No Words Needed

Here's some photos.  Thought they deserved their own post.

The Simplest Lessons

Breckin's Lesson:
So, it turns out, when you're almost 5 you can not- under any circumstance- sit in a chair.  There are butt-repelling bug monsters that live in chairs and REQUIRE you to NEVER sit still on your rear end.  Please don't ever even attempt to sit in a chair if you are almost 5.  I promise horrible results if you try. 

Case in point:  My damn-near 5 year old even remotely attempted to sit his hiney down on a nice, comfortable blue chair in my living room and BLAM- out you go.  All he was doing was trying to watch Curious George after finishing his cereal.  He just wanted to have a seat.  But those Monster Bug Hiney Biters attacked, made him wiggle like a spazoid (instead of sitting so nicely), and threw him out of the chair where he promptly HIT HIS FACE ON A TABLE.  REALLY HARD.  Hard enough to instantly leave a purple line on his cheek.  We'll see what it looks like when I pick him up from preschool.  Maybe it'll match the black eye he has from the bike incident. 

Do I blame him?  Heck no.  I know as well as you do that it was not his fault.  Do I blame myself for having NEVER told him to just sit down on my furniture rather than shake like a belly dancer everywhere he goes?  Nope.  I blame the bugs, too.   At this point, I have to.  If I have to say "Just sit on the chair like a normal person" one more time, my lips might fall off. 

Ella's Lesson:
When Mommy watches Soundstage on PBS before going to bed then turns the TV on at 7:30 in the morning, there is a small, fuzzy, red monster to greet you.  He has a funny voice.  He sings long songs that only have one word.  He has a pet goldfish.  He is the most HILARIOUS thing on the planet.  Also, his fur is made out of BABY CRACK.  You cannot look away.  You must stare at the TV with your mouth open and your eyes bugged out of your head until the last note of "la, la, la, la Elmo's Song" is over.  And then grab your Mommy's shirt and lick her face.  That's how you say Thanks I'll Take Sesame Street Every Morning From Now On when you're 5 months old.  Lesson learned, Ella.  Elmo is the coolest thing on the planet for all people under 3 ft tall.  You're welcome.

The 10 Bad Words

Breckin is starting to learn that sometimes we do stuff even if we don't like to or want to.  It's a hard concept for adults, I'm surprised he's catching on so fast and does stuff when he doesn't want to.  The most common "Don't Want To" things are TBall (cause he thinks he's not good!!!), the dentist, the doctor, washing his hair, and standing in line at stores.  But, he also thinks bad words are the greatest things on Earth, even though he knows he can't say them.  It's never made the blog before but, Breckin used to have an issue with blurting the F word out just to get a reaction.  It's pretty hard not to laugh at a small, just-turned-3 yr old who murmurs f*** at the end of story time while he's wearing Thomas the Tank Engine jammies and cuddling with his stuffed zebra.  Somehow, Dustin and I managed to keep our stern faces and remind him that words like that are ugly and they hurt Jesus's feelings.  He loves going to chapel so it worked.  We haven't heard it from him in almost 2 years.....

And, then.  This conversation. 

Breckin:  Mommy, I had this marble maze at school and it has a pink flusher on the top and Chase and I had five marbles and when we stood up and dropped them, they funked down through.  (Funk is his new fav sound/not-so-word when stuff falls)  Funk.  They funked down through.  F***.  Sheepishly looks up at me.
Me:  Hey.  You know better.  That word is not ok in this house and it's just one of those words that we don't say.
Breckin:  Mommy, wouldn't it be cool if bad words were good words and good words were bad words?
Me:  No way, dude, cause there are loads more good words than bad words and then we'd be stuck with not much to say.
Breckin:  Like how many?
Me:  Well, there are 50 Hundred (it's the biggest number when you're 4) good words and only, like, 10 bad ones.
Breckin:  Holds out his fingers to count them and quietly whispers   Stupid, Hell, Shut Up, Dumb, F***,
Me:  Ok, whoa buddy, we don't need to say them to know what they are.  Let's just use the good ones, ok?

He was really going to count the ten worst things he could think of.  Why can't Daddy handle some of these conversations?  How else can I tell him that those words are not good- is there really a reason why that kids would understand?  All I can say to him is they just aren't good.  Anyone have a better reason?

