Creative Young Minds...

Went to the kids Basketball Banquet...Nick's team got silver, which drove Penny nuts, as her team didn't place this year after getting a gold last year. I was giggling at the ferocious names some of the teams chose: chipmunks, fireflies, and the unicorns. Other names I liked, Trouble, the Crushers and Titans (funny because they were a team of 6 year old boys.)

Money Management...

Nick: Mom I want to buy this book and it is $5.00. I don't want to spend $5.00, so can you give me $2.00 so then I will save $2.00?

Abbie's First Easter...

Abbie was so funny this Easter. She loved the Easter egg hunt so much she kept dumping her bucket on the floor and then refilling it. When we finally took all the eggs away from her, she started to put her grapes on the floor and then putting them in her bucket. We gave her, her first taste of chocolate, and she loved it so much she was hugging Penny's big bunny and crying. We laughed all day long : )

Hospital Visits are Never Fun, But...

GROSS WARNING:

Okay that was officially the worst hospital visit ever!! The staff were awesome, but it was horrible for Nick. While putting in the IV, Nick started to vomit blood, on the nurse, on the doctor, on the bed, on the floor, on himself, on me. While vomiting he ripped his IV and then there was blood, and vomit everywhere, and more needles than I could count. Still recovering from my car accident, and this was all a bit much for me. At one point the nurse asked if I was alright, and I wasn't terribly convincing I'm afraid. Nicky started to cry and apologize for bleeding when I am not feeling well. Yep, totally crappy!!

Defining...

Nick: I don't think Abbie wants a spouse.

Me: Umm, Nick, do you know what a spouse is?

Nick: Yeah, isn't that someone who helps you?

Its that time of year...

Favorite Nick Quote of the day -

Nick: Dad, I'm going to betray Jesus on Thursday and I was hoping you would come and watch.

Keith (slightly confused): Pardon me?

Nick (proudly): I'm in the Easter Play. I Play Judas!! Can you come and watch me betray Jesus...it's kinda gross I have to kiss Cameron (I think he meant on the cheek...it is a Catholic school and all,) but the rest is cool!!

Abbie is just so darn cute...

I honestly believe that Abbie is the best, cutest baby ever! I just can't decide if it is because when we go to pick up Nick from school she insists on carrying her own lunch kit (actually Penny's old three princesses one.) She is very proud of her bad self, walking down the hall carrying her own little lunch kit. Or is it because she likes to pretend that she knows karate and cheer, giving it her all trying to do what they do, and looking confused when it doesn't turn out quite right. She usually shakes it off, and gives it another try. It could be because she found one of Penny's old whistles and likes to blow it as hard as she can, and then giggle like a crazy person, while we all laugh so hard. She is just too cute!!

First Days...

Today was Abbie's first day in daycare. I don't go back to work until the fall, but I have somethings I need to get done; my thesis, home renos both here, and at the other house. So having her go one or two days a week will get her used to going before she has to go full-time. I love her so much; I was so scared that she would be so sad. I missed her all day, but when I went to pick her up, she was happy as can be. She smiled when I walked in, but didn't stop what she was doing to come over to me. Once I went to her, she stuck to me like glue, not paniced and not in a hurry to leave. Boy, I am glad it was a good day. I can't figure out why I feel the tiniest bit sad though. : )

Gross

Nick: Mom I know something that will make you very happy.

Me: Oh, what is that?

Nick: The dog ate one of your dish cloths and then 'poohed' it out.

Me (laughing): Why would that make me happy?

Nick (confused): Because then you get your cloth back.

Penny (slighltly horrified, but mostly disgusted): Ummm...mom, I think you should throw that cloth away!

Timing...

My favorite Nick quote of the day: "Mom, it won't take me half an hour to do that. It will only take way less, like about 40 minutes.

The Generation Gap

My husband and my daughter, Penny, are driving in the car. She asks him if she can get the new Marianas Trench cd.

Keith (the husband): Oh what does she sing?

Penny: Oh its not a she, dad.

Keith: Oh its like Alice Cooper.

Penny: Who?

Keith: Or like Marilyn Manson (he says feeling all young and hip.)

Penny: Yeah, I don't know who that is either...but I doubt it because Marianas Trench isn't a girl.

Keith: And the generation gap widens...

Penny: Is that the name of one of their cd's?

Sometimes kids have the best perspective...

One day my husband, a police officer, is at work. He is called to back up another officer. He chases the guy down, and while running away, the 'bad guy' swallows the drugs he has on him. My husband picks him up, carries the guy to his car, and rushes to the hospital. The hospital staff works heroically to save his life. My husband, being the arresting officer has to stay with him. When the 'bad guy' comes to he immediately attacks the nurse who is trying to help him because he blames her for killing his high. My husband goes over to tell the guy to settle down, and he threatens to shoot my husband in the head. That is one perspective on what is happening in the hospital, and whose fault it is.

About a year later, my husband and I take our son, Nick, who was about 7 years old to the hospital for some medical tests. Among other painful procedures they have to take blood from him. As the day wears on, our little boy is getting tired and it is getting harder and harder to take him back to the lab for another round of blood work. The last time we go, my husband has to pick our son up and carry him. My husband looked like he would rather be strapped down to an ant hill. I felt like crying and you can bet Nick was not feeling any better than either of us. We bring him back to the lab and sit him down in the chair. While we are waiting the nurses bring in a small baby. As soon as they start prepping her for her battery of blood tests she begins to whimper. Nick looks over and says, "Oh that poor little baby is probably just scared, I bet that is why she is crying. I will be brave," he says, sticking out his little arm, "and show that little baby there is nothing to be afraid of." When the lab tech comes in, she says to her colleague, "Oh no, not that little boy again. I have had to stick him every time today, and he is just so sweet." She comes over to start prepping Nick for his blood tests, and he leans over and pats her hand, "Its okay, I know its not your fault. I'll be brave." And there you have a different perspective about what his happening at the hospital, and who is at fault.

Everything I Need to Know, I Could Learn in Grade 3, Apparently...

Keith to me: Oh shoot! I needed to go to Rona to get something manly, and that may require expertise to operate (okay, I may have paraphrased that last part.)

Nick to Keith: Its ned dad!

Keith to Nick: What's ned?

Nick to Keith: The past tense of need dad, is ned, not needed.

Keith to Nick: Umm, buddy, I don't think that's right.

Nick to Keith: No it is right, we are learning about it in my class. The past tense of read (reed), is read (red), so the past tense of need is ned. Maybe you should come be in my class dad, and then you can learn about these things too.

Sweet Moment

One of the first memories I have of are my son and I cuddling on the couch. It was one of those days where I feel like I have been fed through a meat grinder. I am wearing sweats, a t-shirt, and have my hair in a pony tail. My son is on my lap. He is the sweetest little boy and he sometimes has a difficult time with articulating his thoughts, which is unfortunate because he often has the most amazing things to say. He looks at me, gulps, takes a deep breath and says, "I just need a moment to collect my thoughts." I nod. He then says, very slowly, "My heart tells my eyes that you are so beautiful." I try to smile, but I am tearing up. He looks at me, he is hurt and confused, "Why does that make you sad?" "Oh, no, honey, what you said was very sweet." Running a hand through my hair I say, "It is just that on a day like today, I don't feel very beautiful." "Oh mommy, you should always feel beautiful because I love you so much, you will always look beautiful to me," then he smiles his sweet beautiful smile.