Big Conversations with Little People

The boys are fast approaching four (four!), and they have a LOT to say these days. Believe me, you haven't really lived until you have three little people telling you knock-knock jokes that don't make any sense and aren't funny. (But you laugh anyway, because the thought that goes into telling them and the intesity with which they are told merits a laugh.)

Every day I have some big conversation with one of my little people. The kind of conversation where they get right in your face and share some big revelation or idea or anything.

I love that!

Sam regularly says, "I'm going to tell you something." And then he does. Isaac is so intense that I have a hard time keeping a straight face even when he's serious. And Alex demands to be heard, yelling at his siblings to be quiet and getting louder and louder until we respond to him.

Tonight I had this very big conversation with Alex.

Alex: When I get big I'm going to work in Mommy's office.

Me: What will you do in Mommy's office?

Alex: (delivered without taking a breath) I will talk on the phone and they will pay me money and then I can go ride Sandy and put my own money in anytime I want!

Holy cow! He's three and he's got it figured out: Get a job, make your own money and spend it how you want. Parenting mission accomplished.

P.S.: Sandy is the mechanical horse at the local grocery store and the children's museum. It costs a nickel to ride.

© Trippin' Mama 2012

Mom My Ride

These days we have to keep the cars locked or the boys will invade them. They can open the doors, including the sliding doors on the van. They like to "ride" on those doors by hanging from the handle as the door slides open. And yes, they've been in trouble for that more than once!

A couple weeks ago the boys got into the van and pulled out the spray sunscreen. They know how to use that, too. Let's just say there should be no UV damage to the dashboard or passenger seat in that vehicle.

Ironically, this happened just a couple of days after a friend sent me this video called, "Mom My Ride." She ran across it after her husband spent an entire day cleaning the goldfish and unidentified stickiness out of their van. We laughed and laughed at it.

I dedicate this to all parents out there driving a minivan that smells like sunscreen and has enough goldfish in the seats to feed a family of six for a month.

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© Trippin' Mama 2012

From the Peanut Gallery

I wore this to work today:

When I came out to the kitchen Isaac looked up from the breakfast table and said, "I really like your zebra costume, Mom!"

It's always good to start your day off with a laugh!

© Trippin' Mama 2012

The Flying Wallendas

The other day I looked out the kitchen window and saw that the Flying Wallendas had taken over my yard. The danger appeared minimal, so I just got out my camera to record the craziness here for all posterity.

I give you the Flying Wallendas - Triplet Style!



It's amazing we've only had one broken bone and one kid get stitches...so far!

© Trippin' Mama 2012

Nickel?

The other morning Jeff got up with our early birds at 6 a.m and let me sleep in a bit. They were all hanging out watching cartoons, and Jeff didn't have a shirt on. Alex came over and pointed at his chest.

"What's that, Daddy?" he asked.

"It's my nipple, buddy," Jeff replied.

"A nickel!?" Alex said.

Jeff started to laugh and before he could answer, Isaac pulled up his shirt, pointed to his own nipple and asked, "Is this a penny?"

Because a penny is smaller than a nickel, you know.

© Trippin' Mama 2012

We Made A Splash!

I was doing pretty well posting this week, wasn't I? Sorry I had to miss yesterday. Amelia won four tickets to a nearby water park and Jeff and I were able to get off work, so we were there ALL, ALL day. Seriously. We left the house at 8 a.m. and returned home at 1 a.m. this morning.

We had a blast. The weather was perfect. The park wasn't crowded, and the kids did great. Lots of walking, lots of water, lots of rides and very little whining.

Sam, Isaac, Alex and Amelia are still smiling at the end of a very long, very fun day!

We took the kiddos on a family water slide where you ride up to five people in an inner tube. We split up two and two. I took Sam and Isaac. Jeff took Amelia and Alex. Only one kid really liked it: Isaac! (No surprise there!)

Sam did pretty well. He was pretending the inner tube was a horse and after we hit the second little drop and went around the corner he was yelling, "Slow this dang horsie down!"

Isaac just laughed and grinned the whole time. Later I took him and Alex, and I laughed at the contrast between the two. The look on Isaac's face was sheer delight. The look on Alex's was borderline terror. He was trying to like it, but didn't really.

