The other day while sitting at a red light, I told the kids we had to turn left. Here is how my conversation went with Peter:
Peter: Mom, which way is left.
me: You’ll see when we turn. Which way do you think it is?
Peter: It’s the way we will turn.
me: Well, which way do you think we will turn?
Peter: left
I gave up at this point, knowing I would get nowhere with the conversation. It reminded me too much of another conversation with Peter. He should be a lawyer!
My kids have been watching Blue’s Clues on occasion for several years now. If you are not familiar with Blue’s Clues and/or have no idea what it is, this video tells a little about how it got started and this one tells about the change of hosts from Steve to Joe.
This is what Anna said today while watching an episode of Blue’s Clues:
“Joe doesn’t know anything!!…….You know, I think he really knows and just acts like he doesn’t because little kids are watching it.”
So….I guess she’s no longer a believer in Blue. 🙂
That title almost sounds Biblical. Anyway, here is Luke’s monologue to 3 month old Candice.
“You like me talking to you don’t you? Look at that smile! I used to talk to your big sister like this when she your age. I would talk to her for hours after work every day. That is why she learned to talk so early. I thought it was so cool that she was learning to talk, but now I can’t get her to stop. That is why we have to make her wear that trainer. That is what it is there for, but she keeps on talking anyway. Oh well.“
Bethany is really picking up on the few Chinese words we use regularly. I had heard that small children pick up on a new language more easily, but it is interesting to see it happen myself. It is obvious that she is able to recognize words that are Chinese because when she hears one Chinese word, she will start saying other Chinese words.
At breakfast today, I handed Bethany a muffin. After she took it, I said, “Say thank you.” She said, “Welcome….I mean, Ni Hao (hello) …..I mean, Xie Xie (thank you)….bukeqi (you’re welcome).” I think she was just reciting Chinese words she knew, not really sure of which words mean what, but she will learn soon enough! Who knows, she may end up being our translator in a few years!!
Several months ago I realized that Phillip seems to have a natural knack for engineering and things that take a lot of concentration. While playing a game of monopoly for family night one night, I looked over at Phillip and saw that he was lining up the hotels and houses in perfectly straight lines. Since then I have noticed that it is not an unusual occurrence to walk into a room and find toys lined up neatly. One day I saw a frisbee with a perfect ring of crayons around the edge. I knew instantly that it was Phillip’s handiwork.
From early on, Phillip has liked things to be very neat and in their place. When I come home from the grocery store, he pulls groceries out of the bags and starts putting them away. Whenever we are looking for something, Phillip is the one we are likely to ask first because he tends to know where things are.
Phillip also likes to take things apart and put them back together. Because of this, Peter has picked up on Phillip’s engineering-like abilities. When one of his toys breaks, he is very likely to ask Phillip to try to fix it. Several times I have heard Peter say, “Mom, will you help me with this? Never mind. Phillip figured it out!”
It is so interesting to see the kids’ interests forming when they are so young! I can’t wait to see how they use their individual interests and abilities as they grow into adulthood! I am looking forward to seeing how God uses each of them!
Bethany has learned to say “I love you,” and it’s so adorable I just had to share it! (Oh how I wish I’d had a blog and/or known how to use one when my other children were this age!).
One of Anna’s favorite movies to watch is the book of Matthew in the Visual Bible. The Visual Bible is word for word from the Bible and shows what verse is being acted out at the bottom of the screen. The actors are really good, too!
Monday the kids wanted to watch a movie and requested watching the book of Matthew because it was their uncle Matthew‘s birthday (Happy Birthday, Matt!) and because Easter was the day before. Amazingly enough, they sat there, mesmerized, and watched the Bible for an hour and a half!! Even Bethany watched bits and pieces!
While out and about, Bethany and I visited a bathroom where music was playing from a speaker overhead. Bethany looked up and said, “Who’s singin’?.” After I told her it was the radio, she just looked up again and said, “Who’s singin’ up dere?” Evidently she didn’t quite understand how invisible people could sing on the ceiling, even if their names were Radio.”
Other blurbs by Bethany include:
“It is utside down” after turning a tub of strawberries upside down.
“It is emty” referring to an empty container.
“I’m in tubble, I’m in tubble.” (she wasn’t really in trouble….she just liked chanting it).
“Canny is kying” while Candice was crying.
“Did you yike it, Phup?” referring to Phillip’s candy.
“Can you open this, Mom?” referring also to candy.
“Can I have some, Mom?” referring to some type of food.
“I move it!” after pushing something across the floor.
Today Luke had a discussion with our boys about being tough. Because Peter was crying over nothing, Luke told them that only some things are worth crying about. Examples would be when you lose a loved one or when you realize you hurt someone else’s feelings. Of course there are other instances, too, but the point was that not being able to play with your favorite toy is not a good reason to cry.
A couple of hours after this conversation, I overheard Peter having this conversation with himself while sitting on his bed:
“I don’t cry because I can’t have candy. I’m trying not to cry but the water keeps coming out.” Then he scolds himself saying, “Stop, me! I don’t like this” and wipes tears from his eyes.
It was so cute! I just wanted to take him in my arms and love on him! Time is going WAY too fast for me!! It won’t be too long before he is taller than me (of course that isn’t really saying much)!! 😀