Kids Say...

I came downstairs from getting dressed and Sam is in her underwear with a towel on her head, carrying a unicorn pillow and earnestly told me I couldn't go into the living room "Because the woods are not safe!"

 She permitted me to pass because my destination was the kitchen, not the woods.  She went to the bathroom and I followed her in and asked her why the woods were not safe.  

"Because of the rain!"

"The rain?  It's not safe because of the rain?"

"Nope," then she raised an eyebrow,  "And mommy, you 'pose to be in the kitchen!" 

_______________________________________________________________

We were looking at pictures on the computer and Samantha was insisting on hanging on my arm.  I told her she could touch my leg or the chair.  After a few minutes she started poking my arm.  Over. And over.  I finally snapped, "Samantha!  Stop TOUCHING ME!"

"I'm not touching you, Mommy!"  she retorted back, "I'm POKING you!!"

______________________________________________________________

 Nighttime is usually when I get laundry folded.  Anything that goes in Samantha's room is usually placed outside her doorway to be put away the next day.  The other day I heard gasps of delight when Sam came out of her room, "Mommy!  Mommy!"  She came barreling into the bedroom to wake me up, "Mommy!  My princess panties!! They're CLEAN!" 

"Yes, Samantha, I washed them."

"Oh THANK you! THANK YOU mommy for washing my princess panties!  I love them!"

______________________________________________________________

Samantha decided to wash her hands after desert the other day by pouring the water from her cup onto her sticky hands (any tips on getting away from the sippy?  Currently we use them simply because an open cup usually ends up with her hand perpetually in it, food being mixed in it, or it being poured on herself or the food.  No actual drinking takes place although she's fully capable.)  After she was done she casually got down from her seat and walked away.  

"Samantha, you go get a towel and wipe up all that water!"

"Uh, no. YOU go get the towel and wipe it up!"

"Um, no.  You decided to pour the water onto the table and floor, it is not my responsibility to wipe it up."

She chewed on the word, "responsibility" for a moment before she responded, "No, it's YOUR re-pon-sib-ility to wipe it up."

_______________________________________________________________

One day while on my lap, "Goodness gracious mommy, you need to shave!"

______________________________________________________________

"I clicked the computer and put myself in time out...then I said 'beepbeepbeep' and got out." 

-Samantha's explanation as to why she was crying while I put Gabe to sleep.

______________________________________________________________

It was an odd day...

There was a blue moon.

Pigs were flying. 

Hell froze over.

And Sam fell asleep on the couch.

It's the little things...

Sam latches on to little things and plays with them in the oddest ways.  Buttons, pez containers, Candyland pieces, etc.  Playing a game consists of me opening the box, her collecting all the game pieces and them not letting anyone else touch them for days.

Current obsession: the pieces to a Strawberry Cupcake game.  We must all know where the gingerbread boy, kitty, doggy, butterfly and chipmunk are at all times.

Got to love that oily bohonk skin!

Headphones

I got Sam some snazzy headphones that actually stay on her head.  Plugged them into a CD player we got from freecycle and she was a dancing machine!  She kept yelling at Jeremy and me to dance to the music too. We'd reply "We can't hear it, only you can." 

To which she'd respond, "HUH?!?"

This is how she danced.  Scroll down at an even pace to get the full effect:

Front-yard Garden

This year I barely got things planted for a decent harvest on a little plot next to our garage.  Due to the heat, however, the only thing that really produced much were the cucumber plants.  But Sam didn't mind!  Of course she'd always pick the biggest one to munch on, take a few bites and be done.

Sometimes it felt like I was getting in on some personal space...

This day...

Came WAY too fast...

"Show me how excited you are!"

When I picked her up she squealed, "I LOVE my preschool and I LOVE my teacher Mrs. White!"

As she is currently in my lap, I figured I have a little interview (she knows I'm typing about her as she sees the pictures above): 

How was your first day?

"I'm doing good at preschool."

What did you do today?

"Played so nice. Wanted to be naughty. Wanted to be nice and helpful and jerry."

Did you make any friends?

"Yeah.  No.  I maked new friends?  No."

Did you like your teacher?

"Yes, it's Mrs. White."

What was your favorite part of day?

"Playing with the puzzle."

Do you want to go back tomorrow?

"Yes."

What are you going to do?

"Play. Nicely. And say 'you can play with me!*'"

*She told me another little girl asked to play with her and she told her "no".  She's promised to go back to her tomorrow and say, "I'm sorry for being rude yesterday, do you want to play with me?"

Part-time Brother

This summer Sam got to spend a lot of quality time with her part-time brother, Gabe.  They were a perfect match.  They'd spent over a year together in two different day-cares.  He's the youngest of 7, so he's used to other people trying to boss him.  He's become an expert of ignoring and doing what he wants anyway.  Sam, being an only child, still sees him as a baby and feels the need to boss him and take things away from him constantly.

Watching a show.  Notice she's mooching off his blanket and has TWO cups...

In the basement.  They very rarely had all of their clothes on. 

All those toys and fighting- all it took was an empty bucket to get them to get along and play nice.

This sequence cracks me up!

*clapclapclapclap*

Hm...I think I can do that.

Gotta make sure he's doing it right...

Can you give each other a hug?

Ok Sam, it's ok, he doesn't want to.  Just let go!

Gabe attempting to rock the boat.

Sam freaking.  Gabe watching the quickly approaching floor.

Mommy stopped the fall.  Sam was still recovering from the almost-trauma.

Realized her silliness.  And Gabe was in his own world.

We'll miss you Gaby Gaby Bay-bee!