Friday, April 21, 2017

my kids

The most common insult heard in our house these days is "haha, i farted in your general direction"...


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Being big is hard

Veronica came storming in through the garage door, let out a giant sigh and declared "I am SO done with little kids! I am just all done." Insert another giant sigh here "Eden just keeps bossing me around. I am all done with little kids".

For the record, Mike and I both deserve Oscars for not laughing out loud at this dramatic 5 year old. Instead we head straight into parenting mode "did you tell your friend that you were coming inside or did you just leave her out there alone? did you try to use your words to take turns being the boss, come up with other solutions, etc" Veronica said "well, i just told her nothing and came inside" and so we begin our "how would you feel, you need to use your words, you don't just leave guests outside alone and confused".
Now, to get the true atmosphere of this conversation I must point out that it is all occuring while Veronica is walking from the garage door, past us in the living room and heading to the front door. When she reaches the front door, we have gotten to the "you don't just leave people outside alone and confused" part of our parenting speech so she proceeds to open the front door and yells out "Eden! I'm back!" and goes back outside.

Drive thru parenting. One of the best parts of Spring.

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

bunny ears

Today Suzy was telling Mike a story while he was driving.
"And the chinese dancers 'ate' the food. Dad, I said that with bunny ears. You couldn't see me, so I'm telling you that I used the bunny ears".
Bunny ears = quote/unquote

Sunday, January 19, 2014

a giant tarantula

Suzy and Veronica were sent to bed. this conversation emerged from their room....

Suzy: Veronica put away your coat like mom said.
......
Suzy: VERONICA! you have to hang it up in the closet. Don't just throw it on the floor. A giant tarantula could move in and we wouldn't even know it  if our floor gets that messy again!

Veronica: what's a tarantula?

Suzy: It's a giant spider. a giant giant spider.

I'm not sure who gave them this idea, but it seems to be working. So I'm not going to be in any rush to correct them about the normal habitat range of tarantulas.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Tis the season to be... slightly morbid

Veronica has been working hard at the craft table. asking us how to spell things in spite of her inability to write most letters and writing furiously. Finally finished with her project she proudly staples the final product (as all things have to be stapled lately) and presents it to Suzy.

Veronica: Here Suzy, this is a book for you. It's so you can remember me when I'm dead.
Suzy: You can keep it.
Veronica: But it's about us. so you can remember me when I'm dead.
Suzy: I'll always remember you Veronica.
Veronica: Even all the stuff that we did? (great suspicion in her voice)
Suzy: Yes! (so exasperated that her sister would doubt her)
Veronica: But I made the book!
Momma can't take it anymore: Can I have the book?
Veronica: Yes! It's all about me. Read it to me Mom.




Sunday, December 01, 2013

Just one parent please

it's a love/struggle time here in the Becksfort house tonight. Suzy and Veronica emerge from their room 30 minutes after being put to bed. This is the ensuing conversation:

Mom: Hey, what are you guys doing out here?
Suzy: Um, I just need to talk to one of you.
Veronica: I need to talk to BOTH of you.
Mom: You need to tell me why you are out here and not in bed.
Veronica: Because Suzy wanted to get out of bed and come sleep out here (gesturing to the living room)
Suzy: NO! I wanted to know if i could go lay in your bed till Veronica falls asleep.
Veronica: I AM NEVER GOING TO SLEEP.
Suzy: yes, you will.
Veronica: No, and you cannot leave because I can not sleep by myself.
Mike: Yes, Suzy go lay on our bed. Veronica go back to your bed.
Veronica: But I can not ever sleep! (cue fake crying)

These two are in a love/bicker/love/giggle/chase/bossy/love/bicker cycle lately. It doesn't help that Veronica took a nap today. I probably does feel like she will never sleep tonight.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Suzy's interests

Suzy has had a hard time as of late. Poor Suzy is not allowed to do 10 year old things. This has become a terrible burden for her to bear. She did not get to go to the Crazy Hair tour with Mom, she did not get to go to the How To Train Your Dragon Live event with Nanny. Why do her big sisters get to do ALL the fun stuff and she gets to do NOTHING?

In my best parenting tactic, I pull out the empathy card. "You know Suzy, Veronica feels the same way you do. She wishes she could do things that 7 year olds get to do".

Suzy swats away this logic, as if it were no better than a pesky fruit fly. Try another tactic mom.

"Alright, would it be fair to make Jillian and Alyssa only do things that 7 year olds can do? Do you want us to limit you to only do things that 4 year olds can do? Veronica is your little sister, she wants to do all the things too. If we make it so that the kids can only do things that everyone can do, that means you will only be doing the things that are appropriate for the 4 year old"

Suzy replies with pure honesty. "You know Mom, I'm not really all that interested in Veronica's life, but I am REALLY interested in Jilli and Ali's".

Ain't that just the way it goes little sister...

Conversations with Veronica

Veronica had her first dance lesson this week. She loved it! I even got a "thank you for taking me to dance lessons today" when I tucked her in that night. score. When I asked her immediately after the class if she liked dancing she informed that that they had not learned any dancing. They learned how to run very carefully. I asked "oh you mean on your tippy toes?" she replied "no mom I used both my feet".

Today, I was doing laundry downstairs and Veronica was playing upstairs at the dining room table. I had just brought up a load of laundry and was heading to their room to put it away when I heard Veronica let out a very loud fart in the dining room. She then proceeded to tell the empty room. "it wasn't me. that was a stinky one and I didn't do it". I'm not sure if it's progress or not that she's no longer trying to blame Casey as she did for about two weeks after we were done dog-sitting for Mike Shell.

My mom was talking with Veronica about the fact that God knows everything and Veronica couldn't help but chime in. "I know everything too Nanny".  *pause* "Do you think he heard that? cause I was just kidding". Well, if we have accomplished nothing else with our fourth child, we have apparently managed to put a little bit of the fear of the Lord in her.

We got to attend a ballet performance of Beauty and the Beast starring our very favorite little Yeazel ladies tonight. Veronica sat on Mike's lap for the entire show. At one point when the village was ready to go after the beast, Veronica turns to Mike and whispers "We should not have come here". Fortunately she made it through to the happy ending and was glad enough to declare "I am glad we came". Suzy even cried a little when she thought the beast had died and was overjoyed after the show that she got to hug Belle. Apparently, Disney is closer to home than we thought :)