These Are a Few of My Favorite Things..

An interview with Chloe, age 5.

Foods: Pizza, Meatloaf, Watermelon, Strawberries, Dessert

Books: My Little Pony Books, Care Bear books, Strawberry Shortcake books

Toys: Microphone, Ponies, My Little Pony Ferris Wheel and Roller Coaster

Friends: Ella, Ryan, and Samuel- he's really sweet, and Hannah, and Rebecca, and Melanie

TV or Movie: My Little Pony, Toy Story, Care Bears

Things to Do Inside: Play Games like Thomas cards and Horton, do schoolwork, play superheroes with Eli

Things to Do Outside: Play games, Draw with Chalk, Ride Bikes, Go to the Park

Places to Go: to church, Myrtle Beach, the beach, the pool, Mimi and Grandpa's house, Grandma's house

Favorite things to do at Christmastime: Open presents, look at Christmas lights and drink hot chocolate, peek in our stockings, stay up and watch Christmas shows, sing Christmas songs, be a shepherd

Things That make Me Happy: Dolly, Mommy, Daddy, Eli when he be sweet, game time at Sparkys, Mimi, Grandpa, Grandma, even all my Great Grandmas

The Silver Lining, er, Belltower

On our fun outing to Pullen Park this morning, I turned a little too soon, and ended up right in the middle of Wolfpack Country.  "Where are we, Mommy? Is this still Raleigh?" came Chloe's cry from the backseat.  "Yup.  This is NCState, where Daddy went to school."  "Ooooh! I don't like NCState. I like Tarheels."  Grinning, we entered the traffic circle, much to the kids' delight, and as we careened out, I pointed out the belltower.  "Oh!  That's neat.  NC State has some cool stuff, too, I guess.  Just like Chapel Hill has cool stuff, right Mommy?"  "Yeah, I guess so."  "I have three favorite cities, Mommy. Raleigh, Sher-lotte, and Chapel Hill!  They're my faaaaav-rits!"

Theology of the Worm, a continuing series

C: Mommy, where is Jesus right now?

M: He's sitting beside his Father in Heaven, waiting for God to tell Him it is time to come get us.

C: But, Mommy, how can Jesus sit beside God when he is God?

M: (thinking)

C: Mommy, Daddy likes my questions!

M: (Feeling a little frazzled since I, myself, don't truly understand the Trinity, I resort to the apple illustration.  The same illustration that I have always found insufficient, confusing, and well, lame.) Well, Chloe, it's kind of like an apple........(insert whole spill here)

E: Wait.  What did you say, Mommy? Did you just say Jesus is an apple?  Because Jesus is NOT an apple!

 

This morning...

C: Mommy, when God made all those first people, who took care of them? Babies need someone to take care of them!

M: Oh, Chlo!  God made Adam and Eve all grown-up, remember?

C: Oh yeah. But what did he make Adam out of?

M: He made Him out of the dirt, the dust, remember?

C: Oh, and Eve? What did He make her out of?

M: He took a bone out of Adam and made Eve, remember that story?

C: Yeah, but, so, what kind of stuff did he make me out of? (pokes her tummy and looks confused)

M: Well, the Bible tells us God makes us each special, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that He knows all of our days even before we were born.  It also says He makes us in secret, so we don't really know how He makes us, just that He makes us.

C: OH! A secret! That's good!!

 

And 2 days ago, talking to Daddy

C: Daddy, did Jesus make everything?

D: Yep.  The Bible tells us that Jesus is God, and He made everything.

C: Well, then, if He made everything how could he get borned in this world? I mean, how could a baby be God? How could a baby make himself?  How can God make Himself??

D: Good question, Chloe.  I guess it's just a mystery.

Daddy Blog: Mommy in the Mountains

Mommy has been at the mountains today (ladies conference at the Wilds) so it's just been Daddy and the kids. Everyone has survived the day with nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises. Here are a couple of quotes:
Chlo (after a few bites of her PB sandwich): Daddy, is there crunchy peanut butter on here?
Me: Oh sorry, Chlo. I forgot you like crunchy.
Chlo: Mommy doesn't forget. She doesn't forget because she's a mommy.

(After giving me a tight hug at bedtime)
Chlo: I gave you a big, big hug, Daddy. It was a special present for you because we had such a fun day!

Wormy's Words

Here are a few of my favorite quotes of late:

Chloe: Mommy, I am going to be very good at the park today. I am not going to cry or complain even one time! It will be a special treat just for you!
(At the park both kids were wonderful. Forgetting about the pre-park promise of politeness, I praised the kids thoroughly when we got back in the car.)
Me: You guys were awesome at the park! That makes Mommy so proud! Thank you very much!
Chloe: I told you you would get a special treat today!

