Kids That Yell "Dad" in the Night

Isaac woke up this morning at 4:37. I have to post what he said because, even at that hour, I got the giggles.

Isaac: Dad?...Daddy? Can you get out of your covers, put your feet on the floor, walk to my room and carry me to your bed?

Jeremiah: Isaac, go back to sleep, bud.

Isaac: But can you carry me?

I get out of bed and go in his room thinking that perhaps he has wet the bed, since he is now sleeping all night in his big boy underwear.

Me: Isaac, are you wet?

Isaac: No. Can you just carry me to your bed...yeah I'm wet.

I flip on his lamp and pull back his covers. He looks dry so I start to reach so that I can feel. Isaac started to put his hand where I was about to touch, but not before I feel that he is, in fact, dry.

Me: Isaac, you're not wet, go back to sleep.

Isaac (rubbing his eyes): I'm wetter than you are.

Me (stifling a chuckle as I turn off the lamp): Just go back to sleep.

Isaac: But I was talking to my dad.

It was funny, but if I had known I wouldn't have gotten back to sleep after that, I might have sent Jeremiah instead.

Tug-o-war, Gluttony & Hick Entertainment

Our family went to Spud Day on Saturday. It's been a tradition in our area for 78 years. It's kind of a fairlike environment at the city park and they have a pageant, a parade, give away baked potatoes and lots of other fun things.

We were expecting Kate and her family to enjoy the day with us, but the flu hit their house and they weren't able to make it. I was really looking forward to their visit but, as it happened, this year probably wasn't the best year for us to introduce them to the festivities. The celebration was fun, but it. was. so. cold! I would have felt really bad making her & Josh lug around their children in the freezing cold while they were still recovering from the flu! (Maybe next year?)

We got to Spud Day a little after noon and bought hot scones with honey-butter first thing. Then we met up with Evens and Kelly as we prepared to watch the Spud-Tug. This consists of 1 ton of mashed potato flakes and 1100 gallons of water being mixed in a cement truck. They then pour it into a pit and have a tug-o-war over the mashed potatoes. There were a couple of teams of kids and then they moved on to the adults. Even Evens was on a team - The Undertakers. They stayed in through 2 rounds but eventually lost to The Mutants. I downed a Pronto Pup while enjoying the great view of the losers as they landed face first in the potatoes. It looked so gross! As soon as Isaac saw people covered in the mash he said that it scared him and he wanted to go home. I think he was scared. And in spite of all our efforts of layering clothing to beat the weather, I think that he was also very cold and looking for an excuse to get inside. Eventually Uncle Joey took him and Kenley to Nana's house.

Jeremiah and I weren't exactly sure what to do without the kids - it doesn't happen all that often. And with the weather being so cold and windy all there really was to do was eat. A lot of the vendors had already packed up by this point and the only trailors left were perveyors of fine fair food. Jeremiah treated us to a giant turkey leg and I got a grape Slush Puppie - mmmm. After hanging out a little longer with Evens and Kelly and some of their friends, we too headed back to Nana's house to warm up a little bit before heading out to the rodeo arena for the Demoltion Derby.

It had rained a bit in between and so when we got to the arena it was full of mud - perfect for a DD. We spread out dozens of blankets and sat on the bleachers, drank hot chocolate, filled with anticipation. I have to admit I have little bit of white trash in me: I am a sucker for a demolition derby. I looked around and thought, "Man, these derbies pull the hicks out of the woodworks...and I am numbered among them." So I made the best of it by yelling and screaming and embarrassing all my in-laws. But my shining moment had to be when I left the bleachers to yell at a bunch of 9 years olds who were standing on the arena fence in front of us because "We can't see through your butts!" And none of us wanted to miss the smashing and crashing of these finely painted automobiles in the mud.

It rained a bit more during the derby and Isaac decided to leave with his cousin Caleb and go to Caleb's grandma's house. But Kenley stuck it out - probably because of the nachos. I suppose I have passed the WT trait on to her because she loved watching all the banging. She got a little squirmy between heats, but if there was action she was enthralled. There were three heats, a minis heat, a consolation round and then the championship. It was lots of fun and I left absolutely freezing and with a sore throat from all the screaming. True signs of a good time.

We all headed back to Nana & Papa's house where she treated us to poor-boy cookies and a warm fire. It was just a fun day.

The Law, According to Mom

A few days ago Isaac crawled under Kenley's crib. I looked over and saw him through the side rail, which was lowered, and said, "Isaac, you're in jail!" Then I did what any hopeful mother of a future jailbird responsible mother would do... "Isaac, there's gonna be a jailbreak. I'm bustin' ya outta here." I lift up the siderail and say, "Run. RUN! Before the cops get ya!"

Since then he has been continually on the lookout for cops, whom I think he's decided are much like "bad guys."

***** ***** *****

Isaac has been very interested in traffic lights and street signs as of late. He knows that a red light means stop, green means go, and that a yellow light says, "Sslloooww Doooowwwnn." He recognizes stop signs and likes to point out the numbers on speed limit postings.

As we went for a walk the other day he insisted that we stop - for a very. long. time. - at every stop sign, even if he saw one across the street that didn't even apply to us. We walked up to yet another stop sign and Isaac said, of course, "Stop sign says STOP!" I was getting impatient at having to wait at every corner and so decided to point down at the green grass and say, "But the grass is green, so we can go."

