Your face could get stuck like that!

Evan was telling me about his favorite episode of Backyardigans -- The Best Clowns in Town. The ringmaster gets mad. And this is what it looks like:











Then Brendan tried to show me what mad looks like. He's never going to be able to scare his children into obedience

And then cause Mom had the camera out, Dani also wanted to show me what mad looked like. Personally, I think her hair is a lot scarier than her expression!

And Emily? Well, she just likes to be weird

Brenny likes broccoli

Brendan has discovered the fun of serving himself. On this particular occasion, he took 7 or 8 heaping helpings of broccoli -- and ate nearly all of it!

Trying to converse with a 2 year old

Me: Brendan, you need to stay in your bed tonight. If you get out of bed, I will put you back and close your bedroom door. Do you understand?
Brendan: Yep.
Me: You're going to stay in bed, right?
Brendan: Yep.
Me: And if you don't, I'm going to close your door, right?
Brendan: Yep.
Me: Are you going to get out of bed and play?
Brendan: Yep.
Me: Noooooooo. You are NOT going to get out of bed and play. Say no, Bren.
Brendan: Nope.
Me: So are you going to get out of bed and play?
Brendan: Yep.
Me: NO! You are NOT going to get out of your bed and play! Say No!
Brendan: Nope
Me: Ok... so are you going to get out of bed and play
Brendan: Yep!
Me: NO!

(Repeat 15 times and he's right -- he did get out of bed and play!)

I don't let my kids watch Nicktoons. This has puzzled many of their friends and it has not been a few times that I have been stopped by one of their classmates to be asked why I don't let my kids watch Spongebob. It all started a long long time ago when Emily was about 3. After a certain time of day, Nick Jr. would sign off and Spongebob would come on and I'd make her turn off the tv. One day, while we were driving somewhere or another, she asked why she couldn't watch Spongebob or CatDog. I explained to her that I didn't like some of the messages of the show, like making fun of other people or that being dumb is funny. Blues Clues on the other hand (her favorite at the time), taught good things like how to be a friend and numbers and letters and shapes. And suddenly, in Emily's mind, Spongebob became the Devil Incarnate. "Spongebob doesn't want me to brush my teeth," "Spongebob wants me to be mean to my sister," etc. And so our family aversion to Nicktoons in general was born.

Emily and Dani have always been pretty good about letting me know when one of the shows comes and so I can change the channel. In fact they panic and if I don't get the channel changed fast enough, they'll just turn off the tv! There has been some problem with Evan sneaking in some of the shows when I'm not paying attention. Apparently he has come around to the general family way of thinking...

Evan: Mom, I was at "friend x's" house and his mom put on Spongebob.
Me: Oh yeah? Is that why you came home?
Evan: No. I told her that she shouldn't put on Spongebob.
Me: Oh really? wondering how well that went over
Evan: Yeah, cause they don't know about Spongebob cause they're not the Mormon of the church. pause In a few weeks, I'll tell them about Spongebob. Cause they don't know. Cause they're not the Mormon of the church.

So not only has he forsworn Spongebob, he, like Emily before him, equates abstinence with church standards. Thou shalt not watch Spongebob. Amen.

Turning the tables....

Evan: Someday, we'll go up to heaven, and then we'll come back to Earth and then I'll be a grown up and YOU'LL be a little kid!

I'm the proud posessor of one brand spankin' new...

nephew!!!! This is the firstborn of my brother Ryan, and the first one to ensure that the proud Rush name does not die out. Those are big shoes to fill! Little Cael's mommy and daddy are too busy and tired to post his picture on their website and I felt a responsiblility to make sure his presence was made known to the WWW. So here he is -- Cael Chrisopher Rush!

So what did you learn in school today?

Evan: There are people.... who don't have eyes..... and they have dogs..... so they don't bump into things!

Two

My baby is TWO! Is it bad that I'm really not sad about it? I have to admit that between having 2 kids in school all day long, Evan in preschool 4 days a week, Brendan in a big boy bed and his new official "two-ness" I'm feeling very liberated!

Two is such a fun age. Yes, there are the terrible two tantrums, and Brendan does throw a few every day, but he gets put straight in time out and the end result is usually sweet compliance. He is becoming more a little boy all the time. He loves to torment his sisters and wrestle with his brothers. He likes to play with "guys" (action figures) now and makes sound effects -- usually for fighting, flying or falling.

He has recently discovered television and LOVES Backyardigans and Wonderpets. If either one comes on, he starts yelling for me and pointing at the television. I especially love when he answers questions they ask in the shows. "Is this the yellow flower?" "Yep!" Usually answers wrong, but its still cute!

The boy loves his teddy bears. Until recently, he called them his "gogs," now they are "tays." Luckily he doesn't have a particular favorite -- any one will do, but UNluckly, he usually prefers to have at least 4 a time. Wo to the parent who gets Brendan up from his nap and dares to leave the bedroom with a teddy left behind!

His speech is getting better and better. He surprises me from time to time by spontaneously asking for juice or watermelon or something by name. He definitely prefers to point and grunt, but things are coming along. Even the kids love to goad him into speaking. His most commonly spoken words lately are "Yep!" "Nope!" and "Ummmmmm"

Call me crazy -- I'm not sad to see my kids grow up. Its so fun to see them change and learn new things. Maybe someday I'll cry about it, but for now, I'm having too much fun watching!

Multiply and Replenish the Earth

Looked out my back door during a BBQ on Labor day and was amused to reflect on just how many kids can result from about 1/4 as many adults!