It's a good thing they're so cute...

I haven't been very grateful lately - at least, you wouldn't guess it from my blog. I need to get back to doing that. Three more things I'm grateful for:

1. My kids. I've said this before, but I'll say it again: They crack me up.

The other morning I heard a chorus of hello's coming from Ethan's room. I went in there to see what my little monkeys were doing, and this is what I found:




Of course!! Sitting in laundry baskets, talking on their "phones." (Natalie's phone was the only authentic one; Andrea's was a paper cell phone she made at preschool; Ethan's phone was an old blue rag, naturally.)

2. My kids. They say the darnedest things, and in the darnedest ways. Here is a sample:

• Ethan: It isn't so much what Ethan says, as how he says it. Or yells it. He sounds kind of like those announcers at Eurpean soccer games when someone scores a gooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllll!
  -Ethan, do you want some cereal?
  "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" (which actually means yes)
  -Ethan, where is your bottle?
  "BAH-DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
  -Ethan, time to go.
  "GOOOOOOOOOOOO!"


• Natalie: If you've never heard Natalie's voice, you must imagine the tiniest, sweetest, most feminine and delicate little voice you've ever heard. Then imagine that sweet little thing say this and tell me you don't laugh: "Sit down Ethan or you'll fall and BUST your head open."


• Andrea: (holding Ken doll) "This is Ken. I call him Sting!" Wow. Sting, huh? Where'd you get that name? "I just made it up in my head." Cool.

3. My kids. I'm not biased or anything, but I think they're pretty cute, and I'm grateful for that.

And as my sweet Grandma Gagon used to say, it's a good thing kids are so cute, or you'd smash them. I used to be slightly appalled that such a sweet little old lady could ever say such a thing. But she raised 7 children. She knew. And now I have kids of my own. And now I know.