That’s Aidan’s new saying.  When told he had to go take a bath and was throwing a fit I said “Aidan now. Get up there we’ll take a quick one” he responds with:

(arms folded across chest, chin up, lip out) “I QUIT!”

Me: “You quit? Quit what honey?”

Aidan: “Taking a bath.  I quit mommy.”

Then today on the way home from church.  Upset because they didn’t serve snack at Sunday school he was “Starrrrrrrrbing”.  We said we would stop closer to home to get some lunch.  He again said “I quit.”

Not sure where this exactly came from.  Matt’s response today was “There’s no quitting Aidan.”  Need I remind you he is in personnel training & hiring workers for QT? Pretty sure this comes from some QT leadership class Daddy’s developing. ;)

I on the other hand told him he was fired.  He giggled. “No mommy.  You can’t do that” :)

Here he is with his friend Jovanni that moved back to TX last week.  Their last night of playing together was the most peaceful (no biting, hitting, wrestling) they had ever played.  Legos & army men kept them entertained for over an hour!

the kind of day God really wanted to display His sense of humor.

The kind of day where I had totally let go of the “kids will be kids, they grow quickly and I will someday miss them being this age” mentality.

I wanted no poopy pants. 

Children who could pour their own beverage without spilling it in the fridge and all over my floor. 

A day where kids understood that the car is NOT equipped with a beverage machine thus SCREAMING the whole way home b/c they are thirsty is pointless!

A day where a roll of TP stays in tack. 

Children who DON’T play chase and tag squealing like little girls non-stop despite my yelling stoooooooooooooop!

A day where placemats, rubbermaid, pots & pans are put away instead of drug out. 

Children who actually eat the food I prepare…or at least sit at the table for 1/16 of the time it took me to fix the meal.

To NOT have to stop 3 miles from home for small bladder boy to pee along side the road.

I was basically having the mini-melty. The consideration of running away upon Matt’s arrival home was very near. 

He walks in beaming with exciting news to share. *This* is when I am certain God starts chuckling.  Proof positive His timing is “perfect”.

He shares his news. I can instantly tell by the look on his face he was hoping for more excitement from me.  Poor guy wasn’t aware of my day OR my plans of running away. His grrreat news?? A free ticket to the hillbilly Nascar race on Sunday.

Sure honey!! I was just thinking earlier about how I needed more time alone with the kids and how you needed some time away!!!!!

No.  All joking aside I’m glad he has the opportunity to go to events he loves with the added bonus of not costing us!!  He’s been on fancy hunting trips, Football games, lake trips, private airplane rides to sporting events and now a race. 

It is pretty awesome…and even more awesome that I plan to take Saturday as a boy free shopping day for ME! I suppose I need to share that good news with him! :)

A bit of a hang-up.  He somehow got a hanger hooked in his diaper.  How does this even happen?!?!

He’s the King of peek-a-boo. 

With mommy, with strangers while we’re out, this day with brother…

 

Isaac is a lot like Emma- he can entertain himself for a long time and gets quite amused at himself.  Matt & I found him doing this the other night.

*turn down your volume so you don’t have to endure hearing me speak mommize*

Isaac also has his own language.  I call it “grunt”uguese.  His development of this language has nothing to do with his continued use of a pacci.  I promise. Here’s how it works…

“uh, uh, uh” (in short repetitive sound accompanied by him pointing his finger in the direction he wants you to go) means “come look at this, come look at what  I just did” Example…pooped in tub, knocked over box fan, pooped on floor, spilled milk, etc

“uhhhhhhh” (long and drawn out) means I want something.  Example…milk, pacci, mommy, book read, etc

“UHHHHHUHHHHH!” (loud and insistent) means I want it now or NOOOOO Example…desperate for pacci/milk/mommy, wants his brother off of him, sister to stop carrying him by his neck, etc

“mmmMMMM” (almost sung like a song) is what he “says” as he is following you to the fridge with his cup.

I’m afraid I might be the only living translator for the “grunt'”uguese language.  To bad it’s not a paying gig.

Emma and her friend Aaliyah used Emma’s stuffed animal stuffer/maker to make BFF “puffed” animals.  Emma chose a doll and Aaliyah a bear. 

