Conversations with the Kids

Man, do I wish I had a mini voice recorder (anyone know of a good one I can buy?). I would just carry it around in my pocket to record what these kids say and how they interact with each other.

There's no way to really capture that here on the blog. The inflections in their voices, charlie's funny accent, the way they sound when they laugh. I'm trying to just soak it all in.

Today was a day with a lot of really great moments.

We spent most of the day at Ikea.....and the kids were in HEAVEN. They BOTH can go into Smaland (where they play supervised for 90 min while I shop). That was heavenly for all of us. Afterward Charlie said "Thanks for taking me to Ikea mom. I love Ikea mom. Can we go to Ikea again sometime mom?" Boy, do I wish it was a little closer, we might go there everyday Charlie.

Tonight as we drove around picking up young women Charlie was Mr. Chatterbox as usual. Here are some of the things he says while we drive around (all with a lot of enthusiasm).

"mom! look at the moon! I found the moon mom! Who cutted it in half?"
"mom! Look, a red sox flag! It isn't waving, that means it's not windy."
"mom! Look, I see an airplane/fire engine/bulldozer/red sox thing/."
"mom! I saw the cow place (an ice cream store that we drive by 10 times a day). It was (or wasn't) open!" He never actually asks to go there, just always informs me of it's status.
"mom, you're a great mom."
"mom, thanks for taking me to Costco/Ikea/Target/the demolition derby. I really liked that place, can we go again sometime?"
"What does blog mean?"
"What does Internet mean?"
"CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE!" (He must get this from PBS kids....he just blurts it out at random times with plenty of expression.)

Charlie is a BIG boy lately...and he reminds me of that everytime I slip and call him "little guy, or little boy." I've realized lately that one of my most common terms of endearment for him is "little" and he ALWAYS catches it by blurting out (sometimes in a very offended tone) "I'm BIG!" He is pretty big, and it's killing me.

Hazel has really turned a corner being four. She is pretty pleasant to be around (when she's not totally freaking out about something little). She is so good at art lately, and writing her letters and playing on her own. I wish I could record her conversations at dinner time, and with her friends. She talks so grown up and repeats so many of the little phrases that I say. She often calls my friends on her fake phone and talks about her doll Pinky and the struggles she is going through trying to care for her (most often they're the struggles that Hazel is going through). "Oh, yes, Heidi, today I had to put Pinky up in her room for a long time because she just wasn't doing anything I asked her to do!" During Charlie's nap she entertains herself forever organizing a school for all her animals, drawing awesome pictures for me, disciplining Pinky, talking to her mirror friend Ruby on a little mirror that she brings with her everywhere.

Oh, I love these kids right now. I will miss them so much when they get bigger.