I can just hear it now..."Yes, officer, of course I saw the stop sign. But didn't you see that tree? It's green. Everyone knows that green means go...at least...that's what my mom taught me."

An Early Birthday Gift

Kenley has always had a hard time keeping shoes and socks on her feet. All through the winter I was chastised for her cold toes. Truth is, it wouldn't have mattered if I had duck taped her shoes on, she would have taken them off, I'm sure of it.

It's been nice not to have to worry about it (much) over the summer. The weather has permitted bare feet. But the weather is changing.

It's getting cold. We still have warm days, but the mornings and evenings are really cooling off. That brought up the issue of what to put on Kenley's feet. I usually don't spend much on shoes. We hit Wal-Mart and see what they have under $10. If they have nothing, we check Payless in the same category. It rarely goes any further than that.

However, I just couldn't help myself when I saw these at Target. So I bought them and have stored them in my closet for about a month. I took them out a few days ago to admire them and my great sense of style. I also took a closer look at the sole. The 1/4 in thick, non-flexible sole. *Sob* They were obviously not going to work for my still-shaky, walking babe.

I grieved after taking them back. I just thought they were cute. And then I came across an ad for these. I found a local shop that carries them and I bought them. They are way more expensive than I am used to paying for anything. My last pair of jeans (and a t-shirt, for that matter) didn't even total $26.00. But they are perfect for little feet still unsure of their grounding. Plus, they are machine washable and should fit for a long time. And Kenley has been tugging away at them and they are sticking to her feet like a monkey on a cupcake.

So, Happy early-Birthday, Kenley. Just act surprised when you open them next month...at that price, they may be all you get!

We're Up to Four

Recently, Kenley added two more words to her vocabulary:

"Bir" with accompanying sign for bird. She gets lots of practice with this one when we visit Gammie's house where she has a canary.

"Dah-Dog" with accompanying sign for puppy. I always say "doggy" when I show her this sign and yesterday she surprised me by signing 'puppy' after hearing a dog bark.

I'm amazed at how well she signs. The sign for bird requires a fist with only the thumb and pointer finger opening and closing to each other. Isaac used his whole hand, but Kenley is able to sign it properly. Even with all these new vocal skills, she still refuses to say "mama" and "dada" but I guess we're not as exciting as fowls and K-9s.

At Least I Shared With the Kids

I am the only person I know who can go to a Farmer's Market full of fresh fruits and vegetables and come home with nothing but a cinnamon roll.

Incredi-cobbler!

I made this cobbler on Labor Day for the BBQ with our neighbors. It is by far the best cobbler I have ever tasted. What makes it great is the macaroon-like topping. It's got texture, flavor, and looks. Plus it's obscenely easy to make!

Summer Blackberry Cobbler
8 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen (slightly thawed if frozen)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant tapioca
Juice of 1/2 a lime
pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375. Toss berried with sugar, tapioca, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Spoon into a 2-qt baking dish.

Combine flour, coconut, sugar, pecans, baking powder, and salt in a second bowl. Using your fingertips, knead in the butter until incorporated. Mixture should look like coarse sand.

Blend in the egg, then arrange topping over the berries in clumps, covering them evenly. Bake the cobbler for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden and crisp, and filling is thick and bubbly. Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before serving.

Also, this is my first submission for Love Thursday. And after you try this scrumptious dessert, you will love me for posting the recipe!

Must. Contain. Excitement.

First, let me begin by saying that I am socially equivalent to a puppy who's been left home all day. I sit and do the things I need to do, but I long for someone to play with. Then, when placed in a social environment, I become overactive. Much like the puppy who jumps up and down and licks the face of its owner when they finally reunite. And while no one thinks much of my jumping up and down, the face licking is a little awkward.

So we have these neighbors who moved in next door a year ago recently. They are about our same age, share our religious beliefs, and they have kids near the same age as our kids. Since they've moved in I've imagined playdates in the front yards where the moms sit and hold the babies and chat away the afternoon while the boys play with their swords and squish bugs. But I think I've mentioned my inability to make new friends. I'm just afraid to do it. So, until recently, the extent of our neighborliness has been to say "hello" in the driveway and in the hallway at church. Thank heaven I have a son.

This week Isaac finally realized that the two boys next door actually live there. And they have toys that he doesn't have. So whenever he sees their car in the driveway he tells me, "I'm going to see my friends." And while I'm afraid to make friends, Isaac is fairly comfortable with it. He walks over to their front door with confidence while I walk timidly behind him (maybe I really am K-9.) He invites them out to play.

They come out, followed by their mom, toting her baby. I yell, "I have one of those!" and run home to wake Kenley from her nap, rip her from her crib and hold her up in front of the neighbor and scream, "See? I have a baby too! Can we be friends?" That's when her kids are told to run inside, they draw the shades and I hear the bolt lock. At least, that's what I'm afraid will happen.

In all actuality, the boys come out, their mom comes out, and the babies are both napping. We start to chat while the boys play. Our husbands come home from work and we all sit and have a good visit. We mention Labor Day. They don't have plans. Neither do we. We have this awesome grill. They like food. We love to play games. They have tons of board games. 5:30 sounds okay!

And so, I think, I think, it may be official. We have finally made a friend, and I'm no longer the family dog.