Coco Quote

"Mommy, I need diaper change. I 'mell 'tinky and da big kids won't pway wif me."

Why?

One of Coco's favorite words, lately is "Why?".

"Coco, time to get dressed."
"Why?"

"No, you can't have any candy right now."
"Why?"

Or if it's really serious...
"No, you can't play outside right now."
"Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?!?"

Sometimes I answer him. Sometimes I give him more answer than he wants and that seems to be pretty effective. It goes like this:

"Coco, it's time to get pajamas on."
"Why?"
"Because it's bedtime."
"Why?"
"Because it's getting dark outside."
"Why?"
"Because the earth has been rotating all day and has now rotated to the point where the sun is going to be on the other side of the earth for a few hours. So now it's time for us to have nighttime and for children on the other side of the earth to wake up and play."
"Oh."

My absolute favorite "Why?" moment of the last week was a few days ago. I was putting him to bed and he was having a particularly hard time going to sleep. Daddy came in to help. I'd already told him his two favorite stories (three bears and three pigs). So Daddy came up with another story.

"Once upon a time there were three sharks..."
"Why?"

We laughed and laughed and laughed. And it took even longer for Coco to settle down and go to sleep. But it was so worth it.

So THAT'S What They Think of Me!

I copied this cute idea from my sister-in-law's blog. Copy this note, ask your kid(s) the questions and write them down exactly how they respond.

It's kind of fun to get this kind of perspective. :)

1. What is something I always say to you?
Kaitybean: Good night.
Scud: Hello
Mashuga: You love me and I'm so cute.
Coc0: Bird

2. What makes me happy?
Kaitybean: Me getting my jobs done and hugs and kisses.
Scud: Seeing your children.
Mashuga: When I come home from school.
Coc0: Happy!

3. What makes me sad?
Kaitybean: This one's hard. You're very slow-tempered, that's for sure. It's pretty hard to make you sad.
Scud: Me ripping up your flowers.
Mashuga: When I don't obey and I don't clean my room.
Coc0: Sad.

4. How do I make you laugh?
Kaitybean: When you tell me stories of your childhood.
Scud: I don't really know.
Mashuga: I don't really know.
Coc0:

5. What do you think I was like as a child?
Kaitybean: A little bit quirky. A space case like you are now. Sweet and gentle. Definitely fun.
Scud: Sad, lonely, watching Sesame Street.
Mashuga: Small and cute and loving.
Coc0: You!

6. How old am I?
Kaitybean: 31?
Scud: 30
Mashuga: About, like, 30.
Coc0: Look, a fly!

7. How tall am I?
Kaitybean: About 4 1/2 feet.
Scud: I'd say about 5 foot 2.
Mashuga: About 5 feet tall.
Coc0: You.

8. What is my favorite thing to do?
Kaitybean: When you can get away from us, sleep.
Scud: Garden.
Mashuga: Just cuddle down with me and love me.
Coc0: Mommy hug me.

9. What do I do when you're not around?
Kaitybean: I don't know. I'm not around you when I'm not around.
Scud: Party.
Mashuga: Cuddle down with Coco and love him.
Coc0: Laughs...

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?
Kaitybean: Singing.
Scud: Paying me thirty dollars a week.
Mashuga: I can't think of anything.

11. What am I really good at?
Kaitybean: It's not personal, it's just a fact. You're good at changing Coco's diapers. I'm no good at that.
Scud: Feeding.
Mashuga: Loving and cuddling down with me and loving me.


12. What am I not really good at?
Kaitybean: That one's tough. I just really can't think of any.
Scud: Playing games which you don't understand.
Mashuga: Being mean.


13. What is my job?
Kaitybean: Mothering.
Scud: To be my primary caregiver.
Mashuga: To stay home and love your siblings. (Do you mean my kids?) Yeah.


14. What is my favorite food?
Kaitybean: Cake.
Scud: I don't know. Lettuce?
Mashuga: Healthy food.


15. What makes you proud of me?
Kaitybean: I'm not the only space case in the family.
Scud: When you make lasagna.
Mashuga: Cause you always cuddle down with me and love me.


16. If I were a cartoon character, who would I be?
Kaitybean: Woody Woodpecker
Scud: Hmm... Daffy Duck
Mashuga: I'd hafta say... Garfield!


17. What do you and I do together?
Kaitybean: Well, we've watched Twilight lately.
Scud: Watch movies while being lazy on the couch.
Mashuga: Clean my room.


18. How are we the same?
Kaitybean: We're both Nacnuds.
Scud: I have brown hair. You have brown hair.
Mashuga: We have ears, mouths, nose and a neck.


19. How are you and I different?
Kaitybean: I like Twinkies and you hate them.
Scud: I'm a boy. You're a girl.
Mashuga: We have different color hair and we're different sizes.


