HOT!

Molly has a constant stream of noise comming from her mouth.  She copies what people say, she joins in on conversations and talks right along, she talks to herself, she talks to her toys, and she sings...a lot. 

Molly and I were in the garden today picking this weeks veggies.  I had half a grocery bag of broccoli, brussel sprouts and eggplant when her wining became more than I could take.  (I didn't even start to pick the green beans) So our conversation went like this;


Me: ok Molly we can go back to the house.  Are you hot? 
Molly:  Yeah, HOT (hahahaha big laugh of happiness from molly after she talked because I know what she is going through and we are going inside)


As we walked back to the house she said "Me hot"
I said "Are YOU hot?"
Molly:  "no ME!"
Me:  "You are hot?"
Molly: "No I!"
Me: " I am hot?"
Molly: "Yeah" (another big laugh as she was relieved to be understood.)

The English language is rough when you are one...

She Reads, He...I don't know what he does.

Alivia has been sounding out words lately.  Friday night we were leaving Cindy's house and I was talking about something and spelled the word STUPID.  From the back seat Alivia said "Stupid?"

Uh oh...time to start watching what we spell.  We told her she was right and she was so proud that she knew what we spelled.  Matt suggested that I spell another word just for fun to see if she could figure it out. 

I said "I don't even know what to S-A-Y"

Alivia responded "Shit?"  "Did you spell Shit?"

When Matt and I got done with our front seat silent laughing we explained to her that shit is in a level way above stupid and shut up and she REALLY can't say that word. 


Marlin also has been doing a lot of things.  He started taking gymnastics with his sister and although he is half the size of most of the girls in the class, he struts all over the gym having the time of his life. 

My mom took him to the movie on Thursday and then she was driving Alivia to Romney so Matt could take her home.  On the way Marlin kept asking to go to my mom's house first.  She said they were running late and they couldn't go to her house.  Finally Marlin said, "Grandma, I really need to go back to your house because my penis is pointed the wrong way and I need to fix it!"

limits and advertising

I was at the grocery store yesterday with Alivia.  We were in the Laundry Detergent isle.  I was about half way down the isle from where Alivia was when I heard her scream "MOM! COME QUICK!!!"  I looked down at her and asked what was going on.  The pointed to a tub of oxyclean and said "I've seen this stuff on TV!  Its really good at getting stains out!  You should get some!"  She was so excited to have found something in real life that was on TV and according to TV  this stuff was awesome and we needed it:)

Later that day, Alivia was able to go to walmart and spend her 10 dollar gift card.  She was so excited to be able to buy something with her "credit card."  She picked out a pink skirt with ruffles for 8 dollars.  Then the life lesson began.  She wanted a matching shirt for her new skirt.  I told her that she couldn't afford a skirt and a shirt because she only had ten dollars. If she wanted something different she would have to put the skirt back.  It was very hard on her to be happy with just the skirt.  She actually threw a little of a fit from the cash register to the car.  Eventually she got it together and was happy about her new skirt.

Marlin's "Carf"

Three years ago Alicia made scarves for me, Alivia and Marlin.  The kids have played with and worn their special scarves all year for the past three years.  Marlin was 5 months old when he got his "carf" and he refers to it as his "pecial carf."  Marlin takes his carf everywhere but it is getting a little small to really do any good as a scarf. 
This weekend he was at my moms and he told her he needed a new carf.  He wanted it to have noodles on the end like his old carf but his new one needed to be bigger.

Four days later Grandma had a new carf and matching hat at our house for little Marlin.

Speaking of carfs and missing s's.  Marlin plays spiderman and batman everyday. He has recently been explaing that he is piderman because he was bitten by a pecial pider.  Im going to miss his little boy voice someday.

Funny guys

My three children crack me up. Just little things, every day. I have already forgotten 1,000,000,000,000,000 things they have said that made me either laugh or smile. Here are tww that happened today.

Marlin made a wreath at preschool. It is the classic paper plate cut out with some fall color, construction paper, leaves on it. He is so proud and he informed me that he is going to take it home and hang it on his "nor dog." (read - door knob)

Alivia sang a song from Mary Poppins in the back of the van on the way to the babysitter's house today.
"It's a jolly holiday with Mary"
la la la la la la la
"When Mary takes your hand, you feel so grand. Your heart starts beating like a big brass band. Its a jolly holiday with goober." (should be "with you Bert")
She sang it over and over again.

Bath Time

My little monkeys can scale up the bathroom counter like it is a ladder.   They use the drawer knobs as steps.  I'm sure the knobs will fall off soon but for now it works.  They scale the cabinet and sit on the counter to do their toothbrushing, handwashing and mirror looking.

Last night it was bath time but Marlin wanted to wash his hands first.  So I stood with him while he climbed onto the counter and washed.  He looked at me and said "My teachers know how to wash their hands."  Then he proceeded to give me a lesson.  "You get your hands wet, then you get some soap and rub your hands together"

(I've been telling him these steps for years and he never listens but instead of telling a 3 year old I told you so, I decided to just take pictures with my camera)

"I can do it better than my teachers, watch this move"

"Oh look a mirror behind me aren't I cute"

"Then you rinse them like this"

After my handwashing lesson we sat and talked about halloween for a while.  Marlin has been having trouble deciding between Batman and Spiderman.  He let me know last night that he will be Batman for Halloween and then when he grows up he will be Spiderman.  Im glad he finally decided.

