In a Nutshell

I've been a delinquent blogger as of late, but here are a few updates this mom doesn't want to forget!

Max said his first prayer last night. We had just finished saying a family goodnight prayer and were getting ready for tuck-in when Max asked if he could pray, too. So precious! Here are his words: "Dear Jesus, Love Aidan, Brayden, Jacob, Sam. I Love you. Amen."

I had decided to devote yesterday morning to some new books the boys received for Christmas that had yet to be read. We made it through several when Max disappeared and then returned with Usborne's Collection of Bible Stories. He has a particular fascination with the birth and death of Christ, and had found the book on the playroom shelf, complete with pictures of both events. He wanted to start at the beginning and so we did. Remarkably, we read the entire 198 page book in one sitting. I could not believe it. May God always make the boys' hearts so thirsty for more of Him and His word!

Cal and I were having a picnic snack on the floor of the kitchen a couple of days ago following nap time. Cal chose a banana and I grabbed a couple of clementines. He watched me peel the first one, and then reached over to take one for himself. Cal peeled the entire orange with no help from me. Way to go, big boy!!

Almost

Yesterday, as I went to wipe Cal's mouth with a festive Christmas napkin, I stopped to ask, "Hey Cal, did you see who's picture was on the napkin?" In total confidence, he shouted back, "Noah!" Apparently, we know several people with long gray beards, although I was sure the red suit was a dead giveaway.

Don't Mention It

Last week we started potty training Cal and after two unsuccessful days, he figured it out and diapers are now history. Apparently, his biggest motivator was verbal praise. Yesterday, Cal hunted me down in the bathroom (can't a girl get a minute?) just in time to offer me a round of applause and some serious encouragement: "Yea, Mommy! You did it! I'm so proud of you!" Of all the things I do for that kid...that's what he praises me for?

Enough is Enough

While I was still waiting on Max to be washed and delivered into his room after bath tonight, I had a sweet-smelling, naked Cal to diaper and dress in PJs. I couldn't resist the temptation to kiss and tickle and enjoy some laughs and a couple of precious moments of alone time with him. We were behind schedule tonight, and apparently the need for sleep trumped our good times because it hadn't been but just a minute when Cal grabbed my face, looked me in the eye, and said, "Focus, Mommy, focus." Think he's heard that one before?!?

The End

Yesterday, as we were enjoying our lunch, Brad and I witnessed a fly pass into the afterlife. He was buzzing the table one minute and literally dropped dead out the air and right onto the center of the table the next. His little wings stopped flapping, and he was legs up, on his back, and on his way to fly heaven. It felt rather monumentous to witness the end of a fly's life that wasn't caused by the quick swing of our flyswatter. May he rest in peace.

Another tragedy recently struck our home when a dove met it's untimely demise on the sidewalk that runs in front of our house. If I remember right, doves mate for life, and his partner was cooing her little heart out so mournfully in the tree right above his squished body. I actually teared up when I finally realized what all the commotion was about. She cooed the entire day! I would say that there are other fish in the sea (if you will), but it is bird hunting season, so new fellas may be in short supply.

Cookies

Cal and I play this little make-believe game where he pretends to "make me somfing." Today it was cookies. He first handed me a "chocochip" cookie, then a "peanut butter" cookie, but when I asked for a sugar cookie, the response I got was, "No, I don't fink so." I guess he is watching out for my waistline.

The Thanks I Get...

I swear Max says the darndest things...

I tried a new recipe for Black Bean Fritters with Pineapple Avacado Salsa today and was quite pleased with how it turned out. I stuck them in the fridge and pulled them out after soccer practice. As I sat the plate down in front of him, Max said, "Hey, why my dinner look like poo poo?" I had to laugh. It wasn't a far stretch.

Have a Little Talk with Jesus

Today we were listening to Willie Nelson sing his version of this classic hymn and Max asked, "Why he say have a talk with Jesus?" I told Max that we should always talk to Jesus because He is a very good listener and can help us when we have a problem. I explained that even though we can't see Him, Jesus can always hear us. It grew quiet in the back seat until I heard Max say, "Hi, Jesus." He paused, and then said, "Hey, HE NOT TALKING BACK TO ME!!!."

