Conversations with KK: thoughts on God and birthdays

The other day, KK was trying to tell me that she didn't need a nap (for the 47th time). I'd heard enough so I told her to tell it to God.

So she bowed her little head and prayed, "God, I'm NOT TIRED! Amen".

She learned about unanswered prayer that day... momma doesn't give up her nap that easily!

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A week ago, I bought KK a calendar so that she could start to learn about days of the week and anticipate upcoming events. We marked her November birthday on there and now it's all she talks about.

She wants a princess party with only girls, but she might let daddy in if he dresses like a prince. There must be balloons and bubbles. She changes her mind about the cake every 24 seconds. (I think the latest is a princess castle).

But the best part is her gift wishlist. She wants rain glasses (I've never hear of them, and she may have invented them, but apparently, they keep the rain out of your eyes), and a water fountain. As in the big outdoor type that makes her do this:

...and this:

I have a feeling we have many more years of "Princess" requests ahead of us. Remember what she wanted for Christmas last year?

Conversations with JJ: We've got another talker!

JJ is at one of my most favourite of stages, so far anyways. He is coming up with a few new words every day and we are constantly surprised at his memory and ability to understand what we are saying.

Tuesday, during his swim class, one of the games we played was with a ball and JJ freaked out wanting the ball. Such a freak out, in fact, that all the other parents hurried to get the ball to him anytime it got away from him.

Later that day, KK said something to me about hearing JJ crying in the pool. Immediately, he started whining, "baaalllll, baaalllll". Even today, he still remembers the trauma of having to share the ball!

Wednesday night, we took the kids out for their dates with mommy and daddy. This time it was the boys together and the girls together.

When we got home, I asked JJ what he did with daddy. I love his response. For the first time, he told me a story:

JJ: Brrrrmmmm brrrrmmmm

Translation: They played with trucks

JJ: *motion of throwing a ball* "Uggghhh"

Translation: They played ball

JJ: *motion of licking and biting something, while smiling big and smacking his lips*

Translation: They ate ice cream!

I love how at this stage, his speech is only clear to those of us who hear it often, so when he talks to us, it seems like code to everyone else. It's like we have this special language, which we do, I guess.

My favourite is "munguk" which is JJ for yogurt.

Y'all will remind me of this post in 6 months when I have two kids talking my ears off, won't you?!

What happened to all my status updates?

It's no great secret that I'm addicted to Facebook.

You know that person who updates their status several times a day? The one that you had to "hide" because you didn't need to know all the details of their life every time you went online?

That's me.

Status updates are one of my favourite methods of self-expression. If you want to get right down to the truth, sometimes I think strictly in third person status updates. I may need therapy.

Anyways. Lately, I've noticed that I haven't been getting the usual amount of feedback on my status updates. And I know it's not just that they were boring. There were some good ones in there.

ahem. You know, because my kids are funny.

I usually access FB on my Ipod Touch (because of all the computer issues I've been whining about). I downloaded the updated version of FB for the Iphone and it turns out that status updates posted from the mobile version only show up in my profile, and not in everyone's news feed. So unless people regularly check my profile, i.e. they are my mom, my great status updates haven't been getting out there. (Tongue in cheek people, tongue in cheek).

I thought I'd share a few of my favourites from the last week as a way to update you on the goings on of the weenut household (you know, since I haven't been writing for a few weeks)(names changed of course):

-Peanut's life took a sudden and dramatic turn for the better when she met Peanut-lover 9 years ago this month :) He cherishes her just like her momma said he would when he was still only a dream in her young heart. He constantly strives to be the best husband, father, and man that he can be. Who could ask for more??

-Vim + Mr. Clean Magic Erasers + my kitchen sinks... now that's magic! (btw, no one is allowed to use my clean, shiny sinks for the rest of eternity ;)

-Peanut is googling "Princess Party ideas" and looking into supplies needed for a Princess birthday cake. You guessed it - Peanut-lover's birthday's coming up! ;)

-Peanut hopes to have laundry caught up, the house tidied, and the freezer stocked with lots of lunches before Peanut-lover gets home late tonight. Who says she doesn't dream big??!!

-Dear KK and JJ, as the mornings are getting darker, you're supposed to be sleeping in LATER. You're doing this backwards and it's not cool. Sleep is cool. Love Mommy.

-Peanut is having crazy thoughts that involve her hair and scissors...

-JJ is standing naked at the table coloring with markers. This scenario cannot end well.

-KK is completing a sentence that she started 15 minutes ago and JJ is hitting himself in the head with a spoon. Just another day in paradise.

-KK says, "JJ stop crying. I can't hear my cartoons!". Where do I pick up my Mommy-of-the-year Award??!!