In order to encourage Chloe to not cry when I drop her off at the gym or school, I bought an after Christmas clearance My Little Pony advent calender with surprises behind 24 doors. As we were drawing to the end of the calender:
Me: Chloe, it looks like we are almost done with the calendar. I think that means you have learned that you don't need to cry when Mommy drops you off. What do you think this means you should do when we run out of doors?
Chloe: Um, Mommy, I think it means you better buy another calendar or I might just have to cry again.
Me: (sigh.)

Chloe: I love everybody in the whole family! I love Mommy. I love Daddy. I love Eli. But I love Dolly best of all.
Daddy: (feigns sadness and disbelief)
Chloe: Oh, don't worry, Daddy! I love you! I love everybody in the whole family very much! I just love Dolly more!
Me: (the next day) Oh, goody gumdrops!
Chloe: Goody gumdrops! That's what Grandpa says! I looooove Grandpa. He's SO silly!
Me: (I couldn't resist) You love Grandpa? Well, who do you love more? Grandpa or Dolly?
Chloe: (pauses and thinks, then holds up two fingers)
Me: Two?
Chloe: (nods head) Both. I love Dolly and Grandpa both the most of all.

Chloe looked out the backdoor to see the workers working in our yard.
Chloe: Mommy, I think we should put some water and snack on the porch for them. That looks like very thirsty work!
(she just warms my heart.)

An Oldie but Goodie

This happened a while back, but I forgot to post it, and don't want to forget!

One morning, Eli was chasing Chloe around the house, sword pointed, causing her to scream and feign distress.  Around and around and around they went, chasing and screaming, chasing and screaming, when I heard Chloe shriek in a loud voice, "Lord! Lord! Lord, please help me to forgive this pi-rate!"

Beyond the Blue

In the car, on the way home from church, on a particularly beautiful Sunday.  The sky was bright blue and full of billowy, fluffy white clouds.  Chloe said to me,

"Mommy, I want you and me to get on an airplane and fly up in the sky.  Then we can fly up into the cloud, and when we get there, we can open the door, and get out, and play with the Care Bears!  That would be fun, wouldn't it, Mommy?  Can we do that, Mommy, can we? Or do I have to wait until I get bigger??"

On Women's Roles

Yesterday, I told Eli he was "awesome at baseball" and Chloe immediately responded with, "I'm awesome at being a cleaner, right Mommy?" Then, before I could answer she darted to her room and returned with an armload of pretend food, then announced "and I'm also an awesome cooker!"

 

In the car today, Chloe asked who I was talking to on the phone.  "Daddypa," I responded.  "Oh! Is Grandma there, too?" "No, she went to pick up Melissa from school." "Oh, well, is Memaw there?" "Nope, she's at work." "But Mommy! Girls aren't posed to work!"

On (Southern) Marriage

"Mommy, isn't Daddy your cousin, like Melissa is my cousin?"

"Nooo, not cous-in.  Hus-band.  Sheesh."

Opposite Confusion

Chloe loves to listen to listen to this CD over and over again in the car.  She always asks for it ("the yellow one please, Mommy!"), and pretty much refuses to listen to anything else ("but this CD is NOT my favooorrrrite.")  It's gotten to the point where one of my all-time favorite CDs is even starting to get on my nerves, but that's another story.  We were listening to it again yesterday, when she yelled up to the front seat, "Mommy, can you put it on a softer song, please?" So, I turned it down.  "Mommy, I can't hear it!"  I turned it back up.  "But, can you turn it to a softer song, please?" Very confused, I put it on the next song.  "This is not softer."  So, I put it on the next song. "This one is not softer, either!"  So, I put it on the next-next song which just so happened to be her favorite of all (It Is Well With My Soul).  "Thank you, Mommy!  This is very much softer!"  And she began to belt it out.

Then today, the kids were playing games while I ate my lunch and watched the news.  Chloe was playing Cootie, and Eli was playing Old MacDonald.  Old MacDonald is a game of matching baby animals to their mommy, complete with animal sounds and songs.  As they were playing, Eli was getting frustrated because he couldn't figure things out.  So, Every couple of seconds, I had to ask Chloe to please show Eli how to do this or please show Eli where that was (because verbal commands throw him for a loop).  Finally, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, I think Eli should just get a softer game for him."  To which I replied, "It is kinda loud, isn't it?"  She looked at me like I was an idiot, and replied calmly, "No, Mommy, it's not too loud, I just think he needs a softer game to play."  Then the lightbulb went off.  Softer= Easier.

Baa Baa Black Sheep, Chloe Style

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Have you any more?

Yes sir, Yes sir

Three blags four

One for my masser, one for the day

And one for the little one who lays in the lane

On Art

One morning at the table, Chloe turns to me and says:

"Mommy I'm not going to scribble scrabble anymore.  I'm going to try to color in the lines.  Eli, do you still scribble scrabble because you're a baby?"

And she stops scribbling.  Just like that. I wonder how long she's been hiding away this whole line staying in ability from me.

