Goodnight Comb. Goodnight Brush. Goodnight Nobody, Goodnight Mush

 . . . those are may favourite lines from that bizarre book "Goodnight Moon."  We said goodbye to mush about a week ago.  Tineke will still eat mushed up whatever, but it is far more fun to watch her suck on a long strip of red pepper, gobble up a triangle of watermelon, or try to balance 5 peas on her little hand.

In the same spirit of culinary adventure that I'm trying to bestow upon her I've decided to try some new foods.  There are two vegetables I love, but that don't sit too well with me (if you know what I mean).  Their names are broccoli and cauliflower.   So poor L and L are deprived, and only get to see these exotic vegetables in other peoples' homes.  

However, today we played chefs with a large beautiful cauliflower.  We examined it, cut it up, broke it apart, washed it and then tossed it with olive oil and salt and baked the florets for about half an hour - until golden.  They were quite tasty with our lunch and we all ate probably a few too many.

For supper, I decided to dish out the few leftovers.

Laika:   Oh no.  Not broccoli again!

Me:      It's not called broccoli.

Laika:    What is it again?

Me:       Caaauulliiiii . . . . 

Laika:     Oh yeah.  Caulisporin

Leif emerges from bathroom, where he's been washing his hands.

Laika:    Look Leif, more caulisporin

Leif:      Oh no.  I think I maybe like broccoli.  But I don't like the caulisporin.

That's OK.  Tineke eats quinoa and parsnips without complaint.  So we'll ride on her coattails.

I've Actually Kind of Liked My Middle Name

Tineke just had her 5 month shot on Monday.  Both kids watched and comforted her.  She didn't cry.  She screamed.  Dr. W. ended up blowing bubbles for Laika's benefit.  Then they watched me having some blood taken and they saw that it doesn't always make you scream.  They were really good about it all, and Laika still wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

The above picture was taken with the iPhone, hence the resolution.  Tineke has rice cereal all over her face.  She's also happy eating peas mashed up with the cereal.  She bounces away in between bites and her tiny little feet do the jolly jumper jig.  So much fun.

As we feed her we talk.

A:  Laika, you are so lucky you have Juniebelle as your middle name.  It's so pretty.

LJ: Yeah, like Tinkerbell.  What's your middle name?

A: Jeanne.

LJ:  Oooh.  That's a scary name.  Especially for little kids.  Like especially if a robot said it to you, like, "JEEEEAANNNNE."

LO (playing Lego and listening)  Yeah.  That would be a bummer.

That Crazy Mulan!

NIPPERS

While watching Mulan tonight Leif starts squirming in his chair and covering his eyes and showing signs of general distress.  Mulan (dressed as a man) is in battle.  "Fast forward this part!  Fast forward this part!"

A:  What's wrong?

L:  They're going to find out she's a girl and that guy will get mad at her.

A:  How are they going to know?

L:  She's going to get hurt, then go to the hostable tent and show them her nippers.  

A:  She's going to show them her nippers?  

L:  I mean 'nipples' and boys don't have nipples.

A:  You do.

L:  Yes, but mine are small.

A:  Daddy does too.

L:  Yes, but they're furry.

SECRET AGENTS

We are secret agents now, at our house.  We have ID cards and secret identities and disguises (complete with fake passport and IDs).  This goes well with the hot new craze called FlashLight Walk.  Going for a Flashlight Walk is fun.  You put on PJs, grab some flashlights and go explore Granville Island in the dark.  The kids get to be the only kids on the boat.  They like to flash their flashlights up close on tree trunks and in bushes looking for little animals.  Last time we went there was a tall grey crane standing very close to us in the duck pond.  The good thing is it still gets dark relatively early, so you can still be in bed on time but it feels very late.

BROTHERLY LOVE

Leif loves his little sisters, but there is a limit to what he's willing to do.  The other day as I was nursing Tineke on the couch Laika started calling me.  This whole conversation was yelled gently.

LJ:  Mommmmaaaay

A:  What do you need?

LJ:  I'm in the bathroom, and I need help.

A:  Laika, I'm nursing the baby, you can wipe your own bum.

LJ:  OH MAN!  

                               

                                   (Silence)

LJ:  Leeeeeiff.

LO: Laika, I'm not interested.

LJ:  Leeeeiff I need you in here.

