12-30-11

And for the last entry of 2011 (likely)  I give you - Cora: 

I got a full play-by-play of this morning's events from Cora on the way to school. Except nothing notable happened. So it was much like this
"...and so I started to eat my banana but then I didn't want my banana so I put the banana you know on the table and then dad asked if he could have a bite of my banana and I said "sure" and then when Milly saw dad have the banana SHE wanted some...." 

Thank goodness school is only about 15 mins from home. ;)

As for Miss Milly we have lots and lots of words so far.  However she seems especially fond of "NO!" and "I do it!!!"  ;)

Christmas 2011

There were probably a million things said last night and this morning that I should be documenting.  But instead, the one thing I was to remember most is Cora last night, in her light purple footie jammies scampering down our front stairs to leave a plate of carrots for the reindeer.  She was so excited.

This morning as we went downstairs (at 6:15am) all she said was "He came!  Santa really came!  I can't believe its really Christmas!"

All Milly keeps saying is "Horsie. Neigh!!"  The girls got a Radio Flyer spring horse from Santa. :)

11-27-11

Quietly on the monitor just this evening: 

God...? Can you hear me? I can't hear you.... cuz you're way up there and I'm way down here. God? Pleeeeease? God... if you can hear me... I don't really want to have any dreams, ok? Not any bad dreams or even any good dreams, ok? {quietly} Ok.

 Wow.   Heartbreaking and awe inspiring all at once.  I went up and we had a long talk about God, guardian angels, dreams, and the like. :D

11-21-11

I have a 19 month old addicted to.... GUM. When I pick her up from daycare she comes running, jumps smiling into my arms... and then stuffs her fingers in my mouth, tilts her head coquettishly sideways, and says "Chew-Chew? Chew-Chew?" If I do not have said 'chew-chew' life is devastatingly horrid and she lays her head on my shoulder sobbing. If I say "we'll get some chew chew in the car" suddenly all is right with the world and she demands to head out the door asap. Once she has a small bit of gum she will chew it for HOURS and will occasionally yell from the backseat "MOM! MOM! {sounding like someone from Long Island} I ha' chew-chew!" She will yell this until I acknowledge this wonder. This has gone on for weeks. Only my kids.

10-11-11 Milly's First Real Submission

Not because of its wisdom or humor or irony - just because it *is*

Milly was trying to grab some papers in the car - the small note size papers her day care provider sends home each day - and was getting frustrated.

I said "Goodness why are you so angry?"
To which, clear as a bell, she told me "I can't get my notes." Not "No can get notes" - but a full grammatically set sentence.  Before this we were lucky to get "Tank ew Co-wah".

Ryan looked at me - I looked at him and he said "Did you just hear what I heard?"  So, as a test I turned around and said to Milly - "Do you want me to take your notes and put them away?"

She responded:  "No, I wanna keep notes." 

Wow.  Just wow.

10-8-11

Cora (driving past a car dealership): Mom! That flag is ger-my-mus (ginormous). What is the word for it? 

Me: You just said it - its a flag. 

Cora: No there's a more special word for it. {thinks} I remember! Its called a 'Merican Flag. That means its very important. That is a very special kind of flag.

Milly-isms

Time to add to the Milly Lexicon!

Mama
Dada
Cora
Meme
Popop
Yes (or often "YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!" when its something she wants)
No (usually Nononononono)
Up! (very emphatic)
Off (when she means on - like she brings us a hat and says  off... off)
Off-on (when pointing at a light)
Gog Gog (dog)
Ki'ie (kitty)
Baby
Ni-Ni (night night)
Mo' (more)
Tank You (will even do small sentences like "Tank you Cora")
Pees (please)
Ow-si (outside)
Dink (drink)
Go
Bye Bye

10-4-11

Cora Today:  Mom, I have like 55 friends! And did you know some are boyfriends? Yeah. Quintin tried to kiss me under the table the other day and I was all like "No way dude". I said "are you trying to kiss me??" And he said "I'm not only trying to kiss you, I'm going to MARRY you." I said "dream on dude."

8-13-11

Cora: Mom, did God make the grasses? 

Me: Yes He did. 

Cora: How? 

Me: I don't know honey. Only He knows how He did all of that. 

Cora: But we can't make them? 

Me: That's right, only God can do that. 

Cora: It really doesn't look that hard.

7-28-11

Cora: Mom, I don't know who I'm going to marry!
Me: Well honey maybe you haven't met them yet. I didn't meet daddy until I was 30!
Cora: (in tears) But mom once I get married I'll have to leave you and daddy.
Me: Oh honey, don't be sad - you'll have a husband you love! Besides that's a long time from now.
Cora: Oh I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you and daddy - you'll miss me so much!

