Made-for-TV Moment

Sometimes your kids say things that melt your heart... Or make you wonder if they've been rehearsing for a Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-TV special. Such was the case last week, when Kyle and Rowan shared this little moment:

Kyle: "I love you, buddy."

Rowan: "I already know that, Daddy."

Kyle: "How do you know that? You didn't even think about it."

Rowan: "I know because I don't have to think about it."

Wow.

(Naturally, I couldn't help but play the part of the mom whose eyes filled with tears.)

It's the Thought That Counts

Last week, Rowan handed Kyle this little piece of blue fuzz and said, "Daddy, I found this in my my pocket at naptime. I was going to throw it away, but then I noticed it was your favorite color. So I kept it for you."

Pretty sweet, huh?

(P.S. Kyle: Please do not let this kid pick out my Christmas presents!)

A 3-Year-Old's Take on Sin

You never know when might find yourself engaged in a hilarious conversation with a child. But if you're talking with my niece, Avery, the chances are usually pretty darn good.

Me: "Did you go to church this morning, Avery?"

Avery: "Yeah."

Me: "Do you sit with your mom and dad and listen or do you play in the nursery?"

Avery: "I listen. I can’t go in the nursery."

Me: "Are you too big for the nursery?"

Avery: "Yeah."

Me: What did the pastor talk about today? [Thinking it might be about mothers or Mother’s Day.]

Avery: "Our sins."

Me: “Oh. What did he say about your sins?”

Avery: [Reaching one of her arms into the air and pointing to her armpit.] “They’re right in here.”

Me: “Your sins are in your armpit?”

Avery: “Yeah. And then they come out my arm hole.” [Opening and closing her hand, as thought it’s talking.]

Me: [Trying not to laugh.] “Wow. So do you do naughty things when your sins come out of your arm hole?”

Avery: “No, I do this.” [Wiggles her arm like crazy.] “And then they go back in.”

Me: “Huh. Wow.”

I think I need to research their denomination. Sounds pretty interesting! ;-)

Avery tries to remain calm while Rowan lets his sins escape from his arm hole.

Breakfast in Bed? Not So Much.

I'm not sure why, but when Rowan woke up this morning, he was quite excited about Mother's Day. As is often the case, his enthusiasm led to a rather hilarious conversation.

Rowan: Is it Mother's Day today?!

Me: Nope. Why?

Rowan: 'Cause daddy and I are going to make you breakfast in bed. You know, like when you lay around and eat in your bed so you don't have to walk to the table.

Me: Wow! That sounds really nice.

Rowan: But I have an even BETTER idea!

Me: You do?!

Rowan: Yeah, I was thinking we could maybe make you breakfast in the yard.

Me: The yard?

Rowan: Yeah. Like you could eat your breakfast while you pull weeds and work in the garden.

Me: Oh, wow. Hmmm... You know, I'm not so sure about that.

Rowan: 'Cause Daddy said you want the yard to look really REALLY nice on Mother's Day!

Not really what I had in mind, I must say. ;) I give him points for being a very smooth delegator, though!

The Last of the Apple Juice

Rowan: "Look, mom! Dad gave me the last cup of the apple juice."

Me: "Ah, man. I was hoping to have some of that."

Rowan: "I have a great idea!"

Me: [Thinking my little sweetie was about to offer to share.]
"Really? What is it?"


Rowan: "Maybe next time you can get yourself some while you still have a chance."

"Art Is Kind of Like Science"

"Making art is kind of like science, mama. You take all different kinds of materials and do experients* until it looks really really cool!"

By "it" he definitely does not mean his craft cubby. That thing isn't looking very cool these days — at least not to me.

Oh well. I can't be accused of stifling his creativity!

*This is how he says experiments.

"Reuse Is Better Than Recycle"

My son has a frustrating habit of stealing things out of our recycling bin. He uses the items to make art projects, "machines" and — most recently — musical instruments.

He might make a mess, but I love his creativity! And I suppose he's right. Reusing is better than recycling.

A Compliment?

Because I'm fighting a cold today, I spent the better part of the morning looking rather disheveled. After I finally showered and made myself look presentable, Rowan said:

"Mama, I really appreciate how you got dressed and put on your makeup today, even though you're sick. Now you look like my regular mommy instead of a sleepy lady."

He then asked if he could take a picture of me with his play camera.

The attention was sweet, of course, but I can't help but think that I must have looked truly horrible this morning!

Still, I'll take his appreciation as a compliment...I think.

My Kid's Response to Watching American Idol Last Night

"That singer sounds really good!" [Dancing his funky dance.] "I like this show!"


"That guy's voice is way too explosiony. It hurts my ears."

"I don't think that sounds very good, mama. Do you think it sounds very good?"

"He's kind of weird. Why is he being like that?"

"Mama, are you sure this show isn't too scary for me?"

On Second Thought...

