The Sweetest Sound

For a little Sunday afternoon entertainment, I pulled out the microphone for my computer and let the kids record themselves doing stuff. My mom has told me so many times that I should record the kids saying things and singing and I've never done it, but today, we have digitally immortalized a few sound bites from the Restuccia household.

Evan and Mom's I love you game

My latest favorite Evan quote... everything is special to him these days

The Restuccias sing our new primary song Scripture Power

This is how Dani comforts Brendan. Believe it or not, it actually works a lot of the time. Perhaps becuase he's too terrified to cry anymore

And last, this is what happens when you leave Emily alone with a microphone

Brendan's special talent

I really thought that once Brendan figured out how to use his hands, he'd be a thumb sucker... he can use his hands now, but it turns out he's more of an anything-he-can-get-in-his-mouth sucker. Typically, its either his thumb and forefinger or his forefinger and middle finger

Imagine my pride when I learned that my boy can stick his entire fist in his mouth. Now how many 5-month olds can do THAT?

Donut Angel

Jason took the kids to get donuts tonight - donies, as Dani calls them. They brought home a couple for me and Evan let me have the rest of his... unfortunately, rather than eating donuts from one side to the other, Evan eats his from the top down, and once there aren't any bites with frosting left, he's just done, man. Here mom, have other half of my donut -- the half without any saving graces whatsoever -- no glaze, no chocolate, no sugar, just some greasy bread.

Just ask Emily

I have started to love eavsdropping on Emily and Dani. I hear the best stuff! This one was while the girls were supposed to be cleaning the playroom and Emily was trying to explain the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day to Danielle.

Emily: Well, Martin Luther King Jr was a great man becuase.... Dani, do you know what a slave is?
Dani: No
Emily: Well... do you know about Cinderella?
Dani: Yes (actually, more like "Yesh"
Emily: Cinderella was a slave... have you ever seen any black kids? Do you have any kids in your class that are black?
Dani: I like to play with T.J.
Emily: Does TJ have dark brown skin?
Dani: No
Emily: Well, did you ever see someone with skin like that?
Dani: What happened to Cinderella?
Emily: Well, Martin Luther King Jr was a man who had a dream that white children and black children could play together. And a man KILLED him, Dani. A man who killed lots of famous people killed Martin Luther King Jr.

It was so funny to listen to becuase Em is just SUCH the authority on everything, even when she's talking to me and Jason, and yet it all went totally over Dani's head.

My own little piece of paradise

Look at this incredible speciman of tropical botany! Wow... can you believe these things? Yesterday they were on the beautiful island of Maui, and today, they are on my mantel, courtesy of Mom and Dad.I wish I was better practiced in the art of floral arrangement to do them justice, but I think I've done an adequte job... pretty much they speak for themselves! They are all so different from the flowers you find here on the "mainland"... the textures are very waxy and the shapes are so different, I wonder what they all are. The only ones I recognize are the purple ones, which I think are orchids. Now, I'm thinking if I go get some sand from the sandbox in the backyard and spread it around in my bathroom, put these flowers by the tub and hop into a nice warm bath, maybe with the blinds pulled back a bit so the sun can shine in on me, AND of course get into my swimsuit to increase the beachy atmosphere, but more to maintain my modesty with the blinds open, it will be just like being there with them!

Evan can be funny too....

Mondays are crazy at our house becuase the girls have gymnastics. Everyone comes home from school and we have a little over an hour before its time for gymnastics, then as soon as we get home from that, its dinner and Family Night and then bedtime. I've been trying to workout at Curves 3 times a week, perferably on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So I was doing my best to get out the door to workout before it was time for gymnastics. Evan saw I was leaving and wanted to come to.

Evan: Mom, want come
Me: No, Evan, where I'm going isn't for kids
Evan: (sadly) ok...

I go out and get in the car and am just about to shut the car door when Evan pops open the garage door

Evan: Mom, want come
Me: No, Evan I already told you that you can't.
Evan: ok

I start to shut the door again

Evan: Mom! Kiss!
As he comes at me with this face

Now tell me, could YOU resist that??? I jumped out and gave him a kiss. Again, just about to close the car door and

Evan: Mom! Hug!

So I jump out of the car and give him a hug. Then as I'm getting to the car...

Evan: Mom! Love!

Thank heaven for little boys!

