Summer Break Chronicles

A series on life with 5 year old triplet boys for the next 70+ loooong days of summer break.....



In an effort to keep a bit of order around here and to promote the idea that we all work together for the good of the whole (family), the boys have summer chores. There are 9 different tasks that I made little laminated cards for, using clip art as well as words, and they each randomly choose 3 cards per week for their chores (in theory, to keep them from getting too bored with the same tasks). The novelty of it has them very excited and all the jobs are much loved (so far) - especially the "bathroom cleaner" since I made a special bucket complete with gloves for this job. Anyway, to the point of the story...this morning as C was helping me move laundry from the washer to the dryer, a quarter fell out onto the floor. I explained that a benefit of being the "laundry helper" is that when you find money in the laundry, it is yours to keep. This made him very happy! A little while later, as I was busy with chores of my own, C excitedly ran to get a piece of paper and told me that his quarter was a "special writing quarter". He proceeded to show me that pressing and dragging the side of the coin on the paper produced a gray line. I made the appropriate oohs and ahs about his "special quarter" when he let this slip - "it even works on walls". When I asked if he had tried it on the walls, he realized his slip of the tongue and timidly replied "by accident". When I asked him which walls he had "accidentally" discovered the magic of his quarter on he said he could not remember and quickly removed himself from the conversation. I have not yet discovered the scene of the crime...

Dinner Talk and More

C: Mom, why is Jake [our very old dog] dying?
Me: Jake is very old and his body is tired. One day his body will stop working and then he will die.
C: What if his body stops working while we're taking a shower?
Me: I don't think that will happen but I really do not know when he'll die. He might go to sleep one night and not wake up or he might get very sick and we'll have to take him to the doctor and he might die there...
C: Another [dinner] roll please.

What kind of transition is that?!?!

This is the nature of all our conversations these days. Very serious questions, me trying to be as honest as possible while still age appropriate, them moving on to something completely insignificant and unrelated...it's kind of funny and a little un-nerving too :)

Also, God really is the maker of all things as noted by H in this recent exchange in the car:

B: Why does green mean go and red mean stop?
Me: I don't know but we always stop for red and go for green
B: And slow down for yellow
Me: Yes, we slow down for yellow
H: Well, God made it like that! (this was said in a tone that implied - DUH, Don't you guys know anything?)

Vocabulary Continued

As I handed out bottles of water to take with us to the playground yesterday, B proudly let me know that he was being very respectful for his water today. Helping another child and checking off my mental list of what we needed, I thought I'd misunderstood and asked him to repeat himself. "I'm being respectful for my water"...what? And then I realized what he meant. We have had multiple conversations about being respectful and responsible (as in for your own stuff - Mommy cannot possibly keep track of and carry everything!), though not necessarily at the same time. When I asked him if he meant that he was being responsible for his water he looked at me like "duh" and said (in a tone indicating the "duh"), "yes, I am being responsible for my water".

While picking the boys up from school today, B rushed out to greet me exclaiming that he had caught "so many holy molies today"...the translation for that would be roly polies (aka pill bugs). His teacher had a good laugh at that, as did I.

Vocabulary Lessons Part 2

After dinner last night, B climbed in my lap. I gave him a kiss and then squeezed him in a bear hug to which he responded, Do Not Do That Mom! I'm trying to vibrate my food! After a few clarifying questions, we determined that he meant digest when he said vibrate.

A few more common phrases with words that get mixed up:

There's a mustache in my eye! (instead of eyelash)

I want to wear my invisible shorts today. (he means reversible)

Really, we laugh a lot around here...

Vocabulary Lessons

Yesterday morning, approximately 7 AM

B: stomp, stomp, huff, snort - I do Not want to go to school today
Me: Why not?
B: I do not want to go because school is boring!
Me: Really? (a mix of disbelief at both the allegation and his use of this word that to my knowledge has never been uttered in our home)
B: SCHOOL IS BORING, and I don't like it (loud voice)
Me: What is boring about school?
B: Pause, deep thought
Me: B, what does the word boring mean?
B: Very loud sigh, stomp, look of defeat, gets dressed as he realizes he is so busted because he has no idea what boring means but it seemed like it might get him out of going to school when he initiated the conversation.

This morning, same time

B: I don't want to go to school. It makes me nervous.
Me: What does nervous mean?
B: On the verge of tears (the angry kind) - lots more stomping and a loud I DON"T KNOW BUT IT MAKES ME NERVOUS!!!
Me: trying not to laugh at his frustration, sorry Buddy, let's eat breakfast, it's almost time to go to school...

