And this marks my 25th list of ten.
The thing about two year olds is that they change so much. Over a week, over a month. Peanut was such a baby when she came, but was well on her way to holding her own ground when she walked out. It was a delight to see her grow into her personality.
Peanut:
10. Adored baby dolls. She laid them all face down, covered them with whatever she could find, and sat between them patting patting patting their backs till they fell asleep.
9. Had a pair of footies with monkeys on them that were her first pick if they were clean.
8. Was a bit of a shoe whore. Had different names for some of her shoes that surely no one but us would understand. For instance, her "Halloween shoes" were named so because the first time she wore them was with her witch costume.
7. Toward the end, was happy to tell anyone that she has two mommies. If you listened long enough, she'd tell you a little bit about each of us. I was the one who read stories and made brownies.
6. Loved chapstick almost as much as GG did.
5. Rode in the stroller to take D to school every day. When Buddy was here, we took the double. When he left, she moved to a green umbrella stroller. This change was soooo unsettling for her, but after a while, she understood "Two babies, big stroller. Only me, my green stroller."
4. From October 10 onward, never let a day go by without saying: "I go Chuck E Cheese my birthday. So fun."
3. Developed a solid explanation regarding Santa's habits when it wasn't the Christmas season. "Santa go North Pole. Go night night. Eat dinner. Say "hellooooo elf"...."
2. Could have stayed in the bathtub all night every night if allowed. It didn't matter if she had an empty bottle, bath crayons, or a tub full of plastic eggs. She was as content as could be.
1. Ate Rice Krispies every single morning. The only time she didn't was if we happened to run out mid week. Many mornings, the first words from her mouth were: I eat Pisspeas?
I wish I would be able to see Peanut in a few years. If the past six months are any indication, she's going to be a very independent, very chatty little girl.
I'll miss you, Peanut, from your squeaky little voice to your tiny little toes!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Little D's Ten
D and Peanut moved on yesterday, leaving crickets chirping at my house. D waited so so long for his turn to move and was beyond excited to walk out the door.
Little D (who I never really called Little D but who readily responded to just D):
10. Wore his necktie that he got for Christmas every single day with every single shirt till well past Valentine's Day.
9. Had a bit of an obsession with his hair. When it was short, he wanted it long so he could have a mohawk. When it was long, he wanted it short so he could look like the Sisters' dad.
8. Never grew tired of the word "SURE".
7. Was proud of the fact that you could feed him "anything except cooked spinach, and I'll be sure to eat it."
6. Loved Stubby. So very much. When I told him he was leaving, that was his one disappointment: "But I'm really going to miss Stubby." When we were saying good-bye in the driveway, he asked if he could come back in to say good-bye one more time.
5. Could entertain himself with an action figure or lego guy for a solid hour.
4 1/2. Was one of two peas in a pod around Big Sister. They acted like they'd known each other since birth and neverrrrrr shut up in the back of the car when they saw each other.
4. Sang a prayer that he learned at daycare every day before he ate. Whether we were listening or not. Whether he had already started to eat or not. Sometimes at the end of his meal instead of the beginning. I drew the line at him singing it with his mouth stuffed with mini-wheats one day.
3. Left a Diet Coke out for Santa on Christmas Eve because "you know, he's gonna have to stay up real late to get us all those presents."
2. Loved riding his bike to school. Before he enrolled in school, we had to do a "practice run" so he knew he could do it. As long as weather permitted, we were the ones trucking up Westgate at 7:15 a.m. every morning.
1. Was a fantastic big brother. To Peanut. To Buddy. And I'm sure to his baby sister when he saw her too.
Be your best you, D. Don't forget to come find me when you're all grown up. I'll love you still.
Little D (who I never really called Little D but who readily responded to just D):
10. Wore his necktie that he got for Christmas every single day with every single shirt till well past Valentine's Day.
9. Had a bit of an obsession with his hair. When it was short, he wanted it long so he could have a mohawk. When it was long, he wanted it short so he could look like the Sisters' dad.
8. Never grew tired of the word "SURE".
7. Was proud of the fact that you could feed him "anything except cooked spinach, and I'll be sure to eat it."
6. Loved Stubby. So very much. When I told him he was leaving, that was his one disappointment: "But I'm really going to miss Stubby." When we were saying good-bye in the driveway, he asked if he could come back in to say good-bye one more time.
