Ahhhh......Theres a Roach Under My Bed!

Carter....my very mobile, ornery, always excited, rambunctiously playful, temperamental, inquisitive, meticulous, sensitive, super lovable, silly, and very intense 3 year old little man. Yes, "little man". Carter knows exactly what he wants, certainly what he does not want, what he likes and definitely what he does not like. Please, don't call him "baby", "toddler" or even "little boy". Please don't tell him he is handsome - he prefers "cute". And as most 3 year old "little men" do, he despises being told "no". Carter does as Carter pleases - even when he knows he is breaking the rules. His only care in this moment is that it will give him instant gratification - the consequences don't worry him....until it's time to pay. The minute he hears mom or dad ask "why is there soap all over the floor and mirrors in the bathroom?", "who left the sink faucet running with water all over the floor?", "Where are the table chairs?", "why is the toilet overflowing?", "who unrolled all the toilet papers?", "why is there crayon marks all over the carpet?", "why is there a huge puddle on the floor?" or "Carter, we told you "NO" ", that little man starts running for his life .....straight to his room and scurries under his bed, way back to the corner.. and with a mischievous smile and giggle all of a sudden transforms himself and says very loudly, "Ahhh. I'm a Roach. No Carter under here. I'm a Roach."
Sometimes is so hard not to laugh.

Trains, Drains and Automobiles

Most little boys love anything that rolls, crashes, races, flies, makes noise, soars, splashes, spins, shoots, smashes, fires and goes to play with...so I have heard...and Carter is no exception. Carter's favorite toys since he was at least one year old have always been cars. It if had wheels and rolled, he was all about it. As he got grew, he was all about trying to take the wheels off and putting them back on. He spent so much time practicing, he could do it in his sleep.

Then around two years, he became keenly aware of trains and tracks. HE got his first train for Christmas right after his 2nd birthday. Now, at 3 years and a few months, he owns 3 different train sets and about 50 ft of tracks with his first remote control trains. Love to run them and watch the wheels turn underneath. He even gets his head on the floor level with the trains to watch this happen. Interesting.

Through all these toys, he has a favorite that has endured from the very young. When Carter was about 6 months old, one night while taking his bath, he would not stop looking at the drain in tub. Just watching the water go round and round and round and going down the drain. At first he giggled, a hearty giggle, and he would stick his little pointy finger in the middle of the hole where the water would spin down into the drain.

Ever since, Carter has an insatiable curiosity of drains. All kinds of drains. Anytime we go somewhere, be it the pool, a parking lot, a public restroom, riding his tricycle down our neighborhood streets or standing in the shower or tub, Carter ALWAYS excitedly bursts out to explain where the drain is a what goes down there. And then he stares at it... with a hypnotic look on his face. Even this past week at the Aquarium, when Kelsey had the opportunity to touch the starfish an horseshoe crabs, Carter only cared about the drain... the overflow drain. For the love of drains!

From the Mouths of Babes

So, on Facebook (Yes, I do facebook), it has been a trend for friends send various lists of questions to be answered by the recipient and then forward on to others. Its a way to get to learn about your friends and see what others think. At first, it was fun and interesting. I think the first list was "25 Random Things about yourself". Then someone sent a list of different ways to use your name, and then so an and so on. The first list forced me to think alot about myself - which can be a good thing or bad thing depending on how truthful I was going to answer. Then a few more lists came and I would read them - some interesting, some not. I answered and forwarded a couple more that I thought were interesting. Then I received one that did not require me to answer any questions or think about myself. It was a list of twenty something questions to ask my kids. Cool, I can interview them. It's always fun to see what they have to say. Kids views are so much more fun to hear than an adults.

I read the list and soon realized ALL the questions had to do with Mommy. Super.I thought, now is my chance to show off how wonderful my kids really think I am. Yeah! Well, some answers were nice and others....well just don't forget the age of the people being interviewed. Here's what my darlings had to say...

