That's What They Said: Point Taken

(While Baylor and Mollie are playing owner and doggie, respectively ...)
Baylor:  Doggie, do you need to poop before we leave?
Bryson:  Why are we all of a sudden talking about poop?
Baylor:  Because we are playing doggie, and doggies poop everywhere.  Did you know that?


Amalia:  I am going to have a lemonade stand this summer.  Pink lemonade.  And it's all going to be just for ME!
Me:  Yeah?
Amalia:  Yup.  And when people come up and say, "Can I buy some lemonade?" I'll say, "Nope!  This pink lemonade is for ME.  But you can get some lemonade at my brother's lemonade stand.  His name is Baylor."



(Just after Baylor got in the car after school ...)
Baylor:  (struggling with something) Unhh.  Uhhhh.  Ah!  Wow, my pockets were hurting me all day!
Me:  What?
Baylor:  (wrestling with one pocket)  Ughh!  Got it!  I had this big rock in my pocket all day and it was killing me!  (wrestling with the other one) Ugghh!  There's the other one!
(both "rocks" were giant pieces of asphalt for his rock collection ... *sigh*)



Amalia:  Mommy, I want to go to Mars someday.  Can we go to Mars someday?
Me:  Well, honey, Mars is a really long ways away.
Amalia:  Well so is Chicago ...

That's What They Said: Honesty, Brutal and Otherwise

(I gave Baylor a kiss.)
Baylor:  Mommy, I am rubbing in that kiss.  (rubs cheek softly)  You know why I am rubbing it in?
Me: (smiling)  No, why?
Baylor:  I am rubbing it in because that kiss had love in it.
Me: (overwhelmed)  Aww!
Baylor:  See, and when I rub it in, the love gets stored!


(my mom, talking to Baylor about his walk-to-school experience ...)
Oma:  Baylor, when I was in school, we walked to school every day!  Can you believe that?
Baylor:  Why?  Because there weren't any cars yet?



Amalia: (crying while I'm driving)  Mommy, I want to see a dinosaur NOT at the museum!
Me: (slightly exasperated)  Like a REAL dinosaur?
Amalia: (cries harder)  Yeeeessss!
Me: (sighing)  Mollie, I'm sorry to tell you this, but dinosaurs aren't alive anymore.  They died a long time ago.  The ones we saw at the museum were just robots.
Amalia:  (surprisingly eases up on the tears)  They aren't around anymore?
Me:  Nope.  They died a long time ago, sweetie.
Amalia:  So were they around when you were a kid?
Me:  Um, no.

Walking From (and To) School!

Apparently yesterday, May 7th, was National Walk or Ride Your Bike to School day.  We were appraised of this well ahead of time and decided to do a test run, mainly to see how long it takes to walk to school, after school on Tuesday.  Amalia and I walked to school at a normal pace and found that it took about 25 minutes, about what I had expected.  We then picked up our little buddy and started the trek back.  Now, about halfway there, Mollie informed me that her legs hurt and she was getting tired, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to have to walk all the way back, the way back being nearly entirely uphill and all.  So, after a slow start, we stopped in the shade of a few pine trees and enjoyed some protein-packed snacks to get our energy back up for the trek.  

We made it home safe and sound, but they were completely worn out and basically vegged out on the couch until dinner.  Needless to say, I was a bit nervous about starting our day out that way the next morning.

Then Mother Nature, apparently sensing my concern, threw a huge thunder and lightning storm our way and "ruined" our plans to walk to school on the designated day.  Baylor was upset at first, but I think it worked out for the best.

Today, though, was perfect weather for a walk to school, so we slid on our sneakers, grabbed some water, and headed out a half an hour before school was supposed to start.  About halfway into our walk, Baylor let me know that he was, in fact, hungry.  I, uncharacteristically, did not bring any food, so I offered him some water and he was satisfied with it.

Along the way, I was reminded that my children have two speeds: mosey/saunter and run.  Since running was not an option - I wanted Baylor to have energy for the rest of the day and Mollie to have enough energy to at least make it back home - we moseyed our way to school.  I watch bunches of other families on bikes zooming by us, getting to school with plenty of time to spare, and I started getting more and more nervous that we would be late.

Imagine my surprise, then, when we got there early!  Not super early, mind you, but early nonetheless.  Baylor, not having gotten to school this early since fall, was hesitant to join the rest of the kids and we spent the last couple minutes before school chilling on the "secret" path.

After the bell rang and Baylor was cool with us walking him to the front of school, Mollie and I started walking home.  We met this little guy as we were walking, and he stared us down as long as he could before scampering off, scaring the crap out of Mollie in the process.