-Peanut has been trying to listen to an online sermon for 2 hours. With two small children running around, she's finally 8 minutes in... time to give up?

-Peanut slept with KK in her toddler bed last night. OUCH!

-Peanut can hear the Oreo ice cream calling out to her. Must resist.... maybe just a small bowl? No. Resist.

-Peanut thinks that a recipe index that lists something under "E" for "easy" instead of "C" for "chicken" (ie easy chicken tettrazini) is insanely stupid.

There you have it. Now you're all caught up ;)

Life is busy

Who invented September anyway? I mean, we are crazy busy, and we don't even have our kids in formal education yet (although our homeschooling preschool is great so far)!

So who's the brilliant one that came up with the idea that everything should start up in September?

Our calendar is so full, I get anxiety attacks just looking at it. I thought buying a "Mom's Calendar" would make it less anxiety-provoking... but not so much. Now there are just more stickers.

What's keeping us so busy? And didn't we resolve not to be super busy?

Yes. We did. And yet, we are busy.

This month, the church plant that we have been involved with for over a year went full-time. We're very excited about the things that are happening, but still, it occupies the entire day, every Sunday. Busy.

And then there's swimming lessons twice a week. It takes three hours of work between getting there and getting home afterwards, for 30 minutes of swimming. The kids love it. I love it. But it's busy.

Our homegroup has taken an exciting new direction where we meet here twice a month and on the other weeks, we split into gender groups to meet and either study gender-specific topics or go out for some gender-specific fun. (I've never used gender so many times in a sentence before... ok, maybe once. In nursing school.) Fun. Exciting. Challenging. Busy.

Twice monthly dates, weekly sync nights (where we sync our schedules and deal with any issues so that dates are just about fun). Busy. Twice monthly dates with alternating kids. Busy.

I work once or twice a weekend. Always busy shifts. A not-busy shift would mean that somewhere in my 12-hour shift, I would sit down for 15 minutes to chart. Though I often work only one shift a weekend, the extended shifts make it equivalent (in hours) to working two days a week. Plus I run a household. Busy.

Peanut-lover is at the very tail-end of his research. Although if you wanted to get technical, it's not mouse tails that he works on, but rather mouse brains. KK regularly asks me if daddy is going to cut off mouse heads at work today. In the next year, we should see the end of the research, the writing of the thesis, the PhD graduation, the putting up for sale of our home, the moving to somewhere else, and the figuring out of the next step. What next step? Good question. You know as much as we do. Busy.

And then there's the computer. It's 100 years old in computer years. That's right, it's 4-5 people-years old. That means that all the current updates are too big for it or require too much processing power. So it runs painfully slow. And we have to beat the screen up every time we turn it on to make it work. My kids actually think the on-button for the screen is three (or more) punches to the lower right side and a mumbled expletive. Some days, I just leave it off because it makes me too angry. Yes. I'm admitting that my computer makes me angry. I have issues.

I long to connect with my Internet buddies, my blog friends, my real-life-that-live-too-far-away friends. I miss you guys. But my life is busy. And your life it busy. And that's the way it is.

October please?

Five Things I love Thursday: My kids fight

Five Things Thursday is back! Well, for this week anyways. You might have noticed I've had a little trouble with consistency lately, both in posting here and in following my favourite blogs. Part of the reason is that my kids fight. All. The. Time.

What???!!! I couldn't possibly be talking about these precious, delightful, beautiful children, could I?

Oh yes. These precious, delightful, beautiful children fight almost constantly and it drives me batty. Nothing sends my blood pressure up faster than the high-pitched scream that comes out of KK when her brother hits, bites, kicks, slaps, punches, or takes toys away from her. And nothing gives JJ more pleasure than to hear his sister's high-pitched scream. (As we speak, my parents are emphatically nodding their heads. They remember that high-pitched scream very well, I'm sure.)

I think it's time I start trying to look on the bright side, don't you?

Five things I love about having kids who fight:

1. I'm learning patience (I hope)

2. They're learning negotiating skills (I think)

3. I can put them into separate rooms and get some peace and quiet for 2 minutes. (If you consider the muffled sounds of wailing to be peace and quiet)

4. All my other mommy problems (such as toys strewn everywhere, kids that wake up too early, kids who refuse to eat) seem small in comparison.

5. My favourite: potential burglars know we're home.

How's that for looking on the bright side? I'm trying too hard, aren't I?

Now it's your turn. What's your five things this week? Write a blog post and leave your link in the comments. Or, if you don't have a blog, leave me your list in the comments. You don't have to copy my topic, but feel free if you need a little direction. I can't wait to hear what y'all have to say!