Happy Turkey....er....Valentine's Day

Levi drew turkeys on some of his Valentine cards. His explanation was pretty much priceless: "This is a boy turkey like me, and they have GREAT courtship dances!"
Well, alrighty then. Who knew turkeys were more than just a Thanksgiving thing?

We had a super lovely Valentine's day complete with balloons, cards, presents, lunch with BawBaw and Nanno, cookie making, game playing, and a nap for the littlest one (the first in a couple of days...teething is rough). The kids declared it to be the very best Valentine's Day ever.

Hope y'all had a wonderful and love filled day as well!

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

Sunday's Tall Tale:

Paraphrase of the lady leading children's church (at the front of the church): "We should never make fun of other people for what they're wearing. Everyone likes to wear different things and that's okay. I like to wear these fun animal prints. And it looks like Jenny there likes to take her shoes off. But, some people might wear different clothes because that's just what they have. They may not have enough money to buy the latest fashions." 

Levi, in the loudest voice possible with a giant grin plastered across his face: "When we don't have any money, we go hunting!!"

I guess we wear the deer skins? Sigh. Funniest part is that no one in our immediate family hunts. I think he's getting very into the Little House books we've been reading. When I told my mother about it, Levi proudly exclaimed, "I made the whole church laugh, Nanno!"

Wednesday"s Light bulb Moment:

Levi: Does everyone have a mama?

Me: Yep.

Levi: But, Aunt Annie doesn't.

Me: Yes, she does. That's her mama. (pointing to Nanno)

Levi: No. It's not.

Me: Yes. She's my mama and Aunt Annie's mama.

Levi: So, THAT'S why she comes to visit me!...to see her mama and her sister.

Later Wednesday evening:

Levi: "When I grow up I'm going to tell stories of when I was a little boy....just a poor little boy. I grew up poor. I'm gonna show 'em my baby books, so that they can know how people lived. I lived way different from most people. I grew up poor and did different things and had a problem with a raccoon." 

Bwahahahah! I nearly spit out my tea. Seriously. I think someone is taking the Little House books WAY too seriously.

This Boy...

Levi: I’m gonna be a paleontologist when I grow up. I’ll work for dinosaurs.
Me: what do dinosaurs pay?
Levi: Nuthin’. Some work for plants, and some work for meat.
A few minutes later:
Levi: I’ve gotta go to the jellyfish museum. I work for jellyfish.
Me: I thought you worked for dinosaurs.
Levi (gives me a look like poor, clueless mama): No. I’m gonna do that when I grow up. I work for the jellyfish now.
Me: How much do they pay?
Levi: About a dollar.

Where Babies Come From...According To Levi

Levi: "Sophia, would you like a new baby?"
Sophia nods head yes.
Levi: "Okay! Let's get one from mommy's heart!"

Everyday Blessings

Some blessings...

:: A very restorative evening to myself.

:: Squeals of joy upon my return.

:: Flowers picked just for me.

:: Small pudgy hands collecting twigs and rocks and leaves.

:: Smiles that turn my heart into a giant puddle.

:: Chocolate covered faces.

:: The smell of sunshine in Sophia's hair after she plays.

:: A growing pile of hand knits for our new baby.

:: Casting on for more baby knits.

:: Pretty fabric waiting to become curtains for my girl.

:: Levi's fervent belief that I can indeed make anything he dreams up.

:: And, Levi's newest declaration: "Mama, I want the baby to be a girl like Sophia, and I want it's name to be Levo....Leeevoooo."

It's been a good week. How about yours?

Best Day Of His Life...So Far

A few days ago we met up with friends at the fire station. Levi thought he'd landed in heaven. After a little talk on fire safety, the kids all got hats and badges. Levi was a fireman. Seriously. There was no addressing him as anything but.

The firemen were incredibly sweet to the kids. They let them climb all over their truck and patiently answered at least 500 million questions. At one point, Levi cornered this one and talked his ears off.

I swear he's shy, but you would not have known it that day...

After about an hour of kiddo bliss, the firemen got a call. We whisked the kids off to the sidelines where they got to watch the firemen jump into their trucks and drive away.

As we were leaving, Levi announced that he was a 'fire hazard'. Ha!