5. Could entertain himself with an action figure or lego guy for a solid hour.
4 1/2. Was one of two peas in a pod around Big Sister. They acted like they'd known each other since birth and neverrrrrr shut up in the back of the car when they saw each other.
4. Sang a prayer that he learned at daycare every day before he ate. Whether we were listening or not. Whether he had already started to eat or not. Sometimes at the end of his meal instead of the beginning. I drew the line at him singing it with his mouth stuffed with mini-wheats one day.
3. Left a Diet Coke out for Santa on Christmas Eve because "you know, he's gonna have to stay up real late to get us all those presents."
2. Loved riding his bike to school. Before he enrolled in school, we had to do a "practice run" so he knew he could do it. As long as weather permitted, we were the ones trucking up Westgate at 7:15 a.m. every morning.
1. Was a fantastic big brother. To Peanut. To Buddy. And I'm sure to his baby sister when he saw her too.
Be your best you, D. Don't forget to come find me when you're all grown up. I'll love you still.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Future Coworkers
D from the back of the car today when we were talking about packing up some more of their stuff to leave at their house when they go on their weekend visit tomorrow:
"So, (caseworker) is gonna come get us that day and we'll stay at my mom's?"
-Yup.
"We're never gonna see you again, are we?"
-No buddy, you won't.
A minute later:
"Well don't worry about that, Tammy. Because when I grow up, I'm gonna be a speech therapist like you and I'll come work at your work. You can see me then."
Peanut doesn't get it though. No matter how many ways I say it, she believes that like every other time this past month, "You come back? Pick me up?"
-No Baby, you will stay. I will say good-bye.
"Next time, I say HELLO MAMA! You come back!"
-No Baby, I won't come back. You will get bigger at Mommy (name)'s house.
"Then I come you work too. I say "helllllooooooooo mommy!"
-Ok, you can see me when you grow up too.
And D adds: I'll help you find her work too, Peanut.
"So, (caseworker) is gonna come get us that day and we'll stay at my mom's?"
-Yup.
"We're never gonna see you again, are we?"
-No buddy, you won't.
A minute later:
"Well don't worry about that, Tammy. Because when I grow up, I'm gonna be a speech therapist like you and I'll come work at your work. You can see me then."
Peanut doesn't get it though. No matter how many ways I say it, she believes that like every other time this past month, "You come back? Pick me up?"
-No Baby, you will stay. I will say good-bye.
"Next time, I say HELLO MAMA! You come back!"
-No Baby, I won't come back. You will get bigger at Mommy (name)'s house.
"Then I come you work too. I say "helllllooooooooo mommy!"
-Ok, you can see me when you grow up too.
And D adds: I'll help you find her work too, Peanut.
In His Image
From my holy roller:
"Tammy, I wish I were Jesus."
-Oh yeah, why?
"Because then I could walk around telling people to be good."
Lest you think he means that in a goooood way, let me clarify.
-Dude, Jesus didn't walk around bossing people around and saying "Be good!" "Be nice!" and things like that. He SHOWED people how to love others and be helpers to others and be kind. He told stories that helped people understand. He was not bossy though.
"Oh, nevermind. I don't want to be Jesus then."
It's been a week of disappointments....
"Tammy, I wish I were Jesus."
-Oh yeah, why?
"Because then I could walk around telling people to be good."
Lest you think he means that in a goooood way, let me clarify.
-Dude, Jesus didn't walk around bossing people around and saying "Be good!" "Be nice!" and things like that. He SHOWED people how to love others and be helpers to others and be kind. He told stories that helped people understand. He was not bossy though.
"Oh, nevermind. I don't want to be Jesus then."
It's been a week of disappointments....
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Cat Lips
"Can I kiss Stubby on the lips?"
-well you CAN but do you know how a cat cleans himself?
"He waits till you are in bed and takes a bath."
-um, no, he licks himself. His WHOLE self. That means all those germs are on his tongue.
"He licks his bottom too??"
-well yeah, he doesn't have thumbs so can't use toilet paper!
"That means he licks pee and poop?"
-and then kisses you on the lips!
"nevermind, I'll kiss him on the nose instead."
