Serenity Now

My 17 month old son successfully picks his first lock.

Yeah. He's got a brilliant career ahead of him. Next week; safe cracking.

Jabbering at his banana. Historically, they are one of George's favorite foods to play with.

In case you missed it on Facebook, here is the stink eye that Ankie favored me with following his tubes and adenoidectomy.

Thankfully the surgery went well, and he was enjoying himself up until he woke up and I wasn't there. Then he was outraged. Not scared. Just plain mad. He screamed all through recovery, unless the doctor or nurse was in the room. He'd stop for them. When I put him into the car, he slouched resentfully into the corner of his carseat and pouted all the way home.

How could you?

Your poll numbers are flat lining 'Mom'.

After a nap and a good meal our little Piekins decided to forgive and forget, and was quite himself all evening. He doesn't seem to be suffering any side effects, barring a sore throat. He's eating and sleeping, and alert and well, so we have much to be thankful for!

Well it was a quieter week on the mischief and mayhem front. Mostly because it's only Wednesday and we've been outside most of the time. And George has had all his 'getting out of bed' privileges revoked. But that's another story...

Ankie has a new favorite game. Should any of you happen to observe bruising on the child's dear forehead, fear not! I have not resorted to walloping him with a 2 x 4. No, he thinks it is hilariously funny to whack his head on the floor, table, and highchair tray. He knocks HARD. I'm talking hard enough to give him goose eggs.

We're trying to stop him, but how do you discipline a child who finds physical pain hilarious?

Note the bruising... He LOVES Mister Potato Head's glasses. He prefers to wear them over his mouth for some reason.

That's a bubble wrap cape. He did not put it on by himself.

Ankie's been delegated to play Masked Offender for his brother.

"Here is your Masked Fender glove. You are playin so you just weared it on your head, ok Ankie?"

George is now playing Masked Offender vicariously, by dressing up his brother and telling him that HE is the Masked Fender now.

The Oven Mit shoots laser beams

George lines:

While playing with his 'space ship that I builded all mine self': "Launch the prode!" meaning 'probe'.

After dinner is served out: "We ALL have mashed toh-pateohs!"

To Aunt Marion over the phone, after the dear lady broke her hip: "Hi Aunt Mar-in. Did you broked your hip? Did the docker put a bandaid on it?"

To Justin while playing on the floor: "Daddy, you have the flu, so you need some Coconut Happy Spray."

Our Grammy is on her way here as I type! George got to go with Daddy to pick her up. It's going to be a great five day visit with her. Thanks everyone for remembering Ankie in your prayers!

Good Morning Vietnaaaaam!

It would be pointless to list every violation of household law captured in this picture. Suffice to say that we kicked off our morning with a hefty round of disciplinary action.

The main culprit, stylishly attired in dinner jacket and sweatpants, prepared to meet his doom.

The accomplice crawls through the wreckage

This is a little ritual we observe each morning. Once the nursery door is opened, Ankie runs straight to the fridge and sags dejectedly beside it, waiting for his bottle to appear.

Ooops... it's a sippy cup. This is an offense and an abomination. He runs away, and returns a few moments later, hoping to find that it has changed into the bottle he knows and loves. It hasn't. So he repeats the routine a few more times before finally coming to terms with using the despicable cup.

The colors are peaking in the Blue Ridge, and we took a drive yesterday

My darling baby boy will soon be eighteen months old! I cannot believe it.

Neither can he, apparently

George didn't make it on film because he skipped his nap and slept through the drive.

My mother and sister just returned from a trip to visit *ahem* loved ones, in Ireland. Mom sent us these hilarious Irish Viking hats. The boys LOVE them. Naturally, it didn't take Ankie long to track down the chocolate she sent.

s

iHope those Irish eyes are smiling...

Ahhh... Mealtime. The Pickering Dinner Theater Company continues to produce robust and innovative performances.

One of our lead performers telling us what his carrots are telling him

Our other star seems convinced that the daily application of vegetables to his fuzzy scalp will encourage the growth of real hair.

Normally George hates potatoes in any form. I should have been suspicious when he asked to have some put on his plate at dinner.

