We try to do a few minutes here and there of "school". We've gone through most of the alphabet and we practice the letters like you normally would, saying the sound the letter makes and the name of the letter. One day when Ben was learning the letter "L", I pointed to a picture of a lemon and asked what’s that? He says, “Ah Ah Ah Ah Juice." I think because we've practiced the letter "A" the most, that's the sound he likes the most.
Lukie says all sorts of sassy things these days. He loves to reprimand people, especially his mom and brother. He also loves to blame me for things that weren't my fault. No talk to me like that... Holy cow, Mom, be careful. (when he almost fell off the toilet) MOM, PAY ATTENTION! (when he bonked his head on my knee) He loves to start sentences with, "I told you..." For example: Mom I told you, don’t come home. I don’t need you. I love daddy.
A funny exchange one morning at breakfast:
Luke: I don’t want bacon.
Ben: I want Lukie’s bacon and Ben’s bacon.
Classic!
There have been many moments of pretend play centered around giving and getting shots. The boys had a series of rabies vaccines back in September that was semi-traumatic for all of us. We ended up with a bat in our house and it sounds like it was flying around the boys' bedroom one night. Ben kept telling us about a "big bee" flying up, up, up in his room and in his bed. So well all had to get vaccinated for rabies. When they act out shots, it's adorable. They say things like, "It’s ok. Calm down. I’m right here. Just one poke. It doesn’t hurt. Don’t move." Ben said one day, "I don’t do shot. Only ladies do it." (Ladies= nurses) The last day of shots at the hospital, Ben amazed me with his bravery. You could see the fear in his eyes but right before they gave him the shot, he looked up at me and said, "I won't cry." And he didn't! He did the whole thing without a single sob or tear. I'll never forget it!
One day when I was going for a walk, pushing the double stroller, I was huffing and puffing up a hill. Ben says, “mommy it’s hard?” Luke says, “daddy’s so strong. He push me.” In other words, mom you’re a weakling. Thanks Luke!
Luke was wearing a crown on his head saying, "Mommy, I'm King Soopers." (the name of the grocery store we shop at)
Some phrases you'll hear often around here... You go to jail. With spiders. (Dave started a joke a long time ago threatening to send the boys to jail with spiders when they misbehave. Now they love to talk about jails with spiders. We even made some jails with spiders out of cardboard boxes around Halloween.) Ben loves to say, "I love you SOOOO much." They'll ask, "where you went?" Anything in the past, Ben will refer to as "free (3) days ago."
One of Luke's stuffed dogs had some loose stitches and stuffing coming out. Luke said, "doggie is smushed. I talk doctor fix doggie tomorrow."
I wasn't feeling well one day. After practicing the piano for church, I went to lie down on the couch. Ben was wondering why I laid down and I explained my stomach didn't feel well. He says, "mommy’s stomach hurting? Too much songing?"
One day, Ben grabbed a handful of mulch and headed toward the road. I warned him if he threw it in the road, mommy would have to flick his hand. Without hesitation, he threws the mulch and marched right back to me with his hand out and says, “it won’t hurt.” Such a stinker!!
That same day while playing outside, Luke pushed Ben off of their toy car. As soon as I turned the corner he puts his hand out ready for a flick without me saying a word. Also a stinker!
Ben: where ya bought this house? Costco?
Luke isn’t aggressive by nature but look out if Ben attacks him or someone attacks Ben! It brings out a whole new side in him!
Halloween was definitely a highlight this year. Luke and Ben adore the Incredibles movies so we all dressed up as Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Dash and Baby Jack-Jack. And Auntie was Edna Mode. They're still wearing their costumes--two months later-- as often as I will let them. You will often hear Incredibles quotes in their day-to-day conversation...
What are you doing? I don’t know, something amazing
Don’t Bernie me!
I am not happy Bob, not happy.
Edna Mode. And guest
Honey, where is my super suit? (One day, Luke changed it to, Honey, where is my chapstick?)
One day when Luke was asking for his Halloween costume, he said I need my bathing soups (i.e. super suit) and shoes and sockers
Ben: I don’t want Mac and cheese. I need real food.
