Hey! I need to tell you something!

Well, today is the last day I will be watching BooBoo. He has been staying with me for a week while his mom has been in NYC visiting his older sister. The days have been a little (maybe a lot) stressful because he has been out of his routine. I also didn't have a car last week so we couldn't go to any fun places. My kids were home on Spring Break and LiLi had a difficult time with that little green monster on her back. She does not like to share my attention. The time wasn't all bad. In fact, most of the time was actually wonderful. I really am going to miss having him around all the time. So, to help me out every once in while, I am going to write down some of his most memorable lines. He is rather hilarious most of the time.

BooBooisms

Mimi: BooBoo it is time to go to sleep. You need to be quiet and close your eyes.

BooBoo: (as he is holding my face with both hands to ensure that I am looking right at him) Wait, Wait, Mimi, I need to tell you something!

Mimi: Okay, what do you need to tell me?

BooBoo: Ummmmm

"Mimi, can you hear my heart blinking? It's blinking really fast. It's going click, click, click."

"Mimi, can I hold the bunny now?" (This was said about 50 times a day)

"Don't you think that is a good idea Mimi?" (This was said whenever he wanted to do something he knew he shouldn't do)

"Mimi, look! Your dog really likes me! He's letting me pet him."

"I don't want to stay here anymore. I am really angry. I want to go home right now." (This was only said at nap time or at bed time)

BooBoo: Mimi, I am angry at you. I am going to kill you.

Mimi: Boo, don't say kill. That is a bad word.

BooBoo: Well, I'm going to dead you!

Mimi: LiLi, If you don't stop you are going to be in trouble.

BooBoo: Go, Mimi! Hurry, go get her in trouble.

Mimi: What should I do to her?

BooBoo: Spank her.....And then throw her in the trash can!

BooBoo: Mimi, I want to name your bunny Fluffy the bunny.

Mimi: BooBoo, he already has a name. It's Van Gogh!

BooBoo: I don't like Van Gogh. I want him to be Fluffy the bunny.

Mimi: Well, he's not.

BooBoo: Your bunny is going to be Van Gogh Fluffy the bunny! My daddy says I can have your bunny and he will be mine.

(Daddy did not say this)

I will certainly miss this little stinker....Oh, well.....it's not like I won't see him every other day.

Hippity Hoppity

Meet our newest family member, Van Gogh. We thought the name was cute and it fits him. He is just a little bunny, who, tragically had part of his ear nibbled off by his mother. He is very cute and trying to accustom himself to our rowdy crew. My girls have been great about caring for him. The clean his cage about 2-3 times a day, they make certain his water bottle is full, and they keep plenty of food for him. They love to cuddle with him. They are constantly asking to hold him. They get to hold him quite a bit but I also think he needs some down time so he doesn't stress too much.

BooBoo has been staying with me this week while his Mom is in NYC. He loves Vanny Go Gogh! He wants to hold him all the time! Vanny Go Gogh isn't so sure about this....Sometimes too much huggin' and squeezin' isn't a good thing. Vanny is happy each night when BooBoo goes home. You can see the relief as BooBoo walks out the door. He settles himself down and takes a well deserved nap.

When BooBoo is around we always have to be careful that he is not opening the cage and getting Vanny out by himself. Once I told him he couldn't hold Vanny because he was asleep. That didn't deter BooBoo. He walked over and banged on Vanny's cage, then pronounced," Vanny Go Gogh is awake! Now can I hold him?" He is constantly peering into the cage and letting us know how many times Vanny has "pooped" in his cage. He calls LiLi and YaYa to come clean it out. He knows we take Vanny out of the cage to clean it. BooBoo knows all the tricks to hold his beloved new friend.

So welcome to our clan, Van Gogh! May you be as happy and crazy as we are!