Son: "Hey, Daddy, let's arm wrestle to see who gets to be the leader!"

Father: "OK."

[Arm wrestling match commences.]


Son: "Um...Daddy...Daddy...DADDY! WAIT!"

Father: "What?"

Son: "Let's just flip a coin instead."

Father: "OK, buddy."

Meat Eater

I can't bring myself to post about holidays and major milestones. Finding something meaningful to say on days like Christmas, New Year's Day or my son's birthday is just too much pressure.

So instead of musings about a new decade or a list of resolutions, I give you a picture that our little artist drew today (labeled by me for your convenience):

I bet you're wondering why I chose to post this picture. After all, kids produce a ton of artwork. Why share a drawing of a meat-eating rock?

Well, once you read the conversation that occured while Rowan was creating this picture, I think you'll understand why it's now one of my favorites.

Rowan: "Mama, I can use markers and glue sticks without any help now."

Me: "I know. You're getting so big. You can do a lot of things all by yourself.

Rowan: "And I know a lot of stuff, too."

Me: "Yep."

Rowan: "Like about science and space."

Me: "Mmm Hmm"

Rowan: "Like I know that when an asteroid falls to Earth, it becomes a meat-eater."

Me: "A meat-eater?"

Rowan: "Yeah, it's an asteroid up in space, and then it falls down to Earth and becomes a meat-eater."

Me: [thinking...then cracking up!] "Oh my God, Rowan! Do you mean a meteor?!"

Rowan: [thinking...then smiling sheepishly] "Oh yeah. That's right. A meteor!"

The thought of him imagining a world in which rocks fall from space and transform into razor-toothed carnivores gave me the best laugh I've had this year! ;-)

Wishing you lots of laughs in 2010!

A Special Christmas Wish

Rowan and Maddox visited Santa this past weekend. Rowan asked for a race track, and Maddox asked for...well...let's just say that Maddox is a big fan of the Toy Story movies.



I think he got tired of watching us crack up each time he repeated his wish list. He had no idea why we were laughing, but it didn't take long for him to discover that "guitar" prompted fewer smirks from the grownups.

Secret Santa

Today, I asked Rowan what he hopes Santa will bring him for Christmas. His response?

"I don't have to tell you that. It's a secret for Santa!"

Hmmm. This could be a problem. But considering that the last time I asked, he said he wanted "red paper, a rubber duck and a bigger scissors" my guess is that he isn't aiming very high. In any case, I will be listening very closely when we visit Santa this afternoon.

A Thanksgiving Interview

Rowan, What are you thankful for this year?

• Mommy
• Mama
• Treats
• Food
• T.V.
• Cleaning up
• My Lighning McQueen cup
• Love
• Daddy*
• Christmas
• Flowers
• Santa

What is Thanksgiving all about?

• Dessert
• Playing

What do you want to tell everyone on Thanksgiving?

"Once upon a time there was love. Love, love, love. The end."

Happy Thanksgiving!

*Kyle, don't be offended that you came after "cleaning up" and "my Lightning McQueen cup." You know Rowan loves that cup. And sweetie, please know that you'd be at the tippy top of my list!

Memento

Quite unlike his mother, Rowan is a sentimental soul. While I have no problem ridding our house of old projects, ticket stubs and broken toys, he wants to save everything.

But his favorite keepsakes are what he calls our beautiful things — pictures and mementos that we display to admire and remember special times in our lives.


For example, he absolutely adores the Willow Tree "New Dad" figurine in our office. Kyle received it as a gift from his parents shortly after Rowan was born. Rowan asks to hold it and look at it from time to time. As he admired it yesterday, he invited Kyle to take a silly little trip down memory lane.

Rowan: "Daddy, this is a very special beautiful thing, isn't it?"

Kyle: "Yes, it is. I got it from my mom and dad when you were born. It reminds me of when you were a baby."

Rowan: "Do you remember when I was such a tiny baby?"

Kyle: "I do."

Rowan: "Do you remember holding me when I was such a tiny baby?"

Kyle: "I do."

Rowan: "Do you remember sitting on a rock while you were holding me when I was such a tiny baby?"

Kyle: "Uh...[laughs]...no, I don't think I remember sitting on a rock when you were a baby. Maybe we did, though."

Rowan: "I was just wondering about that."

Oh, that kid makes us smile every day!

Traditions Happen

I’m coming to terms with the fact that I can’t control what Rowan remembers about his childhood. Still, establishing some lovely family traditions is important to me.

Maybe I’m hoping to counteract some of our less desirable family traditions. Last weekend, for example, Rowan explained the following — in his sincerest little voice — to one of our guests:

“That’s our laundry couch, but we cleared it off for the party. You can sit there now if you want to.”

Yep. Family traditions sneak up on you when you least expect them.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to start a tradition of having fancy dinners on Sundays. I like to cook anyway and had just found an interesting chicken recipe online. While the chicken and garlic braised, I whipped up some mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, sautéed greens and maple-glazed delicata squash. I even baked a homemade apple tart!

