New words...

Claire's favorite place to escape is my closet where she pulls everything she can out and scatters it around the floor. Then she sits down and tries to put everything on. Shirts on her legs, pants on her head, socks on her hands...
Today she was quiet for a tad too long so I went searching for her. Sure enough, there she was sitting on my closet floor with this and that all about. I asked her, "What are you doing in here?" to which she proudly and enthusiastically responded, "MESS!"
Ah ha! She does listen to me.

Sweet Dreams

Me to John, with great exasperation - John, WHY do you come into my room every night?

John in a quiet, sweet voice - Mommy it is because I love you sooooooooo much.

I know the pessimists among us would say - manipulation! I say say, awwwwww, he melts my heart.

Ha! Ha!

When John was 2 and potty training we changed his pants - a lot! Spence was just home after a year long deployment and didn't know that a tot could have a sense of humor. Spence sent John back to get a clean pair of unders (as we call them) and John came back with a pair of Katie's. Spence explained that he wanted a pair of boy unders and John went away and came back with... another pair of Katie's. When a pile of 6 or more were on the floor at his feet I had to explain to Spence that John was playing a joke on him. The funniest part about the whole event was me explaining it to Spence because John has Spence's sense of humor!
I've been thinking about that a lot over the past few days as I have watched Claire develop her sense of humor. It is so similar to John's and Spence's. I will have many stories to tell in the near future.

Cookbooktionary - any cookbook worth reading, according to the Anderson kids!

Holding On

I often wonder which memories will stick with me over the years and how intact or embellished they will be...
I hope these are two of them!
Monday (my one and only easy morning) I was lounging (ha!) in my bed just past 7:30. At least one child was already in my room and I could hear everyone else stirring. I glimpsed a head full of blonde hair walking around my hair and rolled over to say good morning to Katie. Um, NOT Katie! That's right... 20 month old Claire can escape. With ease! She is sooooooo proud of herself. Oi vey.
Every night after prayers everyone gets a chance to thank Jesus for something or to ask him for something. Every night, no matter what kind of day we have had, whether I've just been cuddling with John or screaming at him about his unacceptable choices, he thanks Jesus for his sweet, wonderful Mommy and Daddy. My heart melts every time.

I know where they get it from!

Katie and John ask WHY? in a disobedient manner way too often. (Kids, don't throw sand at each other! WHY? Kids, don't touch the hot stove! WHY?) They must go sit on the stairs and consider the question and answer. Claire has picked up the habit. So, as I am the only one who really understands her I am also the only one who is pestered with her quiet, sing-songy voice asking why? many times a day.

Katie's newest catch phrase: Needs salt!

Allison's phrase: W-w-w-w-w-what's happenin', dude?

I was baffled by these newest bits until I overheard their latest movie du jour... A Leap Frog reading enrichment video. Ha! Ha!

Hiking with friends...

Funnies

Katie, having a 'pretty party, brushing my hair and putting barrettes in for me (ouch!) - Oh Mommy, soon you are going to be so stylish. Gee, thanks!

John, watching a DVD that wasn't playing well - Mom, this movie keeps itching! I thought hard and asked a lot of questions to figure out his train of thought... At some point I probably told him that DVDs skip when they are scratched. Scratched. Itching. Aha!

Julie brought her new puppy, Sophie, over for a visit. Katie noticed Sophie's neck and said - Oh what a beautiful leash. Julie told her that it is a collar. Allison immediately piped in - I have a collar bone and it is broken. (Insert sad face.)

Katie, while crying about everything threw in a very dramatic - It has just been years and years and years since I saw Daddy!

When Julie's husband, Craig, left their house yesterday their daughter ran out and said 'Bye Daddy!' My sweet, sweet, sweet Claire went running across the front porch happily screaming - DADDY! DADDY! DADDY! (Tears in my eyes.) Awwww... The baby girl just wants her daddy.

Allison must have dreamt about Spence a few nights ago. She woke up and told me her daddy was home. I gently told her, not yet... She pleasantly insisted that she saw him here, at home, with her. We walked through the house, hand-in-hand, just to be sure.

Friday night is pizza night. In our ideal life I take the night off from cooking and Spence makes pizza with the kids. In this altered universe I make pizza with them. Chef John helped through the whole process. His running commentary is quite amusing. The best was when I turned only one oven and put both pizza stones in there. I now know (and I expect to be reminded many, many more times) that is NOT the way Spencer (yes, he refers to Spence as Spencer) makes pizza. Spencer is the best pizza maker and I should follow his methods. (Spence will be disappointed to know that our current 'pizza' consists of a tortilla, sauce, a sprinkle of cheese, tomatoes and feta - with basil and/or spinach when we have it.)