From The Mouth of Babes

This holiday I spent a lot of time with toddlers. They are pretty funny to watch. The way they interact with one another is wild. These little ones are my niece and nephews. Kaylee is 3.5, Gavin is 2.5 and Bastian is 2 years old. They are all in the MINE phase and sharing is a concept forced upon them. Playing (when I say playing I really mean clobbering each other, pushing each other off chairs, grabbing toys from one another's hands and biting one another) is a skill not yet mastered in a group setting. They do play very well on their own and with their imaginary friends. Don't get me wrong they did play well together sometimes. They participated in arts and crafts projects while under strict supervision quite well and for their ages their attention spans are excellent better in fact than most adults I know.

Here are some GEMS from the holidays:

On New Years Eve I decided to take the toddlers to my Yoga studio to teach them some yoga in an effort to keep them entertained so that they were not under foot in the kitchen while the seafood feast was being prepared. I rolled out four mats. The three children took their places on the mats facing me. I asked if they were all ready to begin yoga. All three faces smiled at me and then they began to follow my verbal cues and imitate my gestures. We all sat cross legged and then began to inhale and exhale while raising our arms over head. This was going swimmingly and next I asked the kids to make their hands float around their heads like butterflies. It is then that the 2.5 year old's expression changes. He starts to look worried and then begins to cry.

Michelle

Gavin what's wrong sweetie?

Gavin

I want to do yogaaaaaaaat.

Michelle

We are doing YOGA honey - it's an exercise.

Gavin (cries harder)

Then Gavin's Mom comes into the studio to see how we are making out with our yoga class and sees her son dissolving into a puddle of tears.

Dawn

Gavin what's the matter?

Gavin

I want to do yogaaaat.

Dawn

Oh honey, it's not yogurt- its yoga. They are different.

Gavin

But I want yogaaat.

Dawn and I try not to laugh too hard and then I say there is some in the fridge. Dawn takes Gavin away to the kitchen to eat some Yogggggggaaaaaaaaaaat. And the rest of us continue for a while with our yoga.

NEXT:

On Christmas day Steve's Mom and Aunt and I took the kids up to the bonus room to chillax for a while. We put on the Rudolf movie and the kids rested while watching and played a little really nicely. Everything was calm and peaceful for 50 whole minutes. Then the attention spans shifted, the boys left the room grandma chased after them, aunt was sleeping on the couch and just Kaylee and I were left upstairs. I picked up Finley and took her over to execute a quick diaper change. Kaylee came along to watch. She was pretending to be Princes Lillis a character from her repertoire of her imaginary world. (Some of these characters she transforms into others are just hanging around and you have to be careful where you step lest you squish one.) This when Kaylee's mom Jen arrived in the room.

Jen

Hi whats going on up here?

Michelle

Well Princess Lillis was just dancing for us.

Jen

Princess Lillis show me your dance!

Kaylee aka Princess Lillis

F#ck, F$CK, F*CK, F******CK

Jen and I are shocked and look at one another. I tuck my face into my shoulder so I don't give away my smiles because clearly this is not funny.

Jen

That is not a nce word we don't use that word Kaylee.

Kaylee aka Princess Lillis

F#ck, F$CK, F*CK, F******CK

Jen

Where did you hear that word?

Kaylee (points at me)

Aunt Shell!

Michelle

You DID NOT!

Aunty (who has now woken up from her nap on the couch)

She most certainly didn't hear it from anyone in here in the last hour.

Kaylee aka Princess Lillis

F#ck, F$CK, F*CK, F******CK

Michelle

I admit it's one of my favorite words but I have not said it even under my breath since I was getting in the car this morning to come here.

Jen

You were just the closest in proximity to blame. She could have heard it days ago.

So there ya go - a couple of little gems from our holidays... There s another cute one please check back ad I'll post it soon.

QUESTION???

What do you do when a toddler starts spewing out curse words? I remember having my mouth washed out with soap. How do you guys deal with it? I need to know before it comes up!

Who's Got A Beard All Snowy White?

On Saturday morning we did what all good first time parents do. We went on an adventure to find Santa! Yaaay! The fun thing about Christmas is that you get to be a kid again and all the MAGIC of Christmas returns, but, only if you BELIEVE!

We spotted Santa just after 10 AM at the Washington Holiday Parade.

It was raining right up until the parade began and then for the duration of the 17 minutes it took the floats to do our Main Street the rain held off. How's that for MAGIC!? Santa sported a rain coat which might not be a bad idea for all the Mall Santas too. I do recall the odor of Mall Santa as being something crossed between burbon, B.O and pee. I am shuddering. Perhaps it's time to stop thinking about the Mall Santa's of my childhood NOW. Although I did love to visit the Scotia Bank Santa. Maybe because he smelled of money. Wink.

Steve introducing Fin to Santa

Steve personally knows Santa as they work together in the Emergency Department. You see Santa is a respiratory therapist in the off months. Santa was in Greenville NC at The Brody School of Medicine in the Lobby on Saturday afternoon and so we went to visit him. With a suggested cash donation to Beau's Buddies Cancer Fund you could bring your camera and take all the pictures you wanted with Ol' St. Nick. He will be there again Saturday December 12th - noon until 4:30 PM in case ya'll want to go see him too!

What a beautiful Santa. He was warm and funny, friendly and he smelled GOOOD! Finley got a good 30 minutes with Santa,which was great, because she was able to acclimatize. She does make strange with new people you know.

Required Photo - Making Strange with Santa

Santa WON Finley over in no time.

Daddy & Santa listening to Fin spew off her Christmas Gift list. Honestly, she went on for a long while and I think she even mentioned World Peace. What a good girl.

Steve took his turn with Santa, but, Santa said; "Oh Steve I've known you a long time. I know what you want. A 44ft sailboat."

And we laughed.

Ahahah - Ho Ho Ho.

I wonder if Santa will deliver? How AWESOME would that be? Then Santa can drop through the hatch to visit us next Christmas instead of our Chimney!

I'm pretty sure Finley was about to ask for a brother or sister here and that's when Mother Ship pulled the plug on the whole, make a list and make your gift wishes known thing, and we said Buh- bye to Santa to head to the grocery store.

The End.