T (to me at the dinner table): We’ve been invited out to dinner tomorrow night.

Me: Oh? Is [person's name spelled out] going to be there?

T: I don’t think so.

Tiny: Ooooooh… are those private thoughts you do not want me to know about?

T: Yes. It was something you don’t need to worry about.

Tiny: Ooooooh… Hey, Buba. After dinner do you want to E-R-O-L-F N-O-L?

Buba (smiling and laughing a bit): Yeah!

Tiny (smiling and giggling a lot): Yeah! It will be so fun!

Buba: Yeah! But what did you say? Tell me with your words.

Tiny and Buba then proceeded to giggle uncontrollably.

Buba: Noooooo! I want to get big! I was to get big as you!

Me: Why?

Buba: Because I love you, and I want to be the same as you.

**********************************

Tiny: “Look, Mommy! We’re sharing. Buba has some cars, and I have some cars. Yipeeeeeeeee!”

Tonight, Tiny and I had the following conversation…

Tiny: And Mommy, the magician and the boy were ostracized (using the word from the book)!

Me: Oh, really? What does that mean? (I ask, testing to see if she really knows.)

Tiny: The people in the town were mad and they said, “Go away and don’t live near us anymore!” (Her summary, not word for word from the text.)

Yep, she knows. That’s one smart cookie I’ve got!

“And why are you freaking out?” I asked.

“Because I can’t find my Santa Bear! And I’m looking and looking! I’m freaking out! I’m freaking out!”

We looked in all the usual places, but Santa Bear was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, T spied him underneath the cedar chest, and we avoided a major meltdown.

Of course, as soon as the drama was over, Buba, thinking he was oh-so-funny, started running around crying, “I’m freaking out! I’m freaking out!”

T and I were then left to wonder whether they’d acquired the phrase from one of us or the two middle-schoolers who babysat them this afternoon.

3.5 going on 13…

After we’d returned home, Buba and Tiny were eager to help pass out candy to all the kids who came knocking on our door. They hurried to the door at the first sound that we had visitors, and carefully placed miniature chocolate bars into the open bags. At one point, Tiny stood before a trick-or-treater with a Butterfinger in her hands waiting patiently for the girl to request the treat. The girl just stood there waiting for Tiny to hand over the candy, but Tiny held firm as she announced, “You have to say ‘Trick-or-treat!’” While her bossiness can sometimes be a problem, I love that she wasn’t afraid to tell a big kid how it’s supposed to go.

Before starting our bedtime routine, T let the kids choose once piece from their plastic pumpkins. He offered M & Ms, Peanut Butter Cups, Crunch Bars, and straight up chocolate. So what did our two little monkeys choose? Raisins! Because for them, that was the perfect ending to their magical night.

Tiny: (pointing to an old bib I’d thrown in the laundry pile) Why are you washing that?

Me: Well, I need to clean it.

Tiny: And then I can wear it again?

Me: Probably not. You’re getting too big to wear that old bib.

Tiny: But you don’t want me to get big.

Me: I just don’t want you to get big too fast.

Tiny: But I want to be big as you.

Me: You will. Someday.

Tiny: Why you don’t want me to get big?

Me: Well, I guess because I know that when you grow up you’ll move away and maybe have your own family. And then I won’t see you everyday and I’ll miss you.

Tiny: And then a new family can live in this house?

Me: Why? Where will I live? Will I come and live with you?

Tiny: Yep! And then a new family can live in this house because you will live with me!

Me: (with a very big smile for my sweet, sweet girl) Thank you for saying that. I love you so much.

Tiny: And I love YOU so much!

Last night was the first night that Buba had yuckies in the middle of the night. It was about 12:40 am when I heard him whimper. I jumped out of bed and went right in. Tiny, who was also awake and sitting up in her bed, immediately informed me that “Buba has yuckies coming up again.” Of course, that much was clear as soon as I peeked into his crib (yes, still in the crib, but that’s for another post). Buba looked up at me and very sweetly said, “Can you get a paper towel, please?” Bless his heart.