My Little Artist

Max has become quite the budding artist. He just recently started drawing pictures of himself, complete with hair and boots. Today, he was at work again on his chalkboard, and when I asked him what he was drawing, he turned around and with a serious amount of attitude said, "You can't rush art." Hilarious! Where on earth did he learn that?!?

Sigh of Relief

Yesterday, in the car, Max and I had the following conversation about the very nice lady who cleans our house twice a month:

Max: "Mom, is Ms. Jim a girl?"

Me: "Yes."

Max: "Why?"

Me: "Because that is the way God made her."

Max: "Why?"

Me: "Well, God has a plan for each person, and His plan was for Ms. Jim to be a girl, just like His plan was for you to be a boy."

Max: "Well, I don't want her to be a girl." (how typical...)

Me: "I think Ms. Jim likes being a girl."

Max: "Well, I don't want to be a boy. I wish God made me...(panicking now; please don't say a girl)....Batman."

Breakfast of Champions

Over Labor Day weekend, we biked into Garmisch for a fresh pastry breakfast and some coffee. We don't consume much sugar around our house (especially of the refined kind...yes, I am that mother), so I had to photograph the gleeful expressions pictured below. You know that feeling you get when you realize you are only two days into a weeklong vacation? Or when you open the first Christmas present and know that there are still many left under the tree? I swear that is what Cal is thinking. Two bites down, still so many to go...

Define "Grown-Up"

First a minivan and then...

Lake Garda

We took a spontaneous vacation last weekend to a beautiful lake (the biggest in Italy) that we drive past so often on our other adventures. It was such a relaxing get-away, and we very much enjoyed the perfect weather and the time together as a family!

Grandmom and the Ark

While the boys were in the bathtub tonight, we were reading a "peek-a-boo" book that includes on each page a little poem about someone in the Bible. After you guess who it is, the page opens to reveal the answer. Following the story of Noah and the flood, I asked the boys if they could remember who it was that built the ark. Cal piped up and said, "Grandmom?" Apparently, Grandmom was, is and ever shall be.

Ouch!

Cal got stung by his first bee (well, wasp, really) tonight. We were out for a walk and he stopped to swing on a sign which was, apparently, home to a hive. One angry wasp got him right between his finger and thumb! He sobbed most of the way home, but did take the time to wave and say hello to the cows, and pointed out that he couldn't see the tractor parked in our neighbor's barn. Other wise, between the tears, he kept saying "Naughty bee! Naughty bee!" Fortunately, he doesn't appear to be terribly allergic. Just in case, though, he got a dose of benedryl, some pain cream, and an extra bedtime story.

Would you, please?

Today, while I was putting on my make-up, Max came running into the bathroom with a peepee emergency. He danced around while he was trying to get his pants and spiderman underwear down, climbed up on his stool, and when he finally settled in, he looked over at me and said, "I gotta teach you to potty standing up, Mom."

A Day at the Zoo

When Left Alone For ONE Minute...

Mommy in the Lion's Den

Since we don't really have a church home here in Italy, I have been worried about the boys and the fact that they aren't spending these formitive years in Sunday School. Max has a little board book Bible that we read from, Veggie Tales that we watch, and of course, there are always the little life lessons along the way. However, I wonder how much is really sinking in and wish that there was something more I could do to expose them to God's word. Today, though, for the first time, Max was able to tell me a Bible story. He was playing outside in the dirt and told me he was digging a hole for ants. Then he said, "I don't want you to go down there, Mom. There's lions down there. But you don't need to be scared. A happy angel would protect you and bring you out." Yea! He is learning!

Quite the Comedian

We frequently use a TomTom navigational device in our car to help us navigate the tricky roads in Italy. However, it may be on it's way to becoming obsolete. Today, as we pulled into our driveway, Max said, "You have reached your destination, Mom."

Max got his long awaited Batman costume in the mail today and has worn it at every available opportunity. So, as I was tucking him into bed, I gave him a goodnight kiss and said, "Goodnight, Batman." Max rolled over and said, "Goodnight, Batmom."

My Bilingual Baby

So, I have to brag. It is a mother's right, is it not?!? This morning, while playing around the house, Cal asked me for his toothbrush with toothpaste, which, apparently, must taste like candy. When I handed it to him, he looked up at me and said, "Danke Schon" and then waddled away. And this after only a week in Germany!!! Maybe soon he will be giving me Italian lessons as well.