They even made paper hearts like they do at Build-a-Bear.

Such sweet girls.  We’re going to have as much play time as we can the next two days. Luckily they are leaving on Thursday.  Emma doesn’t have school that day.  We’ll have to find something fun to go do.

She tells me tonight “I’m going to miss the Stout’s & my dad.” Sweet thing.

Aidan felt a bit left out.  So he had fun after the girls were done.

 

And well, Isaac.  He learned to climb on a chair tonight.  And on the table. Let’s just say I wish some of that stuffing had been on the floor for his landing. Yikes.     

And for the record Emma has always called Stuffed animals PUFFED animals.  We think it’s super cute. I was a bit worried that Stuffed Animal day at school last week might make Emma realize she says it different, but she didn’t. Yay!  She loves puffed animals particularly small puffed animals.

Hypocrite- Hey that’s me!!! A realization I came to as I sat down to tell Emma that her bestest friend she met our 2nd week here is moving.  The friend that lived 2 doors over and was always ready to play.  A friend that she spent allll school day with and then usually several hours each evening.  A sweet girl that I always enjoyed having in our home.  She has a very gentle & calm spirit.  I’ve never seen 2 little girls spend that much time together and cat fight sooo little! I will miss Emma’s semi-clean room  since I can no longer say “she can’t come over unless your room is clean”.

Our conversation (between sessions of holding her and crying) was filled with lies like these:

“It’s hard to leave a friend honey, but you’ll meet new friends.  You’re a sweet girl.  We’ll have to call up some of the other girls we’ve met at the park or that are in your class and take time to get to know them.”

“My heart hurts each day that I am away from my friends. It’ll be hard, but it will get better with time.”

“Don’t let this get you angry & grumpy about going to school.  I know it’s hard but we have to understand that God has a plan.  He brought her in your life for a reason and although we don’t understand why such a great friend is leaving we have to trust.”

“She will probably come back to visit her dad and when she does we will get to see her.  You two can have fun times then.”

Me = Liar Liar pants on fire.  It isn’t easy.  It’s hard to put yourself out there to meet others.  It takes a great deal of time, that I have yet to reach, where it get’s easy NOT having your friend near.  Not having that support and connection makes ya in a funk and it’s super hard to NOT let that seep into other areas creating a grumpy monster.  You will get to see her again, yet that time that should be fun is clouded with the fact that it will be far to short of a visit and lead to yet another good-bye.

For me it’s lunch dates, for you it’s play dates.  For me it’s a shoulder to lean on or a listening ear, for your it’s a partner to play your little “patty-cake, hand slappin” games with.  For me it’s late night talks in a quiet house of sleeping kiddos, for you it’s late night movie & slumber party.  For me it’s working along side a sister in Christ at church events, working and serving together, for you it’s sharing the excitement of taking your non-churched friend to a new exciting church. For me it’s the hug when I’m down & words of encouragement at just the right time, a fellow mother that understands, for your it’s having that friend who’s sick of playing with her little brother too who likes to play school, ride bikes & make silly videos singing silly songs.

I pray that she will be flooded with other sweet friends.  I pray that she will talk with me when she is hurting and work through her sadness.  Going to school has not been a fight this year, I pray that continues with Aaleiyah now absent each day.

And mostly I pray that as we go through the next few weeks or months that I will force myself to reach out just as I’m expecting my 6 yr old to do.

Ouch.  I’m convicted.  It hurts and bygolly I don’t like it.

- Aidan grounded me.  For buckling him in his car seat.  I will fully accept that grounding if it involves going to my room- alone. Gladly. :)

-You question the intelligence of those driving around you when you see a sign that states something Emma learned at 4 years old.

Red Means Stop.  Really??!!!

 

- This was actually heard in our house. Matt (to Aidan): “I do not want to see you play in that manner, especially when I heard your brother responding negatively”. Oh WOW!  We I laughed about that one all day!!! I think daddy spent too much time in KC business meetings writing policies & planning leadership classes for his employees!!! Bwhahaha!!

- The ENT said Isaac’s ears are the same, but he’s in no hurry to mess with the tube that is crusted.  His plan is to check him each month through the “winter or illness” season.  My quarterly deductible says “YUCK!”