LO:  No Laika, I am definitely, definitely not interested.

goodnight

Tuesday

This is what happens when Leif gets an ice cream cone.  You can wipe his mouth continually and he will just keep licking and smacking his lips and getting this effect.  I showed him this picture and he said, "Hey there's a guy in my soccer who looks like that.  I'm serious.  I've seen him a few times."
Here's Tineke sitting patiently in her car seat while Laika is in gymnastics.  Later on, as I changed her diaper in the car (without blanket) she decided to pee straight up like a little fountain (girls can do this too!).  I'm so glad we have leather seats.  I'd like to say they paid for themselves today, but actually Erik is paying for them.  

As I wiped the seat down Laika was watching me and talking.  

"You aren't mad at Tineke, right?" 

"Right.  But I just want the seat to be clean again."  

Laika thinks about it.  "It would be distressing for the next person who sits in it, right?"  

I think about it.  "Not if we don't tell them!"

You Won't Ablieve It!

Laika still calls 'beluga'  'abluga'  and 'balloon' is 'abloon'. 

I have been taking note of some descriptions lately.  We bought Jelly Bellies the other day and had a lot of fun sampling the different flavours.  I swear there is one that tastes like Drambuie.  Worst Jelly Bean ever.  Leif and Laika are afraid of the darkest ones.  Leif refers to the black one as tasting like Steam.  He hates it.

Underwear have been a source of fun descriptions from Laika:

Spicy Underwear - are undies with glittery edge that is itchy

Creaky Underwear - are undies that give a wedgie

Awesome Underwear - are Leif's spiderman undies

But I think my favourite of all is when Laika calls out, "You won't ablieve this!"   Today I couldn't ablieve it when Laika drew on the freshly laid bathroom tile with a black sharpie.  I also couldn't ablieve it when Leif kept giving away his magic tricks today.  The humour got me time and again when he would come up to me and say, "Do you want a little plastic elephant (or hammer etc).  Because I just HAPPEN to have a little plastic elephant UP MY SLEEVE!"  

Chinese After Supper

As we walked to London Drugs tonight to buy me a Krups Universal Grill (which I love) . . .

Leif said,  "I have to show you a really cool After Supper treat."   

I said, "Oh, you brought a treat for us to open after supper?"  

"No.  An After Supper thing."

"OK, so something to show after supper?"

"No.  Like Chinese After Supper."

"You mean Chinese New Year!?"

"Yes!"

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Let's Have A Joint

The Scene: early Sunday morning, in our bed, Tineke in the middle, Laika on me and Leif climbing in . . . 

LO: Not Good Morning.  

LO: I said, "Not Good Morning."

ERT: Why not?

LO: I didn't even sleep last night.  I had too much cough.

AJN: That's too bad.  Climb in.

(Leif climbs in between us)

LO: Let's have a joint.  I have a joint.

AJN: What!?

LO: I am the joint and Tineke is the gear and Laika is a gear too.

AJN and ERT:  Oh.

The Scene:  Laika on the couch cuddling with Erik, but now he's talking to me and she's getting bored, and is trying to extricate herself from behind his legs.  He's not making it easy for her.

LJ: Oh man.  I gotta get out of this situation. 

(the best part is, she says it sort of under her breath - to herself)

The Scene: Sitting at the kitchen table eating Apple Cinnamon Cheerios.

LO: Mom.  What's your favourite thing in the world?

Me: You.  You and your sisters and dad.

LO: No, not your favourite people.  Your favourite thing.

Me: Snorkelling.

LO: No.  I mean.  What is your favourite thing!?  

Me: Umm.  Hmmmm . . .

LO: Come on! A rocket or a horse?

The Scene: Driving Laika and Tineke home from preschool.  Laika trying to talk to me from the backseat.

LJ: Mommy.  Did you bleepep auguuus a beee sooool?

Me:  Laika, I can't hear you.  Talk more loudly.

LJ:  Mommy.  Did you knoow that weee bleeeoooopp and a soooool and uuuuugg?

Me:  Laika, wait until we get home.  I really can't hear your question.

LJ:  MOMMY!  I SAID, "Did you know that Angela and Nargis don't actually sleep at Tiggy Winkle Preschool!"

Falling in Love

Laika is concerned that she is not allowed to marry Leif.  She has been talking about it all day.  "Who will I fall in love with?"  I tell her I don't know, and she doesn't need to worry about it yet.  "But I already love Leif, I want to marry Leif."  Then she tried it out on other things.  "I think I'm falling in love with my new goggles.  Can you fall in love with goggles?"  I said that you couldn't really.  But her goggles do smell like cherries and come with a cherry carrying case, so I can see why she might be wondering.