20 A Day: Day 3

We went out as a family yesterday morning to the library to restock our movie & book shelves (free entertainment) and stopped at Haggen on the way home so Mama could restock a few of the refrigerator shelves. For the bargain price of $25, we bought:

1 can of pine-orange strawberry juice, 3 packages of bagels, 4 pounds of carrots, 3 cucumbers, 1 eggplant, 2 heads of lettuce, 1 package of cream cheese, 3 pounds of tomatoes on the vine, 1 pound of zucchini, 2 red bell peppers, 2 orange bell peppers, and 1 yellow bell pepper (can anyone guess what dinner I'm envisioning?). It felt good to leave the market with an entire twenty dollar bill still in my pocket.

Breakfast: Omelettes with sauteed mushrooms, sauteed sweet onion, and cheddar.
Lunch: Bagel sandwiches with cream cheese, tomato, cucumber, shredded carrot and mustard, and juice.
Dinner: Hamburgers (Birthday leftovers again) and pasta salad.

Start of Day: $45
End of Day: $20

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Quote of the Day:
"When Ari is a toddler, I'm going to teach him. I only like babies. I don't like toddlers. Toddlers get into your stuff and mess everything up. I just like taking care of babies" --Smack-In-The-Middle Reuben, age 4

Still Learning Tact

Reuben: "Mom, it's after lunch, can we eat one of our candies?"

Mama: "Can you wait for a little bit please?"

Reuben: "Why?"

Mama: "Because Sean really needs to have a nap today, and it will be easier for me to get him into bed if you and the boys haven't pulled your candy bags out. So wait for just a few minutes and I will put him down, and then you may have a candy."

Reuben goes downstairs to play; he and Sean are swinging on the rope.

Overheard:
Reuben: "Seanie! Go see Mama! She wants to give you ICE CREAM!"

Mama: "Reuben, come here right this minute please."

Reuben (tromping up the stairs): "What?"

Mama: "DO NOT tell Sean I am giving him ice cream, you know that is not true! You are telling Seanie a LIE. Do you know what happens if you tell lies?"

Reuben: "I get into trouble."

Mama: "You get into BIG trouble. Lying is not permitted in this house. Do not do that again, please."

Reuben goes back downstairs.

Overheard:
Reuben (in his best sing-songy voice): "Seanie! Go see Mama! It is NAPTIME! Well, I mean, not for all of us. JUST you. It is just naptime for you. You are going to go to bed and then all of us are going to EAT CANDY!"

Mama: "Reuben, will you come back up here please..."

(Typical) Conversation with Reuben

Reese: "Mom, Reuben is calling me names."

Mama: "Reuben, we don't call brothers names."

Reuben: "Why not?"

Mama: "Because it's not speaking with love and kindness."

Reuben: "Not even Cole and Reese?"

Mama: "What do you mean?"

Reuben: "I can't call them Cole and Reese?"

Mama: "Well, of course you can call them by their REAL names. That's not the same thing. Please say you're sorry for...Reese, what did Reuben call you?"

Reese: "Evil Contented Waste."

Mama: "Please tell Reese 'Sorry for calling you Evil Contented Waste'."

Reuben: "But I didn't CALL him that name, I just said it TO him"....

(Typical) Conversation With Reuben

Mama: So are you excited for Co-op today?

Reuben: Yup.

Mama: Today is the last day of your Bible class!

Reuben: I know! And my teacher will never know that I'm not wearing any underwear.

Mama: Oh. Hmm. Well, please get some out of that laundry basket over there. I washed some especially for you.

Reuben (almost toppling the huge pile of laundry): Is all of this whole basket MINE?

Mama: Oh, no. It's for the whole family. Everybody's laundry is all mixed together in there.

Reuben: Like mine? And the boys? And God and Jesus?

Mama: No, not God and Jesus. I don't think God and Jesus have laundry.

Reuben: Yes they do! They have INVISIBLE LAUNDRY! Like underwear, and tee shirts, and they put them on... oh but NOT jammies.

Mama: God and Jesus don't have jammies? Why don't they have jammies?

Reuben: Mom! You know! Because they stay up late, with you guys!

Five Little Acorns

I'm thinking it's about time to clean up this blog!

Hope your Christmas was merry!

Heard Around The....Volvo

Pulling up outside the Bellingham Amtrak station (Reuben got to go on a REAL train ride with his daddy for his 4th birthday):

Reuben: "LOOK, Mama, a NAZI!"

Mama: "WHAT? Where?!"

Reuben: "Right over there. A Nazi, Mama, look! Right there in front of the station!"

Mama cranes her neck to look around and sees no Nazis.

Reese: "Reuben---do you mean a taxi?"

Reuben: "Yeah, Mama, a taxi! Look!"

QOTD, Take Two

Another Quote of the Day:

Reuben: "Mom, do I have to wear shoes outside?"

Mama: "YES."

