"Daddy, change Oliver's diaper"

"He pooped".

I love how Natalie knows how the division of labor goes in this house, when Jon isn't traveling!

Hit the road, Jack

When we sold my old Nissan to Carmax a couple of years ago, we couldn't find the spare keys. They turned up months later, too late to turn them in. Wound up giving them to Natalie to play with.

Oliver dug them out of a toy bin today and came running out of the playroom. He flashed me a grin, waved the keys in one hand, waved at me with the other, and ran for the front door saying "Bye! Bye! Bye!". It was so funny - he looked so pleased with himself!

Proud mama

Took the kids to get their hair cut yesterday. Oliver went first, Natalie was playing with the train tables. By the time she got called back, she was in a shitastic mood (probably hungry, it was close to lunchtime, and she had been trying to play nicely/share with a younger boy, but he was being a total brat and I think she'd finally had enough, but still). No major tantrum, but I had to put her in the chair, and she glared the whole time. Storm cloud face, wouldn't say a word except about how much she hated the glitter the woman put in her hair (for the record, it was really fine, like pixie dust, and looked so cute in the sun). Then was pissed because I wouldn't buy her a toy as we were leaving. As if.

Took them to IHOP for lunch, as it was next door. She perked up after eating, and was very chatty/polite with an old couple across from us - rare for her - she's cautious around strangers. As we were leaving, she told me "I'm really sorry for being mean in the hair place. I'm SO sorry. I'm very sorry". I told her I forgave her, then told her that she really made that old couple's day by speaking to them so nicely (they mentioned that they missed having little ones around).

Then she looked at me and said "Mommy, could you take me back to the hair place so I can tell that lady I'm sorry?". I told her sure, absolutely. Wasn't expecting much because I expected her to get shy - I was just impressed that she even thought to do that. Damned if she didn't walk in, go up to Crystal (the lady who cut their hair) and said "I'm sorry for being mean to you. I really like my haircut". This other woman's kids were just finishing up - she was there when Natalie got pissy - we were commiserating over girly attitudes. She asked how I got Natalie to do that, and I told her I had nothing to do with it - it was her idea. She commented "Many adults wouldn't come back and do that".

I was in tears. Seriously heart bursty - just so very, very proud of her. We all know how difficult it can be to apologize and admit when we are wrong - that she did it of her own volition, and to a stranger no less, just bowled me over. I gave her lots of positive praise of course - I wanted her to know that I know apologizing when we are wrong isn't an easy thing to do, but it is the right thing, and very very grown-up.

Later that evening, oh-so-earnestly, she told me "Mommy, I was really proud of you today for taking us to have brekkus (breakfast) for lunch".

God, I love that child.

Guardian angel

Natalie was given a small figurine as a baby. It has an infant (probably supposed to be Jesus, although the baby is wearing pink, no matter) on a bed of straw, with an angel at its feet. It plays "O Holy Night". She put it in Oliver's room, and told me this:

"Mommy, do you know why I put this in Oliver's room?"
"No, why?"
"Because Oliver is the baby in the manger, I mean crib and the other one is...."
"His guardian angel watching over him?"
"No. That's ME watching over him".

I'd say he's in pretty good hands!

"Daddy, you have to see my waffle popper"

Jon - "waffle popper?"
Natalie - "Yeah, my waffle popper"
Jon - *confused look*
Me - *lightbulb*
Me - "toaster?" - good thing I was there to translate. :-P
Natalie "Oh yeah, right. My toaster".

She reorganized her play kitchen yesterday. It looks great! Wonder how long that will last?

Natalie Post

Just now at breakfast -

Natalie - "Oliver, could you start eating like a big boy?"
Oliver - *evil grin, shakes his head no"
Natalie - "Aw, c'mooooon Oliver, please eat like a big boy. Please don't throw your food, or take mine, and please share yours."
Oliver - *grins, nods yes*
Natalie - "That's my good boy. Good baby".

On a side note, Oliver has been able to communicate "no" by shaking his head, in context, for months now. Just lately, he's been able to nod "yes", in context, and it is the cutest thing! He can't control just his head, so basically he nods his whole body, with the cutest grin! I had forgotten just how cool it is when the synapses start firing, and they start being able to communicate well. Love it!

He's also down to just one more tooth to cut, and you can see it, it just hasn't popped. Once he has his left cuspid, that's it until the 2nd year and 6th year molars! He has quite the set of choppers. As the marks on my arm from our trip to Costco yesterday prove. He doesn't bite aggressively, but yesterday, he was taking my arm and chomping down and laughing. I think he's seen the "Don't bite your friends" Yo Gabba Gabba episode once too often. Doesn't help that Natalie and I sing the little song over and over again, laughing our heads off. One of the characters will have a piece of food and sing "Chomp chomp chomp?", the others sing "Yes, yes yes". Then the character will grab one of his friend's arms and say "Bite, bite bite?", the rest sing "No, no no". Never fails to crack me up.

"Mommy, smell Oliver's breath"

For some reason, that phrase struck a little fear in my heart. Haha! This morning, Natalie came up to me and we had the following conversation:

"Mommy, smell Oliver's breath"
"Why?"
"Just do it, it's a special surprise"
"What did he eat?"
"*giggle* It's a surprise - it was brown and round"

*at this, I really started to get a little scared*

"Did he eat poop?"
"Just smell his breath"

So I did, no poop breath, couldn't smell much at all, thanks to my allergies.

"I can't smell anything, what did he eat?"
"I gave him a Whopper"
"You gave him what?" - she has a secret stash of candy in her playroom. She doesn't eat it often, and never without asking, so I don't stress about it. She keeps it packed for Girl Scouts. LOL
"I gave him a Whopper. Just one. He LOVED it!"

Then they had a Whopper picnic on the floor.