Randomness

Quotable Quotes by Connor

"Dad, you gotta start livin' it and stop sweatin' it." No idea where this came from.

"Mom, this will freak your brains out." Talking about a plastic toy bug.

"Mom, you feel like stuffing." Ouch! Weight Watchers - where do I sign up?

********************


Guy Stuff

This video had my husband doubled over in laughter. He watched it five times in a row before he made me sit down and view it. Still he laughed.

********************


Just Give it To Me

I'm sure some of you have already seen this music video by Jason Mraz. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this song. It totally sucks that he doesn't have it recorded on any of his albums! Come ON! What's he trying to do? It feels a little like musical foreplay. Like he's just toying with us. Just give it to me already! I want this song on my iTunes, on my iPod! He's already made it a hit on YouTube. Check it out, if you haven't already. Oh, and somebody pointed out that he's playing with some kind of sling or cast on one arm. Amazing!

********************

The Way to His Heart

I have found the way to my son's heart. Not so surprisingly, it isn't in the pizza I slave over or the owies I kiss better. Nope. It's much simpler, more basic than that. Here's how the conversation went.

"Hey, bud. How was your day at school?"

"Pretty good. Well, this one thing happened."

"Oh? What?"

"Well, two of my friends started fighting with the older kids on the hill. I decided to just go find other friends to play with because I knew it was wrong."

Insert proud mommy moment here.

"That's good. You can still be their friend, but I'm glad you walked away."

"Yeah. Hey, you know my friend, Josh, can make fake farting sounds. Like, it sounds like he farts, but it's not real."

Switching tracks. "Oh, how does he do that?"

"I'm not really sure. Just kinda like ..." and he tries to make a fart sound with his mouth and throat.

"Hmmm. Like this?" And I show him my special abilities.

"Wow!" His eyes go saucer round and fill with hero worship. Suddenly I'm cool and I'm Super Mom "How'd you DO that?"

So, I showed him. And became #1 Mom in his eyes. To think it was so simple all along.

Crazy Conversations

** A conversation with Benen during supper.

Benen: Mom, you and I are kinda the same.
Me: How's that?
Benen: Well, your skin is kinda peach and look, my skin is peach.
Me: You're right. We are the same.
Chad: Benen, what color is my skin?
Benen: Well .... it's .... it's mostly just hairy.
Chad (trying not to laugh): Oh. I guess it is.

Benen: See this? (Holds up his arm and squints with one eye) I've got some little hairs, too.

Chad (looking closely): Yup.
Benen: Dad, when I grow up, I'm gonna be big and hairy like you.


** A conversation with Chad while watching a movie.

Me: Oh, you have the subtitles on. Good idea.
Chad: That's me. Smartest guy in the world.
Me: You are. You married me.
Chad (slight hesitation): Really not that smart.

Chad claims he wasn't referring to my last comment when he said that, but I'm not letting him live it down.

A or B

I am convinced that parenting is the biggest game of Multiple Choice you will ever play.

Experts tell you to give your children choices as they grow so they can begin to experience some independence and learn to make their own decisions. They say limit their choices to within your parameters so you can remain in control while giving them a sense of freedom.

That's all fine and dandy, but sometimes I feel like my days are completely made up of A+B=C equations. For example:

• Me: Benen you can either sleep in your pajamas or your underwear and shirt. It's your choice. Either pick out some pajamas or sleep in your shirt and underwear.
  
  Benen: Ummm.....I wanna sleep naked.

• Chad: Benen, these are your choices. You can have an apple, a banana or nothing. What do you want?
  
  Benen: Alright. I'll have a pear.

You see the problem? I give them choices. I set the boundaries. They keep thinking outside the box.

I keep getting suckered.

But they make me smile. Benen, while standing at the bathroom sink - "Get ready for the awesome power of Benen!"

Divine Humour

God has a sense of humour. Did you know that? Here's how I know...

I grew up in a family of musicians. I use that term rather lightly. We're none of us professionals, but we all played, or attempted to play, instruments. My older brother has gone on to study music and I'm very proud of the musician he has become. That being said, there were days, months, years where I did not appreciate his love for music.

It was during our younger years when my brother was in a band. You know the type - high school, basement/garage bands. Translation: loud and louder with lots of screaming and an overabundance of distortion and cymbals. This "music" used to drive me CRAZY!! Especially the obnoxious banging on the drums. (The drummer was not obnoxious, I just had no appreciation for the "noise". Drummers, please don't take offense.)

Anyways, I was talking with a girlfriend at school one day and said that when I had children, they would never, never, never be allowed to play the drums. My friend chuckled and asked me what I'd do if they really wanted to learn. I staunchly replied that there was NO WAY my child would be permitted to drum. They would just have to choose a different instrument.

Fast forward 5 years and I was the proud new mommy of one adorable little boy. This cute newborn grew and by age 8 months (no exaggeration) he was fascinated by the drums. Not the whole worship team, just the drums. Still, I thought, he's so cute. He passed his first birthday and still the fascination was there. At 16 months old he was sitting at a drum set, gently banging away. With perfect stick technique! I mean, this child naturally knew how to hold a drumstick and how to properly let it "bounce" in his hand when playing. He could clap on beats 2 and 4 and was confused when people in the congregation would clap on 1 and 3 (a big no-no).

The Christmas before he turned 2, we bought him a toy drum set. It was actually my idea. Within two weeks he had played so much that the plastic drumsticks split at the seam. So, we bought him real sticks. One week later the drums wore out. So, for his 2nd birthday, we bought him a real, junior-size, acoustic drum set.

And this is my life. He's now five years old and although for the past 2 years superhero toys have become his passion, he still picks up his sticks every now and then and plays. He can actually keep time - syncopated time - and do fills complete with cymbal crashes. And I love it! I rejoice when I hear him bang on the drums and I find myself listening carefully and counting to make sure he stays in time. LOL! The best part of all - God has given me the ability to selectively "hear" it. It's amazing what I can block out!

So you see, God has a sense of humour. He took a promise I made in ignorance and said, "oh, yeah?" and gave me a drummer. And I wouldn't have it any other way!