20. How do you know that I love you?
Kaitybean: You take care of me. And you say it a lot.
Scud: You give me allowance. You feed me. You buy me presents for Christmas and for my birthday and you don't make me your personal slave.
Mashuga: Cause you cuddle down with me and love me.


21. Where is my favorite place to go?
Kaitybean: Bed.
Scud: I'd say your room.
Mashuga: Home from a store to see your siblings. What I mean by siblings is, like, your kids.

And the Answers Are...

Valerie got the closest to getting all of the answers right. Not surprising, since she's like my children's second mother and knows them almost as well as I do.

A. These two children have a goal to win a lego contest, earn fabulous prizes and live in the lap of luxury for the rest of their childhood.
Answer: Scud and Kaitybean
Each month my three oldest children get a free lego magazine and there is always some kind of contest going on. One was to make a movie with legos and win $2500. Another is to create some kind of batman creation out of legos -- the grand prize winner gets an xbox360 and the batman lego game. So, these two are forever making lego creations in the hopes of winning something WAY COOL.

B. This child has undertaken a campaign to single-handedly make the IKEA people rich.
Answer: This would be Coco.
In the last week or two he has broken three bowls, three plates and a bedside lamp -- all from IKEA. So, now I will be replacing them. And buying more plastic dishes for my accident prone toddler.

C. This child wants to be an American Idol, an olympic gymnast and an inventor.
Answer: Mashuga.
Of course. Who else could it be. And I think he actually has the energy to reach any or all of these goals.

D. This child wants to invent a small ball that will make a planet explode in less than an hour.
Answer: Scud
Scud has found his calling in life. He wants to be an engineer and design and build stuff. Considering his dim view of engineers, I wonder what my Dad would think of this. I am mostly disturbed by Scud's desire to make WMAs. But, apparently he doesn't want to hurt anyone. He just wants to explode a planet and then run back to earth. Maybe he'll create better means of interplanetary travel, too. Who knows?

E. Last, but not least, this child is determined to break the records for world's longest and loudest burp.
Answer: This would be my darling Kaitybean.
Yes, with all of these boys, my delicate daughter is the one who is constantly practicing her near record-breaking belches. You'd be surprised. This cute girl can burp like a MAN!

Recent Quotes From My Kids

Mashuga, cocking his head, asked, "Mom, is Barak Obama on American Idol?"

"No, he's running for President."

"Oh." He thinks for a minute and then asks "So, does whoever wins American Idol get to be president?"
-----------------------------
And then, an overheard conversation between Kaitybean and Scud.

Kaitybean: Who do you want to grow up to be like, Mom or Dad?

Scud: Dad. Except one thing. Mom gives three chances. Dad only gives one.

Spoon Balloon

Mashuga invented a new game today: Spoon Balloon.

This invention came about after his first idea, Fork Balloon, didn't work out exactly the way he'd planned.

The Luckiest

Here's a quote from Mashuga yesterday.

He came into my room and gave me that look. The one I adore. The one that so obviously means he loves me.

So, I hugged him and said, "I love you Mashuga. I'm so lucky to be your mom."

"Mmm hmm," he replied. "And I'm so lucky to be so smart and fun and handsome."

And Humble, Too!

Crazy Face

I think I've talked on here about Scud's Jim Carreyishness. Cracks me up.

Here's just a sampling of some of his many crazy faces.





Okay, so these three are variations on a theme. But, really, this kid is so physically FUNNY.

And then, my sister sent me an email a little while ago with lots of funny pictures of cats.

"You HAVE to see this," she said. "The karate cat looks just like Scud."

I saw it and LAUGHED for a full five minutes. What do you think?

Making Me Laugh

Oky, I really should post a video of my own funny laughing baby.

Until then, enjoy this cutie.

Itty Bitty Reunion Report

It was a good weekend. I was very surprised by just how much I enjoyed our family reunion. I realized that I actually really like this motley crew I call my family. Granted, some of them look like the type of people I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, but they all love me and each other and when it comes down to it, are good people. I was surprised by how warmly I felt toward everyone and how genuinely glad I was to be around this crazy family of mine.

I was especially glad to see some of my family that I haven't seen for over a decade.

Then there was my cousin, C, who is witty, warm and welcoming. One of my favorite people and its been forever since I saw him. A couple of my favorite quote from him:

Speaking (very lovingly) of one of our other cousins:
"Well, you know, that gray matter isn't magically going to come to life with age."

and

Speaking (perhaps less lovingly) of one of our cousins with whom he hasn't always gotten along:
"Are you kidding, I haven't seen him for 16, 17, 18 years. I had to come. Couldn't miss it. It's like a trip to the zoo."

My Dad's cousin J.R. and his family I especially haven't seen for a long time and it was wonderful to see them. He has a son, F, who is my age and has just always been uber-cool to me. Still is. He now works for Policy Today and will be taking a break from his job soon to take a long biking trip through Italy and Croatia with his girlfriend and her parents. Yeah, an interesting glimpse at the road not taken.

