Schooled By My Three Year Old

This evening Brett took the Peter to the Caps game, while I stayed home with Aaron.

When they got home, Peter ran up to me to tell me all about his "big boy" night with daddy.

Peter - We saw Slapshot!

Me - No way! At your seats?

Peter - No silly, at the hockey game. He was on the ice.

Me - I didn't know Eagles could ice skate!

Peter - Slapshot is a VERY special eagle, mommy. He was wearing a black and white striped shirt.

Me - Oh, like a referee?

Peter - No, silly! Like a zebra or a kawati tail.

Me - What is a kawati?

Peter - A creature from animal junction of course! (Peter's favorite show on PBS is an animal show called Zaboomafoo)

Me - Let's look him up on the computer. (I type "quadie" into Google.)

Peter - No Mom, it starts with a KA sound - press the K button! (my 3.5 year old then proceeds to tell me each sound in the word "Kawati" and the letters that I need to push - his only mistake was a "Y" at the end).

Me - (after pulling up Google Images) Is this a kawati? (showing him this photo):

Peter - Um, maybe... but that is not his habitat. He lives in the wild.

Me - OK, how about this (showing him this photo):

Peter - Well that is better. But a kawati lives in a stick home like a beaver. Its called a dam.

Heaven help me when this child gets to school and needs help with homework, I am going to be a lost cause.

The "Eagle" Truck

This morning I was sick and it was raining, but the kids needed to get out, so I decided to take them to Washington Capitals practice.

On our way we were stopped at a traffic light behind this truck:


Aaron - Eagle!

Peter - Yeah, Aaron, that's a Caps Truck!

Me - I think that is a mail truck guys.

Peter - Um, no that is an EAGLE, not mail. Eagle means Slapshot (he was referring to the Caps mascot). Slapshot means Caps.

Aaron - Yeah, that's Slapshot Mommy! He is going to hockey with us.

I think I have officially made them Caps Super Fans :)

My Baby Potty Mouth

This afternoon I took the kids to the store, and as we left I noticed that someone had side swiped my new mini van while it was parked out front.

Without thinking about the fact that I was holding hands with both my pre-school age children I said, "This sucks!"

To which Aaron (2.5 years old) laughed, looked up at me and said, "Rangers Suck!"

My Charmer

My husband is possibly the cheesiest and most complimentary man I have ever met. Whether it is telling me I am beautiful first thing in the morning (which I am not to anyone but him) or constantly complimenting my cooking, there is always a kind word coming out of his mouth (which I try hard not to even take for granted).

I don't know how I feel about nurture vs. nature, but one of them has made Peter EXACTLY like his father in his need to give words of affirmation and spread love. Just like his father, Peter compliments me on EVERYTHING, tells me he loves me non-stop, and gives out hugs and kisses freely.

This afternoon I was eating my lunch and Peter was watching TV. He abruptly got up from his chair and came into the dining room.

Peter - I think Campbell needs a hug and a kiss.

Me - (scooting out from the table) That is very nice, go ahead.

Peter - (hugs and kisses my belly) Thanks Mom, Campbell REALLY likes hugs and kisses.

Then he turns to run back into the living room. Stops. Turns back to me (as if he forgot something).

Peter - Mommy, you are so pretty.

Me - Thanks Peter, are you trying to get something out of me?

Peter stands there a minute looking a little thrown by the question and finally comes up with an answer.

Peter - Yeah, I would like something out of you - Her name is Campbell, she is my baby sister. Can we PLEASE go to the doctor to get your belly cut open so I can play with her now???

Hide and Seek

Tonight Brett took our silver CRV to Carmax to sell it, and a little while after he left I packed the kids in the car to go pick Brett up (we aren't buying our new mini van from Carmax so he was car-less).

The kids were hungry and in terrible moods when we got in the car, but they seemed to calm down a little when I told them we were going to pick up Daddy.

When we pulled into the Carmax parking lot and Brett opened the passengers side door to get in, Aaron screamed from the back seat, "We found you Daddy! That was a really good hiding place!!!"

Life is So Good

Our "normal" routine for wake up time (in the morning and after naps) is that I get Peter first, then Aaron. While I am getting Aaron ready Peter is free to play in his room or downstairs.

This afternoon after I got Peter up I saw him go into his closet and get the noise-canceling headphones that we had gotten for the boys when we took them to the Monster Truck show. I didn't think anything of it and went about my business changing Aaron's diaper.

Five minutes later Aaron and I came downstairs to find Peter and Rusty (our dog), sitting in the middle of the living room floor, each wearing a pair of headphones.

Peter looked up at me and said, "Mommy, life is so good when Rusty and I can't listen to you."

Zumbathon to Save the Playground!

The MOMS Club of Annandale, VA that I am a member of will be hosting a Zumbathon in just TWO WEEKS!