I should clarify that B has never had a problem about going to school and still does not. He loves school. C, on the other hand, has legitimate anxiety about it. The last few days, C has been very distraught about going to school and we are trying very hard to figure out why while comforting and assuring him that we still love him when he is not with us, that Miss Laura (his teacher) loves him too and that his little brain needs good stuff in it to grow just like his body needs food. His teacher assures us that he is fine all day and I have witnessed this myself as I observed in the classroom last week. The psych 101 of this situation is better saved for another post. Just wanted to point out that we are not disregarding any legitimate issues on B's part...he is simply trying to get in on the action and experimenting with new vocabulary - leading to a lot of internal laughter (and eye rolling) on my end.

I'm Still Here

But I have not been able to blog in awhile. Partly because I have been on my own for long stretches of time as this is the busiest time of year for Kelly and he is traveling more than usual. And partly because I have so much to write about - or at least to think about - that I do not know where to begin and am uncertain if these are things I want to share in such a public arena. So, I have not disappeared from this blog but am wrestling with what it is that I want from it and really short on time. In the meantime, I will try to keep posting pictures of and stories about the boys. There's always entertainment in the words of these little nuts and I'd like to remember it later - when I can use it against them :)

Here's an exchange we had in the car recently (I'd just put in a CD):

B: Is this Bob Marley?
Me: yes
B: Is Bob Marley in Heaven? (we have already had a previous discussion about BM no longer being alive - that was fun)
Me: I'm not sure - maybe
B: Is he playing music in Heaven?
Me: I think probably yes
B: Why is he always playing music?
Me; Because he has a gift. He is a very gifted musician. Everyone has gifts. Something you are very good at and that you love is a gift. If you can do something you love well then you will always be happy (or something to that effect - I was totally making this up on the fly)
B: I have a gift
Me: What's your gift?
B: Yep, I have a music gift too. My favorite instrument is the guitar and I am really good at it.
Me: Really? (He has never played the guitar)
B: Yes, the air guitar - I am really good at that and I love it - it's my gift

Wise Guy

Getting ready for school is always an adventure. While we make every effort to prepare the night before by choosing clothes, making sure jackets, mittens, hats and shoes are near the door to the garage, etc., there is inevitably a glitch that causes us to be perpetually late. Sometimes it is mommy hitting the snooze one too many times, sometimes it is a last minute (literally, when we're walking out the door) desperate need to use the potty (#2), sometimes it is just that one or more is moving v-e-r-y- s-l-o-w-l-y! Today, it was C blatantly ignoring requests that he take off his pajamas and get his clothes on. He was much too busy playing with his Hot Wheels "dirt bike" to be bothered with getting ready for school. After a 4th request that he put the dirt bike down and get dressed, I confiscated the prized possession. With all the 3 year old indignation he could muster, he wanted to know why I took his dirt bike...

C: WHY DID YOU TAKE MY DIRT BIKE???
Me: Because you are not listening to Mommy
C: Why?
Me: Your ears do not seem to be working this morning, maybe they broke while you were sleeping (said in a silly voice, trying to change the tone of this exchange)
C: (Pausing to think a a moment and then looking like a Cheshire Cat) YES! They are broken, they got broke when I was sleeping
Me: You'd better fix them right up
C: (With no hesitation) No. They are broken, I cannot fix them so I am not going to listen today!

I am being outsmarted by a 3 year old wise guy...ah, another day in the life!

Accomplishment

A little conversation that took place outside on our deck yesterday afternoon...

C: Mommy, you know what I did at school today?
Me: What did you do at school today?
C: I wiped my butt ALL BY MYSELF - NOBODY HELPED ME (the caps are indicative a a very LOUD and excited voice)
Me: All by yourself? (pride mixed with shock and a little horror about what might still be in his underwear)
C: Yep, CHECK OUT MY BUTT!!! (said while simultaneously turning his rear end to face me - and the golfers on the 5th green - bending over, and dropping his pants and underwear to his ankles)

And several days before while riding in our car...
H to Me: Why aren't you smart?
Me: Uh, I'm smart
H: No, but why aren't you SUPER smart like us and Daddy?
Me: Hmm, maybe because I am so tired all the time
Long Pause
H: Mom, are you a little crazy?
Me: Probably so!
H: Yeah, me too