I lifted him out of his crib  and quickly inspected him. Fortunately, he didn’t have any yuckies on himself, but his bedding was full of it. He stood quietly while I stripped the sheets and did my best to quickly remake the bed. As I struggled to secure the fitted sheet in only the dim glow of the nightlight, we had this quiet conversation:

Buba: You forgot to bring the yucky bucket.

Me: Do you need it right now?

Buba: No, you forgot to bring the yucky bucket when my yuckies was coming out.

Me: I’m sorry, Bub. But I didn’t know that your yuckies were coming out. I was asleep in my bed.

Buba: Go and get it.

Me: Do you need it?

Buba: No, but keep it up there (pointing to the play kitchen. we had placed the bin on top of it earlier in the day.) so it will be there if I need it.

I finished making the bed and put the yucky bin where Buba had instructed. Fortunately, we didn’t need it again last night. (Unfortunately, it was used several times first thing this morning.) I offered to sit with Buba on the couch for a bit, but he was ready to go back to his bed. So, I tucked him back in, gave kisses and I love yous to both kids, and then starting the clean up process with the bedding.

T slept through all of this. How is that possible?! I came back to bed and he was still sound asleep and snoring. Normally, I would just put in my earplugs, but not this time with Buba being sick and all. I didn’t fall back to sleep until after 2 am and ended up getting only about 5 hours of sleep, because I had an early tutee this morning. I was pretty tired all morning but managed to sneak in a 45 minute nap while the kids napped this afternoon. We’re all hoping for a better night tonight.

*********************************************

*T took Buba to the pediatrician’s office Wednesday morning, where he was seen by a nurse practitioner. She did a pretty thorough exam and found nothing out of the ordinary. In previous situations, the kids have only had vomiting for a day or two, but she said it could last up to seven days depending on how log it takes the virus to run it’s course. And so we wait. Buba was completely exhausted today and slept quite a bit. We’re hoping we might finally be at the tail end of this thing. Fingers crossed…

Buba: (reading from Hooray for Fish!) Hello fat and thin fish (sorry, MandyE). Hello twin fin-fin fish. Buba and Tiny (he shouts pointing to the two twin fish)!

Me: Why did you say “Buba and Tiny” like that? (T always does that when he reads that page, but I wanted to see how much Buba understood.)

Buba: Because Daddy do’s that.

Me: Why does Daddy say that?

Buba: no response, just looks at the page

Me: Are you and Tiny twins?

Buba: no response, but looks up at me

Tiny: (jumping in from the sidelines) Yes, we are twins!

Me: How do you know? What makes you twins?

Tiny: Because you always say it. If da people ask “Are dey twins?” then you always say “yes”.

Me: You’re right! But do you know what it means to be a twin?

Tiny: Yes.

Me: Tell me.

Tiny: No, you tell me.

Tiny: Mama, would you like some pasta?

Me: Sure! I love pasta. Can I have it with pesto please?

Tiny: I’m all out of pesto (she says as she scoops imaginary pasta into a bowl).

Me: Hmmm… Could you pretend that you have some pesto?

Tiny: No, I mean it, I’m all out of pesto. Here. Eat it.

Me: (pretending to eat) It’s pretty good. Thank you.

Buba decides to get in on the action…

Buba: Mommy?

Me: Yes, Buba?

Buba: And do you want some more pasta?

Me: Sure! I love pasta.

Buba: OK. (He’s very serious as he prepares my plate.)

Me: Could I have it with some pesto, please?

Buba: No. I already ate it all.

Me: You did? And did you know that I wanted pesto on my pasta?

Buba: Yes, I did!

Me: Oh. That makes me very sad.

Buba: (scoops his fork into thin air) Here you go! Here’s some pesto for you! Eat it! (big smile)

Tiny: Mommy, are you have fun with your friends?

Me: Yes, I did. Thank you for asking. It was very nice of you to ask that.

Tiny: Why you did not come home?

Me: I did come home. When my visit was all done, I came home.

Tiny: Why you did not come home when you with your friends?

Me: Well, we were on a trip together. And when our trip was over, then I came home.

Tiny: And you were missing them?

Me: Am I missing my friends?

Tiny: No. You were missing your babies?

Me: (my heart all warm and melted) Yes, I was missing them very much.

And then Buba chimed in with: And I did go for a walk with my daddy!