Silence is Golden - And Rare

August, 2010

One night while eating dinner our kids were being their usual over talkative self.  Rory and I were tired and ready to sit on the coach and “veg”.  So here we were, Rory and I almost done, determined to NOT watch tv while eating and our kids weren’t even half way thru their dinner.  Riley going on and on about absolutely nothing.  I’ve never seen a child that will say jibberish just to have something to say.  It’s like her own little language… and she’s the only who can speak it or understand it for that matter.

“Riley. Riley. Riley.”  Finaly she stops talking and looks at me as if “what do you have to say that is possibly so important to interrupt me”.

“Riley.  If you don’t stop talking, you will never finish your dinner.”

Still looking at me as if having a very serious, conversation about politics or her new Barbie Doll. “Well, mom.  Kids talk a lot..... we have a lot to say.” And that was the end of that discussion – not her talking, just the discussion.

A Sweet Tooth

February 9, 2012

I was tucking the kids into bed and going through the normal routine.  Get their clothes off, chase Reid around the house, yell at Riley for pestering the cat, tell them to brush their teeth, threaten them to brush their teeth, argue with them to get their pj’s on, chase Reid around the bed, rescue the cat from Riley, wrestle them into their beds, get water for both, clean up spilled water, give hugs and kisses and then go have a big glass of wine.  I was hugging Reid who in his silly nature told me to not touch his pillow, “Don’t touch my pillow mom,” with that ‘I warn you’ inflection in his voice… “okay Reid”.  I couldn’t help but smile.  He was acting so cute and goofy.  I bent over, “Mom! Your touchin’ my pillow.”  I looked to see my hair had brushed against his pillow.  “You – are funny.”  He smirked but yet was serious and slapped my hair.  I crawled into where Rory was sitting, reading some newspaper on his i-pad, “Go tuck your son in and give him hugs.”  Rory set the i-pad down and headed off to the kids rooms.  He came back a few minutes later, picked up his i-pad and continued on.  He paused and without taking his eye’s off what he was reading, “We’re gonna have to start checking under Reid’s pillow.”  I glanced over, obviously curious.  Rory proceeded,  “He kept telling me not to touch his pillow,” and I interrupted, “Yea, he told me not to touch it either, I thought he was being silly.”  “No.  He had candy corns stuffed under his pillow.”  Unlike many of us, Reid would use sugar in place of salt, pepper, seasoning and vegetables if it were possible.  It’s no wonder his permanent teeth haven’t come in… their too scared to.  I go into his room, look under his pillow and found one last candy corn dad had missed.  I looked at him with a frown, “Did you eat any?”  He didn’t answer, turned to look at his wall, “one” in a quiet voice.  It’s gotta be his father genetics,  I never do deceptive stuff like this.

August 2010 - A night of Beignets, Dumbo & Half Dressed Women

08/2010

We bought the movie “Princess and the frog”.  A little girl who grew up in the south; New Orleans to be exact.  A little girl who loved to cook.  And of course comin’ from New Orleans she cut her teeth on beignets and Gumbo; you can’t get much more southern French than that.  With cooking, music and a fairy tale ending what 7 year old little girl wouldn't love it - Riley was hooked! “Mom, whats in dumbo?” “In what?”  A lot of times when they miss-pronounce something I make them say it twice, just to make sure I heard them right.  “Dumbo.” A little unsure of herself.  I smiled and proceeded to tell her everything I knew was in dumbo.  Riley is now determined to make “dumbo”, gumbo as we know it.  I never have corrected her.  And I’ve never told Reid that “en-ems” are really m&ms or “rt22” is really r2d2.  At the age of almost 6 he’s never had a “sandwich” only “swamich’s” and if you listened to Reid you really never got anything built because he only followed the “destructions”.  I know, I know.  Shame on me; a mother is suppose to help educate their children; but it’s these cute little quirkisms that keep them alive.  Otherwise their just miniature teenagers and how cute is that?  Not cute enough.

Now, as for Reid, he can’t stand Princess and the frog” – not enough action or gadgets. Unless it’s got stuff blowing up or really hot women on it then Reid, he aint interested.  One night Rory and I started to watch the movie A Family Man. It wasn’t animated but rated pg.  Of course, if it’s not animated then it only takes both our kids 6 seconds to announce “Noooo…” with a bunch of whine behind it.  “I don’t wanna watch this.”  Again, with enough whine that the twang in their voice hurts your ears.  So the movie has this guy and girl laying in bed; this beautiful, well built woman stands up, her back to the camera (thank goodness) wearing nothing but black panties.  Reid over in the chair, “I don’t wanna watch………….”  Rory and I looked over to see if he’d forgotten how to speak or if he’d fallen asleep.  Eyes wide open and glued to the tv, “I like this movie.”  Rory and I start laughing.  “Really!  I do like this movie.  Let’s watch this movie!”  pleading us to not shut it off. So I figured out quickly that my son likes girls; which makes me feel good as a mom, but yet his interest at such a young age has me a bit worried.