October has come and gone and I'm still somewhere back in September. Or maybe even July. I watch the leaves falling and frosts come and go and it just all seems so premature. And then I see giant candy cane decorations in the grocery store window and Christmas paraphernalia scattered throughout the store displays and it all seems downright wrong.
I guess the seasons changed while we've had visitor after visitor - so much fun that I didn't realize time passing. Over the last 6-ish weeks we've loved having Grammy visit, had a great time with Emily, Jonas and Carmen, soaked in every minute with Aunt Natalie and Cousin Avery, and enjoyed Nana's quick visit too. We almost aren't sure what to do with ourselves anymore!
Thankfully our guests helped to keep the girls out of too much trouble, although the gaps between departures and arrivals were just enough time to test the limits. For instance, there was the afternoon I walked into the downstairs bathroom to find our own little wine vat going on in the sink. Abby had decided to make grape juice with a bag of Concord grapes by squeezing them in the lemon press and discarding the remaining skins, membranes and seeds in the sink (which, of course were left there while she no doubt was off sipping her 1/4 cup of juice). And then there was her parachuting off a chair over the stairs with a grocery bag... Ellie thinks she's a cosmetologist, finding mine and others' make-up and expressing herself quite freely. Her favorite face moisturizer is either mine or Adam's deodorant. I often find her with triple-wide shimmery pink lips and not just once have found her with dark brown eyeshadow filling in her eyelids, cheeks, forehead, chin... This morning, in fact, Abby notified me that Ellie was using some black eyeliner and in the rush of getting them both out the door, I failed to perform a face-check. After Ellie came home from preschool, a friend of mine asked if Ellie had a black eye. I suddenly remembered. Oh well. I also decided, between visitors, that Abby should learn how to ride a bike sans training wheels - and while Abby was working at it, Ellie might well as try too. I'm not exactly sure whose handle bars left the several white scratches on either side of the car, but hey - Abby can ride a two-wheeler! (Ellie's still working on it.) Never a dull moment 'round here.
Annnnyway...I'm grateful that I have three beautiful, spirited children who fill my days with wonder and keep me moving enough that I can consider it exercise. I'm grateful for a handsome husband who makes me laugh (mostly when not trying to) and who willfully attends therapy (with me) so that we can keep this circus going. I'm grateful for my health (physical and what mental still exists); for a home that - while it usually looks and sounds like a war zone - keeps our little family safe and sheltered from the bitter Buffalo cold; for family and friends and for the smiles they bring to my face; for hope, for faith, and for love - all of which give me reason to be grateful at all.
QFTD
Abby, as I walked outside to check on the girls: "Mom! Those boys that just walked by - one is on my bus and the others used to be but now they're not - THEY are out of their mind!" Ellie: "Yeah! They are walking to the park withOUT their mom!"
Me, attempting to hurry along the morning's getting-ready process: "Abby, are your shoes on yet?" Abby: "No. I'm trying to get my sock on but it's just not participating."
Ellie, after sneezing while lying on our bed: "That was like raining on me when I did a bless-you!"
Ellie: "I'm going to marry Patrick." Abby: "So am I." Ellie: "No. Two persons can't marry the same one." Abby: "Fine. When you die, then I'll marry him."
Abby: "Mom, if you touched an electrical line would you get zapped?" Me: "Yep." Abby: "Why? Because the wires are full of zappiness?"
Abby: "Why are you sewing me a jumper? So I can jump more?"
Me: "Ellie, please go ask Daddy how I get a file off the external hard drive. Do you remember what to ask? Say 'File off'" Ellie: "File off" Me: "The external hard drive." Ellie: "The external hard drive." Me: "File off the external hard drive." Ellie: "File off the external hard drive." Me: "What are you going to ask?" Ellie: "Octurnal?"
Abby: "But I just accidentally tied Ellie's ankle with the rope."
Abby, after school: "Mom can we go have a yard sale?" Me: "Um, what are you wanting to sell?" Abby: "Things we don't need - like this that I found (a USB flash drive of Adam's) - and this flower (old silk flower hairbow., missing 2 of the 4 petals)."
Abby: "It's not okay to say 'Oh my G-o-d'." Ellie: "Yeah, because that's taking the Lord's name in Venice."
Ellie: "Nada means 'to run'." Me: "Well, no, nada means 'nothing.'" Ellie: "No - Diego says "nada" after he asks a question." Me: "Oh, you mean 'denada'? Denada means 'you're welcome.' I bet he says denada." Ellie: "Denada? Hmm. Well do you know what 'sunnada' means? It means 'sun'."
