Our Figures, By Adam

The other day, I groaned while changing my pants. Adam asked, "What's wrong, Mom?" I said, "Nothing, I am just too fat." Adam replied," Yeah, you have a wat bum, but you have a yinny tummy. But Dad has a really wat tummy, and a wat bum too."

Just Reward

Adam wrestles anyone in range whenever the family is in the living room together. He wrestles people when the home teacher comes, during family home evening, family prayer, and family scripture study. Last night during family home evening, Ruth was laying on the floor with her bottom in the air. Adam plowed his head into Ruth's bottom just as she passed gas. Ruth said, "Bulls Eye," and Adam jumped up immediately. We all laughed and laughed. (Expect John of course, who can't stand people who laugh at passing gas.) Maybe now Adam won't wrestle us so much , but I doubt it.

When Adam will stop coughing

Adam was really pretty sick last week. At one pint he was coughing very hard and I said, "Adam, stop coughing." Adam replied, "I will when I 'm better, mom."

Dinner Conversation

Dad: How did you like the episode of Samurai 7?

Johnny: I liked it. It was Kachiro who deflected the ships cannon with just his sword. That is so cool. Isn't it-- because the cannon is so big and the sword is so small. That must have been hard.

Dad: Well that's because it's not true. (Pause) But it is pretend and pretend things are fun. Like super heroes are fun.

Mom: Super heroes are real-- Spiderman is real.

Adam: Yeah, Spiderman is real and Scooby Doo is real too.

Johnny: I think that the Lord of the Rings is real.

Mom: Yeah, and Star Wars too.

Kate: In that case, the thing I want to do most of all is train to become a jedi.

Mom: Well, you will have to do a lot of traveling then.

Ruth: Yeah, you will be more than 40 years old when you get started, because those planets are 40 light years away. You will have to travel faster than the speed of light.

Kate: That is okay when it is the thing you want to do the most.

Dad: Well, Kate I will only give you permission to become a jedi if you promise me one thing.

Kate: What is it?

Dad: Promise me that you will never become a sith lord and not turn to the Dark side and take over the universe.

Kate: It's a deal.

Recent Pictures and Events

Here are a few photos from the last month:

Kate turns 9 on August 25, 2008. She dislikes cake, so we all had delicious banana splits.

This is our cat, Boy, sleeping on John. John loves Boy, and even John is amazed that he likes an animal.

Adam has become a huge fan of Spiderman. As soon as the Spiderman costume hit the stores, I bought him a new one. Adam gave the old ripped one to Rachel. Now they are both ripped and Adam has asked for a new Spiderman costume and a cartoon Spiderman dvd for his birthday.

Anya learned to crawl on the first day of school. Now we have another child to keep out of the books, dishes, toilets, etc...But we like that she can follow us and go where she want to now.

Procrastination Actually

I am not actually typing a blog because I have something cute or fun or nice to say. What I am actually doing is procrastinating mowing the lawn. (I will get to it--eventually--mowing the lawn that is.) Luckily, Anya did something very cute this morning, and it is worthy of script. Anya grumped a lot during her diaper change this morning. She doesn't like having her bottom lifted up very high. She twists and turns and tries to get away. She often ends up in a bit of a head stand with me holding her by her feet, trying to wipe up her bottom. When we got through the diaper drama, I sat her up and started to take off her pajamas. She did not like that this morning. She had warm pajamas on and it was a bit cold. So Anya loudly said, "Roarrrrrrrr." (Something she has been experimenting with lately.) Adam and Rachel had been watching this whole thing-- like a little audience in a row. As soon as Anya roared, Adam and Rachel burst out laughing. Anya looked at them rather seriously for a moment and then roared again. Adam and Rachel burst out laughing again, and so Anya laughed too. I think she realized that she could be funny. Then Adam roared a good lion roar at Anya, and Anya burst out laughing her cute baby cackle, only with as much gusto as Adam and Rachel's laughter. It was a lovely end to a nasty diaper change, and now I have to go and mow the lawn boo hoo.

