Watching the river flow

There's a restaurant in the town in which I grew up that has delicious gourmet burgers with fries for only $5 on Tuesdays.  The last time we ate there, I showed the kids a river nearby where I used to play (and fish for bullheads) when I was a kid.

The next time we ate there, the kids asked if they could go play in the river again.

When they went in the river, I went down into it, too, for a while.  I stepped out onto one rock with my right foot, and I knew just which rock I should step onto with my left foot.  It's the way I always made my way out into the river.

Very few things stay the same for 30 years.  So often in my life I'd felt thrown off because I'd expected something to be the way I remembered it, but it would be different, or I would be different.  It's happened so much in the last several years, that it was remarkable to step out on to the same rocks, in the same order, as I had many times as a kid.  

The kids made their way down river.  And, I was happy to see them enjoying it, just as I had.

But, when they got a little ways away, I climbed up onto the bank to follow them.  I was feeling like such a responsible mom, remembering how I always played without any supervision.

I overheard Luke say, "Mom's following us," and I thought how much comfort he must find in knowing his mom was nearby.  Then Anna followed Luke's gaze and commented, "Creeepy."

Talent show

Luke built a pillow house for his stuffed animals (babas, as the kids call them) using pillows, a homemade bow and pillow-arrows, and books.

He was ridiculously proud of it.  He commented, "If it were still the school year, I could show *this* for my talent!"

Then after a while he asked, "Did you out how to make these homemade bows and arrows online?"  I told him it was online already.  "Okay, good. Because, then you can put how to make this baba house online, too.  Anyone can make it!  They just need 7 pillows, 6 homemade arrows, a homemade arrow blaster, and books.  Or they could even use a magazines, if they'd like."

Just like Daddy

Dave doesn't like the air conditioning.  It's not the money it costs, or even just the feeling of being cooped up with the windows closed.  The guy actually likes the feeling of being a bit too warm, even sweaty.

This is exactly the opposite of me.  I hate being hot.

The kids seem to take after me in this aspect.  When we came back from the cottage to the house last week, and Dave had the air off and it was  85 degrees and humid in the house, they
(like I) began to complain.  Dave commented, "I'm perfectly comfortable."

Yesterday, we were running errands.  When Luke and Ally came back to the car from putting the library books in the depository, Luke commented, "Ahhhh, now that's air conditioning.  I was getting sweaty!"

I started thinking of how Dave likes to be sweaty and how Luke always wants to agree with Daddy on everything.  (If I ask Luke if he likes a song, he will, feigning a mere curiosity, ask, "Does Daddy like it?" before giving his answer.)

So, I asked, "Do you like to feel sweaty, Lukey?"

"No, not really," he answered.

I commented, "Yeah.  You know, Daddy likes being sweaty."

Luke commented, "Well, I sort of like it..."

The birds and the bess

I have, so many times, gotten strange looks from Dave when the kids would ask me a question about something related to birth, nursing, or conception and I would answer it with a matter-of-fact, detailed answer.

I, long ago, decided that this was the best way to teach "the birds and the bees," from the first question.  Because, I figure, if I started when they were little, they'd know everything before they found it embarrassing.  Some of my friends agree with this philosophy.  Some find it disturbing.

Well, it turns out even my kids are starting to question my "open conversation about all topics" policy.

I was using the bathroom when Ally came in.  She asked me, "Why do you get your period?"

I answered, "Because every month my body makes blood for a baby. And if I don't get pregnant with a baby, then I don't need the blood, and it comes out my vagina."

She asked, "Can you make a baby?"

I told her, "I could, but I don't need to make a baby, because I already have four wonderful babies, and that's enough for Daddy and me."

"We're not babies," she said grumpily.

"What I mean is, I had four babies, and now I have four wonderful children, and that's exactly what
Daddy and I want."

She switched tactics and said, "Please, make a baby?"

Wanting to get back to my bathroom business without an audience, I said, "Well, you have to talk to daddy, too, because he has the seeds that would make my egg grow."

"Where are the seeds?" Ally asked.

"They are in his penis, well in his testicles, but they comes out through his penis."

Disgusted by that answer, Ally said, "You're gwoss talking about this stuff."

Slightly amused, but also slightly defensive, I replied, "What!? Why am I gross? You asked me."

"Because you're talking about this stuff. And this stuff is gwoss!"

Best. Babysitter. Ever!!!

Dave and I have always known we'd found a pretty remarkable babysitter.  I mean, she handled our four kids when the were 5, 3, 1, and 1... long before either of the grandmas would take them.

But, a babysitter who invites the kids and their mom to her house for a visit and takes them on horseback rides for hours, lets the swim in her pond, play with her cat, and feeds them lunch.  There are no words.

The kids might have had the best day of their summer... and Kate might've had the best day of her life so far.  The kids described it as a dream come true.  I'd have to agree!

Our Bridget is such a remarkable person.  And her family is, too!

Ally and her dog

"Finley!  Go on your own bed.  Oh, fine.  You can have that half and I'll have this half."

Our feisty Ally doesn't have a lot of patience for most people, but she sure loves this dog.

I think the feeling is mutual.

8 1/2

This girl turned 8 1/2 today.

Oops

It's official:  Luke has Dave's sense of humor, and he's pretty funny.

During dinner tonight, Luke was talking and Ally suddenly slipped off her chair.  (No idea why.)

Luke, with a straight face said, "What?  Did I say something slippery?"

Advertising

We were going to listen to music on Dave's Spotify account when an advertisement came on that said, "The next half hour of music is thanks to..."

I was looking at the advertisement, and Dave said, mostly kidding, "What?  Don't watch it.  Don't give in."

That's when Kate piped in with, "I got an hour free on Pandora, thanks to cotton.  They said, 'you want to wear more, wash less, smell good, impress...cotton.'"

Looks like someone really "gave in" to the advertising.

Opposite

Dave doesn't let the kids (or me) eat in his car.

We were having ice cream at the Hamburger Haus and Luke saw a guy and his family eating in their car, and he said "That guy is the opposite of Daddy!"

Dinner

We had friends at the cottage, and we went to the Hamburger Haus for ice cream, but it was almost 5:00 by the time we got there.

At about 5:45, the kids asked what was for dinner.

"Ice cream from the Hamburger Haus," I joked.

"Oh, no!  Just ice cream?  We aren't going to have anything healthy!?" Ally said in despair, "I'm going to get sick!"

Maybe they've taken my healthy eating lessons a bit too seriously.

Boo boo

Our neighbor Kaitlyn fell off her bike and hurt her knee yesterday, so she couldn't go in the water today.

Ally asked her mom, "Is it because of her boo boo?"

Luke said, "Ally, it's not a 'boo boo,' it's a serious injury."