Monsters and Bad Guys and Noises, Oh My...

It seems that Emma is having another flare up of Monster Fear. About a year ago, she started complaining about monsters. Not knowing what else to do I asked her "Are you sure that they are bad monsters?". "No" she replied. I said "Well maybe you should introduce yourself. Make friends with them." Next thing I know she is in her room saying "HI! My name is Emma. What's your name?" That was the beginning of a short lived friendship between her and Salina (the monsters name).

We've started to use the Monster Spray again. She still isn't 100% convinced that it works but it's so cute to watch her attempt to conquer her fears. I keep the spray bottle in a cabinet that she can get to without help. When she gets nervous about going into her room when it's dark, I hear her pad over to the cabinet, get the spray and pad her way back to her room blowing raspberries and saying "You can't get me monsters! Ppppfffbbbbbtttt!" The other night, she was walking around the house exterminating with her spray and raspberries. On her way to put the spray back in the cabinet, she passed by the back door and with her bottle carefully aimed at the screen and her feet firmly planted on the floor she said, "You wanna get me monsters?!? Oh yeah, well, you can't! Pppppffffbbbbttt!" My brave girl.

I think Tommy has been picking up on her fears. He'll come running to me and say "Scary me, Mommy, scary me.". So I ask what it is and he says "Bad guys.". Anyway, this Monsters/Bad Guys battle went on for a little while last night and the kids were finally and unusually quiet. I went into my bedroom to see what is was they were up to and both of them were quietly sitting on my bed looking at books together. I walked in and said "Hey, what are you guys doing?". Emma looked at me with big eyes, and in a whisper with her finger over her mouth said "Shhhh Mommy! My monsters are sleeping in your bathroom. I don't want you to wake them up!"
She's so dang cute...

Much ado about a mess...

Monday, I began the process of baking for the wedding that I'm making a cake for this coming Saturday. I'd already made one layer and wanted to work on the strawberry buttercream. Making this recipe is kind of involved. It requires pureeing a pint of strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and then cooking it over low heat until it is reduced to 1/4 cup of syrup. While this was cooking, I started putting the ingredients together for the next cake layer. I didn't feel that the strawberry reduction needed constant supervision as it was on low and I was checking it every few minutes. I had my back to the stove while I was mixing the wet ingredients for the cake with my hand mixer. Ty was putting away the dishes when he glanced over in my direction and calmly said "You're making a mess." I looked down to notice that not only was I NOT making a mess, I had done an unusually good job of keeping all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl. So I looked up at him and said "What mess?". His non verbal response was to chin point to the stove where my strawberry puree was supposed to be slowly reducing. "OH NO!" I yelled. It was boiling over. Darn it! So in an irritated tone I said "Why didn't you say so?!?". He said "I did. I told you that you were making a mess.". Then the argument ensued. I said "Why do you have to make it so difficult?" After complaining about the way he chose to direct my attention to the mess he said "It's 6 o'clock, I'm not talking to you till 6 thirty."
Fine. I figured I needed time to cool off anyway.

Our friends asked us if we wanted to go out for dinner at Chili's. On the way there the clock in the car changed from 6:29 to 6:30. The first thing he asks me is "What are you playing?". I was typing out my thoughts on my phone in the notepad app. I answered "I'm not playing anything.". He obviously thought I was playing a game on my phone. Anyway, I apologized for snapping at him and said "I am not excusing the way I reacted to your statement. But, sometimes I get frustrated in the way you say things in that it makes it so incredibly difficult to talk to you."
He replies with "What should I have said?". I answer "You could've said, 'Your pot is boiling over.'". He says "I didn't see that it was boiling. I saw that you were making a mess.". Then I say, "Or you could've said 'Your pot is bubbling over.'" He says "I didn't see any bubbles. I saw that you were making a mess."
Arrrrgggghhh! Do you see how he makes me work for the pleasure of having a conversation with him? Then I finally say, "You could've said 'Your pot on the stove is making a mess.'You could've been more specific."

As I type this out the whole thing seems silly. I love him and don't want him to change his ways just because I don't understand why he does it or because they frustrate me. But, for goodness sakes, sometimes it DOES get frustrating. This is just one example of how he makes me work for it. I'm not exactly sure why but, damn it, I sure do love him.