Also, today I was trying to convince him to sit in the car seat that was closer to me instead of the one in the back of the van. He was not being convinced, so I hung my head and pretended to cry because he didn't want to sit close to me. Yes, I know, total manipulation. Evan heaves a HUGE sigh and then positions himself so that I can see him with my head hanging and says, "I love Moooooooooom!" Talk about having the tables turned on me! After that I just might have let him sit in the back carseat, but luckily, he didn't know how powerful cuteness like that can be and after reminding himself how much he does love his Mommy, he climbed up into the front carseat all on his own.

Dani says

Dani's views on religion:

Last Sunday at church, the kids were learning about the Holy Ghost. Sister Smith said told the kids that the Holy Ghost will tell us in our minds and our hearts what we should do. Dani piped up... "My mom tells me what to do."

Last night during family night we were discussing missionary work and Jason made a reference to "less active" members of the church. Not sure if the kids understood that term, I asked what we called members of the church who don't come very often. Without missing a beat, Dani answered, "Gentiles."

Gramma's girls

Grandma Knapp gave Emily and Dani these cute dresses for Christmas. They get a kick out of being "twinners" as we used to call it in my family. Gramma Knapp, this picture is for you! Dani, in this picture, reminds me of a picture I've seen in Tam's pile of family pictures. Who is that she looks like here? One thing is for darn sure -- she's more Restuccia blood than Rush!

Demonstration

We went to our friends, the Smith's home for dessert a few days ago. At one point, Evan had hurt himself and was crying great big crocodile tears. I explained to our friends about Evan's aversion to being wet (though this aversion does not extend to the bathtub or wet diapers for some reason) and how any drop of water that gets on him must be dried off post-haste. Just wiping them away won't work, they must be actually dried off his face. As soon as boo-boos are kissed better, he always walks over to the towel drawer, pulls one out, wipes off his tears and throws the towel back in the drawer. As I was explaining all of this, I expected Evan to walk over at any moment and wipe away the waterworks on his favorite tissue of all -- Mom. He started toward me, and I that my story would soon be illustrated, but imagine my surprise when rather than wiping his salty tears and runny nose on my shirt, he stopped after a few steps, picked up a rug off the floor, wiped his face with that and went on his way. Thanks for the punchline, son.

Overheard

Dani and Emily are playing together.....

Dani: Oh, thank you for taking care of all my kids
Emily: I know how frustrating it can be to have ALL THESE KIDS filling up your house......


later...

Emily: Yeah, but Superman is their REAL dad.



Oh my goodness, who are they listening to????

What am I going to do with this kid?

Today while we were driving, Dani asked me if the next time I give birth to her if she can be a boy. I couldn't even begin to tell her all the reasons the answer was NO

Also, we recently had the following conversation:

Dani: Emily says I'm a tomboy
Me: Well, yes you are. A tomboy is a girl who like to play boy games
Dani: Henry is a tomgirl because he likes to play girl games!

This statement is much funnier if you know Henry, but suffice to say that Henry's mom and I agree that if Dani and Henry grow up and get married, all the gender issues will be balanced out.

Old MacDonald's Superhero Training Facility

Dani and Evan are very into singing, all of a sudden. Whenever we get in the car to drive anywhere (but especially to preschool), we must sing. Christmas songs are still a favorite, but what we sing, more often than not, is our own special little version of "Old MacDonald," in which MacDonald does not have a traditional cows-pigs-and-chickens kind of farm, but a superhero training camp of some kind. Let me share our very special song:

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a Superman E-I-E-I-O
With a Supermantotheresuce here and a Supermantotherescue there
Here a Supermantotherescue, there a Supermantothe resuce, everywhere a SupermantotheresuceSuperman to the rescue
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a Red Ranger, E-I-E-I-O
With a Let'sgoRangers here and a Let'sgoRangers there
Here a Let'sgoRangers, there a Let'sgoRangers, everywhere a Let'sgoRangers, Let'sgoRangers!
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a Blue Ranger, E-I-E-I-O
With a PowerUp here and a PowerUP there
Here a PowerUp, there a PowerUp, everywhere a PowerUp, PowerUp
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a Green Ranger, E-I-E-I-O
With a MegazordFormation here and a MegazordFormation there
Here a MegazordFormation, there a MegazordFormation, everywhere a MegazordFormation MegazordFormation
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Truly, this could go on -- there are 5 other colors of Power Rangers, but fortunately, I can't remember what they say without Evan around to tell me. This song drives me CRAZY!!! Its mind numbingly repetitive, and quite a trick to get spit out "Supermantotherescue" in the alotted number of notes. But..... Evan grins so big when we sing it, I do just to see those cute little dimples. Yep, Mom's a total sucker