Purple Day

Today is Purple Day at school.  One day a month, Breckin's preschool class has a color day and they encourage kids to wear that color.  We are down with all color days throughout the year EXCEPT purple day.  Even if it was Ella, and she wore purple on other days, she wouldn't wear purple on Purple Day.  Why? 

"I can't define it, I can't tell someone who isn't a cougar what it's like. There's something that happens at Washington State; you quietly and subtly become infected...Washington State is a passion. Being a cougar is a passion"
     -Jim Walden

Therefore, if the rest of the world declares Purple Day, we will not participate.  And I know it's not just me.  I walk into Breckin's classroom and I see: 

• two kids wearing UW shirts
• one little girl wearing a WSU cheerleader outfit
• one kid with a REAL MEN DON'T WEAR PURPLE throwback t-shirt that clearly used to be his father/mother's cause it's tied up in the back with the sleeves rolled up and hastily sewn
• Breckin wearing a Seahawks shirt cause I currently don't have any WSU shirts that are his size

I LOVE the football rivalry that is UW vs WSU and I LOVE even more that Breckin goes to school with some other, clearly crazed football fans.  Some kids just had on regular purple things with non-collegiate related pictures but the fact that five kids out of twelve took Purple Day beyond just the color warms my heart.  The funny thing?  On Red Day, no one but the Coug kids acknowledge this rivalry.  Those UW fans will send their kids to school in whatever red stuff they have....   

Let's all say it together.  GO COUGS!!!!!

From the mouths of babes...

Here are 2 classic Breckin conversations from the weekend.

1)   Friday on the way home from school.  About a month since we've been to Spokane yet it's still on his mind pretty much every day.

Breckin:  Mommy.  Guess what.  I was wondering why Joslyn's store is so small.  When will she make it bigger?

Me:  Well, buddy, not all stores are huge and her's is just the size she needs.

Breckin:  No it's not, she'll need a really big store.  She's selling olive oil.

Me:  slightly confused but trying to get on the same logic train...  I hope she'll need a really big store.  That means she'll have a lot of business and make a lot of money.

Breckin:  But she's selling olive oil.  She'll run out of room.  That closet we fed Ella in (yep, glad he didn't forget that one) was way too small.  I keep having dreams when I sleep that she actually has a big enough store for olive oil. 

Anyone on the logic train yet? Cause I sure as hell wasn't.

Me:  Well maybe someday she'll have a bigger store but I like the one she has now.  Leaves it at that but still wondering what the hell I just talked about.  Wait for it.  Wait for it.  Here it comes.  About five minutes later....

Breckin:  I don't think that's olive oil.  I thought there would be more. 

Me:  Buddy, are you thinking that it's called ALL OF OIL?  The stuff Jos sells is made from olives- like the stuff you eat.   Please, GOD, give me the grace not to laugh at my kid for misunderstanding the enormously confusing English language.

Breckin:  OH. 

Five more minutes later after it all sunk in.....That makes a lot more sense.  I thought she had all of oil- not from olives.  She needs a much smaller store, then, cause olives are really small.  Pfft.  That's so silly.  Silly Jos.  When can we go back there?  I like olives.  Can I put them on my fingers?  Guess what else I dreamed about Mommy?.......  and on and on and on til we get home.



2)  Last night after Breckin watched his nighttime show and it was my turn for the bedtime plan.

Dustin:  Should I turn the TV off or are you recording some crap?
Me:  No, leave it on.  I'll watch Dancing with the Stars.
Breckin:  OH HEY!  Haydn and I play that at school!
All eyes on Breckin.  This oughta be good.
Me:  Oh, yeah?  How do you play that?
Breckin:  We do Dancing with the Stars.  I put on the gold shoes, the green jacket, and the little green hat.   She wears the red shoes, calls herself Nicole, and wears the blue apron.  Then we dance.
Me:  Dustin, are you hearing this?  Breckin plays dancing.  Isn't that fun?  Looks at Dustin with the "you better smile and tell him it sounds like fun" face or else....
Dustin:  No, I missed it.
Breckin:  I put on the gold shoes .....  reiterates the set up for Daddy....  Haydn and I dance almost every day.
Dustin:  Great Buddy.  Bath time.  Let's go.

