Just in time...

So, my boys love books. I love that my boys love books. I love reading to my boys... mostly. I mean, I love the idea of reading to them, and I love a lot of children's books, and I love that they want me to read to them... but I don't love all the books all the time. When Michael was about Liam's age I started hiding "Going On a Bear Hunt" from him because I was tired of reading it. If only we could go back to that... now I just find myself wishing that Liam would irreparably destroy some of the longer Thomas stories (which we bought! why did we think that was a good idea?!). But I digress...

For Christmas, Liam received four Llama Llama board books. 

I'm a fan of Llama Llama--short, nice rhythm, short, etc. But in the last few weeks Liam has grown so attached to these books that he will throw an outright tantrum if I so much as hesitate to start reading one as soon as he brings it over to me.  

I thought it would be an excellent teaching moment to work on his signs for "please" and "more," but apparently we need to find a less emotionally volatile situation to work on using our words.

And in case you were wondering, the tantrums apply equally to the first and twentieth readings. In a row. He will demand the book again as soon as I finish. And again. You get the picture.

Cue the big brother. Michael has long been in the habit of reciting books along with us while we read them. Some he knows really well--and I think it's fun to just stop in the middle of sentences and let him finish them (lazy mom, or early homeschooling? You decide). Some he doesn't know at all, but he'll still kind of mumble something along as I'm reading... maybe out of habit? Who knows.

The other day I got creative in avoiding zippity-zooming my way through Llama Llama for the umpteenth time, and asked Michael to read it to Liam. He happily obliged, and then kept looking for other books to "read" to Liam. 

Eldest child can read favorite books to middle child just in time for birth of youngest child? Yes please! Oh I am SO thrilled with this. Please don't let the novelty wear off too quickly for either Michael or Liam...

Bedtime Biology Lessons, and Other Conversations

M has been wearing this "hat" pretty much non stop for a week now

M: When John Paul comes out, then what baby you have in your tummy?
Ash: Um, no babies. That's kind of the point. At least for a while!
upon reflection I realized I have been pregnant for half of his life, and for 18+ of the last 24 months... so yeah, I guess it would seem like the status quo for him

playing with the dregs of his cereal
M: Look Mama, I'm stirring this into bread! Just like you!
(yep, if I'm mixing something in a bowl bread is a good guess!)

while I'm on my way out the door to teach a class
M: Bye! Have a good class! I love you! Be careful! There's a lot of bumps outside, you better be careful of the bumps!

at bedtime tonight, after songs when he is supposed to be cuddling quietly
M: Mama, snuggle me on my bed.
Ash: I can't lie on your bed right now, John Paul is in the way. Soon I'll be able to lie on your bed again.
M: When John Paul gets out?
Ash: Yes, when John Paul gets out.
M: after thinking for a moment Who's in Daddy's tummy?
Ash: Daddy doesn't have anyone in his tummy.
M: Not big boys, but little boys?
Ash: No, boys can't have babies in their tummies. Only mamas have babies in their tummies.
M: Who's in Grandma's tummy?
Ash: Grandma doesn't have a baby in her tummy.
M: Who's in Dene's tummy?
Ash: Can you tell me?
M: No you tell me.
Ash: Baby Rosser is in Dene's tummy!
M: in his most incredulous tone Baby Rosser?! And who's in your tummy?
Ash: You know who's in my tummy!
M: No you know.
Ash: John Paul is in my tummy.
M: in the same incredulous tone John Paul?!
Ash: Okay Michael, it's time to be quiet and go to sleep now.
M: And who's in trains?
Ash: Goodnight Michael.

Liam would like you to know that he says things every bit as clever/funny/ridiculous as Michael does,
and it is not his fault that no one understands him beyond "Da!" and "Toh!"

Because I am a dutiful wife...

Alex told me the other day that his only complaint about my blog is that I don't post enough pictures of myself.

So. Because I am a dutiful wife who does what she is told, and because I have not posted any bump pictures this pregnancy, I present to you a blurry phone selfie:

Yeah... not the best. But I had to take advantage of a mirror large enough for the purpose which did not reflect a huge mess of my own making (which has ruled out all mirrors at home for the last couple months).

I much prefer this one from Christmas:

Baby at 29 weeks = so much more flattering (and comfortable!) than baby at 37 weeks!  Also, I feel like this picture does a good job of communicating our family life right now.  Busy toddler, goofy preschooler, lots of work, lots of joy.