We are holding it to save the playground of John Calvin Church, which has suffered a lot during the storms this past year. Here are some photos of the damage:




John Calvin Church is "home" to the 58 full-time and part-time stay-home mothers in the MOMS Club of Annandale, VA and all of their children. It's where the chapter meets for many activities, guest speakers, playgroups, and more. Saving and restoring the playground will mean A LOT to our little ones and to the whole community of Annandale.

When? March 26, 2011
Time? 2-4pm
What? $15 for 2 hours of Zumba instruction! All proceeds will go to helping with repairs to John Calvin's church playground which has had extensive damage due to trees falling.

For directions and more information please visit our event website!

Arachnophobia

This afternoon our PMP (Pest Management Professional) was at the house for our bi-monthly service. Peter, who is not napping very much anymore, was downstairs with me when he got there.

Peter - Mommy, who is that man?

Me - That is RJ, he makes sure bugs don't get in our house.

Peter - Like spiders? (Peter is TERRIFIED of spiders, a fear he learned from his father)

Me - Yep, and any other bad bugs that try to get in our house.

Peter - But not the nice spiders, right?

Me - Right, he is nice to the good spiders.

Peter - But what ARE the good spiders?

Me - Maybe a Daddy Long Legs? They are nice.

Peter - Yeah, or Mommy Long Legs, or Aaron Long Legs, or Rusty Long Legs. All of the family spiders are OK, but he better make sure there aren't any others.

My First Sex Party

Last Friday night, Brett and I invited a few friends and local family over to find out the sex of Baby G3 (as we call our third baby).

That morning I went to the doctor's office to get a level II sonogram and while at the doctor's office I gave them a folder with two sheets of paper - one that said "It's a Girl" and one that said "It's a Boy!".

As much as it killed me, I didn't look at the screen once (after two babies you can figure out what the sex is with that type of technology pretty easily), and asked that the doctor leave the correct sex in the envelop with the sonogram pictures then seal it up.

When they gave me back my envelop it took everything I had not to open it up and peek inside, but I resisted the urge!

Eight LONG hours later we were eating BBQ with friends and waiting for the big reveal. Brett and I stood up and opened the envelop up together to find out - we are having a GIRL!

I almost fell over from shock as Brett threw his arms in the air in excitement (he has always wanted a girl).

You can watch the video from the big moment here!

The next morning I was over being shocked and freaked out, while Brett was just starting to worry. After his mini panic attack from "not knowing what to do with a girl" we moved on to picking baby names.

We knew that this baby was going to be a "C" name if it was a girl, so we quickly narrowed the names down to Campbell, Charlie, and Celia. Then we decided to let the boys decide what they wanted to name their sister. After we asked each individually we had a unanimous decision - Peter and Aaron's sister would be named "Campbell"! I wanted a family name for her middle name, so I took my mother's middle name "Louise" for my first daughter.

Knowing the sex and naming her has made this pregnancy seem even more real and exciting. We cannot wait to meet Campbell Louise Gardner this summer!!!

The Real Reason Brett Keeps Impregnating Me

There are days when I truly believe that the number one reason my husband continues to want more children (when we got married he only wanted 2 MAX, now he has agreed to 4) is that he really enjoys teaching them funny things to say.

When the kids were old enough to learn how to deliver a joke he taught them MANY...

What is a pirate's favorite letter?... RRRRRRRRR

Why is 6 afraid of 7?... Because 7, 8, 9

What did the 0 say to the 8?... Nice belt

And their FAVORITE knock knock joke:

Knock knock

Who's there?

Panther

Panther Who?

Panther no pants; I'm going swimming!

When Peter was potty training Brett taught him Salt-n-Pepa's song "Push It" as a helpful hint during a #2, taught them the course to Ice Ice Baby, and frequently comes up with little one liners for them to repeat to friends.

Last Wednesday, we took the boys out to celebrate their "Uncle" Troy's birthday (Peter's God Father). Peter brought a toy tiger and told everyone that it was a "party animal."

Then Friday night, Brett and the kids went for a walk. When they got home, Peter ran up to me really excitedly and handed me a rock.

Peter - Here Mommy!

Me - Wow, a Rock, Thanks Peter

Peter - Hey Mom, can you smell what that rock is cooking?

Men's and Women's Role in the Household

Yesterday morning the kids were playing dinosaurs. Aaron had two dinosaurs that were the Mommy and Daddy, and Peter had two smaller dinosaurs that were the kids.

Aaron picks up the "Mommy" and tells the rest of the dinosaur family, "OK kids, Mommy is going to work!"

Peter quickly corrected his brothers mistake by telling him, "No, Aaron - DADDIES go to work! Mommies go to hockey."

Only in my house :)