Know what these are? Well, they may have once been Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus and shepherds. But once they left Bible class and were carried into church, they were worn as gun bracelets. You know hand guns, like Bumblebee, the Transformer. I watched David attach these to his wrists and pretend to start shooting church members, but I didn't think much of it. Then, WHAM, David got a little too into his pretend play and while I was (trying) to pray during the Lord's Supper, I got shot/poked in the eye. Man, it hurt. I think I might have said "Ow," really loudly and then David got really nervous and started poking himself in the eye to gauge how upset I would be. I wasn't mad at him, he would never have poked me in the eye on purpose, but I was really distracted for the rest of that part of church.

David's impossible for me to be mad at. That kid tugs at my heartstrings. I am especially having a hard time because I have finally been faced with the fact that he isn't a little kid. And I mean that literally. I have kept trying to shop on the baby side of the stores. You know, staying in the size 5T. I think it was total denial. David's grown and I have had to face reality and shop in the big boy section. Where David is a size 6-7 or XS. All of David's jeans come up to his ankles and when we were at Target a week ago I picked up a pair of big kid sweatpants. "Those will be huge on him Nat," Keith said. I bought them and they are really the only pair of pants that fit his long body well.

David's growth spurt has done nothing to change his opinion on movies. I think we are the only family that doesn't have a collection of Disney movies. The exciting/scary parts are still a little too much for David. Today, I borrowed "The Lion King" from one of my friends. I mean, it's a classic, what kid's their ages haven't seen it? My poor child was in pieces. Keith came home right at the part where Mufasa was getting trampled. David was sobbing because Simba's daddy had died and he couldn't bear it. Mind you, right before the movie David got a goose egg the size of a golf ball and barely whimpered. But that boy cried into Keith's shoulder as if his heart was breaking. It was terrible. We made David watch it through to the end so he could see the happy ending, but I don't think he will want to watch it again.

Oh well, "Dinosaur Train" and "Clifford" will continue to reign here. And while I think it would be nice to get an hour and a half of time while they watched a movie, I'll deal with it. David's been playing with the kid with cerebral palsy at school. He's half his size and David says, "he speaks very softly so I have to bend down to hear him." I'll take his soft heart over all of Walt Disney's DVD's.

Nightly Visitor

In case any one was wondering, Drew still wanders into our room at about one o'clock every morning and spends the rest of the night with us. He usually brings in his elephant pillow pet, blankey, and a stuffed animal. Which is funny because he isn't particularly attached to any of these in the daytime or at bedtime. One time he brought in all of these things, plus about three more animals and a jump rope. We laughed in the morning because apparently he had made several trips but neither Keith nor I woke for it.

David wanders in around seven in the morning and if Drew is asleep David watches him and tries to hug him awake. David knows he isn't supposed to wake him, but he can't help himself. The other day, David scooted really close and kissed him on the shoulder. Drew's eyes snapped open and he bellowed, "He wuvs my shoulder!" We're pretty sure he loves all of you Drew.

Occasionally, we are really lucky and David comes in earlier, snuggles in with Keith and falls back asleep. On those mornings everything is peaceful until one boy makes a really weird noise to test the waters and see if anyone else is awake. Whichever boy didn't make the noise usually then wakes and gives another dolphin/wolf/dinosaur call. They then proceed to make stupid noises for a good two minutes until Keith or I throw in the towel and go shower/make coffee/turn on the t.v. This may be the strangest alarm ever. I would say weird-noise-wake-up happens about three times a week.

This evening, Drew told me he was going to have a wacecar animal dinosaur party when he turns four. "Are you still going to sleep with us when you turn four Drew?"

"Well, maybe I'll sleep by myself when I am six. No, nine. Maybe ten."

My cousin slept on her parent's bedroom floor every night until she was like eight. I take the same stance as my aunt must have.

It doesn't bother me.

And Keith likes our little bedmate and says he will be very sad on the inevitable morning that Drew stops.

Must get rid of it

If one more person hands my kids candy, I am going to scream. I know that a $3.99 Monday Hot and Ready isn't super nutritious, but the suckers that the drive thru girl handed them didn't help one bit.
On Sunday, I thought I was clever and decided to play "Candy Store" with the boys. I offered pennies for tootsie rolls, nickels for peppermints, etc. David and I are working on identifying coins anyway and this seemed like a good way to spend some time together. So as the boys and I were haggling, I remarked, "You guys are going to be able to go to the Dollar Tree to buy," and that's when David loudly finished my sentence, "more CANDY Mom!" Not what I had in mind. I was thinking cars that broke after five minutes of play or parachute men who took me hours to untangle. We haven't been to the Dollar Tree yet.
Then today, after their "rest" I promised the boys that we would do a Skittles science experiment. I found it in Parents magazine; here is the link if you want to do some candy experiments. http://www.candyexperiments.com/ You were supposed to dissolve Skittles in a clear glass bowl. I used margarita glasses because I don't have clear bowls large enough. Our rainbow didn't turn out. Here is what did happen though, we spent a lot of time dissolving Skittles and, darn, used every last Skittle up while only managing to eat a few.
I am thinking tomorrow we may fill up a bucket with water and play "sink or float" with candy bars. And yes, I know I can eat it after they go to bed and it will disappear that way or that I can keep hiding it. I must get this out of the house before candy canes and gumdrops start to appear.