you spit it out outside.
Edee:  Yeah and the dog was pink!
Me:  Oh nice, that's your favorite kind of dog
Edee:  Yeah, I wan a pink dog, and a pink cat.

This morning.  Chicken and I are sitting on the floor and Edee is eating her cereal at the table.  Chicken is now finally calling his sister "Edee", true to the age.  He's getting so big.  I started this blog not long after Edee's little friends dubbed her with the nickname.  Sorry. Reminiscing.  Back to this morning:

Edee (leaning over on her chair and looking under the table at us):  Hey guys.  I wanna tell you someting.
Me:  What's up?
Edee:  Yast night, I had a deam.
Me:  What was your dream about?
Edee: Da Wil' Katts (Wild Kratt's--it's a TV show she really likes)
Me:  Oh yeah?  What happened?
Edee:  Dey were hang-gliding.  Kiss (Chris) was.  An den his yittle budder (brother) catched him!!
Me:  Was is a nice dream then?
Edee:  Yeah. It was.

She sat back up and resumed eating her Cheerios.

I just think it's so cute that she likes telling me about her dreams.

Colored Popcorn

We are driving to church one Sunday morning

Edee:  Yooooook!!!  I see popcorn popping on da apicot teee!!

Me:  Wow, you're right!  Blossoms are coming out on the trees.  It's finally starting to look like spring. Look there's some white ones.

Edee:  Yeah I yike white! I see pink ones!  Pink is my wave-rit (favorite).

Daddy:  Yeah you really love pink.

Edee:  Yeah I love pink ones, an puh-pull ones, an bue one, an red ones....but I don't yike da other ones

Me (to Daddy):  She's referring to all the colors the remain nameless to her because she doesn't like them. 

Daddy:  Look, the grass is starting to turn green, isn't that nice?

Edee:  No....i don yike geen tings.  Just bue...and pink...an puh-pull...an red....an white
Daddy:  White?  You like white over green?
Edee:  I yike white. Not green
Daddy:  You like the snow better than green grass?
Edee:  I Yooooove y-now (snow)!!   I don't yike geen, or to eat any-ting dat's green.  Geen tings are yucky. Oh, oh, except for geen beans.  I yike geen beans.  Yum.  Dose geen beans are good, I yike geen beans but I don yike to eat any odder geen tings.  I don yike geen.  Just pink...an red...an puh-pull an bue..... an, an white....

Daddy:  I think this stretch of road to church really inspires Edee to talk.

Me:  Me too.  

Umbrella

Edee:  "Ah!!  Yook it's my bum-bella!! "
Me:  "Hands off.  We're not bringing the umbrella into the store."
Edee:  "But it's MINE!"
Me:  "No.  Actually it's not.  It's mine.  I had it long before you were born."

We start walking across the parking lot.  A moment later.

Edee:  "I remember when I had a bum-bella, when I was your age."
Me: "Whaaaat."
Edee:  "Yeah, when I was your age, once.  I had a bum-bella."

I couldn't help laughing a little.
Not just because she calls it a bum-bella.
It's not the first time Edee has told me about something that happened when she was my age.  And no....I swear I don't spend all day doing the old folk thing, telling stories all the time about "when I was your age...walking uphill both ways."  At least I think I don't!!

It's Otay

I'm pulling into the parking lot of Target with Edee and Chicken in tow when it hits me that I left the bag of clothes I was going to return at home.  I had a few other things I was going to pick up, but the entire original purpose of going to Target this morning was to return those clothes.

Me:  "Argh......Ugh, I can't believe I forgot the clothes. Grrrrr."

Edee:  "What wrong, Mommy?"

Me:  "Oh, I'm just mad at myself for forgetting something."

Edee (in her sweetest voice):  "It's Otay Mommy."

Me:  "Thanks, Edee."

Edee:  "It's Otay to be upset wit you self when you forget some-ting."

Me:  "Thanks, Edee.  You're right, it is okay. That is nice of you to say, you are a kind person."

Edee:  "I not a person!"

Me:  "Yes you are!"

Edee:  "No, I not a person yet, I just a yittle big girl."

We talk about feelings a lot--like how it's okay to feel a certain way and express emotions in the proper way (instead of throwing tantrums, for example).  It sounds like we are doing a decent job at getting that across. But raising our kids to know that they are people?  Apparently we're not doing so hot at that.

Last Year

Edee is playing with Daddy and Chicken in their bedroom while I'm cleaning up dinner.  All the sudden I hear from the background:

"I Not paying wit you any more!  You hit me and I yeaving!"

Edee comes into the kitchen

Me:  "What happened?"
Edee:  "Daddy hit me wit the ball yast year!  And I am YOOOO mad wit him.  Grrr!  He's so mean!"
Me:  "Last year?"
Edee:  "Yes, yast year in my room. And I so mad at him."

Soon Daddy came out and she gave him a hug and got over it.  I'm glad that she decided not to hold a grudge for something that happened "last year."

Kids

On the way to church, out of the blue.

Edee:  "You guys will be in one house, and I be in a different one."
Me:  "Huh?"
Edee:  "When I growed up. I goin' to take my kids to the playground when I grow up."
Me:  "Your kids? Oh yeah?  Even when it's cold outside?"
Edee:  "No.  Wait...yeah.  I put a playground inside a tent."
Me:  "A tent?"
Edee:  "Yeah it will be sooo warm inside."
Me:  "What a cool, creative idea Edee. You'll be a fun mom."
Edee:  "Yeah, I gonna buy my kids YOTS of toys when I older."
Me:  "Oh I bet you will.  How many kids are you going to have?"
Edee:  "Um, dis many." She holds up five fingers.
Me:  "Wow, five kids!  That's a lot!"
Edee:  "Yeah.  You, you, YOU guys will have more kids!!"

 Daddy and I look at each other simultaneously, each raising an eyebrow.

Me:  "Oh really.....how many?
Edee:  She holds up two fingers.  "Dis many.  Maybe dis many."  She struggles to try to hold up 3 fingers.
Me (to Daddy):  "I hope she really means total and not 'in addition to'."