We again were bad parents and ignored his playing with his food in order to hear what he was saying. He built 'Oma's house in the snow', the 'Byew Ridge Parkway', and our church.

"See, dis is da Parkway and dis pieced of chicken can be our car drivin round Roh-noke Ginya. It is going to Cubbies, and here is da hill and on da hill is our church. An da Cubbies is in da church."

And of course, joining us for dessert are the SOOOPER HEROES!

George is so thoughtful. When he plays dress up he always provides a costume for Ankie to wear as well. Whether he wants to wear it or not. Franklin usually is content to play along.

Stuff:

Frustration is: having the remote disappear in the middle of the Forsyte Saga, and being unable to move forward without missing episodes. This happened to me the other night, and I was very unhappy about it. The next morning I asked George if HE knew anything about the missing remote.

"It's ok Mummah. The Bible says every sad is wiped away. Do not be sad. Your mote is with God now. He taked it."

I suppose it's good that he's learning to comfort those mourning the loss of a loved one. I later found the remote.... JAMMED IN THE VCR. Go figure.

~*~

I came into the bathroom and found the toilet covered in brown flecks. Near panic, I summoned George to give an account. What were those brown flecks? "I had mine mm in my mouf and I patchooied and it camed out on the toilet." Just M&M residue from a sneeze!

~*~

He stores all his sticks out on the balcony. One morning last week he came in with one of them and announced "It is so cold! My gun is very freezed!"

~*~

Last week a friend came into town and we decided to go out to Arzu for dinner. We had no idea that it was a fancy schmancy place until we walked in and saw that the waiters were wearing tuxedos. They allowed us in, and as I gazed at the elegant place settings, complete with bread plates and cloth napkins, I died a thousand deaths, expecting my Dinner Theater performers to put on a terrific show for the other diners, none of whom were under 65.

But, it would appear that our battle to teach the boys to behave like human beings at the dinner table has paid off.

They were complete angels... ate quickly and quietly, used their utensils and stayed contentedly in their chairs making pleasant conversation. George was even thanking the waiter and complimenting him on the food! God worked a miracle, and it really encouraged us to keep up the good fight on the home front.

~*~

Additionally, we have some announcements:

On November 4, two things are happening: Franklin is having tubes put in his little ears and and adenoidectomy. Also, GRANDMA is coming from California to visit!!! We are so thankful she can be with us, and would appreciate your prayers for little Ankie's procedure! Thank you!

Pumpkin Patch!

A trip to Layman Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

George is escorted to lunch by some of the friends we went with. Apparently his friends told him a thing or two about chickens. "Dey have their own little house where dey stay warm, and dey lay eggs in it and dey CRATCH."

BACON!

Ankie was thrilled to discover that pigs oink just the way he does!

The trough and pump system. Tons of fun!

Can I eat THIS one?

"I'm. Gonna. Die."

Ankie and I took a spin on the cow train together. As soon as it stopped he shot out of his seat and ran to hide in the corn crib. I don't think he enjoyed his ride.

This was pure genius: they covered the floor of a corn crib with loose feed corn and let kids play in it. I think we spent well over an hour playing in there altogether.

Dashing through the corn maze. This year it was a massive reproduction of a penny. Needless to say, we cheated shamelessly and didn't even make it through phase one of the big maze. However we did quite well with the toddler version.

Determined to keep up with the Big Guy.

Beautiful Virginia countryside

George and his chosen pumpkin. Note the stick. Why the stick? None of the other boys insisted on taking sticks home with them.

Ankie could have cared less about the pumpkins. He zeroed in on the tractors and almost climbed into one while I wasn't looking.

"In Layman's Field the pumpkins grew..."

The ground is littered with orange casualties of war, as George emerges from the field of battle victorious, fearlessly lugging one of the fallen pumpkins to safety.

Ankie, showing little concern for the dead and dying, makes a run for the nearest tractor

Other way son.

Thaaat's it

Why is this thing moving?

We took a hayride to and from the pumpkin patch.

I think Franklin must have gotten some hay down his pants.

