Knock Knock, Too Smart, and Fun Family Times

We took the kids to Famous Dave's for dinner tonight.  It's one of our favorite places, and earlier in the week, Jack had requested that we visit again.

"You remember that place with the big bear?  And the moose on the wall?  When can we go there again, Mom?"

So I thought Saturday before school started would be a fun, family celebration.  Only in order to make it back on time for the kids to have baths and go to bed, we decided to visit the closer location rather than the one we normally eat at.  And unfortunately for us, it is not set up in exactly the same way, i.e. bear outside and moose on the wall.

When we got there, Jack shared his disappointment.  I tried to explain that maybe they had brought the bear statue inside since it was going to rain.  And look!  They have animals on the wall, too!

He wasn't buying it.

The animals were not in the right place.

And the statue?  It's way too heavy for someone to move it because of the rain.

Literally.

Those were his words.

We don't get anything past that one.

*****

On the way home, Hannah decided to tell her very first knock-knock joke.  She just randomly started saying, "Knock, knock."

So finally, I asked, "Who's there?"

And believe it or not, she said, "Cow."

"Cow, who?"

"Moo!"

We laughed and laughed and laughed.  And then we heard the same joke 27 times before we got home.

*****

The kiddos were so good at dinner.  Maybe we're at the ages now where it's okay to eat in public more often.  No screaming and/or tantrums.  Everyone ate.  It was wonderful.

The potato salad was good, too:)

Hannah Bear

Last weekend, Jack and Hannah were jumping on our bed, and Hannah shouted out, "Here comes Hannah, I need you to move!" before belly-flopping onto the comforter.

*****

While I was trying to listen to one of Jack's stories, Hannah Bear was simultaneously asking me for a snack.  This is not unusual - there are many times a day where it just seems like they are both talking at me at the same time.  But this time, Hannah stuck her little hip out to the side and asked, "Are you listening to me?"

I'm just going to go ahead and admit that she got that from me.  There.  I said it.

*****

Hannah came up to me with her Doc McStuffins toy and said, "It's not working very well."  I was so impressed with her use of well instead of good that my jaw dropped.  I kissed her and told her how much I loved her.

She apparently wasn't satisfied because she repeated herself.

That's when I remembered that I'd turned the battery-operated toy off because I couldn't stand to hear that song one more time the other day.  So I "fixed it" for her, and off she went.

"It's not working very well."

How perfect is that?

*****

When Brad and I say, "I love you," to Hannah Bear, she says, "Okay."

*****

While playing on the floor next to Dylan, I heard Hannah say, "Don't get Hannah tootsies!"  I turned to find a Baby Dylan swiping at her little toes.  I think she was worried he might eat them:)

*****

It didn't take long.  I was holding Hannah after dinner last night, when she stuck her wet, sloppy finger into my ear and said, "Wet willy."  She was so proud of herself, and then...

"I get a quarter."

Brad and I had a good laugh about that one.

*****

This morning Hannah asked for Gracie and Belle.  When I reminded her that they were at their new home, she said, "I want them."

Ensue tears.  Mine, not hers.

"I know, Baby.  Me too.  But they are having such a good time at their new home."  All said while smiling like a crazy person.

And that was all.  She didn't bring it up again.

*****

 

Right now, Hannah seems to be in a phase where she inserts the word probably into most of her sentences.

I probably need help.

I probably need juice.

I probably want binky lovey. (This is actually how she says this: binky lovey, always together.)

*****

Hannah knows exactly when and how to soothe herself, by the way.  As soon as she's upset or disappointed or frustrated, she goes off in search of her binky lovey.  She also likes to fiddle with tags.  All of the tags on her lovies are super-soft from being rubbed by her tiny fingers for countless nights.  It's adorable, and I love it.

*****

{This is the best picture I took of Hannah this week.  She was trying out Jack's new Thor costume, and I think she liked it.}

Hannah Bear

Hannah definitely gives us a run for our money...a tiny bit frightening since she's only two.  I can only imagine how that will play out for us as she enters her teenage years.

{do you see the sass on her face?  because we certainly do.}

*****

When she's negotiating for something she knows I don't want her to have, say peanut M & M's at 9 am in the morning, she smiles, keeps heading in their general direction, cocks her head, and asks, "Just a little bit?"  If I don't answer right away, but I smile at her, she points at me and says again, "Just a little bit!"  Usually, I cave.  I'm working on it, but she's just so darn cute.

*****

If Hannah doesn't perfectly agree with the plan, she'll sarcastically ask, "Really, Mom?"

This is definitely something she's learned from Jack.  Who learned from me.

Sometimes I just can't help myself.  He does something so completely off the wall or unacceptable that a "Really?" creeps out.  I'm working on it.

*****

If she disagrees with me about something I've said, she might reply, "Yesh, it does!"  even if it doesn't make sense. 

For example:

"Hannah, you don't need your binky right now.  You can have it at nap time."

"Yesh, it does.  I need binky now."

or

"Hannah, we don't need to clean up now, we can get it later."

