You don't say dammit & big ol' hootenanny

This morning we were trying to get the kids in the car to go to church. It usually isn't a huge deal, but sometimes they poke around not wanting to get into their seat belts. Boy will climb into the back of the van and start pretending he's in a space ship or a train or a rocket. So, Boy has this current thing where he doesn't want to get his feet wet on the grass in the morning. (He can't take the grass being wet, but loves to cover himself in mud - go figure.) He will stand on the sidewalk and refuse to walk around the car to get into his side of the van, unless he can walk on the driveway. Depending on how I've parked the van, and spacial distances not being my strong suit, there is always a good chance no sidewalk will be available. There is only one option - he must be carried. E picked him up and as he was walking Boy around the car, one of Boy's feet left a dirt trail on E's shirt. E let go with a good "dammit" and this conversation ensued... Boy: "You said DAMMIT to me. We don't say dammit to people." Long pause... E, "Yes, you are right, Boy, we don't say dammit." It seems he is on to us. A few months ago Boy picked up on me saying it and started copying me, knowing that it was a bad word. It was pretty funny because he would mutter it under his breath just like an adult would try to do around kids and I would ask him what he said. He'd say "dammit" and I would redirect him with, "we don't say dammit, you mean 'oh, NUTS!'" It is interesting to see that he can now take the whole concept in, whereas before he would just keep repeating the word over and over while laughing.

Tonight we got back after having a fun evening at a friend's house. The kids played, we actually had some adult conversation, it was great. Getting them to bed was another story. I made the mistake of trying to put them down at the same time, which is something we haven't done for a long time. They had a bath, brushed teeth, E read them a story, and then I tucked them in and told them a Silly, Silly Sam story. This time Silly, Silly Sam and Goofy, Goofy Mary & Sneaky, Sneaky Trevor enlisted Curious George and went camping together in the front yard. Poor Sam was sprayed by a skunk and Mary & Curious George had to go to the grocery store and get 30 cans of tomato juice. Then Mary, Curious George & Trevor poured all the tomato juice in the kiddie pool and gave Sam a tomato juice bath and washed him with a really big washcloth. Then Sam had to run through the water sprinkler to rinse off. And so on and so on... Then a lullaby and kisses blown good-night. And they went to sleep. NOT. By then it was 9pm and they were just getting started. They kept flicking on the light, leaping from their beds onto the floor, throwing stuffed animals around. After the 3rd time of going in and telling them to knock it off, I just decided I was going to bed. I figured they would tire themselves out eventually and would turn their light off and go to bed. E was already in bed and we were both wiped out, even if our children were not. So, they continued to have a big ol' hootenanny in their room. I was so ...tired and felt like that lady in the old commercial who is about 90 saying, "I've fallen and I can't get up" - remember that commercial? Was it for The Clapper? Can't remember. This is what lack of sleep over several years does. So, E got up after about 15 more minutes of full out Circus tricks (no, not in our room) and thumps coming from their room and took Girl out. Bless him. Boy quieted down. E read a few stories to Girl and she fell asleep. And E found a little bit of heaven in the sweet rounded cheek of our girl on his shoulder. I dozed through most, but was left with such gratefulness and appreciation of my husband.

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