Consulting the map. Clearly this farmer has NO idea where he's going

Riding the cow train!

YeeeeeHAW!

Stories, stories, stories... well, let's begin with a list of little Ankie words:

"Ah-Ah-Ah!" this is a line from his favorite book- Counting with the Count from Sesame Street. He grabs the book and pages through it saying "Ah-Ah-Ah" in a booming Count voice.

"Peeeeed!" for 'speed'. He yells this when he his picking up toys or running away from me. Cute.

"BOOM!" when he falls, throws toys, slams doors etc...

"CHEEEEESE!" For cheese and the Wallace and Gromit movies. He puts both fists up to his face just like Wallace does. My kids love Wallace and Gromit. Their favorite is A Grand Day Out, and George now gives me a play by play commentary when it's on. "They're buildin an ORANGE SPACE SHIP now Muh!" "They forgot the CRACKERS Muh!" "They landin on the MOON Muh!"

Ankie has also started playing cars the way George does- he drives the car off the nearest cliff crying "Ooooh Noooo!" just like Big Brother.

Evidently Franklin is convinced we're trying to poison him. He smells his food very carefully before putting a single bite in his mouth. I told him it's useless, because the last time I checked arsenic was odorless, so he might as well trust me.

He also has a new favorite game: he stands on the coffee table saying "Two Two Two" and then flings himself across to the couch laughing hysterically. Death wish, no doubt about it.

Ankie also shocked me the other day by answering George's catechism question for him. We're doing the Shorter of course. "George, who made you?" is the first on the list. Before George could answer Ankie shouted "GOG!" He shouts it out every morning now, as soon as he sees the book coming out.

I also love the way the Piekins says blueberry: "Blew-blee".

As for George....

One morning I asked him where he'd like to go for our walk. "I want to go to a LONG place called Italy. Is Italy far way Mummah?" THAT's my boy! I told him that he could take me there when he finishes high school.

~*~

I come into the bathroom where George is taking a dump, and notice blobs of wet toilet paper clinging to the walls and ceiling. "Why George? Why?" I said, more rhetorically than anything else. George points to the silk flowers on the vanity. "I just wanted to water your beeyooful flowers!" Nice try, punk.

~*~

One morning I entered the boys room to find it trashed, and Franklin being held hostage under a laundry basket. He didn't appear to mind, but when George was asked why he'd done this, he said "The sun kept getting higher and higher and higher! And the voice of GOD telled me to wake up!"

~*~

Ankie put two carrots on his head at dinner one night. George started cracking up, and yelled "Ankie looks like a COMBINE!" Parents of Children Addicted to 'Cars' (the animated movie), will understand that reference.

~*~

I began singing the "Have Patience" song to George after telling him to wait for something. He laid on the floor kicking his heels and singing his own version "I NOT patient I NOT patient..."

~*~

On the way to and from church we pass a massive cathedral. It's on a hill and quite a landmark. George has become fascinated with it. He calls it a 'broken church' and insists that it is broken "because dere are no people innit and nobody to preach innit!" This morning he was building something with his duplos and it turned out to be the broken church. "See Muh? It is the broken church! It has two horns! (the church has two towers) And the OOOLD mans go in frew this hole to see the OLD daddies there and a OOOOLD Pasture (pastor)."

~*~

He was supposed to be coloring, but instead was playing with his crayons. This is the conversation that two crayons were having. "I will marry 70 girls." "I will marry two girls." "We are on our wedding trip in our big balloon! It's so comfy in here!" Apparently the crayons were Mormon.

~*~

"I will say my kerrrestions (questions from the catechism) in my pasture (pastor) voice!" he says. Then he booms out his answers loudly enough to be heard from Space.

~*~

I tripped and dropped a bowl one morning. It burst into a bazillion pieces and George was quite startled. He started to cry. "SEE! THIS is why I need to HELP you!" he sobbed.

~*~

He spent a whole morning in the toy room working on a fort of some kind. When he called me in to look he proudly announced "This is mine TEMPLE!" Some kids build forts, mine builds antiquities. Interesting.

~*~

Favorite one liner of the week: "I am squrishin out my poop!"