Halloween Masks

Ruth wanted to look at the Halloween masks in Target yesterday, so we did. When we got there, Rachel picked up a scary mask and said,  "put it on, and I say , rarrr." I was surprised and said, "You want me to put this on you, so you can say, 'Rarrr.'" "Yah," Rachel said. So I put the mask on her and she ran up to another toddler girl saying, "rarrrrr, rarrrrrr..." The little girl ducked around the corner to her mother and said, "It is scary here." Rachel seemed quite satisfied with herself and took the mask off. I laughed, but rushed us away so the other girl's mother could not say anything to us.

A Change or Exchange

Adam is growing up and that is good, because so is Anya. I can now tell Adam to pick up a very messy living room and he can do so perfectly, and without a lot of fuss. Adam can also buckle himself into his carseat, get himself dressed, put his shoes on the right feet, brush his teeth (I mostly prefer to do this, still), and wipe his own bottom (I mostly prefer to do this still too, but it is helpful if I am really busy.). Adam hasn't broken anything for sometime too. He has started playing with toys more than tools and electronics. So I have to say that I am very grateful for these changes in Adam. However, Anya is crawling now, and she is very curious. Anya likes to go into the bathroom and stand up to the toilet now. She also likes to dump out the bathroom trash cans. She is dumping out boxes of toys, eating paper and books etc. When I clear out the dishwasher, Anya is right there pulling the dishes out of the cupboard as fast as I get them in. I am not looking forward to Anya learning how to walk.  Rachel is still a destroyer and I think Anya will get there before Rachel has finished. But, at least, Adam seems to be done and just in time too.

Kate and Studying

Kate brought some papers and some tests home from school that were not very good. I told her that I knew she had the ability to do better and that she neede to pay attention. I told her that I thought she would need to study harder. After school I had her study her vocab words and the Capitals and states for the Pacific Coast states. I Set her on the computer with a map and told her to say the states and capitals together over and over. When I went over to listen to her, Kate was repeating again and again, "Oklahoma, Washington; Oklahoma, Washington; Oklahoma, Washington." I said in a rather distressed voice, "Kate, what are you saying?" Kate looked up and said, "Oh, I mean I Olympia, Washington; Olympia, Washington; Olympia, Washington," in a sleepy voice. I then told Kate that she was going to have to study them until she got them all right, and then lectured her on paying attention to what she is doing. Thankfully, the next day after school, when I had Kate study her vocab words she read them through once and then was able to repaet them off word for word. (This actually surprised me.)For state capital study, I had her write them out five times each, and then I quizzed her by having her write them on the map. She got them perfectly, spelling and all. I am glad that Kate took my advice and decided topay attention to what she is doing. I hope she pays attention on her geography test today, and her reading test tomorrow. I know she can do it.

Communication Upgrades?

Johnny said that his friend, Creighton, wants Johnny to get a Nintendo DS, so they can picto-text each other on the school bus. Well, that is really funny because they sit next to each other on the school bus. I asked, "Why would you need to picto-text when you can just talk?"

Confessions

Ruth told me that sometimes she passes really loud gas in school, but then she just laughs and says that is funny and everyone laughs with her. (Well, sorry about the gas, Ruthy, but good job making fun out of an embarrassing situation.

Johnny has often said that he picks his nose and eats it, and that he likes the flavor (weirdo, he can't stand mint). Recently, Johnny has confessed that he and his new best friend, Creighton, eat their boogers together on the bus. Now, that, I have to say is just disgusting!!!! However, I am guilty on this matter. I have always told my kids that if they are going to pick their nose without a tissue on hand, they would have to eat it because I did not want boogers rubbed into the carpet, or couches, or just flung anywhere. I actually thought they would be embarrassed out of the habit once they started school. Oh well. At least Johnny is not rubbing his snot onto the couch or carpet.