Emily Cook's Blog, page 53

When they get me

One Saturday when Josh was on duty,  he was getting the kids ready for their naps, and Seth said to him, "Daddy, while we take our naps, are you going to work in the kitchen? I want mommy to be proud of you when she comes home!"

I love that he knows what makes me happy!

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“We need to put on some quiet music.” I told Lorraine as we got in the van.
"Why?" asked my daughter.
“Because daddy’s with us, and adults like to have conversation.”“Not all of em.”
“Oh really?”“Yeah. Not the ones who refuse to grow up.”She smiled at me with her big brown eyes. 
That was a good button to push, as we've been reading Peter Pan in Scarlet together. 
I made sure to jam with her later.


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"Mommy, I don't think I have ever seen you in high heels," Lorraine said as she stood there in her dress up shoes.
I give her a look.
"And I probably never will." She laughs.
I love that my daughter knows me.

Do your children ever surprise you with how much they actually "get" you?

When they make up creative excuses

"Mom, my hands smell like...... um, peanut butter and soap, and I have been trying to wash and wash but it won't come off. Will you help me?"
Strange. This kid is not usually a compulsive hand-washer.
I sniff.
"Did you get into dad's cologne?"
He nods.
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"What's this on your head, son? You didn't cut your hair did you?"

His face is completely serious as he says his line: "I think I have just been bumping my head on a  lot of sharp things lately."
Oh really? Yeah, I hate when that happens.
(later…)"Er, um, Mom?  Maybe I did cut my hair with scissors."

When they interpret church life through child eyes

Daddy  records his sermons on his MP3 player and listens to them later.
Why?
As his son explained to his other son,
"Daddy is listening to his sermon because he doesn't know what he talked about today."

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I only let him wear them once because he had a blister, but now in his mind those are officially his "Sunday School Crocs."

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It’s palm Sunday, not bomb Sunday Marcus.
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Mommy, why do people love us so much?"
"What people?"
"Our church family."
:) 
Wouldn't it be awesome if every little kid felt that way?

When they are afraid of the weirdest things

One day, during a storm, a little boy yelled frantically,
 "Mommy! Bring copper inside! If she gets hit by lightning, she'll SHRINK!" ..honey, that's only on Mario Kart! 


My little guy likes to step on feet and play with people's shoes.  One day after church he took off my slipper, only to discover my foot in a black nylon stocking.  He was HORRIFIED!  He refused to touch it, and ran away like he was afraid.  I couldn't believe he was really afraid of my black foot, so I teased him with it a little... sure enough, he cried like it was the scariest thing he had ever seen!


Do your kids have any quirky fears?

When they are proud to be beautiful

"Aggie you look beautiful today!" said her teacher.


I know. I wore this dress because I thought you would like to look at me in it.

When they solve problems creatively

I love seeing their creative minds at work, problem-solving.
I wish I could give them extra credit points for cleverness.


"Mom, will you jump on the trampoline with us?"
"No, dear, Mom needs some quiet time now.""But if you jump on the trampoline with us, we will be quiet! And we can listen to the birds sing, too!"   

Quiet time?-----The kids were climbing on the chairs one day pretending there were crocodiles in the carpet, and I heard one yell, "OH NO! A crocodile ate both of my feet!" 
Not to worry though, she simply climbed to another chair and said, "I'll be right back, I have to go to the store to get some more feet!"
----- As I am helping him with his PJ shirt, I say, "Please pick up your dirty clothes and put them where they belong." 
He replies, "Mommy, you got them out, you get to put them away."-----"Eat your oranges. Your body needs vitamin C to fight germs.""But mom, I ate a bullet today.""Sorry kid, you still have to eat your oranges." -----
A scowling little boy stares at his plate. Salad. THEN the cookies. Sweet, wonderful, chocolate chip cookies. Waiting for him. Right there, in reach, just waiting for him to climb that very last hurdle before he tastes sweet victory.

But first, salad. Laying there in all its ugly greenness. 
He scowls deep.

Suddenly, an idea. 
“I’m saving the best for last mommy! Grammy says you should always save the best for last!”
“That’s right. Now is your salad gone?”
“No, mommy, salad is my best! So I’m going to eat my cookies first and save my BEST salad for last!”

An older sibling who believes in objective truth snorts and says, “COOKIES are better than salad. Salad is NOT the best.”

“Salad is my best mommy! I just really really want to save the best for last!”
Laughing hard I tell him no, but I wish I could give him points for cleverness!