I'd be tempted to regret my life choices and wonder at "what ifs," but I've got these cool kids.

Coco was passed around and around, of course, as babies always are at family functions. Everyone oohed and ahhed over how pretty he is.

Kaitybean got to spend some time with J, one of my cousin's daughters who was born just a month after Kaitybean. They had a ball. They made a dam with JDub, rode bikes, climbed trees, got dirty and sang Hillary Duff and Britney Spears songs for all of us.

Scud was his usual blend of kookiness and timidity. He contorted his face for the camera, rode scooters all over and was just his wonderful, ever-present self. Watching and enjoying it all. Just taking it all in. Sure love him.

Mashuga was, of course, the star of the party. He tends to do that. Things just kind of turn into the Mashuga show. This was no exception. Just after dinner, they started karaoke. Well, Mashuga got up on the stage with the microphone and talked and welcomed everyone. Then, he sang a rousing rendition of "A Young Man Prepared". Nothing like a good church song to start off a night of inebriated karaoke.

But then, oh then, he got up and danced while someone else was singing.

It was hilarious, I tell you. Hil.ar.i.ous. This kid can move. And then, he turned around and did his little bum shake. Nobody expected it and we all laughed like crazy.

Videos and pictures are forthcoming. They just happen to be on JDub's computer, which is at work with him.

Don't worry, bloggy friends. I will not deprive you. You MUST see this.

And as we were leaving, my cousin C gave me one of the best compliments he ever could have given.

"I love your kids," he told me.

Then, at my shocked look he insisted, "Really. You have really great kids. They're normal kids, of course, but compared to a lot they are really well-behaved. And they're so much fun and so friendly and comfortable with people."

Ahhhhhh.......

Just hearing that made the whole trip worthwhile.

There's a reason my home looks like a warzone right now.

A hostile enemy has been ravaging our household since Thursday. It goes by the name of Influenza A. You know, I always poo poo the necessity of getting flu shots each year. Then, every time we get the flu, I'm suddenly a believer. So, next autumn will someone please hit me over the head with a brick if you don't see my whole family standing in line at the nearest arm-sticking establishment waiting for our flu shots? I tell you, this stuff is rotten.

Kaitybean started with it first on Thursday. She got into the car after school looking like she'd just been hit by a train. Byt the morning she was miserable -- fever, headache, chills, body aches, cough -- the whole works. The rest of us quickly followed suit and our home was awash with groans and cries. There were pillows and blankets and used tissues everywhere. The kids downed two bottles of children's ibuprofen. I went through about half a bottle of the adult variety by myself over the weekend. Even Jack Jack got into the act, spiking a fever of 100.7 and narrowly avoiding a trip to the emergency room.

You know what makes this story even more fun? Our friend Influenza came through our door just days after his friend Streptococcal Pharyngitis decided to leave.

Blech!!!!!!

So to say my house is a mess would be putting it mildly. I feel this desperate need to wash all of the sheets and scrub the house from floor to ceiling with bleach. Oh yeah, and I'm going to buy us all new toothbrushes tonight. NO MORE OF THIS!

On a somewhat more upbeat note, Mashuga and Kaitybean have also made our house rather warlike. They are like fire and water lately -- two earth-shaping elemental forces that simply cannot coexist. And I'm about ready to tear them both from limb to limb. Really, they can't seem to be within 20 feet of each other without arguing about something. One of their recent arguments:

Mashuga: We're all playing the puppy game. I'm scamp puppy. And Mommy is "mommy dog" and Scud is "brother dog" and you're "sister puppy" and...

Kaitybean: I am not sister puppy!

Mashuga: Yes you are. We're all playing the puppy game.

Kaitybean: No I'm not! I'm not playing the puppy game! I'm not sister puppy! You're so dumb.

But here's the best argument they've EVER had. It started one day when they were arguing in the car on the way to school. (This is after the hour and a half they'd spent bickering since they woke up that morning.) I asked begged, threatened and demanded that one of them PLEASE be the peacemaker and stop responding to the other. They were silent for a moment, then this ensued:

Mashuga: Kaitybean, I'm being a peacemaker.

Kaitybean: No you're not, I'm the peacemaker.

Mashuga: Nuh-uh! I'm the peacemaker.

Kaitybean: NO, I'm the peacemaker.

Mashuga: I'm a better peacemaker than you!!!!

Kaitybean: You ARE NOT. I am the one being a peacemaker here! You don't even know what it means to be a peacemaker!

Mashuga: Yes, I do!

Kaitybean: Do not.

Mashuga: UH-HUH!!!! Mom, tell Kaitybean that I know how to be a peacemaker!

I'm sure you can imagine the convulsions of laughter I was experiencing during this interchange. It made it awfully hard to drive. For a very short while I didn't even mind that they were fighting.