Attention Deficit Nesting

So, Jen is hosting another 7 posts in 7 days challenge.  I had a lot of fun doing this last year, but I also wasn't bumping (get it?) up against my due date while trying to write a post every day last year.  But I figure I have at least 7 pictures/videos/stories of the boys that I've been meaning to post, so if all else fails I can just throw up a picture or a couple Michael quotes each day and call it good.

Since pregnancy has been a leetle all-consuming lately (am I going into labor? was that a real contraction? this is my 3rd baby, why am I still asking these questions? why haven't I packed my hospital bag? why don't the boys have any clean clothes to pack in their overnight bag?), I'll start the week off with a confession: I suffer from Attention Deficit Nesting (ADN).  Allow me to demonstrate (with pictures from last weekend... because I intended to write this post 9 days ago... but... ADN. So there.)

This is what I initially saw and intended to deal with when we got home from getting groceries.

Not pictured: a floor in desperate need of sweeping and mopping, and groceries needing to be put away.

This also needed immediate attention: homework to grade for all three of my Biblical School classes, as well as midterm quizzes to grade for two of classes, as well as lectures to be planned for the upcoming week.  All of which needed to be completed ASAP because my sister was arriving the following day for a quick visit and I didn't want to waste any of my precious time with her grading homework!

Also crying out for attention: clean laundry to be folded.

Not pictured: piles of dirty laundry on my bedroom floor waiting to be washed.

Also not pictured: three bathrooms in rather desperate need of cleaning (you're welcome).

What I decided to do first: organize the spice cupboard.  Why?  I don't know.  I had been meaning to organize it ever since I unpacked the spices and tossed them in there rather haphazardly when we moved in.  Was it pretty?  Not particularly.  Was it functional?  Absolutely.  Was the reorg necessary?  Absolutely not.  But wow did it feel nice to have an organized spice cupboard when I was done.

And then I cleaned the kitchen.  And I did clean the bathrooms, too (before Dene' arrived, don't worry).  And the laundry got folded (eventually).  And the grading got done (more or less on time).

And now I am operating off a very long and detailed to-do list of everything I can think of that needs to happen (or should happen, or I want to happen) before John Paul arrives.  And by the grace of God and with a lot of help from Alex I am somehow crossing things off the list slightly faster than I am adding to it.  Hooray!

Okay, tune in tomorrow for... something.

Bob the Cow, and Other Conversations

At dinner the other night:
M: What is Liam eating?
Ash: Cheese.
M: Where the cheese come from?
Ash: From this bag right here.
M: But where the cheese come from?
Alex: From a cow.
M: A cow?
Alex: Yes, a cow.  He came to our door during nap time to drop off the cheese.
M: What cow?
Alex: (ignoring the "what in the world are you telling our son?!" looks)  Bob.  Bob the cow.
M: Bob the cow?
Alex: Yes, Bob the cow.  But he didn't come in.  This is a house, not a barn.

a few minutes later, after a change of topic
M: (to Ash) What the cow's name?
Ash: completely loses it
M: Why is Mama crying?
Alex: She's not crying, she's laughing.
M: Why?
Ash: Never mind.

At Mass the next day:
M: (pointing at a boy a couple pews ahead) What's his name?
Alex: I don't know his name. He's a little boy just like you.
M: What's the cow's name?

Overheard while Michael was playing with his castle, knight and horse:
"We are knights!" "You are knights?"  "Yes we are. We save princesses!"
"Hello princesses! We are your emergency!"

(I have no idea where the princess-saving mentality came from--maybe the influence of our female cousin friends?--but right on, buddy)

While getting situated in the car this morning:
Ash: Michael, I need you to buckle up, please.
M: No, you do it!
Ash: Pretty soon Mama's going to have three boys to buckle into car seats, and I need your help because you're the biggest!
M: Mama, please meet John Paul now?
Ash: No, we can't meet John Paul right now.
M: Oh, he's still a little bit little?
Ash: Yes, he's still too little to come out.  (and labor was totally not in the game plan for today... a couple more weeks buddy, then you can all meet each other)

In the middle of a conversation about how he's a big boy and needs to be going potty in his potty chair and not in his pull-up:
M: Please climb the wall? (as he hugs the corner of the wall and tries to find a foothold)