Reuben: "But I might kick someone."

Reubenisms

My favorite thing about three-year-olds is the way they say the most random things---with absolutely no context whatsoever. In honor of Reuben's upcoming birthday (and knowing it means he will outgrow this stage soon), here are a few I've heard lately--completely out of the blue:



"Do you want to look in my belly-button?"



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To Sean (shouting): "SING THE BARBIE SONG!"



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Running into our bedroom first thing in the morning: "I asked God to give me a dream about caterpillars, but He didn't. He gave me a dream about bees."



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Crawling into bed, whispering: "God, I don't want to have any dreams. Don't give me any, okay?"



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"Ella has nice teeth."



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"I'm a human."



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(holding a cup of water): "I am NACHO LIBRE. Remember? He has water?"



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"When I was a baby, what did you call me?" ("We called you Reuben.") "OH."

Next day, looking worried: "When Ari is all growed up, what will we call HIM?!" ("Ari.") "Oh."



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Wide-eyed, walking out of the bathroom wearing only a teeshirt: "I'm 'posed to have underwear on but I don't. IT'S MAGIC!"



Reese (bored): "You peed them dead."



Reuben: "No, I didn't."


Reese (moving on to something better): "You shot them right off."



Reuben: "No!" Runs back into bathroom and emerges holding the elusive spiderman pants.


"Here them is! THEY WERE IN THE BATHROOM!"

Assembly Line

Quote of the Day:

"Mom--do babies come from factories?" --Reuben, age 3

Thank You, Wipeout

Quote of the Day:

"This looks like a banana hammock" --Reuben, age 3 (holding up a sliver of sauteed onion)

Heard Around The House--Thomas The Tank Engine version

Mama and Reuben are sitting on the couch (yes, other posts have started this way). Enter loud, scary tooty sound.

Mama: "Reuben! What do you say?"

Reuben: "Toot toot! TIME TO LEAVE THE STATION!"

Let's Pretend

Quote of the Day:

"Let's pretend me be the mom. My name is Cranky." --Reuben, age 3

Our Mom, by Cole, Reese and Reuben

What is something your mom always says to you?
Cole: I love you.
Reese: (no answer)
Reuben: Let's go!

What makes your mom happy?
Cole: That her kids love her.
Reese: Happy face.
Reuben: Medicine.

What makes your mom sad?
Cole: When we disobey.
Reese: Being naughty.
Reuben: Sick.

How does your mom make you laugh?
Cole: By telling us jokes!
Reese: I don't know, jokes?
Reuben: Madagascar 2 caterpillar.

What did your mom like to do when she was a child?
Cole: Puzzles.
Reese: Play games.
Reuben: Play with my boys.

How old is your mom?
Cole: 40.
Reese: 22.
Reuben: 5.

How tall is she?
Cole: 6 feet.
Reese: 50 feet.
Reuben: Big.

What is your mom's favorite thing to do?
Cole: Take care of her children.
Reese: Pick berries.
Reuben: Play together.

What does your mom do when you're not around?
Cole: Take a rest.
Reese: I have no idea because when I go somewhere, I don't know what you do.
Reuben: The computer.

If your mom became famous, what would she be famous for?
Cole: Having 5 kids! (yes, we have one on the way!)
Reese: (no answer)
Reuben: Treasure!

What is one thing your mom is good at?
Cole: Taking care of her children.
Reese: The computer.
Reuben: Computer.

What is one thing your mom is not very good at?
Cole: Building houses.
Reese: Legos.
Reuben: Going.

What does your mom do for a job?
Cole: Takes care of her children.
Reese: To tell us to do the dishwasher.
Reuben: Doing the dishwasher!

What is your mom's favorite food?
Cole: Salad.
Reese: Those little cabbages, what are they called? (Brussel sprouts?) Yeah, yeah, brussel sprouts!
Reuben: Eggs and toast.

What makes you proud of your mom?
Cole: That you take care of us.
Reese: That you can feed us.
Reuben: Make mine birthday cake.

If your mom was a cartoon character, who would she be?
Cole: Batgirl.
Reese: A space man.
Reuben: Star wars.

What do you and your mom like to do together?
Cole: Do school.
Reese: Go to the Daisy Cafe.
Reuben: Play.

How are you and your mom the same?
Cole: We both have big feet.
Reese: Our skin is the same.
Reuben: Same kissing.

How are you and your mom different?
Cole: I'm young, and you are old.
Reese: You have spider veins, and I don't.
Reuben: You change into Dad.

How do you know your mom loves you?
Cole: Because she always has.
Reese: Because I always think about it.
Reuben: Me be special.

What does your mom love most about your dad?
Cole: He's handsome.
Reese: He gives you kisses a lot.
Reuben: Him special.

Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Cole: To a fancy restaurant.
Reese: Red Robin for her birthday.
Reuben: At Robin.


Isn't having children enlightening?