-well you CAN but do you know how a cat cleans himself?
"He waits till you are in bed and takes a bath."
-um, no, he licks himself. His WHOLE self. That means all those germs are on his tongue.
"He licks his bottom too??"
-well yeah, he doesn't have thumbs so can't use toilet paper!
"That means he licks pee and poop?"
-and then kisses you on the lips!
"nevermind, I'll kiss him on the nose instead."
Sunday, March 10, 2013
H E Buddy
When visiting the other day, Big Sister asked: "Mama, how does food come to your house?"
"Well, you buy it and then you bring it home."
"No, I mean, to YOUR house. You never go to HEB."
It occurred to me that in over two years, 15 months here and a year worth of visiting, the girl has never once set foot in a grocery store with me.
I hate shopping with kids. There's no in-out. No leave the cart at the end of the aisle and running down the row for Diet Coke. No impulse buying for you while ignoring their requests.
HEB is not something I choose to frequent with kids.
But lately, Peanut and I have gotten into the routine of hitting the grocery on Friday mornings, after dropping D at school, before going to daycare. The girl LOVES HEB. She loves the cart shaped like a car. She loves counting apples and bananas and whatever other produce we are getting. She loves reminiscing about the time Buddy came to HEB with us and rode in the car cart with her on the day he moved. She loves getting Buddy Bucks at the end of our trip.
Sometimes I think she'd choose HEB over Chuck E. Cheese.
I love her little recaps, like the one this past Friday: Mama me go HEB. Bananas.....cereal.....all food...I car cart. I drive car. Lady give Buddy Buck. Food in car. THEN go school. It so fun, Mama!
"Well, you buy it and then you bring it home."
"No, I mean, to YOUR house. You never go to HEB."
It occurred to me that in over two years, 15 months here and a year worth of visiting, the girl has never once set foot in a grocery store with me.
I hate shopping with kids. There's no in-out. No leave the cart at the end of the aisle and running down the row for Diet Coke. No impulse buying for you while ignoring their requests.
HEB is not something I choose to frequent with kids.
But lately, Peanut and I have gotten into the routine of hitting the grocery on Friday mornings, after dropping D at school, before going to daycare. The girl LOVES HEB. She loves the cart shaped like a car. She loves counting apples and bananas and whatever other produce we are getting. She loves reminiscing about the time Buddy came to HEB with us and rode in the car cart with her on the day he moved. She loves getting Buddy Bucks at the end of our trip.
Sometimes I think she'd choose HEB over Chuck E. Cheese.
I love her little recaps, like the one this past Friday: Mama me go HEB. Bananas.....cereal.....all food...I car cart. I drive car. Lady give Buddy Buck. Food in car. THEN go school. It so fun, Mama!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Weekend Getaway
Two kids are transitioning. We just spent 48 hours apart for the first time in six months. These are D's highlights from their weekend away:
Fruity Pebbles for breakfast: "You know that cereal that LOOKS like Rice Krispies, but it's NOT Rice Krispies because Rice Krispies are light brown sorta but these ones were green and blue and red and other colors?"
TV: "I got to watch all kinds of cartoons. Even Sponge Bob."
Sleeping in the living room: "We got to eat AND sleep in the living room. Isn't that cool, Tammy?"
Showering in the morning: "We didn't take baths at bedtime, nope sir. We took showers in the morning when we woke up." (as an aside, I heart "nope sir".)
What were the best parts of MY weekend, you ask?
Sleeping past seven.
Watching a movie.
Visiting a couple of friends.
Being able to listen in church.
and NOT COOKING.
Fruity Pebbles for breakfast: "You know that cereal that LOOKS like Rice Krispies, but it's NOT Rice Krispies because Rice Krispies are light brown sorta but these ones were green and blue and red and other colors?"
TV: "I got to watch all kinds of cartoons. Even Sponge Bob."
Sleeping in the living room: "We got to eat AND sleep in the living room. Isn't that cool, Tammy?"
Showering in the morning: "We didn't take baths at bedtime, nope sir. We took showers in the morning when we woke up." (as an aside, I heart "nope sir".)
What were the best parts of MY weekend, you ask?
Sleeping past seven.
Watching a movie.
Visiting a couple of friends.
Being able to listen in church.
and NOT COOKING.
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