Kelsey (5 years) and Carter (3 years)

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
K: "Go back to bed, it's not time to get up...heheheh"
C: "Don't get in your bathtub...hahaha"

2. What makes Mommy happy?
K: "seeing me and Carter giggle"
C: "I don't want to talk to you"

3. What makes Mommy sad?
K: "When I say I don't love you anymore."
C: "nothing"

4. What does Mommy do to make you laugh?
K: "When you turn in to tickle monster and chase me."
C: "You tickle me"

5. Who are Mommy's best friends?
K: "Sandy, Daddy, and all my friends Mommies"
C: "Me"

6. How old is Mommy?
K: "50.. 80.. 25 pounds"
C: "not 3"

7. How tall is Mommy?
K: "40 pounds"
C: "little"

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?
K: "get dressed for bed"
C: "not play"

9. What does Mommy do when you are not around?
K: "Cleans everything and do my laundry"
C: "leaves me at school"

10. What is Mommy really good at?
K: "taking care of us"
C: "nothing"

11. What is Mommy NOT good at?
K: "Hmmmmm......laughing, "hahaha""
C: "nothing"

12. If Mommy becomes famous, what would it be for?
K: "Painting a really good picture"
C: "nothing"

13. What does Mommy do for her job?
K: "cleans"
C: "nothing....building towers"

14. What is Mommy's favorite food?
K: "Ranch dressing and lettuce"
C: "poop..hahahahahaha" (gee! I'm surprised that one did not come out before)

15. What makes you proud of Mommy?
K: "When you take care of us"
C: "nothing"

16. If Mommy was a cartoon, who would she be?
K: "Angelina Ballerina's Mommy"
C: "Dora"

17. How are you and Mommy the same"
K: "we have brown eyes, and same lips and we both like Wizard of Oz"
C" "brown hair .....nothing"

18. How are you and Mommy different?
K: "Different clothes, nose, hair and eyelashes ....you have to draw yours on."
C: " I'm a boy"

19. How do you know Mommy loves you?
K: "you have a sweet heart and you do everything for me, Carter and Daddy"
C: "Poop.....hahahha" (okay, that's only 2 times so far)

20. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?
K: "Bookstore"
C" "M&M carwash" (the carwash at HEB has letters that look like M&Ms)

21:What do you and Mommy do together?
K: "snuggle, color, get dinner ready, eat dinner together with family"
C: "play cars"

22. What do you and Mommy do before bed?
K: "dry my hair and read books and scratch my back"
C: "read books...and blow kisses"

23. What does Mommy do that you don't like?
K: "not listen to my way"
C" "time out"

So there you have it. I'm not completely glorified, but I'm not complaining. At least my best friends are not "poop".

On Top of Spaghetti

Growing up, we ate a lot of spaghetti. A lot of chicken too, but for some reason, spaghetti never was my favorite. To this day, I do not eat spaghetti. I married a man who LOVES spaghetti. I know, call me a mean wife, but since I do all, and I mean All the cooking in this house, I do not cook spaghetti. I will cook many things I don't like, just because my dear husband likes it or the kids want it.

Tonight, I cooked spaghetti! O MY! When I called Todd and asked him to run by the grocery store to pick up some Italian Bread from the bakery, he could not believe his ears. He was soooo happy when he got home. I know, what kind of a wife am I to have never cooked spaghetti for my dear and loving and providing husband?

Anyhow, as a result of this decision to cook spaghetti, Kelsey and Carter both ask, "what is spaghetti?". I know what you all are thinking. I really am not that bad of a mother - what's the big deal? It's only boiling water and pasta. in addition to my view of spaghetti, I had heard so many horror stories of incredible messes by children trying to eat it. I really did not know if I was ready for this adventure at the end of a Monday. Nevertheless, I cooked it anyway.


Both kids ate surprisingly well. Not one noodle hit the floor and no one ended up with sauce in any place I could not wipe up. And not on the walls either! They really had a fun time slurping though - that of which I could do without. But hey, even I remember slurping the noodles (that was the only thing I liked about spaghetti).

I was impressed! Todd asked if we have to wait another 12 years before he eats it again. HA HA! I do love my family, so I guess it's my turn to suck it up - and add it to the menu more often. Maybe I'll even be extra generous and add meatballs!!