I was feeling quite proud of myself when everything came together just in time for dinner (no small feat).

Unfortunately, I forgot one thing: my kid doesn’t like food. Well, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but he sure is picky! His favorite foods all have the same ingredients, rearranged slightly: macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, buttered noodles with — you guessed it — cheese (and NO spices).

My beautifully prepared meal did nothing to convert my little lacto-carbitarian. While Kyle and I ate and ate (and ate), Rowan picked at his plate and whined about how his chicken was too “skin-y” and his squash was too “smashy.”

Then he asked for a bowl of cereal.

You can imagine how frustrating it is to have your home-cooked meal snubbed in favor of Clifford Crunch.

Oh well. Until Rowan’s tastes broaden, I guess I’ll have to start a different family tradition. Or maybe I’ve already created one...? I can see it now:

“My mom only feeds me cereal on Sundays, but you can have something different if you want to."

Great. Just great.

(Don't be fooled. He only ate the whipped cream.)

Starting Preschool

Starting in August, Rowan will be going to a preschool/daycare three days a week. He seems excited, but he has lots (and lots and lots) of questions. Here was our conversation this morning:

Rowan: Am I going to sit on a wooden chair with a desk at school?
Me: Uh...no, Rowan, it's just play school. You don't have to sit all day.
Rowan: [appalled] But aren't they going to teach me anything?!?!
Me: Yes, you'll learn things, but you don't need to sit at a desk to learn.

**long pause**

Rowan: Do you think they'll bring in a block of ice and have us do a science investigation?
Me: [laughing] I have no idea. Where did you even hear that?
Rowan: I saw it on Sid the Science Kid on PBS Kids dot org. He draws pictures in a journal of everything he learns.
Me: We can get you a journal, if you want one.
Rowan: REALLY?!?! I do want one!

We meet with his new teacher on Friday. I'll warn her to expect lots (and lots and lots) of questions. ;-)

-Angie

Pigskin

Rowan and I went to the zoo with my parents and Maddox recently. It was a sunny day, but the wind was fierce. As we strolled through the outdoor displays, I couldn't help but wonder if people from warm climates would enjoy a day at the zoo in 40-degree weather.

We were there to see the new farm babies. Unfortunately, that meant walking to the farthest reaches of the zoo. Rowan and Maddox had a blast, though. They especially loved feeding the goats and climbing on the pig statues.

Inside one of the buildings, there was pig statue with a window where the pig's stomach should be. Through the window, you could see all sorts of pig products, such as spam, hot dogs and pet treats. (Kinda gross, actually.) There was even a football inside. As Rowan stared at the contents of that fake pig's stomach, I could see the wheels turning. Then grandpa asked him a question.

Grandpa: Rowan, do you know why a football is called a pigskin?
Rowan: Sure do. It's cause they RIP THE SKIN [makes ripping motion with his arms] right off the pig and put it on the football! That's how they make it.

My dad and I burst out laughing.

Then, this morning, Rowan went on and on to Kyle about how people turn pigs' ears into dog treats. "And Daddy, the pigs are like, 'Hey, I can't hear anything! Where are my ears?!'"

I was worried that he might be a little freaked out by the pig statue, but he had no trouble eating babyback ribs tonight!

Here are a few pictures from our day:

-Angie

A 3-Year-Old's Take on Life

Rowan was hiding under a laundry basket in our spare bedroom this morning, having a conversation with himself. When Kyle happened upon him, they had this amusing exchange.

Kyle: What are you doing?
Rowan: I'm in my cage with my children.
Kyle: Oh yeah?
Rowan: Yep.
Kyle: What are your children's names?
Rowan: Not, Dot, Sot and Toot.
Kyle: Toot?
Rowan: Toot's the boy.
Kyle: Huh. Do your children have a mom?
Rowan: Yeah. Her name's Hot. She's my wife.

Based on this conversation, I surmised the following about Rowan's view of children, gender and marriage:

• Kids trap you in a cage.
• Boys toot.
• Wives are hot.

Can anyone argue with that?

-Angie

The Truth About Motherhood

The following conversation took place while Rowan was on the toilet. It seems like our most enlightening moments occur in the bathroom. Go figure.

Me: Rowan, please don't kick your pants off! I shouldn't have to keep putting them back on you all the time.
Rowan: Yes you should. You're a mommy.
Me: That doesn't mean that I have to do everything for you.
Rowan: Uh huh. You have to take care of me and Daddy.
Me: Then who takes care of me?
Rowan: Um...[thinks about it...laughs]...I don't know. Maybe I can help you sometimes after I get bigger.
Me: Thanks.
Rowan: I yuv you, Mommy.
Me: I love you too, sweets.

I told this story to Kyle, and he immediately started laughing. Then he asked, "Is that funny or not?"

What do you think?

-Angie