Leviisms

While shelling peas, Levi came up with a little rhyme:
"Open it up. See what you see. It's a pea!"

While I was saying the blessing before lunch:
"Mama, He (referring to God) said, 'You're Welcome!'"

Overheard while Levi was playing with some animal toys:
"Hello, Turkey-Monkey! How are you? Turkey-Monkey, you are magnificant!"
(Misspelling intentional. He totally pronounced it with an emphasis on the 'cant'.)

*I don't know if you can tell, but his shirt is on inside out. He's suddenly developed a hatred of tags...even in tagless shirts. Guess he's just trying to keep me on my toes.

Trains, Trains, Trains

Levi has always had a fascination with things that go, "Vroom!", but just lately it's been 24/7 trains. Sunday, before he left for his dad's, we spent the day with Nanno and BawBaw. We pulled my old train set out of the closet and dusted it off.

He played and played with that old thing.

Note the intensity of his concentration. So intense that it required a bit of tongue-sticking-out action.

Lately, Levi has been talking about his birthday. (It's not until November.) During one of our birthday conversations I asked him what kind of party he wanted. He said, "A celebration kind of party."
"Um. Ok. But, what kind of celebration?....You know we could do a monster party!"
I was totally thinking of this as I said that...

                                        Source: ginaandkris.blogspot.com via Madeline on Pinterest

Cute, no?
He promptly dashed my dreams, by announcing that he wanted a train party. He couldn't be persuaded otherwise. Apparently the thought of an 'Adopt a Monster' favor basket does not thrill him as much as it does me.
So, I'll be googling train cuteness for the next few months.

In His Heart

This is Levi "modelling" a pair of shorts I made for him. Yeah. Doesn't sitting show them off well? Ha!

Yesterday Levi insisted on sitting at my feet as I nursed Sophia to sleep for a nap. I explained to him how he needed to be super quiet. He agreed. He sat at my feet for a few minutes looking at one of his trains. I could see the wheels turning in that head of his and knew it wouldn't be long before something came out of his mouth. Then, suddenly, he popped his head up and (in a not so quiet 'whisper') said:

"Mama! I think about BawBaw. I think about him because he's in my heart. I'm in his heart too."

Later on. When Sophia woke up from her nap. Levi said, "I love Sophia. She's in my heart." He has since declared all of those most dear to him as being in his heart "ever and ever"....which I think translates to forever.

There are certainly times when I'd like to string the kid up by his toenails, but then there are these moments. The ones that make my heart ache they're so good.

Leviism

Jesus' priorities according to Levi: "Sophia, Jesus loves dinner! (long pause) And, he loves me. And, he loves you too, Sophia."

 It's things like this that keep me from duct taping him to the ceiling fan some days. ;)

Crack and Grow

Nanno brought Levi a little something special...a crack and grow alligator egg.  They put it in water:
"The egg will crack open, and you'll have an alligator when you wake up."
"I'm not going to sleep!", he said.
Thankfully, he couldn't make good on that promise.  First thing upon waking, "I want my alligator egg!"

I've hesitated to say anything for fear that it might just be a fluke, but I do believe Levi's done a little cracking and growing of his own.  He's been back to his old self since Monday.  I suppose if all we get is a week of him freaking out I should count myself as very, very lucky.

Weekend Loves

MS State Fair 2010

A little web happiness for your enjoyment...

: :  Have you ever wondered how to make leaf skeletons?  I had a teacher who called them fairy wings...so pretty.

: :  I've run across a couple of cute pumpkin sewing tutes this week.  This one looks like a good scrap buster, and this one uses up tossed aside sweaters.  Oh, I just loooove fall.

: : Here's a sweet hat.  It's perfect for a little girl's fall wardrobe, and with a few changes it would be great for a little boy.

: :  Sketch Swap is a tad addictive.  Have you tried it?

: :  "You Just Broke Your Child" is a good read.  I'd like to carry a few copies around to pass out in the checkout line at Walmart.  Bad parents seem to flock there. 

: :  In one of my many attempts at getting Levi to swallow vegetables, I made these.  Levi liked them.  That is until a friend called partway through lunch, and I told her what I'd made.  Levi promptly quit eating them, and exclaimed in a rather panic stricken voice, "There's veggies hiding in my chicken!!" Obviously he's smarter than I thought he was. 