The Itch

Yesterday, I caught Max rubbing his back up and down on the door frame just like you'd expect to see a bear doing in the wild (not a far stretch from this home, I admit). When I asked him what, exactly, he was doing, he told me, "I have an itch on me." I offered him a little help, and just like an adult he said, "Down. No, up. Up some more. Now down." When it became apparent that I was not going to locate the right spot, Max proceeded to the bathroom where he opened the drawer, pulled out a hairbrush, raised his shirt, and finally found some itch relief. Having never seen this approach modeled (although maybe I should consult Dad before making such boasts), I had to admire his ability to creatively problem solve. Max: 1, Impossible Itch: 0.

Oops

About three-quarters of the way through my run this morning, I looked down to find that while getting dressed in the dark, I had somehow managed to put my shorts on inside out. Pockets just flapping in the breeze. I am hoping that, as my Grandma used to say, it was never noticed on a galloping filly.

And Just What Is That Supposed To Mean?

Yesterday, while helping Max get dressed for a dinner out, I was explaining to him that two of his friends and their families would be there as well. Max made the observation that both of these particular friends have sisters, and that he didn't have a sister. "That's right," I responded. "And what do you have instead?" He thought for a moment and then answered, "I have Cal."

When Will I Learn?

I find myself doing desperate things when attempting to get things done around here. Even after our previous experience, I decided that laundry (currently located in the garage) was worth the risk of allowing Cal to again play in the van. I thought I had him beat this time when I did a preliminary sweep of the car to ensure that there was nothing he could injure and that nothing could injure him. He played happily for several minutes until he'd had enough and wanted out. Happy to have transferred a load and started a new one, I went to retrieve him, only to find that in the usual course of pushing buttons, Cal had managed to push the driver's side door lock and permenantly locked himself - and my keys - inside. Keys. Right. Long story short, his removal required a phone call to Dad at work and a very long 15 minute wait. I had on my hands (or just out of reach of my hands) one sad, sad little boy. Over and over he pounded his chubby little hands on the windows and shouted, "Mommy! Where are you?" He was temporarily distracted by the scattered animal crackers he found in the process, but there was much rejoicing when Dad arrived to save us all.

Boys Will Be Boys

While sitting at the bar enjoying their afternoon snack, Max and Cal discovered a snot sucker that had been retired and was on it's way to the trash. After giving it a practice run on his own nose, Max offered his services to Cal. Cal apparently enjoyed it much more than he did as a newborn because he shreiked with laughter and asked for more. Maybe a little more personal hygiene would get done around here without my help if I'd start leaving things like soap and fingernail clippers around, too.

Ca - ching!

So, in an attempt to get the garage cleaned today, I offered to let the boys play in the car, something they are constantly begging to do. Happy as clams, they climbed in and proceeded push buttons and turn our new mini van inside out. About 20 minutes into the project, I hear a muffled little voice shouting "uh oh. UH OH!!! MOOOOOOMMMMMY!" Cal often escalates a perfectly normal situation into emergency status, so I wasn't terribly alarmed until I climbed into the van myself and discovered that he had taken all of my euro change (not an insignificant amount, mind you; it was money saved for tolls) and shoved it coin by coin into the air conditioner. Sigh.

My Superhero

The boys and I recently flew to Vermont for a visit with Nan and Grandpa Pasho. At the start of our adventure, I was feeling a little flustered trying to get two small kids, their carry-ons, and a stroller through the initial security checkpoint. However, I had to laugh when we happened upon an especially cheerful security agent who asked Max, "What's your name, young man?" Max handed him his ticket and passport and without flinching said, "Spiderman."

Welcome Summer!

We kicked off the summer season last week with some hot Oklahoma weather and a first run through the sprinkler. Cal opted out, but Max had more than enough fun for us all.

Easter

We had so much fun putting together Easter baskets and hunting eggs with the boys. It didn't take them long to catch on to the idea of the hunt, and once they discovered the goodies inside the eggs, it didn't take them long to clean them out. Alas, it is still much like it was when I was a child: "It's over already? I have to wait another year to do it again?"