Luke got very animated when Daddy was pretending to eat one of his treats. He says, "I just talkin at daddy. No eat mines."
Me: Ben did you poop?
Ben: No I’m trying to. I’m trying a big one. I'm trying to get a sandcastle of poop. (He says that all the time... no idea where he got it from. So gross!)
One night he cracked us up so hard. He tooted and said, "My butt's talking to you."
Ben: I need a haircut. My hair is so full.
They love to play basketball with a little hoop we have hanging over a door in the family room. One day Ben said,"Mom, you will clap soon." Meaning he would make a basket soon so I could clap!
One day when I told them it was time for nap time, Ben said, "Don’t come up with me. I need to go by myself. Just stay down here and cook something." Unbelievable.
One morning after I had actually showered and blow-dried my hair Luke says, "mom your hair looks good. Get a haircut?" I said,"No, I just washed it today." Once again... unbelievable. Kind of scary when they're used to seeing me with dirty hair only.
Ben (when asked to pick up a mess): My hands too sleepy.
A few days before Christmas, Ben had a scary allergic reaction after eating ice cream when we were shopping at the mall. I ended up having to give him an epipen and rush him the the ER. When Dave first saw him at the hospital, he asked Ben what happened. Ben said, "the ice cream was too cold." I guess he thought it was the coldness of the ice cream that made him sick! (not the more likely story that it was cross-contaminated with nuts). That evening I was talking to the boys...
Me: Well that was quite an adventure today, boys.
Ben: Yeah, two adventures.
Me: What do you mean?
Ben: "Hopsital" and Costco (We went to Costco after the ER visit to pick up his prescription. Who knew Costco was as big of an adventure as the hospital!)
Before Christmas, we watched the Polar Express for a family movie night. The main characters are three children, one of them is a little black girl. At the end of the movie, Luke pointed to the girl and said, "She's like me," and pointed to the skin color on his leg. So cute! It's the first time he's ever said anything about his skin color being different than ours.
Ben: I don’t want Mac and cheese. I need real food.
Luke got very animated when Daddy was pretending to eat one of his treats. He says, "I just talkin at daddy. No eat mines."
Me: Ben did you poop?
Ben: No I’m trying to. I’m trying a big one. I'm trying to get a sandcastle of poop. (He says that all the time... no idea where he got it from. So gross!)
One night he cracked us up so hard. He tooted and said, "My butt's talking to you."
Ben: I need a haircut. My hair is so full.
They love to play basketball with a little hoop we have hanging over a door in the family room. One day Ben said,"Mom, you will clap soon." Meaning he would make a basket soon so I could clap!
One day when I told them it was time for nap time, Ben said, "Don’t come up with me. I need to go by myself. Just stay down here and cook something." Unbelievable.
One morning after I had actually showered and blow-dried my hair Luke says, "mom your hair looks good. Get a haircut?" I said,"No, I just washed it today." Once again... unbelievable. Kind of scary when they're used to seeing me with dirty hair only.
Ben (when asked to pick up a mess): My hands too sleepy.
A few days before Christmas, Ben had a scary allergic reaction after eating ice cream when we were shopping at the mall. I ended up having to give him an epipen and rush him the the ER. When Dave first saw him at the hospital, he asked Ben what happened. Ben said, "the ice cream was too cold." I guess he thought it was the coldness of the ice cream that made him sick! (not the more likely story that it was cross-contaminated with nuts). That evening I was talking to the boys...
Me: Well that was quite an adventure today, boys.
Ben: Yeah, two adventures.
Me: What do you mean?
Ben: "Hopsital" and Costco (We went to Costco after the ER visit to pick up his prescription. Who knew Costco was as big of an adventure as the hospital!)
Before Christmas, we watched the Polar Express for a family movie night. The main characters are three children, one of them is a little black girl. At the end of the movie, Luke pointed to the girl and said, "She's like me," and pointed to the skin color on his leg. So cute! It's the first time he's ever said anything about his skin color being different than ours.