And They Wonder Why I Forget To Get Dressed Sometimes

Mama (hearing a loud thump from the other room): "Reuben, are you okay?"

Reuben (from said other room): "What?"

Mama: "Are you okay?"

Reuben: "What?"

Mama: "Are you okay?"

Reuben: "WHAT?"

Mama: "Are you okay?"

Reuben: "What 'okay'?"

Mama: "Are you okay?"

Reuben: "What?"

Mama: "How are you?"

Reuben: "I doing good."

Mama: "Okay!"

He wanders into the room and sits down beside me.
Reuben: "Mama, why you say 'Okay'?"

Mama: "I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I thought I heard you fall down. Did you fall down?"

Reuben: "Oh!" (He chuckles to himself): "No." He gives a big sigh.
"I just fell down."

Mommy P-I

Quote of the Day:

"(contented sigh)....Me love Mommy and Tom Selleck." --Reuben, age 3

Birthday, Please--Double Shot

Better late than never....here are the photos of Reuben's birthday!

This was the first year that we made a "do" out of Reuben's day--I guess because it was the first year he was really aware. His birthday is so close to Thanksgiving that we usually just celebrate with family that weekend instead. This year, he was emphatic that he wanted a Thomas cake and that he wanted to eat it with his friend Ella. We invited Ella and her family over for dinner and figured that was celebration enough (7 kids between the two families!).

I really really love making my boys' birthday cakes. This one was particularly fun.

It was mostly completed when Reuben woke up from his nap--of course he was thrilled to walk out of the bedroom and discover it, and kept saying, "that Thomas face is so funny, Mom, it's so FUNNY!" The cars are filled with black jelly beans ("coal"), green gummy frogs and candy legos. Of course.

After dinner we did something special: a Birthday Walk for our birthday boy. We lit a candle and placed it on the floor, to represent the sun. Then we put labels for each of the twelve months all around the sun in a circle, and asked Reuben to stand on the November label.

He got to hold a model of the earth that I had made out of playdough the day before. Justin talked briefly about the day he was born, then we had Reuben walk once around the sun, to represent his first year of life. He stopped on November, and Justin shared a little about his first year of life. We continued on in this fashion until he (and the earth) had made three complete circles around the sun.

The cutest part was that every time he would stop on his birthday month and listen to Justin talk about his toddler years, he kept trying to sneak a bite of the earth!

Happy 3rd birthday, Reuben, we love you!

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And Sean just celebrated his first birthday...with a STORE-bought cake (see how worried he is?),

a dinner of finger foods (in true one-year-old fashion) and a new rubber ball! Sean-boy, what a gift you have been to us this last blessed year! We love you and are so thankful for the chance every day to watch you grow and learn.

Dive in, little boy, welcome to toddlerhood!

The Birthday

It's coming...

Deterioration Of Maternal Sanity

Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama: "No, baby, that bag is there for Cole to take to Nana's tomorrow."

(Five minutes later)
Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama: "No, buddy. We're not going anywhere right now. That's for tomorrow."

(Two minutes later)
Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama: "No, honey, we'll see Nana tomorrow. Not today."

(One minute later)
Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama: "Buddy, we're not going anywhere today. See? Mama's not going anywhere. I'm staying right here."

(One minute later)
Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama: "Nope."

(Two minutes later)
Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama: "Nope, not yet. Not today. Tomorrow."

(One minute later)
Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama (deep breath): "Buddy, it's not time to go. We're not going anywhere today. No 'time go'."

(One minute later)
Two year old: "Mama, time go?"
Mama (slightly hysterical, more to herself than to child): "Oh my goodness. I can't possibly answer that question anymore. It's making me positively mad. I think I might actually be going crazy."

Two year old: "Crazy?"

Mama (still to herself) "Yup, crazy. I have completely lost my mind. This conversation has finally done it. I'm absolutely nutso."

Two year old: "Nut-so?"

Mama: "Yup. Mama's insane. Doubt I'll make it til dinner time. Absolutely off the ledge."

Two year old: "Oh."

(Two year old goes to play in recycle bin.)

(Typical) Conversation With Reuben

Mama and Reuben are sitting on the couch. Enter loud, scary tooty sound.

Mama: "Reuben, what was THAT?!"

Reuben: "I do it BIG ONE POOPIES!"

Mama (laughing): "No, you didn't do 'big one poopies'. What was that noise?"

Reuben (deadpan): "Reese."

Mama: "No! It wasn't Reese. What was that noise, Reubsy?"

Reuben (rolling his eyes, pointing to the sky): "Umm......rocket ship?"

Have I mentioned yet how much I L*O*V*E two-year-olds?

Deterioration Of A Day

....as seen through a two-year-old's obedient responses:



Morning: "Yes, momma!"



Lunchtime: "No-yes, momma."



Afternoon: "Yes, poopies."



Evening (whispering): "yes, poopies."