Hope y'all have a beautiful Sunday.  :-)

A Little Comfort

A cold has been making the rounds over here.  This afternoon it caught Sophia, and ever since she's been wrapped up snug...

Is this not the cutest, most pitiful sick face ever?  She has this sweet little noise to accompany it.  My heart melts and breaks all at once.

P.S.  When I pull out a wrap Levi now asks very excitedly, "Are you gonna wear her?!!"  Oh, the things that thrill an almost three year old.

Levi-isms

I just realized that it's been forever since I've done a post of Levi-isms.  I keep them on scraps of paper strewn about the house.  There are some things a mama just doesn't want to forget.

: : "Where's my rubber band mallet."--referring to the rubber mallet seen above.

: :  Levi: "You have eybrows?"
    Me: "Yes, I do."
    Levi: "You have plenty of eyebrows!"
    Me: "Um, yes."
    Levi: "I have two eyebrows!"

: :  Levi: mumble, mumble.
    Me: "What was that, Baby?"
    Levi: "I'm just talking to people."

: : "Sing peas on a river!"--referring to the song "Peace Like a River."

: : "Fix it, Mama!  Fix it!  You're a fixer!!"  Unfortunately even us 'fixer' mamas can't fix everything a munchkin can break.

: : "I like dat wheel, Mama.  Come here and smell it.  You can have an idea when you smell it."  :-) Smelling is Levi's thing.  If it's near him, he's going to smell it.  Including our doula's feet during her last visit.  Thank goodness she has 6 children and gets the craziness of 2 year olds.

: : "Come here, doggy.  Come here, doggy.  Sit in my wap."  Pats lap.  There is no dog in sight....not even a stuffed one.  I do believe we have a full blown imagination on board now.  Or a child trying to convince us to get him a dog.  "Can I have a doggy?  I reeeeeeeeyeeee neeeed a doggy!"

: : Here's a real heart melter for you....at least, it melted my heart:
    "Mama, can I marry you?"
    :) "No, Baby, I'm already married."
    "I reeeeyeee need to be married."
    Soft laugh. "Not now, Baby Bear.  You still have a few years.....And, you'll need a job."

*I don't generally dress my child in jackets during the heat of August, but sometimes he's stubborn and insists.  So far he's always taken them off before having a heat stroke!
   

Stephan's Shadow

"Can I help you?  Can I help you? I a biiiiiiiig helper!!!  Watcha doin'?  Watcha doin'?  Watcha doin'?   Watcha doin'?" ~Levi

During Stephan's days off this week the 'watcha doins' never ended.  Stephan , however, was endlessly patient with the munchkin....even when his "biiiiig helper" freaked out over getting glue on his feet.....oh, the injustices of life.  "I STICKY!!!!  I STICKY!!!!!" followed by sobs and a very strange manner of walking until a wipe was brought to the rescue.

Levi-isms of Late

: : Angels are now officially and for always, "Butterfly Men".

: : We've been explaining to Levi that this new baby will nurse (not eat popcorn like he thinks it should).  Levi calls nursing "nu-ing."  And, now, he frequently points to my chest and says, "Those are nu-ins.  When de baby comes out it's gonna nu.  It's gonna nu from the nu-ins."  And, then he very proudly grins.

: : The munchkin talks up a blue streak ....lots of stream of consciousness stuff.   I hope he doesn't mind that my general response is laughter.  How could I not laugh when he looks up at me and in all seriousness says, "I need a fraction of a moon and a box of goggles.  Where's my goggles?"  Where does he get this stuff?  What the heck is a fraction of a moon anyway?

: : Oh, and apparently, I need to quit saying "What the heck?" out loud.  Now, when Levi sees anything (even if he knows what it is) he says, "What de heck?!!"  or "What de heck is dat?!!!"  Ooops!

: : Speaking of his stream of consciousness chatting....the other day, he was telling me all about chickens and eggs and baby chicks hatching from eggs.  He went on and on.  Then, he got a surprised look on his face, and announced, "I'm hatching my boodie!"  That proclamation was followed by a very foul smell and a diaper change.

: : And, only a two year old can say, "I'm the bestest. I am!" and get a smile as a response.