The Elevator

I was wondering when they would figure it out.  It took 4 years of living in this house, but the children finally discovered the most obvious way of using the balcony in our vaulted living room:

There have been a few close calls...like Calvin wanting to pull up Suzana.  One day, they went mountain climbing.  After leaving it up for a week, we parentals decided we should disassemble their engineering feat.  We'll see how long it takes to reappear.

FIRE!

We've had a few rough days around here, so yesterday afternoon when my dreamy husband came home from work, I took a few minutes to sit in a chair and stare into space.  Magically, the children played on their own without screaming at each other.  I was tuning everything out but heard a few tid-bits that amounted to something like "Dad, we need some sticks, we need to make a fire."  And Thomas's response "We aren't going to make a fire right now, how about you just make a pretend one?"

I forgot all about this exchange until we returned from Suzuki group class later that evening.  I looked down as I walked through our toy room, and this is what I saw:

I laughed.

Guess the Little People needed a fire to stay warm and sing their songs around. It appears that they might be holding hands.  The red paper Calvin used to make the fire is an old Suzuki recital program.  I am going to pretend that it being crumpled up and "burned" is not an indication of his feelings about violin (although, after the last few practice session, I think we both feel like burning the violin itself.)

What do you think they are singing?  

Sometimes I really want to get into my children's heads.  Sometimes.  

Elusive Smoke

Suzana learned today that like bubbles, you cannot catch smoke. 

You really should have seen how hard she was concentrating.  The incense was sitting in that little red thing on the counter top.  The smoke didn't show up in the photos, but it was snaking up quite beautifully and distinctly.  Yes, I know I should have moved the matches.  (By the way, that "Joe Blow" red wine was on sale at Schnucks' this week, and is it really quite tasty.)  

Gisela sent us some incense for our Raucherman (uh, help me out, not sure on the spelling on this but it translates "smoking man;"  you put incense in it and the smoke cleverly exits the little statue; a favorite decoration around the holidays), but since the little hunter was already put-up with the Christmas things, I burnt the incense without any festive Germanic adornment.  

So while Suzana faced the harsh reality of the elusiveness of smoke, I learned that:

1)  You shouldn't burn incense cones in a plastic container.

2)  It sure is funny to watch your 3 year old try to catch smoke.  I answered the phone while watching Suzana and I started laughing while talking to the woman from the lighting store who was calling me to tell me my order had arrived.  I told her what was so funny.  She was probably wondering why there was smoke in my house and why I was letter my daughter try to catch it and why on earth I was confessing all of this to her, a perfect stranger.   But when you have stayed home everyday for several years with young children, talking to adults, even ones you don't know, is a special treat.  

A Few Cute Words

Note:  There are no pictures to accompany these vignettes as they would be completely inappropriate.

I wasn't even going to post these little conversations from the last 24 hours, because I didn't want to embarrass any of us, but the more I think about them, the more I laugh, so I thought I needed to share them.  I think I was also inspired by the inappropriate headline on the front of today's sports section of the Courier and Press written by a sports writer whose brain was either 1) clueless or 2) in the gutter or 3) both.  If you're curious, you can go look it up.  It made Thomas and I chortle even before we had our first cup of joe.  

Anyway, last night, after Thomas got home from work, Suzana had to go to the bathroom. When she is done doing her duty, she loves to call out, at the top of her lungs  "Daddy, come to wipe!"

As Thomas was resting, I went in to help, and I said  "Mommy will do it.  Daddy is resting, and I love wiping your cute little butt."

Suzana:  My butt is not little.  I am not a baby.  I am a big girl and I have a big butt.

Me:  Oh honey, trust me, you do not want a big butt.

Suzana:  No.  I have a big butt.  I am not a baby and I do not have a little butt.

This could have gone on for sometime.  I chose just to let it be a snigger about it for a while.  

Then, this morning, I got in the shower after Thomas left for work but before Calvin had risen. I was still in the shower when he eventually got out of bed, and he came in the bathroom and said "Mom, will you give me breakfast in your underwear?"

Well, I did put on a robe, but the poor boy was hungry and he knew he had made a few too many large messes in the kitchen lately to attempt breakfast on his own.  Poor guy was hungry and didn't want to wait for Mom to get ready.  

Dear Clorox

Dear Clorox:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for inventing those nifty disposable disinfecting wipes.  I really do love them.  For example, cleaning out the refrigerator is one of my least favorite of all household chores, but because of your great innovation, I can now let my 5 year old and 3 year contribute significantly in accomplishing this task.  It really cuts down on the amount of time it takes me to scrub down the 'fridge.  

Most Sincerely Yours,

Babs

Pink Snow Bunny

Pink Coat?  check.

Pink Hat?  check.

Pink mittens?  check.

Pink boots?  check.

Pink nightgown?  check.

Pink legs?  check.

Seriously, this girl should get a job with the USPS.  She just HAD to go out after breakfast this morning (it was probably only 20 degrees outside) so that she could mail the letter she had written at the breakfast table.  She would not and could not be deterred.  It must have been VERY important.  

Too bad she forgot to take the letter with her when she went outside.  She was very upset upon realizing her mistake, and never did get that slip of paper in our mailbox.  

Christmas Wonders

Our holidays were so jam packed full of celebrations that I cannot really do justice in attempting to explain all the people we saw, all the delicious food we ate, all the songs we sang; miles driven, hugs given, toys played with, rules broken, traditions followed; conversations had, toasts made, etc, etc, etc.  

But, here are a few choice pictures (in no particular order what-so-ever, just to completely confuse you regarding our itinerary) with brief explanations.  They only begin to skim the surface of the depth and breadth of our very meaningful holiday.

S and C fell in love with Chihuly at the Columbus Museum.  Upon returning to Kindergarten on Monday, Calvin gave a mini-lecture to his class about what he saw and learned.

Doing puzzles with Grandpa and cooking with Grandma.

Christmas Day Dinner Aunt Fern reads babsland excerpts with Calvin. 

Daddy helped build Frosty.  Shiver (not pictured) was added later (he was much smaller).

Singing with Omi and Papa

Opening presents and playing a mini recital

Played with Rachel and her children at COSI.  Suzana tried out the astronaut potty.

For all the pictures posted, there were many more taken and even more not taken, except in our minds' eyes.

In closing, let me add, with much humility, the following anecdote:  Initially, we weren't so sure we wanted to go anywhere for Christmas.  But after celebrating an intimate Thanksgiving alone, we decided that perhaps, a Virginia Christmas with my parents might be nice. Then, while we were at it, why not break up the return trip and visit the Josenhans' in Columbus?  The funny thing, was that I think both Thomas and I thought we were doing our parents such a HUGE favor by coming home for the holidays.  It didn't take us long to realize that our little family benefitted from the visits more than our parents did, who bent over backwards to make the holidays beautiful and festive.  It was great for me to have a Virginia Christmas (complete with tear jerking Mennonite a capella singing) again after many years, and Thomas loved being at home too, especially for the rouladen and to share in the Bucks' Rose Bowl victory with his Dad.  So thank you Harley, Sadie, Gisela, and Paul, and all the other relatives and friends we saw over the last two weeks.  And to those who we didn't get to hug in person, know that you are indeed missed and deeply loved.