By the way, everything was fine. No one stayed angry. He went to see the new Transformers movie with his Nerd Herd last night...AT MIDNIGHT. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well. I never do when he's gone.

DISCLAIMER: This exchange of events is reported from my memory only. Other parties involved were not available to give their statement of accounts. Accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Little girl, BIG dreams...

Right after I gave birth to Tommy, Emma's world ceased to exist as she knew it. She turned 3 on the day I brought him home from the hospital. There were all sorts of people visiting and so many new things in the house, I'm sure her head was spinning. The most intriguing thing to her was my breast pump. She would sit and watch me express milk and ask questions like, "Mommy, what is that?". "A pump, so mommy can get milk for Tommy." I answered. "Can I have some?" She asks. "No honey, mommy makes special milk just for Tommy. It's only for little babies." I answer. "Oh..." She says. I thought that was the end of it.

Things start to settle down after a couple of weeks and she stopped asking questions but still liked to sit with me and listen to the 'wah, wah' of the pump.
And then, it happened. Luckily, my husband caught it on video.

Interview with a Daughter

The following transcript is an interview with my daughter Emma. Her answers have been recorded verbatim. I got this idea from a friend of mine who posted her son's answers on Facebook. I have to say, it's pretty cute.

Me: "What is your favorite cereal?"
Emma: "Chocolate Cereal."
Me: "What is your favorite vegetable?"
Emma: "Carrots."
Me: "What is your favorite drink?"
Emma: "Um...um...giggle...um...he-he, fruit punch." She was laughing because I was typing all of her "um's".
Me: "What is your favorite toy?"
Emma: "Um...my kitchen." I found this funny because she told me not long ago that she didn't like it anymore.
Me: "What is your favorite TV Show?"
Emma: "XD, no, no I mean Five Zero" This means channel 50 which over here is Cartoon Network. Initially she said XD but then she said "Never mind I don't care about it, I just like five zero." I have no idea what XD is.
Me: "What is your favorite game?"
Emma: "Indigo Prophesy." This is some strange, complex game that Ty downloaded on Xbox. This proves that our children surpass our knowledge because although I've been known to Halo it up my hubby, I have absolutely no Idea how to even begin to play this game.
Me: "What is your favorite book?"
Emma: "Color books." She is talking about the 'Help me be good' series of books. They are books about all types of mis-behaviors. Interesting answer.
Me: "What is your favorite Restaurant?"
Emma: "Red lobster." I can't remember the last time we ate there. It must have been at least a year ago.
Me: "Why?"
Emma: "Cause I like to see the lobsters, the real ones." Of course! Who goes to Red Lobster to eat?
Me: "What is your favorite holiday?"
Emma: "Valentines Day." She definitely takes after her Grammy. Besides it's only days after her birthday.
Me: "What is your favorite animal?"
Emma: "Elephant."
Me: "Why?"
Emma: "Cause I love them, but I only love stuffed animals, that's what it is."
Me: "If you could change your name, what would you choose?"
Emma: "Emily."
Me: "What do you love most about Mommy?"
Emma: "You're sweet and I like it when you make breakfast and dinner and lunch."
Me: "What do you love most about Daddy?"
Emma: "He is sweet too and he makes lunch when you're not there."
Me: "What do you love most about Tommy?"
Emma: "He likes to play with me and I like to ride bikes with him."
Me: "Where would you like to go on vacation this year?"
Emma: "Um...why do you keep typing um? To see Poppy and Abby and Paw Paw Woody and Aunt Mel." Can you tell who calls our house most often?
Me: "What are some of your wishes for this year?"
Emma: "A new kitchen." Ahhh, now I get it. She likes playing with her kitchen but she wants a remodel.
Me: "What is your favorite thing about our house?"
Emma: "Playing on the big TV." This means the Xbox or the Playstation. Refer back to the favorite game question.
Me: "What is your favorite room in our house?"
Emma: "My room."
Me: "Why?"
Emma: "Cause it's fun and I like to play on my piano."
Me: "Who is your best friend?"
Emma: "Jesse and Keanu."
Me: "What are you most thankful for?"
Emma: "Cake for my birthday and um... oh no, I forgot about my water animals."