Oh to be a fly on the wall at preschool...  Anyone want to bust in and snap some photos of Breckin in gold shoes dancing with a small, blond girl in an apron?  I pay big money!

Updates and Good News and Stuff

Update:  Breckin was watching the news with me last night as I was making dinner and getting ready to go to Zumba.  He sat patiently through the various reports of car crashes (he loves it when they show the ambulances and fire trucks), updates of the volcano (LOVES that one), and weather report.  I turn my back to help Ella reach her lost Little People puppy- who is really taking one on the ear due to her need to gnaw on stuff- and hear this:

Breckin:  Mommy! MOMMY! You'll never believe this!  Daddy is going to be SO excited!!!!  At this point, he's jumping up and down and running up and down the hallway  His favorite show is coming back on tomorrow at fourteen firty.  (Hey, when I quote, I quote exactly.  For those not in the know of 4 year old time telling, that's 4:30.)  We better tell him so he can watch it!

Me:  Whoa.  What are you talking about, buddy?  Calm down.

Breckin:  I'll give you some clues.  Dramatically stands still, holds his hands out in "just stop right there" stance.  Looks at me with a very serious face.  There are guys who throw something.  Guys who catch something.  And lots of guys who just tackle all over each other.  Huge grin cause he's so proud he came up with three, good clues.

Me:  Oh, no.  Not football.  Daddy IS going to be excited.

Breckin:  YES!!! YES!!!  Daddy will LOVE THIS news!!!!  Commence running up and down the hallway pretending to tackle things.  Actually tackle Tiki.

And, what did we forget to do?  Tell Daddy.  Hey, Daddy- there's football on this weekend.  There's no foolin anyone in our house about how much football you watch.  It is, after all, your favorite show and Breckin is now programmed to keep you in mind when he sees commercials. 

In other news:  My engagement ring (but not the wedding band) fits back on my ring finger.  Oh, you didn't know I was still swollen/pregnant in the hands?  Yep.  I am.  Last time, I gained 1 1/2 shoe sizes during the pregnancy and that lovely change decided to stick around to this day.  This time, it's the hands.  Here's the bad part:  I had a cheeseburger for lunch and my fingers swelled up again so both rings are back on my pinky.  It's an hour by hour update.  I refuse to enlarge the rings. 

Stuff:  Ella rolled over back-to-front and front-to-back but no one saw it.  She was chillin on her playmat, talking with her green frog, on her back.  I turned my back to take Tiki up to her crate and when I came back down, she was on her belly.  I gave her a quick kiss and congrats.  Got Breckin in his shoes and jacket for school, turned around, and she was back on her back.  Hoisted her up to congratulate her again, apologize for her being the 2nd child and me forgetting to have the camera ready, and packed both kids out the door for the day.  Sorry, Ella.  We'll get something on film.... I promise.  Oh, how life changes. 

Thank Yous

I'm feeling very thankful lately for the blessings in my life.  Today was an exhausting day physically- between my early morning Zumba class, TBall game/photo day, errands, meal prep, etc. and even though I'm bleary eyed from it all, I'm grateful that I'm so busy.  It means I have people to be busy for.  Every now and then I have a blip of jealousy for those that can take a nap at 4 pm on a Saturday if they want to but, for the most part, I love my life and I'm glad Dustin and I are chugging through it together.  Here's my thank yous.

Thank you:

• Wayne for rescuing Tiki from the pound and bringing her to us.
• Coach Connie for being SO insanely good with 4 year olds and baseball.  For that matter, to all little kid sports coaches.  And I thought I was patient... ha!
• Bobby #10 for introducing Dustin to me and being such a good, influential part of our family.
• Mama Shirley for encouraging a love of baseball in Dustin.  I have never seen his eyes light up- EVER. not even on our WEDDING day- like they did today when he saw Breckin in his first TBall uniform and taking his place on the field. 
• Jessica for bringing me such joy for 60 minutes every Saturday morning and making my hips, thighs, and rear end complete jello for the rest of the day.  Zumba is crazy fun. 
• Fate for showing me signs of Breckin at 26 weeks, 3 days and not a day sooner.

I'll step down from the podium now and collect my gold statue.  What are you thankful for?