And now I think we're caught up!

What A Month

Here comes trouble!

Ankie is perpetually thrilled about something or other

The poor laddie is skin and bones!

And the tufts continue to amuse

Playing Hide 'n Seek

His hat is NOT cooperating

Ankie sleeps with a little bear called Bah every night. Recently, I had to wash it, so it was missing for a few days. Here is a picture of Ankie being reunited with his bedtime chum:

"BAH!"


Research in the field of Ankie Containment continues apace.

New breakthroughs occur on a daily basis

Chief Engineer tests the latest AC unit for durability

"This are our sailboats and we are SAILIN'! UP YONDER POLE!"

They make quite a team

Tragedy strikes

One trashed the deck. While he was being duly chastised the other cracked open a cup of chocolate pudding and took out the windows and walls. I swear they planned it that way.

Perusing the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. George loves all the pirate and train themed things

The Masked Offenders casing the deck and plotting their attack

George proudly displays the lone badge on his Cubbies vest. He was tickled to begin, and has since earned his first badge. So far his favorite aspects are the games and the snacks. He also enjoys the singing before the meeting begins. The morning after his first meeting I woke up to George, standing by my bed clad in his Cubbies vest and a diaper.

"Mummah, I am a CUBBY now." he solemnly intoned. It is a big step for us all.

Trying to fill Daddy's shoes

I found some poor insane child standing on my vanity one afternoon, singing sea chanteys and rambling about pirates and the Brickish sailors. If you know his parents, please inform me so I can return their pirate to them.

We've been watching Mister Rogers lately. While I was digging out the winter clothing George found this sweater from Grandma. He was thrilled. "I look just like Mister Rogers!" he yelled. He walked around in his sweater dispite the heat of the day, zipping and unzipping the sweater and singing "It's a beeyooful day inna NEIGHBORHOOD an beeyooful day..."

My beeyooful boy.

More property destroyed and more big 'firsts' than we've experienced in a long time!

Sunday School! Cubbies! Pumpkin Patches! Words! Life has been thumping and bumping along and there's little time to blog. Lots of interesting theories and observations to report, but we are out of time. More later.

If This is a Gift, Does it Come With a Return Slip?

On Wednesday morning the boys were up at 5:30. This, thankfully, is unusual, but I had stupidly stayed up late and was in no condition to deal. I fell asleep feeding Ankie his bottle. When I woke up about 15 minutes later, the walls and furniture were covered in purple chalk marks, and half a loaf of bread was scattered and smashed throughout the apartment. George had apparently put himself in charge of breakfast.

I took a deep breath.

Then I got them breakfast, and got on with the day. I had to wash dishes by hand, since Ankie or somebody broke the dishwasher door, and it wasn't closing properly. I sent George to the bathroom to use the potty, knowing that though he usually takes some time, he's generally reliable. Not today.

I finished the dishes and came to check on him. There was soap and water everywhere, and my half empty bottle of face wash glared up at me, asking me why, why it was left on the vanity to die at the hands of three year old. Also, George had gotten into the shower and somehow found a bottle of sunblock, which he applied liberally to the walls and floor, and himself.

I banished the boys to their room, where they can usually be trusted to do nothing more disastrous than empty all their toys out of the bin, so I could mop up the bathroom. They were laughing, and I figured as long as they were making noise they weren't in any serious trouble.

About five minutes later, their laughter had shifted from the innocent giggling of young children to the diabolical cackling of evil master minds.

They had found the Desitin and coated themselves, the carpet, and many of their toys with it. They were spiking their hair with the filth and laughing at each other.

I packed them into the tub, and began scrubbing. That stuff does NOT come out of hair. Ankie still has trace amounts in his fuzz. While I was scouring, Ankie managed to dump an entire pitcher of water into my lap.

I plucked him from the tub and slapped him into a diaper. Then I dumped the Desitin coated toys in with George and told him that he was to SIT and wash them while I got Ankie dressed. Leaving the door open so I could hear what he was up to, I crammed a reluctant Ankie into something clean and dry, and changed my own dripping clothes.