Ahhh kids - they do say the darndest things. 

Me this evening:  Cora, what movie do you want to watch tonight for quiet time?
Cora:  None movies mom.  I just want to sit here, relax and have a couple of drinks.

I'm telling myself that she meant juice. Or milk.  Or water.  Even soda.  Yup.

7-21-11

Milly started crying a little when we went through a puddle on the way in this morning (the noise scared her) - much the same as Cora used to do when she was little. Suddenly Cora pipes up: 

"Milly - its ok. Its just water and it can't get into the car. We've talked about this a little, ok? You'll be fine!"

 

And one I forgot to include last week:

Cora:  Mom, where does the sun go to bed at night?

Me: I dunno honey...

Cora:  I think in God's lap. He's the only one big enough!

7-3-11

Milly has moved into high gear when it comes to "talking".  She says whole sentences and often goes on and on in very believable inflections.  The fact that it sounds greatly like Mandarin Chinese just adds to the charm.

Or at least I thought she was "talking" - until this morning.  When Cora said "Mom - she's singing!" after which Milly started nodding her head furiously!  Who knew?

6-17-11

This morning as we were rushing to get out the door, I decided to check Cora's "school" calendar.  Since she's in a new room we're still getting used to the communication there.  Just as Ryan was getting the girls into my car (I take them in to daycare now since he works right near our home) I noticed this morning was "Breakfast With Dad" at Cora's school.    I ran out to the garage, pulled him aside and told him.  He was so frustrated - he wanted to go, but this new job has him running in circles, and he'd be about an hour late to work if he went (her school is all the way downtown where I work).  He thought for a second and said "I can't - can you go in and eat with her?"  I was crushed for her, but said "sure".  I ran back inside to get my coffee and when I came out Ryan was bent down by Cora's chair.  She had tears just rolling down her cheeks but wasn't making any sound.  When I asked her what was wrong, quiet as a churchmouse she said "Today is father's day and daddy can't come.  I made him a present and now it will be all by itself."      (we need a "stabbing me in the heart icon"!!)   At that point, thank God, Ryan stood up and said - "Hold on honey... let me go change my shirt.  Mommy can you get Cora buckled into my truck?"   Cora said "But daddy won't your boss be mad?"  He just looked at her and said "I don't know.  But daughters come before bosses and we have some breakfast to get to."      I am so proud of my husband today!!!

6-4-11

Last night I was tucking Cora into bed and she didn't want to let of my neck.  She said "No mom, please don't go".  I told her I had to go downstairs and finish up my "mommy works".  She asked what that meant...

Me: Well I have to do the dishes, wipe up the table, clean off the counter, and lots of other things
Cora:  Wow.  Being a mommy is realllly boring.
Me:  Nah.  Being a mommy has great parts - like having kiddos like you and Milly.  Those are the really great parts.  But yeah, the cleaning parts aren't so much fun.  But, they're my job!  Sometimes we all have to do things we don't like doing.
Cora:  Well, when I'm a mommy I'm not going to do those things.  I'm just going to play with my kids!

5-27-11

Cora in the car today on the way to "school"

Mom, I will be in Kindergarten next year. That's a big deal. Its ok to be a little scared though, because, you know I just have no idea what goes on in there

5-2-11

Cora this morning in the car - out of the blue: "Mom, you know what I'm going to do when I wake up on my birthday? I'm going to get up and go outside and feel the breeze. I want to see how the breeze feels when I'm four."

4-18-11

As we were eating dinner:

Cora:  {making a face} Mom, I ate a Zinnia.
Me:  A Zinnia?
Cora:  Yeah!  Its yuck.
Me:  I didn't realize there were Zinnias in your dinner...
Cora:  Yeah I can feel it on my teeth!
Me:  Can you show me?
Cora: {pulling something out of her mouth} Here!
Me:  Honey that is a green onion... not a Zinnia.

4-18-11

Time for some new Milly-isms!!

Milly was doing well with about 5-6 words, than a couple of months ago shut down everything but "Uh oh". Which she used for everything. All.The.Time.

Just this past week she's back on the stick and saying lots of new things - just parroting for the most part, no real recall with a few exceptions.  The things she does "get" are:
Mama
Dada
Mo (more)
Baba (bottle)
Coco (Cora - for a while this was "Boppo" [??] but now we've caught on)
Cup
Bah (ball)
Dog-Dog
Tank Ew (thank you)
Aaah Booo (love you)
Nigh-Nigh (night night - means she wants to go to bed)
Hi Dere (which is what she says when she wants to be picked up - its too cute...she'll come toddling over, grab my pant leg, look up and me and say Hi Dere!
)

She is also now nodding or shaking her head to let us know what she wants.  For instance if I say "Are you all done?"  She'll nod and raise her arms to get out of her high chair.  If I ask "Do you want more?" she'll shake her head 'no'.

