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.