I returned to the bathroom to find that George was following my instructions to the letter. He had lined all the toys up on the side of the tub, and was dutifully scrubbing each one. Which was good. What was not so good was that he was also pouring water over the toys to rinse them clean, and now THIS bathroom was flooded.

Silent Scream.

I helped George out of the tub. He sloshed through the puddle that was my bathroom floor and tracked wet footprints down the hall to his room, where I got him dressed. Then I panicked and realized that I had not actually tied Franklin into his high chair.

Naturally he'd decided to flip the door of the dishwasher down, and had somehow gotten covered in leftover detergent, which ruined his clothes. Bleach in the detergent. Thankfully, he had not eaten any of it!

I got lunch started, figuring that they'd be safe at the table, since Ankie was tied in his high chair. I settled them down with PB&J and began mopping up the bathroom. They started laughing again.

I ran. Too late.

They had discovered that peanut butter also makes a great styling agent, and were spiking themselves again.

Also that morning they apparently broke two lamps and chipped a chunk of wood off a piece of furniture. I only found this out later. Probably a good thing.


So, where does that leave us? A) very thankful that every day is not like this one, B) I've been trying to see every aspect of my life as a gift from a Good God, and be thankful and glorify Him in it, no matter what it is, something I've always known, but never made much effort to apply... so naturally I'm being given LOTS of opportunities to try and apply this stunning new concept. I stink at it. Hence, no doubt, all the opportunities.

Here are some things my adorable love buckets have been saying and doing that are really, really cute:


"I have mine walking stick to help me climb up the great hills!" This while ascending a small rise of about eight feet.

George was randomly punching numbers on daddy's calculator and found the C (for clear) button. After he pushed it to his amazement all the numbers disappeared. Then joyfully he exclaimed: "Daddy this is the clean button!"

Regarding a fallen tree that bridged a creek: "A bridge Mummah, a bridge… the rain falled and maked it boomed down!"

Regarding ice cubes in water: "When they are in water, God makes their bodies drown."

Regarding women: "When girls are sad, I make them tea!"... he's got that one all figured out!

Regarding Mothers and their need to give kisses: "Sailors DON'T need kisses!"

And a favorite story to wind up the pictureless post:

We've been watching Sesame Street Old School DVD's, and one of George's favorite skits is the Cream Pies skit, where Maria sings a song about cream pies and smacks Bob, David, and Luis in the face with them.

On the playground yesterday, George found a roof shingle. He piled some mulch on the shingle, and was walking around with it singing to himself dreamily "If one pie should happen fall... if one should happen fall... cream pie happen fall" I had no idea what he was doing, but he was moving slowly toward Ankie. He crept closer and closer, singing softly and looking alarmingly innocent.

When George got within touching distance he suddenly yelled "SMACK!" and 'pied' his little brother with the tile full of mulch. Then he took off running as fast as he could go, singing "NO MORE PIES ON DA WALL!" at the top of his lungs.

I guess I can't say that he didn't warn me... Thankfully he didn't hit Ankie hard, and Franklin found it hilariously funny.

But still... oy vey.

What's Wrong With My Camera?

Most beautiful roses my hubby has ever brought home, at least since the last ones.

I'd been perfectly horrid to him all morning, yet he opted for the high road, bless his heart. Another reason we love him.

George: See the loco-lini train Piekins?

Ankie: Choo-choo choo-choo!

This shot is just so amusing to me. WHAT color are that boy's eyes anyway? Brown or green? Can't decide!

Ankie finally has enough hair to wake up with bed head... I couldn't believe it when I saw him this morning. So I took lots of pictures.

His 'Gus' or 'Pubby'. He sleeps with the same two animals every night. The other is a black bear called "Bah".

He hides his face in shame. Or he's playing peek a boo.

!

Doing stunts on the scuttle bug

"Look Mom, no feet!"

Here he is with George's hat. He and that hat have a strained relationship. He likes hats, but sometimes he puts it on over his eyes, and can't pull it off again. This is very distressing.

Trying to put it on JUST right. He just yanks on it, until something happens

Oops... yanked too hard, and now it's blinding him again.