4-16-11

Cora (on the monitor after me going up and telling her Meme will not be over until she naps): "My mom... she just doesn't understand me!" 


Oh my....

3-28-11

Cora's had some major issues with a mean tummy bug the past few days.  A couple of nights ago, her tummy was hurting at bedtime.  I explained that I would fix it if I could, but we'd have to talk to God about that.  I asked her if she wanted to pray about it:

Me:  Do you know how to pray honey?  Just start out saying "Dear God..."
Cora:  {small smiling shy voice} Dear God...
Me: Now just ask him for what you want
Cora:  Dear God can I please have a pony pillow pet?

I guess some things trump tummy pain!

3-16-11

Cora:  Mom, I have brown eyes, and you have brown eyes! I know how that happened. When I came out of the shoot from your tummy, I drank from your boo-boos and so that's how I got your brown eyes!

3-14-11

Cora: {patting Milly on the face gently}  Milly, I love you.  Even when you're naughty.

2-15-11

Normally Ryan and I carpool with the kids since we all work/go downtown.  Today though we had to drive separately and so I took Cora while Ryan took Milly.  When this happens, Cora always wants to be 'first' and wants me to "beat daddy".  But today Daddy gave us a run for our money, leaving the garage first.  Due to traffic I was able to pull past him after a red light.

Cora:  Good choice mommy!  I asked you to do something and you listened!  Good for you mommy, good job!

Then a bit later:
Cora: Mom, I miss Milly.  I want her to be in the car with us.  I miss that little face.

2-5-11

Cora:  Daddy is a nice man
Me:  Yes he certainly is
Cora:  I think he's even nicer than Santa Claus

Wow - that's a big step!

2-2-11

Cora:  Mom, who made the world?
Me:  God made the world honey.
Cora:  God made the whole world?
Me:  Well people made the buildings and the roads and the lights and stuff.  But God made the ground and the sky, and the water, and allll the animals - all the cool stuff
Cora:  Wow.  She must be really big.

:)

2-1-11

Today while tucking Cora into bed:

Cora:  Would you pat my back for like three minutes?  {everything in her world is "three minutes"}
Me:  Sure {patting}  Why don't you close your eyes while I pat your back?
Cora:  No, um, it hurts when I close my eyes.
Me: Ah well ok then
Cora: {eyes getting heavy - blinking...}
Cora:  Well maybe they don't hurt when I close them.  Maybe I'll just close them for a minute

1-31-11

Tonight we were in the car on the way home from work/school/daycare. I was chatting away with Ryan and wasn't paying too much attention to Cora who was singing quietly in the back.  During a lull in my conversation I realized what Cora was singing... she was singing the lullaby I made for Milly to her softly as she slept in the car!

1-29-11

From Cora today - we were talking about weddings after we watched the wedding video of Ryan and I:

Cora: (singing) Here comes the bride.. all dressed and wide.

01-10-11

More for my own selfish benefit (i.e. so I don't ever forget these) I'm putting down here the little songs I've come up with for each girl over the years (or months in Milly's case).

Cora
Rock A Bye Cora (to the tune of Rock-A-Bye Baby):
Rock-a-bye Cora, in mommy's arms
Mommy will always keep you from harm
Mommy will watch you all through the night
And come in to kiss you in morning's light

Sleepy Sleepy Cora (to the tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider):
Sleepy, sleepy Cora lays down her little head
Once she's asleep, Mommy puts her into bed
Sleeps all night through so that when the morning breaks
Then a happy, smiley Cora we have when she awakes.
 -- (ed note: when she was very small and screaming with colic this was often the ONLY thing that would calm her)

Milly
Are You Tired (to the tune of Frere Jaques):
Are you tired?  Are you tired?  Milly moo, Milly moo?
Little eyes are sleepy, little head is heavy
Time for bed. Time for bed.

Time For Bed Miss Milly Moo (to the tune of I'd Like to Teach The World to Sing)
Its time for bed Miss Milly Moo
The stars are shining bright
So sleep and dream
And see sweet things
Until the morning light

That's the song I sing to you, Miss Milly Moo
And now its time for bed
So sleep and dream
And see sweet things
As you rest your weary head.

01-09-2011

In honor of Milly's 9th (month) birthday I will share her extensive lexicon and the FIRST Milly Post:

Mama
Dada
Bah (ball)
BaBa (bottle)
UP!
Nigh-Nigh (each night when she is tired she starts telling us this over and over and over)  :)