Hot News Flash...

Last night we needed a few odds and ends from the store. I volunteered to take Hayden out thinking we would get a little Hayden & Mommy time as well as return home to a life with eggs & bread in the house.

Once quiet time came to a close, I explained my plan to Hayden and he happily agreed. We gathered our things and headed out to WalMart since I needed both eggs and modge podge. The greeter at the store asked me if Hayden would like a sticker. I asked Hayden who then nodded and told him to ask the nice lady using his manners.

He looked up at her and said, "Hi! I am on a hot date!" She wasn't sure she heard an answer to her sticker question so he was prompted again. He enthusiastically responded, "HI! I AM ON A HOT DATE!!". I made no effort to control my laughter on that one and then expained that Daddy and little sister were at home and he was excited to be out alone with Mommy. At this point H was laughing not because he understood but because he knew he was cracking up the grownups. And off we went on our hot date, decked out in the trademark yellow WalMart smiley face stickers with our own goofy grins to boot.

Crazy Ideas Are Poppin' Up All Over...

The kids and I made a quick trip to my folks this weekend. Many tales could be told on that but let me be sure to record this one before the Mini's rouse themselves from an abnormally long quiet time...

We made popcorn to watch with a movie on the big tv. later that day I mixed some chips and popcorn for H as he was snacking. I reminded him not to eat the seeds (Yes I know kernels - I corrected myself somewhat with him on that point.) He immediately reassured me that it was ok to eat the seeds with the following speech on the ok-ness of popcorn seed consumption...

"Mommy it is actually ok to eat the seeds, it will nooooooot hurt you. The seeds will go down your throat and through your tummy then they will turn into poop and just slide right out. They will not get stuck - they will not make a plant and grow in your tummy."

And there you have it.

Playtimus Interupptus...

This morning was Michael's turn to sleep in. The kidlets settled into playing on their own so nicely that I decided to say hello to our flannel sheets for just a few minutes...This is good since that is about all it took for Miss Thing to come and find me. Happily she stopped to pick up a book first and so I invited her to curl up and read for a bit. Hayden soon followed and wanted to play some kind of game where one of us was a mouse, another was a cat and then there was an additional creature involved that I can't quite recall. He determined that I was to be the mouse and he was the cat. In the end that meant that he was going to gobble me up. Out of sheer curiousity I interrupted his rather elaborate role play to inquire about the consequences of this ill conceived plan.

"Hayden Cat, what will happen after you have devoured Mama Mouse? Who will take care of you?" (It bears mentioning that Michael was preparing to depart for soccer during this drama.) He stopped and briefly considered the possibilities.

Then he dramatically announced..."Playtime is over. We are all done."

How lovely to know that he still needs me even at the ripe old age of four!

He's A Very Nauseous Engine You Know...

And so it has come to this...

Yesterday Sweet Bailey's nose began to run and today it has truly been more of a faucet. This morning, Hayden had it in his head that we really needed to put visiting a friends house on our schedule. I gently explained to him that this wouldn't be a very friendly idea since Bailey was germy and we try not to share germs with other folks.

Almost instantly, Hayden got it in his head that his Thomas was also sick. Hayden is familiar with food retention issues when illin' but is not quick to get to the right spot for such instances. As a result, we have insituted a sick bowl policy with him. When he is that kind of under the weather he is expected to have his sick bowl with him at all times to take care of any yuckies that may arise. As soon as word got out that Thomas was sick, Hayden the Benevolent Controller requisitioned a sick bowl for his most precious engine. Thus the photo of little Thomas with our luxurious gladware.

The Stuff(ing) That Mom's Are Made Of...

This afternoon Hayden was quite sure that Bailey should come to his room for storytime. Generally, H plays in his room or wraps up his pottytime while I get Bailey down for her nap. On occasion, Hayden will come along for a story in Bailey's room and then head off to his boycave to plunder. Lately I have been trying to squelch the combo deal because Miss B is just unable to settle into a story with the fun of big brother or his room. So I have tried doing just one quick combo story before commencing with the dividing and conquering of the MiniMarx's.

But today H was working so hard at sharing and taking care of Bailey. He just wanted sissy to come along and doesn't understand that it is not about how wonderful he is being it is simply that Bailey doesn't cool down and get ready to sleep. SO we combined...

As predicted Miss Busybee was more interested in playing with H's big boy toys than reading. We finished our first story just H and I snuggled up on his bed. Then he decided that we should give Bailey another try and that he would pick the book all by himself. He was most concerned that I not sweep Bailey up and scoot off to her room while he hunted up a new book. So he put his little hand on my knee and said, "You stay put Mommy - do not move. I will go get a book for us. You just be still like a stuffed animal - be a stuffed animal until I get back..."

Haha! So I sat as still as I could but watched him scamper off out of the corner of my eye. It's a good thing I complied - he stopped several times to look back and check out my stuffed animal pose. I shall have to remember this trick and see if it works on him some other time!