This is better. The rim flipped just so.

Sharing a frosty with Daddy

Jail break

He heard the click and saw that I was behind him. So he climbed right back in.

Why is Piekins smiling?

Big Brother slipped him a flattened cookie!
Don't you love that naughty little smirk? He knows he's getting away with something.

He made a 'nice cozy warm soft bed' on top of the barricade.

Horribly grainy picture ruins perfect shot of darling boy

He is forbidden to touch the new blinds, so my young Pirate of Underpants is forced to monitor the neighbors through the slats.

The fort/ship/rachine/SPACE ship they built in the closet. Not only did they pile extra things in, they tied it down with extension cords, jump rope, and bathrobe ties. It took half an hour to dismantle. No joke.

Reading special book with Daddy. "The Big Picture" bible story book for kids. It traces redemptive history in a way that is understandable and engaging. It is very clear and honest, yet simple. I highly recommend it!

"I maked a BIG cookie. And I have smashed it FLAT!"

Using the spatula to achieve an even flatter effect

What's this?
Only EVERY stitch of clothing my two hooligans own.
They decided to emptied their entire dresser one morning. Why?
George told me why. "It very cold, and I haved to find mine WARM clothes."

Here are the warm clothes he dug up and dressed himself in. And his spy glass.

Late summer is upon us. Perfect weather, lots to do outside, and the leaves are starting to change. It's just like Michigan, minus the cold, rain, and frosty mornings. Sorry, couldn't resist. I have a problem with my pictures. They are suddenly much grainier than they used to be. I suspect somebody got hold of the camera and switched the settings on accident... but I know nothing about this camera and have no idea what they changed or how to change it back. Does anyone know how to fiddle with digital cameras?

We're outside as often as possible soaking up every last bit of summer sun. This comes by force of habit. Life in Michigan teaches you that after August, winter kicks in and the sun can't be expected to put in regular appearances for at least nine months or so. Down here it's different, but the old solar hoarding instinct remains strong.

I usually don't take the camera out, as suicide attempts on Ankie's part make picture taking rather difficult.

Time for House! Season two is in from the library!

Pearls of Toddlerian Wit

I planned to do a grand slam blog session again, but I've been foiled. My camera batteries are dead. So we'll just cut straight to the stories.

Ankie is starting to talk, and saying such darling things. His newest words are gah-gie and pah-bee, both for dogs. When we see dogs in the park he squeals with delight and jabbers excitedly, running straight over to the dog, and following it around until the owner makes it stand still and let him pet it. He sounds SO funny when he does this "PAH-bee! Pah-ee ticka-ticka-ticka Paaaah-bee dicka ticka dooo doh doh ticka ticka Pah bee! Goggie!"

He can climb out of his play pen now, so things are getting more interesting.

George is up to no good most of the time. But we love him for it. He is getting to be quite the story teller. The other day he found a New Testament in the back seat of the car and was quite thrilled to have a Bible that was "Just like Unka JAMES! He have one just like dis!" He opened it up, and began exhorting straight away.

"Well dere was a boy and his name was Jophess (Joseph), and his brothers were very bad. And dey put him in a BIG hole. And den dey poured WATER on him. And he growed up and ate lots of cake and swordfighted and den he was kind to them."

Another story we got during the same car trip: "Muh, you want to know what happens in mine book? Well, Unka James-- you want I tell you bout him? When he was a little boy he played sword fight and ate cake. When he growed up he went and got a gun at the gun store. Den he shot a piece of WOOD, and gived it to DAVID, and David maked into a THING. And then he KILLED Goliaf wif his thing. Dere, you like my story?"

I'm beginnging to sense a theme here... It is also just adorable when George hauls Ankie onto his lap to read him a book. "Sit here Piekins, I going read you a story. Dr. Dan was a fixer, and he got an owie from da bull fights and his mummah told him Dr. Dan you stop cryin and put a bandaid on. So he did. Now it over and you can't touch da book Piekins, you get off now." Story time has officially ended and Franklin is peremptorily shoved off big brother's lap.