After we left Alex with Daddy, Isaac and I rode again. As we stood near the top waiting for our turn Isaac kept pointing out other slides he wanted to ride. Unfortunately most of what he picked he was too little to ride. (And most of them I didn't want to ride with him, either! I'm kind of a wuss about slides and rides.)

"That's not fair!" Isaac wailed. I had to chuckle. In no time he'll be big enough to ride everything in the park.

The problem is, none of his siblings will want to go with him!

© Trippin' Mama 2012

Who Needs The Guilt?

I'm a very infrequent poster on Facebook, and the other day I saw a comment that reminded me exactly why.

Someone posted about a fun outing with their kiddos, and one of the comments was "Where was my invite? :( "

Really? You can't read that post and think, "That sounds like fun!" Maybe pick up the phone and call your friend and say, "Hey, that sounded like a blast! Let's go together sometime!"?

Nope. Go right for the guilt trip.

I see this all the time. Someone posts about a girls' night out or a weekend trip with friends or even a date night with the hubby and the guilt just starts pouring in.

I find this really sad. Why can't we celebrate each other's joy and fun instead of crashing the party with a guilt trip?

Life is a whole lot better when you are cheering others on instead of tearing them down. Now that's a life lesson for all of us.

© Trippin' Mama 2012

Wordful Wednesday: Horsin' Around

Amelia spent last week at Horse Camp. She loved everything about it, even going on a "poop hunt," when it was time to clean up the arena and the stalls.'

I loved watching her handle herself around the horses. Even though they towered over her, she was so at ease with them. She brushed them, washed them, braided their manes and tails, and cleaned their hooves. And she never batted an eyelash.

And I love, love, love this series of photos!

Amelia shows off her friend, EJ.

So cute together!

SMOOCH!

Now Amelia is even crazier about horses. A week at Horse Camp didn't scratch her itch. It just put an even bigger burr under her saddle!

Play along with Wordful Wednesday over at Seven Clown Circus.

© Trippin' Mama 2012

Head Over Hooves

Amelia spent all last week at Horse Camp. She's wanted to ride "forever," and she loved it. Well, she told me she cried a couple times when she didn't get the horse she wanted to ride. But still she loved "the whole, whole thing," including scooping poop and cleaning stalls.

You go, girl! 

I watched her lead her horse out of the stall and then climb into the saddle. It was one of those moments when you ponder how your child can be so little and so big all at the same time.

Amelia had no complaints at all about the week. I had just two. First, I could have done without the craft that led to her bringing home two metal horseshoes covered in glitter, and second, I can see the dollars going out of my pocket on this one!

I have lots of great pictures I'll try to post tomorrow for Wordful Wednesday.

© Trippin' Mama 2012

Are You Dancing?

On Sunday Isaac and Alex both decided to come to church with us. Isaac changed his mind the minute we walked in, and Alex followed him to the nursery shortly after. I won't lie. I do enjoy a child-free Mass now and then!

As I was sitting there, suddenly a memory flitted in.

We were at church one morning and Amelia was maybe two or so. The music started playing and she got off the pew and started to dance. As she twirled in place and moved to the music Jeff and I smiled. Then we noticed all of the people around us beginning to smile, too.

It would have been nearly impossible not to be delighted by Amelia's pure joy.

As I remembered that and reflected on it Sunday, I thought about that moment. Amelia was just being a child. She was spontaneous and not concerned about those around her and what they thought.

Sometimes it is so hard to let our kids be kids. We let our expectations of them, our needs and wants get in the way. We forget what it is to be inspired to dance, to need to wrestle, to be so excited about everything we want to say that we have to shout it instead of say it.

On days when I find myself asking my kids to hurry up, to settle down, to be quiet, to stand still, I need to stop and remember that they are kids. Soon enough they will rush by me on the way to the next thing, they won't wrestle with me on the rug or want to tell me their every thought.

Our days certainly aren't perfect, but they are good, very good. Because we have a house full of kids who burst into song, break out in giggles and leap up to dance.

© Trippin' Mama 2012