Breaking my heart...

The other day, I found Gavin with his elbows on the table and forehead resting in his hands, hovering over his cereal.  I asked him what was wrong.  He lifted his sweet little head, just enough to say through his crocodile tears, "I miss Duncan."  I tried to comfort him, saying, "I know you do, Buddy.  I miss him, too.  We all do.  He was such a great dog."  He kept crying, and I said, "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"  and he replied, "No, not unless you can bring him back from heaven, and I know there's no way you can do that!"

I just couldn't say anything- and did my best to fight back my own tears.  After 3 months, I still miss him so much.  He was the best!  (No offense to Lola- she's winning us over, too.)

Scratch that remark

Sometimes, I say things before I really think, and want to take back what I've said as soon as the words come out.  It's like I can see the words coming out of my mouth in slow motion, and want to stuff them back in before anybody actually can hear them.

Like this weekend, for example.  I had a conversation with Gavin about movies.  It went something like this...

G- When can I watch a PG13 movie?

Me- When you are 13.

G- What's after PG13?

Me- R.

G- What's after R?

Me- NC17

G- What's after NC17?

Me- X  (That is the word I wanted to take back)

G- What's after X?

Me- Nothing.

G- I bet X movies are really scary!

Me- Yep.

G- Do you and Daddy watch X movies?

Me- Nope.

G- Do Grandma and Grandpa watch X movies?

Me- I don't think so.

G- Do you know anybody who watches X movies?

Me- Not anyone I can think of.  Let's change the subject.

Social grace eludes him at times...

-like this weekend when he said to me- "Mommy, I think you need to start working out more."  I said, "Why do you say that?"  He answered, "Because of your legs."  And I said, "What about my legs."  And he said, "They're kind of floppy."

Thank you Gavin, for your brutal honesty!

May I please have a cookie?

Inquiring Mind

G- "Mommy, why do people think belly buttons are so funny?"

Inquiring Mind

Gavin has a tendency to ask questions that are completely unrelated to the conversation at hand.  For instance...

We were getting ready to go the dog park today, and I asked him:

"Gavin, did you brush your teeth yet?"  He responded by saying, "Yes, but do you know how to juggle with torches?"

Another Game

Said by Emma, all in one breath- 

Gavin, do you want to play a game, who can touch their hot dog the longest.

Emma won.

Lilah and Lola

Games

These kids can make a game out of anything.  For instance:

Emma said to Gavin at breakfast, "Gavin, let's have a contest to see who can hold their toast longest."  

Quote from Gavin

Gavin had a play date at his friend Aidan's house yesterday.  Aidan's mom was getting ready to bring Gavin home, and Gavin asked her if it would be ok if Aidan played the Wii at our house during the drop off.  This is what he said to Leah:

"Can Aidan come in my house and play the Wii when you drop me off while you're talking to my mom, because I just know  you're going to talk to my mom, because she is very good at talking."

Lilah's birthday

Lilah designed a theme for her 9th birthday kid party- Harry Potter/Amazing Race.  

Of course there was a Harry Potter cake (Target creation):

With a little help from mom and dad, Lilah planned out a race with clues and challenges to complete in order to move on, to eventually search for the Sorcerer's Stone. 

Challenges included: 

Carrying a dragon egg on the spoon and passing it to your partner

Harry Potter Word Search

Toss the Snitch (water balloon toss)

Find the secret message in Hermione's Book Bag

Avoid the Troll Monster through the playground bridge

Search for the Sorcerer's Stone to win!

All ended well- Lilah and her partner found the Stone (metallic gold painted rock).  A few tears were shed by a couple of participants who really wanted to win, Gavin being one of the tear shedders.

Party favors- Harry Potter iron-on t-shirts

The Face of Innocence

NOT!!!!!!!

Mike had a new shirt that he said was too big.  Emma told him that he should "wait a year.  You can grow into it."

Toothless Perma-Grin

Emma wore a smile on her face 24/7 during our recent trip to Florida (highlights coming soon)- I find it ironic that her baby nickname was Fussy McFuss-a-lot.

Oh, and yes, along with being happy and always smiling, she is also crazy and sometimes out-of-control wild and silly.

Mr. Sensitive

Emma lost one of her lil'kinz (small webkinz). I think it's a lion. She brought it to school a couple of weeks ago and misplaced it. Anyway, Gavin is very upset about the missing lion and needs consoling at night before going to sleep. I find this strange, not only because the stuffed animal belongs to Emma, but also because we have about 150 stuffed animals in this house. He is so worried that we'll never find it again. I suggested that we get a new one, but this doesn't make him happy. The thought of replacing it makes him more upset. Last night I told him that I'm sure it'll turn up. He kept asking me how I can be sure... What if... etc. I told him to place his hand on his heart and have faith that it will one day turn up. I sure hope we find it.

Last weekend, we went to Nickelodeon Theme Park at the Mall of America. It was totally crazy with way too many people, but the kids had a blast. At one point, Mike and the twins were together and I was with Lilah. I realized that I didn't have my cell phone, and couldn't find Mike anywhere. I mentioned to Lilah that maybe we should find a pay phone. To this she responded, "What's a pay phone?"

Musical Interests

The kids listen to music at night while they're falling asleep. Gavin used to always listen to The Jayhawks. The girls used to like High School Musical soundtracks, but we stopped allowing it, since it just revved the girls up instead of winding them down.
They have to take turns listening to the music they like. For a while, they argued over who got to listen to Vivaldi (four seasons). Recently, arguments have started up over who gets to listen to Neil Young- Harvest Moon.

The things kids say...

The kids go through phases of having funny little phrases or quirky ways of talking and then they grow up and don't say it anymore, and I miss it. Like when Lilah used to call Ed- Uncle Head. Or when she used to say "becept" instead of except.

I've noticed lately that whenever the kids think we're kidding about something, they say "Promise?" instead of saying something like, "Are you kidding?" or "Seriously?" For example...

Today, we walked to the donut shop in the morning. Gavin asked how we were going to get back. I said that we were going to fly. He said, "Promise?"

Inquiring Mind

Why do people think belly buttons are so funny?

(this question had nothing to do with the conversation we were having)