Protect Your Noggin

We've gotten a bit lax on the helmet issue around our house.  I'm torn.  In many ways, I think society's gotten a tad bit overprotective.  We also live on a "street" with only one other house.  Therefore it is pretty quiet; we don't get many cars and it's just a small "hill."  I see the pros, though, especially when riding near cars, or down big hills.  Kyla is kind of fearless, too.  Fortunately, she is pretty agile and very coordinated.  However, that doesn't stop her from having her occasional spills. 

Recently, I have been getting on her about wearing her helmet all the time.  Trying to instill that habit, so it's not forgotten when she's riding near traffic or so she doesn't start thinking it's not ever necessary.  I told her how we need to protect our brain and of course she had a lot of questions about the brain and what it does and why it is so important. 

So, today she was going to go ride her scooter.  I always remind her of mom's rules: no going on the walking path, stay in our driveway/yard or Jackie's (the neighbor boy) and come inside if any cars drive up.  I told her if she was going to ride her scooter, she needed to wear her helmet.

Kyla: I know.  Because if we get a crack all the way around our head (drawing a circle in the air around her face), our brains will fall out.
Me: Well, I guess that might happen.
Kyla: (giving me a playful smile and shaking her finger) Yah, 'cause everybody knows that!

Modern Families

Snow Day(s)!  Which means Jedd worked from home and the kids were home from school (all week).  Which means I had two overly energetic kids who had to be quiet so Daddy could work and make phone calls.  We survived, somehow.

Anyhow, today at lunch, Jedd turned on a recently DVR-ed episode of Modern Family.  The kids don't normally watch this show with us because it is on after they are in bed.  So we're all sitting there, eating lunch and watching the episode where Lily keeps saying the f-word (inappropriate? oops).  The swearing and all related jokes went way over their heads.  However, after about 7 minutes of watching Lily, Cam and Mitchell interacting in their home, Maxx says, "Why her got two daddies?"

To which I calmly responded (while at the same time, being completely floored by the question) that there a lot of different kinds of families.  Some are big and some are small, some have two mommies and some don't have any kids and some have lots of cousins, etc. and so forth.  A good learning/teaching moment.

Kids don't miss a thing, true.  But he's not even three years old yet; not for another 3 months.  I am amazed that he even picked up on that.

Maxx Perry, Mr. Observant.

Dreams

Just went in to Kyla's room to let her know that quiet time was over.  I found her sitting on the edge of her rocking chair, rocking a little bit.

Kyla:  You know what, Mama?  I can actually dream while I am not sleeping.
Me:  Really, how do you do that?
Kyla:  Well, it just imagines in my brain and it is like I am dreaming, but I am not asleep.
Me:  That is wonderful!

Washer

After every meal, I wash Maxx off with a washcloth.  He likes to get out of his chair and walk over to the sink now.  I always tell him, "don't touch anything, don't touch anything!"  He has gotten so used to it he'll come over and tell me, "I not touch any- thing."

Last night, as I was wiping off his face, he said, "you a good washer, mommy." 

Me: I'm a good washer?  Thanks, Maxx.
Maxx: Yah.  You a good cooker, too.
Me: Aww...  Thank you!  Jedd, did you hear that?!?!

Freckles

Kyla saw a picture of a little boy with freckles the other day.  She asked what he had on his face and I explained about freckles and birth marks (which she knows about already, because she has one on her hand), and age spots, etc.  I showed her the freckles that I have on my nose (remnants of summer) and waited for her response.  "Oh, yah.  I like your sprinkles."

Ruv (troo ruv)

Maxx is in that awesome stage of soaking up all kinds of new words and busting them out spontaneously, surprising and thrilling us with his intelligence.  Just recently, he has starting talking about love. 

Last week, I asked him for a hug, which from him, is usually followed by a kiss.  I said, "I love you, Maxx."  Still hugging me, he patted my back, leaned away from me a bit so we were face to face and said, "bess frien' (best friend), Mama, bess frien'" and I almost died right there - so sweet.  Later, the whole family was enjoying some tin pan Jiffy Pop that Daddy picked up for the kids popping pleasure.  I asked Maxx (in a hardly leading manner, at all), "Maxx, whose your best friend?"  After a half second pause and with much conviction, he responded, "Daddy."  Guess I shouldn't have pushed it...

Yesterday I gave Maxx a hug (he's still willing to hug on demand- yay for me!) and asked, "Do you love Mommy?"  To which he responded, "yah."  Then, "Ruv Da-y (Daddy), too."

Me: Who else do you love?
Maxx: Ruv ki-iy (kitties).
Me: Who else?
Maxx: Ruv Ky-a (Kyla).

Aw, I ruv you, too, Maxx!

Heavy Thinker

Kyla continues to amaze.

Last weekend we went to Chelan and had a lovely time, once we got past the Wal-Mart fiasco.  Yes, we were THAT family, with THE child.  The child, Kyla, threw a tantrum to end all tantrums; kicking & screaming and hyperventilating/crying and had to be carried (by me- awkwardly and with much effort) out of the store.

But that is really beside the point.  After calming down & gathering our wits about us (about 2 hours later), we got in the car and headed to The Lake Chelan Winery for their Falling Cow Festival. 

Kyla: The earth spins but cars don't fly off of it.  Why not?
Me: Well, there is this thing called gravity that keeps the cars and people and things on the earth. (and a little additional explanation)
Jedd: You know when you jump up and then you come back down to the ground?  That is gravity pulling you back.  Gravity pulls everything back down.
Kyla: But why can the birds fly and not get pulled down?...