Smug Mom Moment

I picked up a bunch of new children's books at the library today and as a special treat, I also picked out two DVDs for the kids.  When they came home this afternoon, I turned on one of the movies for them to watch while I made dinner, but soon after, Ella asked me to turn it off so they could look at the books.  They both sat quietly on the floor reading for several minutes while I had a total smug mom moment thinking what brilliant children I have who prefer books to tv.

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The setting:  Our car, driving through downtown Durham on the way to get frozen yogurt, with me in front and Ella and Dash in the back. 

Ella: Dash, look out the window!  Do you see that building?  That's Duke Memorial!  I used to go to school there!

Dash:  <Silent>

Ella:  Mama, did I go there when I was Dash's age?

Me:  Yes, you did, you went there when you were two.

Ella:  But did I go there when I was Dash's age?

Me:  Yes, you did, you went there when you were two.

Ella:  BUT, MAMA, DID I GO THERE WHEN I WAS DASH'S AGE?

Me: Ella, I just told you twice, yes, yes you did go to that school when you were Dash's age.  You were two when you went to Duke Memorial and Dash is two now.

Ella:  But, MAMA, did I go there when I was actually Dash's age?  When I was two AND ONE TWELFTH?

Me: <Are liquor shots on the menu at the frozen yogurt store?>

Pumas

We are probably teaching our kids all the wrong things by telling them the names of the brands of the clothes they wear.  It's especially bad with shoes which are known around here as Keens, Uggs, and Pumas rather than sandals, boots, or tennis shoes.  It is rather hilarious, though, to hear our two-year old boy talking so passionately about his fashion choices.  Yesterday morning, I was getting dressed and Dash was in the closet with me (like always - the kid loves my clothes and shoes, my make-up and hair items) and I showed him that I was putting on my Puma shoes.  He got very excited and said he wanted to wear his Pumas just like me.  I headed out into the bedroom to keep getting ready, and a moment later, Dash ran out of the closet holding Josh's Pumas and said "Daddy wear Pumas, too!"  I don't know whether to be amazingly proud of his ability to categorize items at this young age or incredibly worried about the materialistic tendencies we are instilling.  Probably the latter since Ella then came into my room and got very pouty that she was the only person in the family without Pumas and told me that I should go out and buy her some right now.  Do I get any points for not running upstairs to log onto Zappos immediately?

Pluto (courtesy of Josh)

Josh rarely posts on Facebook but when he does, it's always pithy and like-worthy.  His most recent post was no exception:

As the owner of several 1970's era books about space (courtesy of her grandmother), Ella stubbornly refuses to accept the International Astronomical Union's 2006 declassification of Pluto as a planet. So much so that she added Pluto with a Sharpie to her 2012 era water bottle.  -- Josh

Backyard pictures

We've had some unseasonably warm weather this past week which has meant, hooray, lots of playing in the backyard.  Ella's specialty is elaborate sand and mud cakes which she loves to make and serve to me.  I love these lazy days in the backyard.  I can take a novel on the porch and read, with periodic 'snack breaks' for things like cinnamon vanilla cake with chocolate candles.

Earlier this week, Ella decided she wanted to take a few pictures of our backyard fun.  It's so sweet to watch her trying so hard to hold my phone, frame her picture, and then reach her little finger over to push the shutter without moving the camera.  She still hasn't mastered it, so every picture ends up pointing towards the ground.  Someday her fingers will be long enough, but for now, I love these bottom heavy photographs by my small shutterbug.

Yum, sandy snacks. 

Attempted portrait of her brother.

There's his head.

Silent Sam

I was taking a stroll through the UNC campus last weekend with both kids, and they were rather taken by the statue of Silent Sam (see also Silent Sam).  Back in my undergraduate days as a tour guide, there were very strict rules about what we could and could not tell prospective students and their families about ole Sam (see here for what we were NOT supposed to say) and I wasn't about to start telling my 4 and 2-year old kids the legend.  But they sure had a good time climbing around on the statue's base and asking his name.  I told them he was called "Silent Sam" which they repeated over and over with great glee.  A few minutes later, Josh caught up with us, and Dash came running over and said "Daddy!  Look ovah dere!  It Silent Night!"

Silent Sam/Silent Night

Mail for Aunt Bebe

My sister, known to all as Aunt Bebe, just spent 3 1/2 weeks with us in North Carolina for the holidays.  We all miss her terribly now that she has gone back to Alaska where she lives.  Ella wrote her a very sweet postcard this week, putting a stamp on it and setting it out for the mailman all by herself.  I only hope the washable marker she used for her message doesn't wash off before it gets to Alaska.  Ella insisted on going outside in her pjs to put the card in the mail.  And being ever resourceful, she brought a stool with her so she could reach the mailbox.