~*~

Confession time: We know that we should not let George play with his food. But it is so darn FUNNY to hear him doing it, sometimes we just eavesdrop and pretend that we don't notice... terrible I know, but the things he does are hilarious, and always seem to come out of nowhere...

Picture this... he hollows out a biscuit and piles some green beans inside and starts driving it around. Meanwhile the green beans are having this conversation:

Big deep voice: "Hey you guys, where you goin?

Little tiny voice: "We goin way far way wif our trailer full of pigs. You want to come in our trailer with our pigs?

Big voice: "How bout we just ride on the back?"

Little voice: "Ok, you can get on right HERE."

Big voice: "I gettin on now. O00H Nooo! The pigs are poking us and killing us! We can't get on wif da pigs!"

In another episode he piled all his green beans onto his fish and informed us that they were all sailing to Jerusalem. We asked him why.

"All the friends were happy, and they danced in your cup, and dey haf to go to Jerusalem now. So dey sailing in dere ship with the pirates." Perhaps the pirates needed to sacrifice? Anyway, not long after departure, the 'ship' was wrecked. "Oooh Nooo! Mine sailor thing! It fawed down with a CLUNK!"

~*~

After Oma left, George was a bit blue to say the least. At dinner that night he suddenly asked me to pretend to be Oma. I started jabbering away in my best Linda voice, and he laughed and laughed. Then he asked me to pretend to be Pop. I asked him how to be Pop, and his answer reveals that George has got that couple nailed. "You have to be workin. You have to be workin hard to hep your Oma." So I started doing dishes, and that was enough for George.

~*~

We happened to drive over to friends of ours on Labor Day. We arrived just minutes after the family dog had died. It was a very touching moment, and the poor thing was stretched out on the front lawn under a tree, in full view of George, who was quite fascinated by the whole scene.

On the way home we talked about death, and life, and salvation and later that night he announced that "Dogs are Dalvations. They can die. But they don't go anywhere. And Muh, they didn't walked away from the dying! They stayed right dere! Why they stay there?"

He was wondering why the family was standing by the dead dog. I told him they were sad, and were saying good bye to the dog.

"Oh. Dere dalvation dog not going anywhere though. It dead! It can't walked away!" Sense triumphs over sensibility.

~*~

Best one liners:

Regarding my cooking: "It doesn't taste SO bad. It's porridge (it was chicken) and it helping my froat!"

I ask him if he wants his apron on while we bake cookies: "CERTAINLY I want mine apron on!" this accompanied by a look of utter shock, as if I had suddenly gone completely mad. Baking without an apron indeed!

"I like CHOCOLATE milk. It rolls on my tummy like a bun!"

Best Excuses for Disobedience:

"Oh no Muh, Ankie sayin' 'help help'. I have help him, and I busy making mess. I can't CLEAN it!"

"No I can't, I'm singing the Red song. See? 'Red reeed red reeeed red I'm red I'm red"

Favorite Incident:

Since Oma left, the boys have been sharing a room quite peacefully. They really seem to be enjoying it, and through this I think George may have discovered his calling in life.

Yesterday morning I heard a loud THUD, but didn't hear any crying. So I waited ten minutes and woke up a bit before going in to investigate. As a parent of toddlers, you learn to evaluate thuds based on the amount of screaming that follows them. This one had 'ten minute delay' stamped all over it. Anyway...

I open the door, and there are the boys on the changing table. George is trying to shove something into Ankie's mouth, saying "Hold still Piekins, this meh-sin is good for you, it make your boo boo feel all better."

Then George saw me, and dropped the empty medicine cup (thankfully it had no medicine to begin with) and told me the whole story.

"I unzipped Ankie's bed, and den he fawed out and gotted a boo-boo. And it was bleeding, so I WIPED the blood wif a towel QUICKLY, and maked it stop, and den I putted meh-sin on it to clean it, and den I was giving him meh-sin to make him feel all BETTER. But he won't drink he's mehsin muh, and you haf give it to him."

And so it was! He'd done everything exactly right, and no doubt was fully prepared to go in search of bandages had he not stopped the bleeding.

A paramedic, a doctor, a nurse? Something medical for sure...