Aliva came in and asked us what we were doing (in her gymnastics outfit because she had been practicing)

Then I gave them a bath and when they got out they were so cute with their wet heads and their big blue eyes so I decided to get one more picture.  Unfortunately, Alivia gave me her "picture face"  and Marlin watched, learned and imitated his big sister. 

New Van

We got a new van.  I think the kids are as excited as I am.  Molly just turned one so she gets to ride facing forward in the new van.  She looks out the windows and really likes going places now. 

We have a DVD player in the van now.  The kids are only allowed to watch movies when we go on long trips.  I turned one on the other day for Alivia and Marlin and look who was the most excited...

Yep, Molly is pointing at the movie screen.  We only have two sets of head phones.  I really need to get a third. 

I took Alivia to Valparaso to Courtney's shower a few weeks ago and she watched movies the whole way there and the whole way back.

She really enjoys it and it makes the ride nice for both of us.  There are a few details that she is still figuring out.  For example, when she has the headphones on she screams at the top of her lungs "MOM, CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
On the ride back from the shower Courtney and her cousin Jenna were with us and Alivia was watching Mary Poppins.  Everyonce and a while she would just burst out in song with the movie.  She was completely oblivious to the fact that we could hear her.  It was so cute.

Death

Death is a tough topic. I think most parents choose to avoid it as long as possible. My ever-so-inquisitive daughter has not let me escape from this topic. She is trying to figure everything out and hits me with questions on a regular basis. Here is one of our conversations...

A: Mom, am I going to die?

Me: Not for a long time.

A: But I am going to die?

Me: Yes, but you don't have to worry about that because it won't be for a very long time. When you are old.

A: You are old, are you going to die.

Me: Not for a long time.

A: When I die, I don't want to go to heaven.

Me: Of course you do sweetie

A: No, I don't

Me: but I've heard heaven is wonderful and you will get to see all the people you love that have gone there already and God will be there and you will be very happy.

A: (Starting to get upset) I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN WHEN I DIE!!!!!!!

Me: OK, what DO you want to do when you die.

A: I want to lie on the couch and eat crackers and drink juice.

Our morning routine

In one morning, these are the things that come out of my mouth.

Good morning sunshine, time to get up.

What do you want for breakfast? We have cheerios and oatmeal.

Oatmeal? ok. Changed your mind? Ok cheerios.

Here is your cereal. Its the same as his cereal. Your spoons are the same too. It doesn't matter which one you get.

Don't touch the baby's medicine.

Eat your food. Alivia get back in your chair, Marlin get your hand out of your cereal.

Where is Molly?

Molly are you hungry?

Molly, are you done, you want down? Come here baby.

Marlin, lets get dressed. Here you go. Put these on. Good job.

Alivia, Are you done? Go get dressed.
You want me to help you pick out your clothes? ok
How about this, ok. How about this. ok. How about this? ok. How about this? Are you going to say no to everything I pick out? What do YOU want to wear? Ok thats great!

Why aren't your clothes on?
Please put your clothes on?
What are you doing in the bathroom on the counter looking in the mirror and why haven't you put your clothes on yet?

Marlin, I already dressed YOU once. Where did your clothes go?

Brush your teeth. You don't need your Diego toothpaste, you just put on whinnie the Pooh toothpaste. Open your mouth. Open. open. open. open. open. OOOOH I saw a polar bear in your mouth let me get it with this toothbrush. Ok got him, we are good.

Alivia's turn. (repeat toothbrushing conversation)

Marlin, you can not poop standing up.

its time to go. Get your clothes on. Put your shoes on.

Get into the car. No, you cant sit in that seat you have to sit in your seat. Its not too tight. Stop touching the baby. Give the bottle back to the baby.

You have to pee again? You just peed! Pee in the grass, we aren't going back in the house.

Back in the car. No you can't take your blanket.

We are here. Everyone out of the car.
Why did you take your shoes off? Put them back on.

Where is the baby's bottle? Why did you throw it into the back of the car?

See you guys later, have a good day, I love ya, be GOOD



This is before 8am. I used to do less in a week!

Molly's dramatic life

Last night I was in the bathroom with the three kids. Molly was sitting on the bathroom rug while I was braiding Alivia's hair and Marlin was playing with Molly. I heard a thunk and looked over to see Molly laying face down sprawled out on the bathroom floor. Marlin was standing beside her. I picked her up and asked Marlin what happened. Through her screams I heard Marlin say "I picked her up and I dwapt her." Yikes. She was really fine but that poor girl is gonna be one tough cookie after growing up in this house.

This morning while I was zipping Alivia's coat so we could head out I heard Molly start crying and looked over to see Marlin "giving" her his bucket. (giving it to her in her face) I went over and the conversation went like this.

Me: Marlin, why did you hurt sissy?

Marlin: because

Me: Marlin, you don't want to be a mean big brother, you want to be a nice big brother. Please don't hurt your sissy. You have to be careful she is just a baby.

Marlin: When I grow up I'm going to be a bad guy

Alivia: (from across the room) WELL THEN I'M NOT MARRYING YOU!!!!!

I'm glad we got all that straightened out this morning:)

By the way my sweet baby molly cut her first tooth yesterday at 6 months old. She is so smart:) The babysitter found it before I did. Ugh! I told Matt I have to quit my job because it is unacceptable for the babysitter to find a first tooth before the MOM! I'm not quitting, it will all be ok.