Skating in a Winter Wonderland

This wonderful March started with beautiful snow. We don't get a lot of snow in the south, so we were all pretty excited. I let the kids stay home from school to play in this white wonderland! Boo Boo was here to enjoy it with them. They had all kinds of fun making snowballs. This was great snowball snow. Typically we get more ice than powder. They froze while they were launching snowball attacks. It was wonderful! I brought them in after most of their visible body parts had turned a bright red. I stuck them under blankets and gave them hot chocolate. I love the snow!

By the next day, Wednesday, most of the snow had melted. There were only spots here and there. I walked the girls to the bus stop and we froze while we waited for the bus to come. It was all good! The cold was invigorating. I felt alive.......and at just about this point, as I was walking back home my foot slips on a piece of black ice.......Imagine a hippopatomas twirling and spinning and falling! I imagine that is what I looked like. I did a miniature version of the splits as one foot shot out in front of me and the other sort of stayed stationary. My sister likes to call it the "ground hurkey". Yea, I was in fine form. My knee slapped the pavement with such force.....and pain......and not one little bad word slipped out! I looked around to see how many people witnessed my skating spectacular. I didn't see anyone, but windows can sometimes hide those prying eyes.....I did my best to gather myself up with as much dignity as possible and hobbled back home. Who knew a knee could hurt so much? Thank goodness I did not throw my arms down to break my fall. I did that two years ago on roller skates and broke my wrist. It was no small thing. I had to have surgery to install a plate to hold the bones together. I broke a couple of fingers on the tips, and damaged some nerves and tendons. Hand therapy is not for the weak! It took three months to get my hand working semi well. Did I mention how much I hate skating? Did I mention how much I hate the snow? I mean, really, you would think we would be protected from the lethal, nasty white stuff living in the south as we do. Who gets snow in March anyway? Is someone out to get me?????????

Let me tell you 'bout the birds & the bees...

Well......this mother thing is fairly new to me and I am never quite sure if I am scarring the kids for life or helping to nurture greatness!
My middle child is turning 11 years old in April. This weekend it occurred to me that she has not asked me anything about growing up, where babies come from, changes to her body, etc. Now...am I supposed to wait for her to come to me so she gets information when she is ready? Or do I go to her and create an unstable child because I have told her things she is not ready for? Well, you know me. Why tip toe around something when I can just bull doze it? This weekend I started noticing little things going on with YaYa. She is starting to get oil zones on her face and one or two zits. Her hair gets really oily in spots if she does not wash it every day. So I think to myself (really, who else am I going to think to?) what if other major changes happen to her and she thinks she is seriously ill or dying because I have not had the "talk" with her. I think back to the "talk" that my mother had with me....that makes me jump start the action. My mother's talk was about 3 years too late. I cannot let that happen to my YaYa! I call YaYa to come in the room with me and not only do I get her company but LiLi and BooBoo come in the room with her. Okay, I'm just going to go for it even with the extras. I sit her down and start drawing a great graphic of the inner workings of a woman's body (I know this because my sister is here and she tells me this). The minute I start in on the "talk" YaYa sticks her fingers in her ears, LiLi is pointing to the diagram and asking questions, and Boo is doing his best to keep up. Well, it was a successful talk with LiLi! She will be prepared for the changes to come. Boo has a semi understanding of the human body (as well as a 4 year old can understand). YaYa caught sketches of the conversation when I kept pulling her fingers out of her ears. I'm not sure it will all make sense though.....So, will my baby be prepared? Or have I just grossed her out so much she will hate her body? Who knows. I did learn one thing though....I can see Boo's future now. He looked up at me and said "Mimi, can I squeeze your breasts?" My answer, of course, is "Why no, Boo, you may not squeeze my breasts!" His next remark is, "No, Mimi, I don't want to squeeze them. I want to squish them flat!" You realize what this means, don't you? I hope my sister is prepared for the path her son will take. I mean, is it normal for a 4 year old boy to want to squish boobs? No it is not. This can only mean one thing unless my sister can intervene. Boo is destined to become..........yep, you guessed it...............
a plastic surgeon who specializes in breast reductions!