I'll give you a hint...

A few nights ago, Pat asked Kyle if he needed anything else to eat before going to bed.

Kyle's response:

"I'll give you a hint, Dad. It starts with a Y and you eat it with a spoon."

I do love their little brains!
.
.
.

Lane's brain

The last Tuesday of every month, Lane has singing time at his school. They learn little songs all month long and then on this particular day, all of the parents are invited to come to the last 15 minutes of class and hear them perform.
Lane usually likes all of the songs and sings them at home but when it comes to this singing time - he refuses to sing. He just sits there.
In order to go, I have to get the little girls ready and drag them into the classroom (which by the way, this preschool has like a drive through service of sorts. I drive right up to Kyle's classroom door and the teacher comes out to get them and take them in. Same for picking up - awesome for a mom that has 2 others that I would have to cart in and out!)
Anyway, its an ordeal to come, especially if its raining. And we live in the Pacific North West. It rains here. I have told Lane that I am not going to come unless he sings the songs, like he does at home. I don't want to go and watch him sit there and stare or shake his head and act embarrassed.
Last month he sang the first two songs then quit and wouldn't go on. So I left the room and waited in the hall. After they were done he came running out to find me and gave me a big hug and told me that next time he would sing.
I decided to give him one more chance.
This last Tuesday, two days ago, was singing time.
He sang one song...sort of.
I left the room again. And when they were done he came running to me and said:
"But I was singing them in my brain! Didn't you know that I was singing them in my brain?!"
Nice try, champ! Silly kid.


**He's such a sensitive little boy and I don't want to make him feel like has to sing or I'll be disappointed in him. Cause that would hurt his little soul. But I also don't want to go through the ordeal of getting there to watch him act embarrassed and uninterested. What to do?**

Protein police

Nora talking on her cell phone (and old one of mine - as if a two year old would have her own phone! ...yet...) to an imaginary "friend":

N: Hi, who is this
"F": I'm Protein girl
N: Oh, I don't like protein girl
"F": Oh, okay then. Goodbye
N: Good bye, protein girl

Ya think she's heard about how she shouldn't eat protein? You think we should tell her about it some more?

Dementia, 4 toddlers, food allergies,

Husband in China, complete disorganization, etc

I'm too stressed to blog. Pitiful, isn't it?
These are the things I am supposed to be recording so that when I have lived through it and moved on to other stresses I can look back on those recordings and say,
"What was I thinking? That was soooo much easier than what I have to deal with now!" ; )

Or...

hopefully, I will be wiser, kind, more forgiving, and most of all patient, with myself and everyone that I love. Better armed to welcome whatever comes my way.

*Hey, remember that one time when I was like, "I'm going to go private so that I can make this blog what I really want it to be!"
But then I never blogged again? ...Awesome

My goal for February. If you want in and haven't already sent me your email info...
zonazag@gmail.com

Recalculating

Yesterday in R.S. meeting, a sister made a comment about her Tom Tom (GPS Navigation System) Her point was that she appreciated that when she missed her turn or exit, instead of yelling at her, "Why didn't you turn? Are you stupid. You might as well go back home if you can't figure it out!" (or something like that.) Instead, it thinks for a minute and then recalculates and moves on. And she compared that to parenting. How she wishes that many times throughout raising her kids, she wished that she could have paused to think, made adjustments, let things go and just move on. Unconditionally forgiving, like our Father in Heaven. Not badger her kids, bring them down, or get too upset too quickly. But instead, strive to be encouraging and bolstering to pick up the pieces, etc and just move on. So to speak.

I've thought about that A LOT since then. What a wonderful insight. My new agenda...to be thoughtful, kind, slow to rebuke and forgiving...just like Geof, my GPS. ***inside joke. when we were expecting June and not knowing whether she was pink or blue, we needed two names. So my brother Dale suggested for a boy, Geof Patrick so his initials would be GPS. Well, that didn't work out so I named the GPS Geof instead***
Of course this only works if you turn off the u-turn feature.
Otherwise it will be the kind of parent I'm trying to avoid. "Make a U-Turn. As soon as possible, make a U-Turn! Why can't you figure this out!!" Etc.
Not Pretty

Another GPS story for your reading pleasure but mostly so that I'll remember it:

Late last week I decided to venture to downtown Portland. Not something I usually do on my own (without my other GPS, the Husband) But when I do go solo, I am extremely grateful for that fine navigation system. I get so nervous downtown. With all the one-ways, and light rails, pedestrians and crazy traffic. Even though my GPS tries his hardest to tell me where and when to turn, somehow I still mess it up...BAD! As I did this trip. With all the excuses in the world, I COULD NOT figure out how to get back on the freeway after I somehow got off of it - with out trying to. *don't judge, its pretty hard to concentrate when I've got back, back seat drivers and screaming, singing, laughing, crying from 4 silly toddlers all at once*** After awhile, I told the boys that they were just going to have to say a prayer to Heavenly Father that I would be able to figure out how to get us back on the freeway so we could get home. They both asked what they should say. So I made some suggestions and I turned around to see both of them with their arms folded, eyes scrunched and praying that mom could get them home. Instantly, I was able to make the turn I needed and get on the freeway. So of course I yelled, "It worked! You boys prayed to Heavenly Father for me and it worked! He heard your prayers and answered them soooo fast. He must really love you crazy kids!" They were ecstatic over it. And couldn't wait to get home and tell dad all about it. So inspiring. These little rotten are so incredibly close the the Spirit. How I long for that, too. They get so excited about the simplist gosple principles and are eager to put them in action.

While we're at it...another story:

Lane is such a good helper to me. He plays the role of oldest quite well, a little too well at times but that's not for now.
Back to the positive attributes of being the oldest.
He always takes Nora's hand when we are walking to and from the car without even being asked. I've always made my kids hold hands so that's nothing new, I just appreciate that he does it without be asked.
Anyway, yesterday as we were walking out of church, Lane held Nora's hand to the car. When we got inside he said, "When we touch Nora, she feels our love! Just like when Jesus touches us, we feel his love!' And Kyle pipes in with, "And when we touch Jesus, he feels our love!"
I LOVE, love, love sweet little toddler spirits. Don't you?