"Yesh, it does!"

*****

Occasionally, when I'm taking a shower, Jack and Hannah will play in our tub.  I get them all set up with a little bit of water and some toys, and then I take a shower right next to them.  The other day, I had just gotten in the shower when Hannah came over and attempted to turn the water on by herself.  When I explained that she had to wait for me so that she wouldn't get hurt, she emphatically announced, "I'm fine, Mom.  I'm fine."

Again, from Jack.

*****

We have a pretty set bedtime routine at night, and usually it involves me putting Hannah into her bed, rubbing her hair, and telling her how much I love her.  Apparently, I must say exactly, "Goodnight, Princess.  I love you."

Because the other night I didn't say that.  And so Hannah told me to.  "Say goodnight princess."

"What, Baby Girl?" I asked, as I took her binky out of her mouth.

"Say goodnight princess."  Completely serious.  With big, blue eyes looking up at me expectantly.

Brad and I got a good chuckle out of that one:)

*****

She also likes to reaffirm to me every night that "Daddy kiss hannah on the bed," after I've held her next to him for kisses.  She likes for him to tuck her in after I do each night, and she doesn't want us to forget.

*****

She's completely fearless.  Well, until a bunny rabbit heads her way or she gets a little too close to Chuck E. at Chuck E. Cheese.  But other than that?  She's our risk-taker.  I was trying to get a video of Jack going down a water slide the other day.  He'd practiced over and over again, and Hannah had gone down a couple of times as well.  I knew Hannah was in line behind him, but I planned on setting down my phone before helping Hannah down the slide, as I'd done the times before.  This was not her plan at all.  Thank goodness I was right there, and Jack knows to always look out for his little sister.

No fear.

*****

She gets hurt and falls down constantly, but barely cries.  She gets back up, she might stick out her bottom lip a bit, and then she just keeps on going.  She banged her toe the other day and pretty much lost her toenail.  Not a peep.

*****

She also says/requests the following all of the time:

I gonna be right back.
Don't touch it.
Be back in a second.
Don't eat Hannah waffle/corn/cookie/juice/snack.
Don't kiss Hannah tootsies/cheeks/nose/arm.
I'm not tired.

She often says all of the above while pointing her finger at me.

Sure, she's sassy.  But my, do we love her.

*********************************************************************************

We can add to the list of tiny things I notice about the puppies being gone that no one comes immediately bounding down the stairs when I open the fridge late at night for a before-bedtime snack.

Other than that, today was much better.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

It's been a really long, sad day.  I can't share just yet, but I will.

Instead, tonight I want to remember the silly things my kids say and do - always makes me smile.  You'll have to indulge me; I'm a little behind.

*****

While we were staying at Great Wolf Lodge and on our way to the Golden Corral, we forgot Hannah's binky and lovey.  On our way back to the hotel to retrieve the forgotten binky, Jack must've said that word at least 25 times.  And Hannah was getting increasingly more upset.  Finally, I turned around and said, "If we keep saying binky, she's going to keep wanting her binky, so if we could stop saying binky, that'd be great."

We got a good laugh out of that one - Hannah included.

*****

When Hannah starts fussing, and Jack knows it's fake, he calls her on it immediately.  "Hannah, that's fake."

That's all.

And then?

She stops.

*****

One night, we were trying to get Hannah to eat carrots.  She hates carrots.  Jack had already finished dinner, and as he was standing by, he announced, "This...is not going to go well."

Every time Brad and I hear something we say come out of Jack's mouth, we just crack up.

*****

One morning, I went into Hannah's room to get her out of her crib, and I caught her off-guard.  She looked up at me, stuck her bottom lip out, and said, "Scare you."

"Mommy scared you?"

"Yes."

I felt so bad, but after I gave her some kisses, she was much better.

On our way down the stairs, I told her, "I love you, Baby Girl.  You make me happy."

And she just smiled.

Because she knows.

*****

For Hannah's birthday dinner, I made ziti, salad, and garlic bread.  Our kids don't like salad, but they love bacon bits.  Love with a capital L.

Hannah likes to get her own bacon bits, and she was literally just pouring fistfuls into her tiny hands and shoving them into her mouth before I could take the jar away.

When I did, she asked, "Last time?"  That means she wanted more.

When I started to say no, Jack chimed in and said, "It's her birthday, you can't just leave her hanging."

Brad and I thought that was pretty hysterical.

Needless to say, Hannah got more bacon bits:)

*****

When I took Jack and Hannah to a local water park, we had to drive down a wooded road to get there. There were trees lining the sides of the street, and you could see some vines hanging from tree to tree.

Jack, in awe from the backseat, told me, "I love swinging on vines."

And then he whispered, "But I've never done it before."

I just thought that was the cutest thing in the world.  I don't think I'll ever forget it!

I Love You, Bunny Rabbit

This afternoon, Jack and Hannah spent some time at Grandma and Grandpa's so that I could go to a meeting for work and then get my haircut.  When I went to pick them up, we noticed a bunny rabbit hopping around in Grandma and Grandpa's front yard.