While performing this interview we were waiting for the Magic Grow Capsules Sea Animal Edition to transform.
I think I'll ask her the same questions in about a year and maybe even do the same for Tommy.

DAMN-IT MOMMY!

Everything seemed to be going well last night while going through our nighttime routine. Tommy was in the living room watching the end of 'Tale of Desperaux' and Emma went with Ty to bring Maria home. I went in to the living room and noticed that the sliding screen door had been knocked off the track and the back door was open. I asked Tommy if he broke the door. He said "No. da-dee bug." I said "Ladybug?" (She's our dog) He responded "Yeah, da-dee bug." Please keep in mind that he is still trying to master the English language. I looked over and sitting sweetly in front of the TV was Ladybug. Laying there as if it was so normal and natural, just part of her everyday life. Apparently something spooked her (probably fireworks or a car backfiring). She really is a sweet dog. Tommy went over and sat next to her pointing to and naming all of her parts. Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc. She just sat there sweetly letting him poke and prod her.

Ty got home and Emma had fallen asleep in the car so, of course she went straight to bed, which left me with just Tommy to read books to and tuck in. I told Ty about the screen door and while he was fixing it I put Tommy in his bed and told him to wait there while I went to get something in the hall. He called "Mommy" while I was exiting his room. I called back "Hold on Tommy I'll be right back.", then he called "Mommy" again with a little more volume. I called back "Hang on just a minute baby boy." Then he finally yelled out "Damn-it Mommy!" Poor little guy doesn't know how to voice his frustrations. Of course he learned this from his parents. I went back in his room and explained that 'Damn-it' was not a nice word and not to say it again. Then he said something along the lines of "I ont sum awa pees, Mommy." Translation : "I want some water please, Mommy." I swear when he says "Pees Mommy?" My heart melts every time. He is so adorable. We read his favorite book and when I went to give him a hug and a kiss, he said "Tight, tight, Mommy." He wanted me to hug him tighter. Gosh, if I hugged him as tight as I wanted to, he would break. I said "I'll see you in the morning." and he responded with "I due." which is his version of I love you. Again, the cuteness is a survival mechanism.

Comma to the top

I was born and raised in Louisiana. Most everyone there has some sort of accent. Northern and Western Louisiana has a twangy accent (being so close to Texas). Southern Louisiana has a Cajun french accent. Eastern Louisiana has an accent that has kind of a New York/Chicago sound to it. But, there are some people that make up their own version of the English language.

My brother told me a story involving one of these people. I will attempt to re-tell this story now.So, my brother is waiting in line at the blood bank. There is a woman in line ahead of him. The receptionist asks "Hi ma'am, what is your name?". She replies "R'nez". The receptionist asks politely "Can you spell that for me?". Then with annoyance in her voice she answers (I will try to spell this phonetically) "Ah-ra comma t-da top N-E-Z."

I laughed so hard that I thought I might split in two. Comma to the top. Of course what she meant was apostrophe but I guess a new term for that is comma to the top. What's next? Double comma to the top for quotations? I couldn't help but share this one. It was just too funny.

We went to the zoo...

And had alot of fun. The kids really enjoyed looking at the animals or as Tommy says it 'Amimos'. Emma's favorite was the flamingos, because they are pink of course.

Tommy was arguing with the stroller about which way to go.

Emma and Tommy liked watching the fish swim in the hippo water.

Emma doing her best impression of a Sabertooth cat.

We even got to watch the Polar bear poop carrots. I didn't know that carrots were found in the artic. It was fun!

Proud of my girl...

My little girl will be starting kindergarten in the fall. I have to say that being in preschool has put her a little ahead of the game. Some of the credit belongs to Ty and me. I have read to her every night since she was about 18 months old and Ty is constantly taking advantage of teaching opportunities. But, for me, this takes the cake! Emma came home from school one day and said the name of our new President. Ty decided to teach her who the Vice President and Speaker of the House were. From there, knowing that she has a knack for memorizing things, I decided to start teaching her the rest of the cabinet. This is how we've come so far...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkRr8jH3Q8I