Monday, November 21, 2011

Morning Chatter


I think one of the greatest challenges to parents has got to be morning chatter. While most parents are fumbling to grab glasses and robes, stumbling quickly to the coffee pot as their still-asleep brain seeks a jumpstart, children often wake up with their little minds (and mouths) running full speed ahead. Adults tend to appreciate quiet tranquil beginnings, while our children don't necessarily have that need and thus begin the day with endless chatter. Non-stop. High pitched. Loud. Accompanied by running, jumping or squirming.

I'm a night person, without a doubt, but I have managed to overcome my lack of "morning glory" out of necessity. Once my feet hit the floor, it's like a switch is flipped and I'm good to go, just don't talk to me if I'm still horizontal. If you must, it had better be important and you'd better be whispering.

Once vertical, I still prefer calm and quiet, (thought that's not necessarily a morning-only desire) but it doesn't take me the 3-hour adjustment period that other males I know and/or am related to seem to require. (There's more than one.) My children, however, don't understand that. So I must endure. Also, I must force them to be quiet so as not to wake any dragons fathers.

Mr. Boots has definitely entered a very verbal phase as he is understanding more, hearing more (even if it doesn't seem like it) and then practicing more. Monkey see (hear) monkey do (say), right?  I would love to have a recorder in the car tuned in to Boots. The boy talks and talks and it is the most hilarious one-sided conversation you have heard. About everything. Things he sees, random stuff that leaves you befuddled, catch phrases he's heard and new vocab he's trying out. I've caught phrases like "sure", "whatever," "yeah," and "I don't care," mixed in with his talk about "pee water" (don't ask) and cows, or whatever.

This morning as I was putting pony tails in Cheek's hair, something I don't normally do, she and he had this very interesting exchange.

Boots: Oh Cheeks, that looks great. (A boy commenting on a girls hair is fairly impressive)
Cheeks: Ok, but when you say 'stupid' you have to say 'great.'

Say what?

(I finish her hair, she runs to the bathroom to have a look, Boots trailing behind.)

Cheeks: Oh, I love it. (Miss Melodrama)
Boots: Yeah, it looks nice. And you have three eyes.

...


...


??? Huh?


It could just be my morning brain, but I have no idea where these random comments came from.


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Life is short, so Live!


Ever since the movie The Bucket List came out, people are constantly talking about them. There are whole websites devoted to creating a bucket list. I guess I've never really thought about it much, considering my life is still mostly wrapped up in diapers and toddler tantrums (totally could do without those).

Today I'm thinking about it. I wonder how long it will take me to come up with more than three things.

Here goes.
  1. Go on a missions trip with my husband. (And not for the reasons you would expect.)
  2. Revive my Spanish speaking abilities to the point of fluency.
  3. Take all my children to a foreign country. Not necessarily at the same time.
  4. Learn to play the guitar well.
  5. Become a great photographer
  6. Figure out Photoshop
  7. Run a half marathon
  8. Go to a professional soccer game in Spain, just for the experience
  9. Visit all of the United States of America in a touristy fashion (hitting the airport doesn't count)
  10. Take a dance class
  11. Tour Europe
  12. Travel to a subcontinental country (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc)
  13. Wear my sari
  14. Live in a house of my dreams
  15. Become a foster parent
  16. Go shopping and buy whatever I want, no restrictions, no sales rack necessary
  17. Graduate from college
  18. ?Skydive? (I might be too chicken for this anymore, so... 19?)
  19. Para sail / hang glide / or something of that sort
  20. Go on a cruise - one to somewhere warm, the other to Alaska
  21. Read the whole bible
  22. Receive a love letter from my husband (but does it count if that's something someone else has to do for you?)
  23. ...

Just that took me about half an hour. With cheating. 

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 things that I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health. My mom had breast cancer, and while she is totally healthy now, it's a reminder that life is short, so live! Want to enter? Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.