They Speak

Cal has been waiting a very long time (and not so patiently, I might add) to speak beyond his current ability. Recently, he has started linking two and three words together and even, on occasion, four, and the torrent has broken. It started with a simple "Yes, please" and "Good Morning" and "Here, Mommy," and then evolved into a first sentence: "Help, please. Buzz (as in Lightyear) stuck." Now we are getting such complexities as, "I do bite strawberry, please." It is amazing to hear him speak quite so much. Wasn't it just yesterday that he was keeping me up at night and riding in the Baby Bjorn? Where is time going???

Max has mastered the basic communication skills and is speaking now with a little more...shall we say...flare? I hear him say things such as "I too busy right now!" or "I talking to you, Mommy!" He tells Cal often (that is, when not yelling, "STOP that!") "I don't like that, Cal." Sass, at three. Really?

And That About Sums It Up...

I was reading a story in today's paper about the devastation caused by the earthquakes in Italy. Despite the tragic circumstances, I had to laugh when I read the following quote by the L'Aquila Mayor, Massimo Cialente: "For now the needs are basic. The people in the camps, they don't have toothbrushes; they don't have toothpaste. You can't find a place to buy cigarettes or get a coffee." Now that, folks, is a desperate situation for an Italian, indeed.

Easter Bunny

We happened upon the Easter Bunny today at the mall. Cal didn't care much for him, but for Max, it was love at first sight.

Another First

Cal has developed a fascination with the potty ever since Max has started using it regularly. He asks to sit on it often ("I do it!"), and I put him there when I have the time and always before bathtime since it seems he inevitably pees during the naked time he gets while the bathtub fills. Today he asked to go before naps, so I sat him on the big potty, and he tinkled (he always claps and says "yea!" when he goes) but looked indignant and claimed he still had "peepee" when I took him off. I sat him on Max's little potty where he proceeded to squeeze ("yea!") and squeeze ("yea!") and squeeze ("yea!"). When I took him off, he had left me a little surprise of which he was very, very proud. CAL POOPED IN THE POTTY!!! I was still in shock when I gave him a high five. I'm sure the accomplishments get much more profound, but I don't know when I've ever seen him feeling quite so self-satisfied!

When A Boy's Got to Go...

When Max told me he had to go potty yesterday, I assumed his intentions were to find some porcelain in one of the five bathrooms in the house. My mistake.

There Is No Place Like Home

We LOVE being back in Oklahoma for a visit with Grandmom and Grandad! The boys have really taken to the great out-of-doors and the chance to play outside (sans rain and traffic) until their little hearts' content.

Max Turns Three!

For Max's birthday this year, we invited our 6 favorite cowboys and cowgirls for a cookout at the Pasho Ranch. I don't think our Italian neighbors knew quite what to think. Yeehaw!

Toot Toot

A couple of days ago, Max and I were in the bathroom finishing bedtime procedures. Brad had already taken Cal to his room to get him dressed in his pajamas. Max was standing on his stool at the sink, and while brushing his teeth, he accidentally toot-tooted. I said "Oops! What do we say when that happens?" Never missing a beat, Max said, "Cal did that."

Time Out

This morning Max was having to stand in "time out" for not sharing his trains with Cal. There was, of course, plenty of wailing about the whole ordeal, and a curious Cal walked over, put himself in time out, and pretended to cry just like Max. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing outloud. It was truly an Oscar worthy performance by both brothers.

A Very Merry Christmas

Despite being homesick, I do have to say that Christmas was a success. Family time and candlelight service on Christmas Eve; stockings, presents, homemade muffins and big naps on Christmas morning; and, finally, feasting with friends that night. I do, now, have a new found appreciation for my mother...Christmas is a lot of work when you're in charge!

Alpine Misadventure

Snow, sledding, the mountains, hot cocoa...how can that go wrong? You think I'd have learned by now that our adventures always play out differently in my head. We arrive for our fun, stuff ourselves and both boys into snowsuits, rent a sled with brakes, and hit the lifts. The fun begins and ends with a frozen passie, two falls on the ice, windburn, a crash at 90 miles an hour, and brakes that give out 1/2 way down our final run. Ah, the memories. At least the hot cocoa was good.