-----Have you heard your child creatively solve a problem lately?Share your joy with me in the comments!

When they act like Mini-Men

I never had brothers. I thought I was a tom boy, but now that I have boys of my own, I realize I never did truly approach the world as a boy does.



I love moments of manliness in my mini-men.  Here are a few of my recent favorites.

One of our lessons in manners:
Meat is not a weapon.-----Marcus sat between baby Peter and daddy one night.  He put on his tough face, looked straight at the TV, and grunted in a manly grunt, "I'm glad Peter's out."  This is Marcus's sideways version of affection.----- One yelled at the other: "I do NOT twirl like a princess! I SPIN like a BOY!"-----He says with a very serious face, "Mom, pirates DON'T wear underwear."-----"Mommy, will you put my cape on me?"-----"What was I just going to do? OH yeah,  I was going to go in my room and toot on my pillow." -----"Mommy, I'm sorry but I threw God's Word and it got stuck up in the ceiling."

It was a small Gideon Bible, and he had been playing catch with it in the basement. It got stuck on a heat vent. (No son, the doorposts, not the ceiling!) 


-----He was helping with the trash, and he accidentally threw a bag on top of the van.  He was very sorry, as he explained with a smile,
“I just don’t know my own muscles!”
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From my boys I have learned the difference between a back hoe and a Bobcat. I have learned to thank God for mud and rock piles and wide open spaces.
Cook boys on the rock pile
What have you learned from a Mini-Man lately?Share today's joy with me in the comments!

When they allow me to defer the big questions

If you went to Walmart today, you may have noticed a lady shopping with her son, wearing a strange smirk on her face throughout the store.

There was a good reason for the smirking, for the suppressing of the laughing, for the avoiding of the explaining to the son about the laughing.

The son, whose "job" it was to eye the shelves and declare, "We need some of that mommy! And that too mommy,"  did not desire everything he saw in the store today.  For as the son rode past the shelves with the feminine products, he shouted, "Mommy, we do NOT need any more ear pluggers!"

Yes, that's what they are, and you are right, we don't need any.


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My son and I were cuddling on the couch one night when his littlest brother kicked him.  He smiled and put his hand on my tummy, then asked me very seriously, "Mommy, how does the baby come out of there?" 
"With a lot of work, honey," I replied.  
He accepted that answer last time, but no longer.   
"But HOW mommy?" he insisted.   
"Oh honey, that's a big question, and I think it is time for you to put on your PJs."  
He got very serious and looked me in the eye, as if he were the adult trying to reason with a toddler.  "Mommy.  I don't know how it works and I HAVE to know!"  
I smiled, but I was so tired.. "Seth, seriously, go put on your PJs."  I needed more time to think on that one.




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I DO talk about these things with my kids... eventually. But  I do so appreciate when they give me extra time to think and pray first!If you'd like to read posts about "talks," please click here.
Now, share your stories! I'd love to hear about your awkward moments and non-talks!

When they forget themselves

One of my sons is sensitive about people laughing at him.  Because of this, he generally refrains from dancing with the other kids, especially if someone is watching.  
We were watching ice skating one night, and my daughter was starry-eyed over the glitter and girly-ness of it all. My son sat there with an ugly look, obviously thinking "I just don't see the point of this." So much frivolity.
I asked Lorraine if she thought she dance on ice like that. She said, "No, mommy!"Then, my son looked at me and said firmly, "Mommy, you may NOT do that!" He seemed to think it was something that I would attempt, so he made sure to forbid me in very strong terms.
Yet now and then he forgets himself.
Sometimes he watches the other kids dancing and he starts to smile despite himself... then, almost against his will his body moves with the beat, he joins his siblings in their party. 
Once I heard him singing, (singing!) and such a song!  "Mama Mia, Here I go again! My my, rockin' with my sisters!"

I must remember not to draw attention to it by saying something like “See, dancing really IS fun!” If I do, he will be SHOCKED to find himself actually dancing, and immediately remember his former standards of decorum, and hide his red face while he vows to himself that he will never, never forget himself like that again.

When they wax theological

We are ALL slow-pokes compared to Jesus.

 “Daddy, will there be potties in heaven?”“No honey, I don't think you'll have to worry about going potty in heaven.”“(panic) What do you mean there won't be potties?!”“It just won't be necessary honey.”“But daddy, I'll really REALLY have to go pee!”“I don't think so dear.”“Fine then,” she says, “I'll just go on the grass!”

We are the roadrunner, and the coyote is Satan.


Wow, mom, Jesus is older than YOU GUYS!