- The other night I was on the phone with a friend catching up.  It was a bit after 9, but didn’t expect Isaac to be sleepy since he had napped from 4-6 pm.  I thought he was behind the couch playing in the toy room area.  It was awful quiet so I decided to look.  He wasn’t there.  I search the upstairs thinking maybe he had snuck up to pester sleeping sissy.  I check all rooms & closets.  No where.  I come back down stairs and check the only room left…the kitchen.  Here’s what I found…

Guess he loves the memory foam mat & the sound of a running dishwasher!

 

- Luckily after 2 1/2 weeks of being sick it sounds as though our niece Libby is on the mend and will hopefully be home from the hospital this weekend.  Poor lil’ girl got a form of food poisoning that lead to complications that had her in the PICU for over a week!  I can’t imagine having one of my kiddos sick like that!! 

The same day Libby was moved to the PICU and wrenched my heart to want to be closer to “home” I also got GRRRRRRRRRRRRreat news!!  My brother finally announced he has a girly friend!! Her name is Beth.  We of course had speculated that for some time, but for their own reasons waited until now to make it public.  Joy doesn’t begin to explain that news!!!  Again my heart hurts to be so far away for celebrations of great news too.

Then I get a call that my bestest friend’s husband would be having last minute/emergency surgery for severe pain in his arm due to an issue with a disc in his neck.  Oh my aching heart!!  I would have given my right arm to be able to be there with her!!

I’m trying my best to rest in the idea that we are here b/c we feel it is where God wanted us to be.  But man it is hard!  Life seemed so uneventful when we were in KS. Now all these instances where we could lend a helping hand or be there to support those we love and have helped us so much. 

- On a HOME note I’m am SUPER excited to be preparing for our trip back for Thanksgiving and then I just booked a week long trip in February!! Yay!!!

- Do you watch Glee?  If not, don’t.  It’s addictive. What’s not to love about a show with love stories, drama, song & dance. :)  And I’ll let the record state that MATT started watching it first!!!

- Have you started Christmas shopping yet?  I’ve started my lists and think I might buy one of Emma’s gifts this week.  It’s on sale at Target. $15 off of a $35 item.  Not too bad!! I have tons of little ideas for Aidan.  Only 1 idea for Isaac.  Poor little guy.  Oh well.  He’d be excited to get the box his diapers come in!! :)

Our super hero’s were dressed and ready for CaNdY!! 

It was amazing the difference a year makes.  Emma Captain America Girl was much less fearful of others dressed in costumes this year!!  She was super excited (& has already eaten) her peanut butter cups she received!!

Aidan decided after about 5 houses that he was tired and ready to go home.  In Derby we would drive the kids to different houses around town.  Here we walked the circle around our part of the development.  Guess Iron Man needed more of his “power”. 

Luckily Aidan did not repeat his version of the “Trick or treat smell my feet” His version was a bit shorter and went like this “Trick or Treat give me my underwear.” :)

Isaac loved Trick or Treating!!  He also enjoyed his first wagon ride!

He totally got the concept of “knock on door- get candy”. When our first neighbor didn’t answer he kept knocking and grunting pushing his bucket against their door! :)  He loved riding in the wagon with the buckets full of candy!!

   

My flash makes this picture look weird.  It was super dark and the guys with the candy were sitting behind this guy dressed in black with a mask that had red glowing eyes.  As the kids walked passed to get candy he would stand up to startle them.  Emma and Aidan kinda jumped and were unsure.  Isaac didn’t care one bit.  He kept thrusting his bucket to the guy wanting the candy!!

We had a good time and the kids seemed to really enjoy it.  3 buckets full of candy…minus what Isaac kept handing to people in exchange for the candy they were handing out AND the candy he kept throwing out the wagon!!  One bright spot was at our very last house we met a woman who had a boy Aidan’s age (dressed as Bumblebee the transformer) and they boys clicked and played well while I visited with the mom.  They also have a little girl 2 weeks older than Isaac.  She kept trying to “talk” to Isaac, but he was totally missing the flirting she was doing!  The mother stays at home (for now…until Jan.) so hopefully we can get the kids together for some play dates that don’t involve Aidan getting beat up and bitten!!