BIGGER

“Oh Anna, you’re my big girl.”

“No I’m not, I’m little.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, Daddy and Joshua and Matthew are big, Anna and Mommy are little.”

“Daddy and Joshua and Matthew are big and Anna and Mommy are little?”

“Yeah.”

“So boys are big and girls are little?”

“Yeah boys are big and girls are little.”

“But Anna, I’m bigger than Matthew.”

“Yeah you’re bigger than Matthew and I’m bigger than Daddy.”

“You’re bigger than Daddy?”

“Yeah and I’m bigger than Mommy.”

“You’re bigger than me? No you’re not.”

“No I’m not.”

“Anna, I love you, give me a hug.”

“HUGGIES!!”

Things Overheard in My House, Take Two

"I'll be right back, toast!" - Anna talking to her dinner as she got up to get something.

"Mommy, what are you doing?"
"I'm putting on your clothes, Anna."
"But why?"
"Because you have to wear clothes, Anna."
"I DO?!"

"MOM! Anna is touching the lion picture!"
"Anna, are you touching the lion picture?"
"Ummm...not anymore."

"REALLY big kids go to SECOND GRADE!!" - Joshua (Second grade is like a preschooler's promised land.)

"ANNA! Are you in the kitchen?"
"No, I'm not in the kitchen now." (That girl has a wicked grip of the concept of tenses.)

"DA-DY-DA-DY-DA-DY!" (No, Matthew is NOT saying Daddy, no matter what his father says!)

"MOM! I see a squirrel!"
"Really Joshua? What's it doing?"
"A guy is changing its diaper!" (What?)

"God loves cheese. God does NOT love green beans." - Anna during prayer

"And Jesus died on the cross and He lives in our hearts and He LOVES FOOD!" - Anna, same prayer

"Mom, I can't clean my room."
"Why not, Anna?"
"Because I don't want to."

"I can't close my eyes!" - Anna protesting bedtime

"HEY! Get your feet off your brother's head!"

Tales of a First-born

My husband was outside playing with the kids last night, and it came time to go inside. He announced, "Ok guys! Time to head inside!" Anna immediately started protesting - "I DON'T WANNA GO INSIDE!!" (Anna does nothing at a low volume. Unless she is being sneaky.)

Joshua, coming to his father's aid, said, "No Anna, it's time to go inside."

"NO NO I DON'T WANNA GO INSIDE!" Anna continued to yell.

Then Joshua, in his best, I'm-the-big-brother condescending voice, said:

"Now Anna, Daddy and I said it's time to go inside."

Daddy and I?

Who exactly is in charge around here, and who are the adults?

Reality According to Joshua

As I have mentioned before, the two older kids have what is affectionately known around our house as "Quiet Time" every day. This is also known as please-give-Mommy-one-hour-to-herself-time. It is not a naptime, and we try not to encourage sleeping because if they take naps, it'll be 10 or 11 before they fall asleep that night...and since they go to bed at 8:00, that's two or three hours of "Mom! I need to go to the bathroom!" "Daddy! I need water!" "Can I get a book? " "JOSHUA HIT ME!"

This afternoon, however, I lost the nap battle. Both Joshua and Anna were out within 20 minutes of being sent to their room for Quiet Time. Trying not to think about tonight's repercussions, I enjoyed the one-on-one time with their little brother (poor little third child that he is), and then when he went down for his nap, I enjoyed a long, hot shower. Ah, life's little luxuries!

About three hours after they were sent to their room, Joshua came out rubbing his eyes. I went over to give him a hug, and the first words out of his mouth were "Anna fell asleep!"

"Joshua," I said laughing, "you were asleep too."

"No I wasn't, Anna was sleeping, I wasn't sleeping."

"Joshua, you went to Quiet Time three hours ago, you've been asleep."

"NO I WASN'T SLEEPING! ANNA WAS SLEEPING!"

I'm not sure what he gives up admitting that he was also asleep, but it seemed to be very important that he believed he was not. And you know, some arguments are not worth having.

So we switched to snack time, and all was right in the world.