Jack and Hannah were so excited to see a bunny rabbit and they tried to get as close as they possibly could.  While inching closer and closer, Hannah let out a little squeal and said, "I love you, Bunny Rabbit!"

The bunny rabbit hopped into the bushes and while Jack tried to get closer to him on one side, Hannah and I went towards the other side to see if he would come out that way.

As Jack got closer, sure enough, the bunny hopped out of the bushes...and straight for Hannah!

She immediately threw her hands up in the air, screamed the girliest scream you've ever heard, and ran for my legs.

"Bunny Rabbit scare Hannah," she said, sticking out her bottom lip.

I assured her the bunny rabbit would not hurt her, but we certainly got a good laugh out of the fact that seconds earlier she'd been telling him how much she loved him.

Apparently bunny rabbits are only lovable from a distance!

Silly girl...

Hannah Bear

Hannah has recently developed a passion for taking off all her clothes, diaper included, shaking her booty, and saying, "Naked baby!"

*****

Tonight, when Hannah heard Daddy was home, she quickly hid under the table and laughed and laughed and laughed.  She thought it was the best hiding spot ever.  Needless to say, he found her pretty quickly:)

*****

I think the terrible twos are arriving a bit early.  Hannah throws a tantrum like you wouldn't believe as soon as she does not get her way.  Uh oh.

Just the other day, she actually said, "No way," to me.  I don't even remember what I asked her to do.  Just that she said, "No way."

She also says, "You're not the boss of me."  Lucky me, she learned that one from Jack saying it to her.  Only now, she uses it on me.

*****

When Hannah gets a craving, she comes up to me, smiles, and says, "Choc-o-lat?"  It literally melts my heart into a puddle.  Girlfriend's got my sweet tooth, and it makes me smile.

Also, when she asks me for a "peesh a candy?"  How do you say no to that?  You don't.  That's how.

*****

When we're driving in the car, and it's too bright, Hannah squints and says, "Shunshine eyes!"  This is also how she asks for her sunglasses:)

Just Jack

Tonight while I was making dinner, Jack and Hannah were playing by the stairs.  I overheard a tiny piece of their conversation, and it made me smile.

Jack, leaning over to talk to Hannah, asked her if she wanted to watch a show in "a few whiles."

Watching him learn time increments lately is pretty stinkin' cute.

Also, just the way he talks to his little sister sometimes?  It makes me swoon.

Hannah Bear

We were reading stories tonight before Hannah's bedtime, and I got to the page that reads, "Have you ever hugged an octopus?"

when Hannah quickly responded, "No."

Completely matter-of-fact.

Smart girl.  She's certainly right - to the best of our knowledge, she's never kissed an octopus:)

Just Jack

So the other night, Brad asked Jack whether Hannah was more like me or more like Daddy.  And I'm not kidding when I tell you that this is exactly what he said:

I think she's more like Mama because she's crazy like Hannah.

My jaw literally dropped.  I have no idea where this came from.

Brad thought it was the greatest thing in the world, and now Jack repeats it all the time.

Lovely.

*****

After spending such a good day together, we were lying in bed snuggling when Jack said to me, "I had such a good day today.  I'd rather spend the day with you, Mama."

Be still my little heart.  That's for sure.

Just Jack

While we were snuggling before bed, this is what Jack said:

I'm a tricky boy...tonight I'm gonna sneak up on you so you don't know I'm here and I'm gonna sleep in your bed...

*****

While eating dinner, he finished eating something that wasn't quite his favorite.  He said to me, "Mommy, my tummy's full, there's nothing I can do about it."

I guess he gave me a taste of my own medicine right then.

*****

When I asked him if his tummy hurt or if he needed to go potty, he replied, "I'll just take it easy."

*****

After making a mac and cheese sandwich (gross!), Jack announced, "I have good taste."  He'll eat a mac and cheese sandwich, but not a single vegetable.  He's killing me.

*****

When I asked Jack, "Why are you so smart?"

He replied, "That's just how God made me."

He's learning:)

Hot Dogs

Tonight we had a slightly scary, and then very funny episode at the dinner table.

I had made the kids hot dogs, and Jack was being a little overzealous.  He took a little too-large bite, and I could tell it got stuck for a moment before he coughed and was fine.

But he immediately said, "I just swallowed a whole piece down my tummy.  It hurt a little.  I almost died." {insert huge grin}

We had a little chat about appropriately-sized bites.  But at least he's learning to lay on the drama!

Proud Mama

I've started occasionally looking at wordless books with Jack so that he can practice telling a story by looking at the pictures.  Tonight, he was so excited that he was catching on while we read Breakfast for Jack.  He looked up at me with his big, blue eyes and said, "It doesn't have any words so we can talk whatever makes sense!"

My mommy/teacher-heart beamed.

That's right, my little man.  You're so smart!

It's only been a week...

We had the family room painted a few days before Hannah's first birthday party.

Today, Jack scanned the room and announced, "I'm starting to like the house while it's yellow now."

Good thing, Kid.  Good thing.