FOUR

Theodore's legs are never still. The Johnny Jump Up is his new best friend. And I found Vera in the closet trying to load the nerf gun pretending to shoot Theo. Also she insisted that Giraffe and Wild Kitten needed to be in the bouncer as well.

2016 week four

There's nothing like being in someone else's home for a week that makes you have to clean and organize EVERY single thing in your home upon return. That's what I did all week and that's why there are no photos. 

The candlesticks return. Here is one of the thousand things I cleaned this week.The one on the left was cleaned with Bar Keepers Friend -I love this stuff. I use it to clean almost everything. And I know "blah blah blah brass patina" but I needed to clean those candlesticks. 

Since we're awfully lonely this week while Matthew is in Germany, Cora agreed to stay with us again for a few nights. We had so much fun being able to walk her to and from school a few times. Pictured here is Veronica picking "poison berries" and insisting I hold them all. 

And the candlesticks again, because I truly took no other photos this week. 

Quotes:

The leaves are hungry Mama, and they will say, "Where is my lunch?," and they will eat all the dandelions!

Mama, it smells like love is an open door out here!

Vera is borrowing a little Frozen microphone that plays clips of a couple songs and plays phrases like, "That was touched by magic!" and "Wow! What a performance!" Every time V hears the "performance" one she will say, "Mama, a performance is like medicine." I have no idea what this is supposed to mean.

Rapunzel = Purpunzel

Mama do you remember what queens do? They pull around giraffes!

Mama I want to pee on Fox in Socks. (Me too, that book is terrible.)

Whats his name? -asked about every person we ever see. I usually say, "I don't know. Why don't you ask them?" And she gets really cute and asks, "What's your name?" and then wont say anything else to them.

V is outside playing (because it was 75 degrees) and I hear a sudden scream and completely stressed moaning (this moaning is killing me and destroying all resolve of patience). I open the door and ask what is happening and with a completely melted face she scream/moans "A LEAF FELL ON MY HEAD!" Are you serious? This is why you are losing your mind?

Stories:

V likes to request songs all day. I try never to let it bother me because some day she will be mortified if I try to sing anything I'm sure -so I'll enjoy it while I can. But often she wants me to change songs we already know to include giraffe or bear or possum. She loves Moon, Moon, Possum

Moon, moon, possum shining bright
Moon, moon, possum, my delight.
Moon, moon possum, I can see,
Moon, moon possum, you're watching over me.
Look up it's the possum, look up it's the possum
Look up it's the possum up in the sky.
It's big and round, and I have found,
That it looks just like a possum pie.

She also loves Moon Sees Giraffe

I see the moon and the moon sees giraffe,
Shining through the old oak tree (no this song doesn't rhyme).
Please let the light that shines on giraffe,
Shine on the one I love.

Over the mountains, over giraffe,
That's where my heart is longing to be.
Please let the light that shines on giraffe,
Shine on the one I love.

The other day she wanted Possum Let it Go. It was way wackier than any of the others and she riffed on it for the rest of the day.

Possum Go! Possum Go! Can't hold it back anymoOore!
Possum Go! Possum Go! Turn my back and slam the doooooooor!
I don't care what Possum is going to say!
Let the Possum rage on!
The Possum never bothered me anyway!

It's funny how some Possums, make everything seem small,
The Possums that once controlled me, can't get to me at all!
etc.


In church yesterday I had a sweet thought come to me that kept making me smile and almost tear up. Everyone loves babies. Now that doesn't seem like a revolutionary thought, and yes there are people who are not "Baby People." But hear me out. As I was sitting in the pew and older gentleman was walking down the aisle and stopped when he came to a tiny baby sitting in a car seat. His whole face lit up and he stopped to just look and take in and admire this tiny human girl. This happens everywhere. I am not really a "Baby Person" and never went out of my way to hold other people's children. It wasn't really even until I had Theodore that babies started to be precious to me. Now photos of Vera as a baby make my whole body seize with an aching sort of rapture. The tiny sweet creature! And I think it only intensifies as you get older. People go out of their way to come take a look at a baby's tiny face, or will slow down in the aisles so you pass them and they can take a casual glance. Everyone wants to tell you about the babies in their lives or how they miss when their children were babies. It's as though all people are united in their love and adoration of tiny needy humans. It was a lovely thought that really we are all united in something and that something is rather grand.