On Traffic Safety

Riding (for the first time) in the childseat on the back of Daddy's bike, as he pulls from the sidewalk onto our neighborhood street, Chloe asks with utmost concern, "Daddy do cars runover bicycles or no?"

On Modesty

Strolling around the lake on a warm afternoon, shirtless male runners running toward us, Chloe yells in her loudest, most concerned voice:

"UH OH! He's nakey! He better get some clothes on right now!"

To which he (thankfully) responded with a polite laugh as he passed us by.

On Opposites

Me: Chloe, what's your favorite letter (to make in sign language)?

Chloe: Y! (shows me Y)

Me: Why do you like Y?

Chloe: 'Cause it's not hard.... It's soft!!

And another:

Me (on a particularly grown up day): Chloe, you look so old today.

Chloe (looking a little put-out): I'm not old! I'm new!

Wormy's Words

*Patrick is helping Chloe do the monkey bars at the park. She is sitting with her bottom in the crook of his arm, as he carries her from bar to bar.  

Me: Are you the Queen of the Park?

Chloe: No.

Me: Oh, well, are you the Princess? 

Chloe: Nooo. I'm the Wormy of the Park.

**During her nighttime song of "____ Loves Chloe."  During Mimi's verse.

 "Mimi loves Chloe, Mimi loves Chloe, Mimi loves Chloe, Because you're her Dar-lin"

Chloe looks up, says: Mimi lives too far away.  It makes me peepee in my pants..... (gets excited) But I don't peepee in my pants! I only peepee in potty!

***Nighttime prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for chicken pie!

Wormy's Words

In the car, Eli is whining

Chlo: What's wrong, Buddy? Is it your throat? (plants idea in his head)Your throat hurts doesn't it? (nods head knowingly)

Eli: Yeah.

Chloe: I'm sorry Buddy, I'm sorry your throat hurts.  God will make it better, Buddy. God will make your throat not hurt anymore!

Eli: Yeah.

The kids each got a scooter with 3 wheels from someone at church.  Chlo got a Dora one, and Eli a Spiderman one. While scooting all around the house:

"Look at me, Mommy! I can do it! I can scooter! Just put one foot on scooter and one foot on rug. See? Daddy can't ride my scooter because he's too big.  Maybe on Monday.  Maybe Monday he will be little, and then he can ride the scooter."

Randomly:

"When I was a monkey, then I could climb up there, when I was a monkey!"

Wormy's Words of Late

After asking me to please make her a bowl of yogurt last night, she sat at the table and waited for me.  I made the bowl, then got distracted by a text message, when I heard a pitter patter and a very smart "Mommy, why aren't you making me my yogurt?"

 On the way out the door to church, Chloe calls to Daddy, "Daddy, will you hold my cellphone while I jump?"

Yesterday morning it was cold enough to see our breath, and the kids were fascinated by it.  When Chloe finally blew a big white cloud she exclaimed, "Look Mommy! I made breath!"

Later that night at the gas station, she excitedly yelled from the backseat, "Look Mommy! CAR BREATH!"

After looking at my snowglobe with a bird inside, "I can't fit in there. I'm too big. But when I'm a bird, then I can fit in there!"

At the table last night, she was singing "I'm a nut, I'm a nut *click click*, I'm a CHOCOLATE nut, I'm a CHOCOLATE nut *click click*"

"One day, when I'm Eli, then I can have a firetruck, too!"

After actually taking a bite of her veggies last night, "Hey- I like carrots! I like carrots! I'm a bunny! Cause I like carrots!"

Me: I love you, little girl!  Chloe: I love you, bigger Mommy!

When I Get Bigger..

Chloe loves to talk about getting bigger.  Here are just a few things I've heard today. 

"...I will be as tall as the house." "How will you get in the door?" "I'll just bend my head down."

 "...I'll wear bigger panties."

"...I'll help you cook. I'll cook the french fries and nuggees, ok?"

"...I'll get very up tall on top of the house.  That will be funny!" (daddy recently cleaned the gutters)

(and ironically, as I was typing this and wearing my green shirt, Chloe comes in and says,) "...I'll get a green shirt.  When I'm very up tall.  Remember? That's when I'll get a green shirt."

A Week is Like Unto a Thousand Days

Chloe has started to adopt a lot of time-centered vocabulary, and frequently talks of things that happened last week, yesterday, and tomorrow.  Today Chloe has told me that

"remember last week when Eli left his elephant at Wal-Mart? Remember, Mommy? He didn't mean to." and

"remember last week when we went to Aunt Jillian's house and I threw up in the car? Remember that Mommy? It was when we lived in old house.  Remember?" and

"Remember last week when I was borned and you were in the hospital, Mommy? And I was borned from your belly?"  and

"Remember last week we went on a real train, with Ella? And when I was a baby I was scared of real trains, but now I'm a grown-up girl so I'm not scared anymore! Remember?"

What a week!