Happy Mother's .... wait, I'm going to beat you...Day!

Mother's Day was this past weekend. This was the first year my kids have asked if they could buy me a card. This was also the first year they've decided to tell dad how poorly he's doing as far as recognizing me for this day, or any other special day (my birthday) during the year. Kind of funny if you ask me.

We were shopping at the grocery store and I was about ready to strangle Farmer Boy and the Princess when, in a faint whisper, she came and said, "Can I get you a Mother's Day Card? I'll pick it out and put it in the cart and you just have to pay for it."

How can you resist that?

But wait, I was ready to beat them a second ago. Ah, saved by the cuteness. I agreed and let them pick out a beautiful work of art.

Much to my delight on Mother's Day, I opened up one card to hear the song, "Whooomp, there it is!" This was from Farmer Boy. The card was quite funny, but has been adopted by Cookie Monster as his personal DJ service.

The other was a beautiful shade of pink on the front, with flowers, perfume and other "girly" things. It read "For the Woman Who Shares My Life." I commented on how pretty the card was and then opened it up to read further...

"I'm a very lucky person. I married a loving, caring woman..."

By now, I was holding the card in front of my face to cover the smile and laughter.

"....Who has given me the most wonderful family I could ever dream of. There's no way I could show you how much you mean to me...but I'll always keep trying. Happy Mother's Day."

Seriously, I was trying not to pee my pants, squeezing my legs together while wiping away tears of laughter.

My husband had caught on by now and said how pretty the card was.

The Princess signed it "Love me and Love **'s sister."

These cards were followed by the homemade ones from school

Oh, and dad get me a gift.

This was honestly the best Mother's Day yet.

Twooo much....

We've finally hit the "Terrible Twos" with Cookie Monster. He was so sweet prior to turning two, I thought there would be no "terrible" attached to this year. Hah! Don't get me wrong, he is still very sweet. In fact, he makes me laugh SOOO much. It's like a light was flipped on a he found he needs to assert his independence. I don't ever remembering it happening so dramatically with the older two.
Oh, but maybe they are part of the problem. Anyhow, we went for his 2-year-check. Going to the doctor has never been a problem before. That day, though (with the other 3 kids in tow), he decided to through a fit on the way in, when he was asked to step on the scale, when he was asked to put on a gown for the exam, etc., etc., etc.
His fit was so extreme that he almost fell off the exam counter in the dr.'s office. Guess he didn't want to show some skin. Then when the dr. came in, he scowled at her.
When we returned home, I had to peel him off of his sister's jumperoo to take him up for a nap. He screamed in his bed. Normally, he just lays down. When brother and sister went to get him up from his nap, he was so made he didn't want to get out of bed. He came downstairs with a frown on his face.
That night, when it was bath time we saw yet another tantrum. Normally, he comes running, begging to take a bath. Not that day. He hid under a chair. Once I pulled him out and tricked him in to taking his socks off, the tantrum subsided a little. He did scream when I put him in the tub, though.
The Princess helped entertain him a little in the tub, so he calmed down. Once it was time to get out, yet another fit. Now, we've had a fit because he didn't want to take a bath -- another because he doesn't want to get out.
I'm sure there was another fit before we went to bed.
At least he offers PLENTY of laughs throughout the day. He makes my heart smile.
Just like the rest of my babies.

I want to be just like you Lord...

"Lord, I want to be just like You, cause she wants to be like me." Those words come from an amazing song by Phillips, Craig & Dean. Lately, my kids do challenge me to be more like Christ because I know they are watching everything I do.

The Princess made this drawing last week. As it says at the top and she told me, it's "God and Jesus in heaven." Oh, out of the mouths (& hands) of babes....

Cookie Monster, or Tickle Me Elmo?

So Cookie Monster is making us laugh so hard lately. I'm thinking maybe his name needs to be changed -- maybe Tickle Me Elmo? On Monday I came home from taking Farmer Boy to school to find Cookie Monster's face covered in black marks. I asked what happened. Dad said he'd been coloring.
OK, so it's marker. Whatever.
Closer inspection reveals something different, though.
Powder. Face powder.
Guess he needed it to cover up the black marks, which were ... mascara. He smiled very cute for the picture. He'll regret that someday.

That same day, I came up from the basement to discover him on the counter, with the bartstool pulled up. He was reaching on TOP of the refrigerator to grab some Teddy Grahams. Guess he wasn't full from breakfast.

Later that day, he tried one of his new tricks: biting. He bit me. So, I thought I would solve that the same way I did with the Princess. I grabbed his arm and chomped. It didn't work like it did with the Princess. When she started her biting phase, I bit her back. She cried. I cried and that was that. She NEVER bit again.

Not Cookie Monster. I bit. He laughed. Finally, I stopped. He still laughed.

Totally lives up to the meaning of his name.

Today, he was playing with the wagon he got for his birthday. It's one of the those plastic outdoor toys. He filled it full of toys and was pulling it around the house. Good thing he got it a day early because it came in really handy tonight.

He used it to pull around the french fries he was having for supper.

Never a dull moment. Actually, I hear laughter and .....

"No, don't bite."

Gotta go.

Language arts

I have a friend who was worried about her child's language. I confessed that I'd have to admit the shortcomings in our home if I were honest. Like the time that I told our daughter she shouldn't say "*itch" because it makes God sad.

Her response: "Does it make God sad when you say '*itch?'"
Yeah well. They learn really quick. But I think I've learned even more. Gotta love them.
Truly.

Learning to Talk

I guess it's all about communication in our home lately.
Cookie Monster is starting to voice his opinions more. Guess he realizes he needs to add to the chaos and noise. So, the pacifier ("bass" as he calls it) is starting to come out and words are flowing.
When asked who had the gas problem in the van on the way home, the two oldest shook their heads no.
Cookie Monster's reply: "Me."

After the dog barfed AGAIN, Cookie Monster went from room to room saying, "Lily barf, Lily barf."

Guess that's better than some of Farmer Boy's first sentences. I think they sounded something like "daddy moron." Oops, wonder where he got that from???
Dad, right.

Pillow Talk

"Mom, come see (the Princess)," I heard from the living room. So I stopped what I was doing and went in to see what was going on.
Dad, casually resting on the couch, was right next to the Princess.
By the time I arrived, she was beginning to get agitated.
Why, you ask?

Because Farmer Boy had zipped her into a pillowcase. Yes, a pillowcase. You know, the ones that cover body pillows.
You laugh. I laugh now.
A normal reaction.
However, slight problem considering the Princess has a history of having seizures. Normally these occur following an incident with said Farmer Boy.
While she begins flailing around. (As much as one can do in an 18-inch wide pillowcase, dad lays RIGHT next to her on the couch as if nothing is happening.)
Meanwhile, I'm trying to find the end of the zipper. It took what seemed like forever.
Farmer Boy was scolded. Dad was scolded.
All was well.
The end
Just another "Crazy in the Country" dad, er, Day!