Mollie was pretty tired the rest of the day, but Baylor took the cake for sheer exhaustion by the time dinner rolled around; because the day had been so nice, the teachers decided to sneak in a couple extra recesses - he had FOUR in total - and he went all out in his swim lesson after school.  It was absolutely no wonder that he was irrational up through dinner and then relatively quiet after that.

I don't know how often we'll be walking to school, but it certainly was good exercise and I'm glad we gave it a try!

56 Years Young

Today is my mom's 56th birthday, but since my dad was going to be away for her actual birthday we celebrated with him over the weekend.  Mollie made a card for her Oma, complete with a scribbled "maze" on the front.

We gave her most of her gifts today on her actual birthday, but the kids wanted to give her their present on Saturday at the birthday celebration/Kentucky Derby party (it falls near my mom's birthday every year, so we usually incorporate the two if we can).  She was delighted to find they had picked out a garden angel, complete with pinwheel-style flower wings.

Right after my mom had foot surgery a few weeks ago, Baylor told her he was going to make her a crossword puzzle with 55 words - since she was 55 at the time.  Let me tell you, that is a lot of words.  But after a few weeks we finally had it, and I was able to work all the words into a massive crossword puzzle for her birthday.  The theme: What Makes Oma Happy/What Oma Loves.

Of course, we got to enjoy some of my sister's phenomenal baking, as we do nearly every time we get together.  My mom requested lemon meringue pie for her first special day (of two), and Christine pulled it off with flying colors.  It was tart and delicious.

Baylor, of course, ate the meringue off the top first, and quickly.

We had a great time celebrating my mom's birthday and watching the Kentucky Derby (Bryson's horse won), and it was nice to be able to celebrate the amazing woman my mom is.

Mom, thank you for all that you are and all that you do.  You are an exceptional role model and a beacon of love in our family.  I know that this birthday was different than others, but I hope you were able to enjoy it at least a bit and know that you have so many who love, care for, and appreciate who you are.  I love you!  Happy, happy birthday!

Little Robots

This morning Baylor got his hands on the box our new garbage disposal came in and decided he wanted to turn it into a robot costume for himself.  (On a side note, I didn't realize how momentous this was until I was actually typing it out ... Baylor has NEVER liked wearing costumes!)  So we made robot costumes!  I found a box for Mollie, albeit a much smaller one - sorry, sweetie, and we set to work.  I cut out the head and arm holes, and then later on I made all the little cutouts for them to glue to their robots.  (I would have let them do the cutouts, but they were busy cleaning up almost every toy and book they own, and we were pressed for time.)

After dinner, we finally got to assemble the robots.

Mollie's came out great, complete with buttons for stopping, going, dancing, and sleeping!

Baylor's came out wonderful as well, with buttons labeled "wings", "flight", "timer", and "fold in".  That last button, when "pushed", makes him draw in his arms and head and shrink down so he is entirely in the box, legs and all.  It's awesome!  He also glued wings to the back of his, which prompted Mollie to eventually glue wings to the back of hers as well.

My two sweet little robots!

That's What They Said: Feelings and Assumptions

(While reading a Superman chapter book ...)
Bryson:  (reading)  "Metallo opened his chest plate to reveal a chunk of glowing green rock."  "Glowing green rock" ... do you guys know what that is?
Amalia:  I think it's a sucker.



(While we were talking about our upcoming trip to Florida ...)
Baylor:  No, I don't want to go to the beach this time!
Bryson:  Aw!  Why, buddy?
Baylor:  (earnestly)  Crabs.



(While I was about to shut the door after retrieving the super-wet newspaper from the front porch ...)
Baylor:  No!  Wait!  Leave it open!  (smiling)  I want to feel the fresh air!  I want to feel the spring breeze!



Amalia:  Mommy, do you know why I dance funny when I have to pee?
Me:  Because you are trying to hold it in?
Amalia:  No.  That is part of my ballet!



(While reading our nightly Bedtime Math selection ...)
Bryson:  Okay, "Wee ones ..."
Amalia:  (excitedly)  That's me!
Bryson:  (smiling)  Yup.  "Wee ones: If you have a pet lizard because that's your favorite animal, how many shoes do you and he need altogether, assuming your lizards want to wear shoes?  Lizards have 4 feet."
Amalia:  Okay, so ... (beginning to count on her fingers) we'll need rain boots, sandals, sneakers ... hmm.


(At dinner, Baylor was rockin' a dapper little 'do as his hair has grown out a bit and I was able to sweep it off to the side after his bath.)
Amalia:  Baylor, your hair looks so handsome!
Baylor: Aw.
Me:  Awww!  Yes, it does, Mollie!
Amalia:  (sweetly)  Just like a little old man.