Ellie: "Mom, if a child gets lost can I have them? I really want to be a mom."
Ellie: "For breakfast can I have snowflakes?" (corn flakes)
Ellie, after I told the girls about me being born: "How did they cut Grammy's belly?" Me: "With a razor." Ellie: "With a laser bean?? Did it hurt?" Me: "Nope." Ellie: "Not a bit? Not a bit a bit? Well when is Grammy going to have another baby?"
Ellie: "Do you know what kind of cucumbers I like? Pickled."
Ellie: "Mom, why do people get red marks on their cheeks?" Me: "I don't know, do you?" Ellie: "Yeah - I think it means they're supple." Me: "Supple?" Ellie: "Yeah - humans with red cheeks are supple."
Ellie, while I prepared dinner: "Mom, do NOT go check on the computer for your recipe. I have it here on my phone. Let's see, do you need the crown or the flower or which princess?" Me: "Ooh, I think the rose." Ellie: "Oh yes. The rose says to get some olive oil. And do you need some garlic?"
Ellie: "Mom, Patrick needs a consequence for pulling my hair! But different than the quince you eat."
Ellie, shouting from upstairs after "going to bed": "MOM! DAD! BUBBA! I MADE MY BED! AND I ORGANIZED MY ANIMALS I WANT TO SLEEP WITH!" Me: "Awesome. Good night!" Ellie: "CAN I COME GIVE YOU A HIGH FIVE??"
Ellie, holding a horse chestnut under her chin: "This is a chestnut. Because it goes on your chest."
Ellie: "I don't like marshmallows." Me: "YOU don't like marshmallows?" Ellie: "Nope. I'm starting to eat healthy stuff. Like Jello. Are donuts healthy?"
Me: "Ellie, please don't touch Patrick's face. We don't want him getting your germs." Ellie: "It's okay. I have hamitizer on...from yesterday at school. And the day after yesterday was vote day. You needed to vote! So, what is your vote?" Me: "I vote we have a fun day!" Ellie: "No. Not that kind of vote. You have to go somewhere like the fire station."
Me, reaching to get the "sand" out of Ellie's eye in the morning: "Here - let me get the stuff in your eye." Ellie: "No. It's just sand from Crystal Beach."
Abby, upon seeing a photo of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband on the news: "That guy works at my school!" Me: "Oh, really?" Abby: "Yeah - he helps out in the cafeteria."
Me: "Girls, where would you like to go as a family for fun today?" Abby: "Red Lobster!" Me: "Mmm. No - think of somewhere where we can do something fun." Abby: "But all I can think of are restaurants."
Ellie to Adam while bowling: "Dad, you have 2 strikes. That means you're not very good." Later, Ellie: "Wow, Dad! You're a good baller." Ellie to me after I released the ball down the lane: "Mom, you're going to put a hole in the floor!"
Ellie, play-presenting a talk at my music stand: "...and this is inspired and very special of similary snakes."
Abby, after asking me to write the alphabet in cursive: "Now I'm going to get you a paper to write cursive music notes and cursive stars and butterflies and cursive pictures." Me: "I don't think that's possible." Abby: "Well, you have to try."
Ellie: "My toots burn. They're burning hot just like fire."
Ellie: "Mom, Patrick is a good name, but I don't like the 'rick'." Me: "Oh. You just like Pat?" Ellie: "Well, I just like Bubba and Bruce for his name."
Abby, while watching me change Patrick: "Well, if I have one (a baby) come out of me then maybe I'll have another so it can change the baby's diapers."
Ellie: "I know a planet that is SO hot that only vegetables can grow on it. Do you know what it is?" Me: "Earth?" Ellie: "Nope. A different planet." Me: "Saturn?" Abby: "No! VENUS is the hottest planet." Ellie: "Okay, you two. Get a grip."
Ellie: "Mom, what animal do noodles come from?"
Ellie: "Mom, I want to go to the dentist today." Me: "Oh yeah? Why?" Ellie: "I just want to. Because I have a cavity in back of my teeth where you can't see it. I just put my tongue there and felt a hole, so that's a cavity. Can we go to the dentist, please?"
Ellie: "Mom, Patrick is crying. I heard him on the thervomiter."
Abby, after finishing 3 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon and 2 pieces of toast: "Mom, can I have another egg?" Me: "Are you growing, little girl?" Abby: "No - I just like to eat and eat and eat!"
