How was your day?

Every day, when I come home from work, I always ask the kids what they did that day. I go into it knowing what they did because I've received the update from Daddy when I called home during my lunch break or to let him know I was headed home. Even though I know what they did, I always like to hear the kids' take on it.

Up until recently, when I would ask the kids about their day, I would get the response from all three of "nothing." It didn't matter what they really did that day ... went to the grocery store, the McWane center, the YMCA, swimming, the zoo, etc. It didn't even matter how exciting their day was ... because sometimes I already knew that they got to pet a shark or a chinchilla or a sting-ray or a snake. I still got the "nothing" response.

I've grown to beleive in Al's theory: that each time the kids go to sleep and wake up, they think it is a different day. They really have a hard concept with time ... they get today, yesterday, tonight, this morning and tomorrow all mixed up. The other night we were driving back from Sam's club and we told the kids that they could have some icecream that night. They all started crying and saying they wanted some today. Al and I both kept telling them that tonight was today ... but they didn't get it. Suddenly, I said that tonight meant now. They all stopped whining and crying and William said "Oh, OK!"

Our kids still take a late afternoon nap. Typically they go down around 2pm and sleep until 4 or 5pm. So, I think that when I get home and asked them what they did today ... they think only of the time since they took their naps! And that is why I get a big fat NOTHING!!!

But lately, things are changing. When I ask how their day was, I actually get information about their day. The problem now is that they talk over each other and they all want to tell me the same things ... and they get really mad at each other if someone else tells what they want to tell.

And that is exactly what happened this evening! Today, Daddy took them to the science center (McWane) and swimming at Grandm Jack's pool. When I asked them how their day was, they all started talking about their time at the pool ... William told me about another kid who had a boo-boo ... Addison told me about someone who was nice to me ... and Jackson told me about what they found in the pool.  But when they get really excited to tell me something, sometimes they have a hard time spitting it out ... Jackson couldn't quite get his words right so William jumped right in to finish his story for him.  Needless to say, Jackson was NOT very happy about that!

After Jackson calmed down and realized that William hadn't really spoiled his story, Jackson finally told me what he wanted to say.  He said, "I found a gun and a ball in the dream."  Of course, he meant to say drain!!  Everytime he said dream, Al or I corrected him to drain ... but for some reason, he just could not say drain!  So we tried to get him to say words that rhymed with drain ... train, plain, brains (which sprarked a few "brains" in our best zombie voices).  And he could say all of those words with no problem.  After at least 15 attempts to say drain ... but intead saying dream.  Al and I were laughing so hard ... and Jackson finally got it right!

I love this age.  The kids are so funny ... so sweet and loving and innocent.  No wonder the Bible tells us that unless we change and become like little children we will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:3).  We are supposed to be teaching our children about God ... but I think I am learning more about God from them.
So many other funny stories to share ... when I have more time!
Quenta

The Moon

The kids received a moon night-light for Christmas this past year from my parents ... Mimi and Granddaddy. They love their moon and the triplet of the day gets to turn it on each night. The moon can be set to mimic the different phases of the moon but our kids just turn it on "full" each night.

The moon has a built-in timer and usually turns itself off after 30 minutes or so. Of course, this isn't nearly long enough to allow our trio to fall asleep. Typically, we are light-out at 9pm ... and typically we hear the last of our kiddos well after 10pm. It is really cute ... most nights! They all share a room ... the boys have a queen bed and Addison has a twin bed. William is always the first to go to sleep and Addison is always the last. Most nights, you will hear Addison shouting "wake up William! Wake up!" That part isn't so cute :)

Many nights, after we turn out the light and close the door, we have to make 2-3 return trips to their room. The first trip is usually prompted by Jackson calling out from the top of the stairs. He is usually crying about some injustice that William has done to him. "William hit me" or "William kicked me" etc. etc. etc. One great thing about Jackson ... he is almost always honest! He will tell you exactly what William did to him ... and what he did to William! We have found that these late night wresting matches leave neither part unharmed ... or innocent!

The other night during one such return trip, I noticed that the moon was barely glowing. Of course, the kids were quick to point it out to me too. Here is how the conversation went:

William: The moon needs new batteries.

Me: Well, we'll let Daddy do that tomorrow.

William: It is really easy. You just pull it off the wall and put new batteries in it.

Me: I understand William, but I think we'll let Daddy do that tomorrow.

William: Are you too tired to put new batteries in the moon?

Me: (very surprised) Yes, William, Mommy's too tired!

It still amazes me how perceptive they are now. You really can't get much by them! One day we were all laying on the boy's bed and Al and I were talking about where we wanted to go that afternoon. Al spelled Sam's Club ... and William piped up "I want to go to Sam's Club." For one horrible moment, I thought that William was actually learning to spell and I am not ready for that! We convinced ourselves it was just coincidence!

They are growing up so quickly! And yes, I'm stealing a photo from my husband's blog ... but then again, I did take the picture!

Quenta