You can take the girl out of Sparr...

Boy, were we red-necking it out this evening in suburban SE Ocala! After supper the little lady decided that she wanted to play in the back yard where the kiddie pool, playhouse and toddler steps/slide are. OK, we've got about half an hour before munchkin man will get fussy. Within 5 minutes, here was the scene:

• Gracie (the dog) was eating poop.
• Katherine was in nothing but her white undies splashing in the filthy pool that hadn't been cleaned in about a week.
• Nathan was on his hands and knees playing in the mud created by Katherine's overflow, and trying to eat it of course.
• My feet and legs were very dirty (go ahead and laugh, that's big for me).

And it ended with the munchkins getting hosed off and walking in the house in their birthday suits.






















But all of it was our family's version of a close-to-perfect evening (Daddy was unfortunately working late). Katherine's laughter was continuous and priceless (you know, the kind of laughter that conjures feelings you wish you could bottle up and keep forever), the dog and cat were playing nicely with each other, the birds were literally singing and I enjoyed watching my little man be a boy (his sister wouldn't have liked playing in the mud and still doesn't). Funny how stuff like that meant nothing 10 years ago.

Katherine on Questions:
I remember when Nathan was 10 days old, Katherine started the endless questions that seemed to never end. Today's car ride had about 5 minutes worth of those, the kind you can't finish answering before another one starts. Here were some of them:
Why he a man?
What did he say?
Why you tell him that mommy?
What you give him mommy? (I was buying a sweet tea at McDonald's)
Why she a lady?
What she say?
Why you thirtsy?
What's a condo?
Can we stay in the Heltel again? (See pronunciations below)
What are all these buildings? (She wants to know what each building is for)
Why are those kids in the bus?
Where they going?
Why that kid standing up?
Why that bus red?
Why there 2 red buses?
Why that bus behind us?

Katherine on Why:
It was soon after she began the endless questions 7 months ago that I realized there are 3 different meanings for the word "why." Bet most of you didn't know this.

1. The "why" we're most familiar with: the reason for something happening. "Why are those kids in the bus?" "They're going somewhere honey." And she's happy with that.
2. The "why" that prolongs the conversation. After a string of about 15 "why" answers, I finally get to, "Because that's how Jesus wanted it" and about half the time, she's satisfied. I've even tried anticipating what the next 4 or 5 questions will be and explaining them before she can ask. Doesn't work.
3. The "why" that questions my authority. My least favorite. "I told you not to do that." "Mommy, why?" with a gleam in her eye and a smirk on her face. Which then leads to the ultimate mom answer that everyone swore off saying to their kids when they were little, "BECAUSE I SAID SO, THAT'S WHY!"

Katherine on pronunciations:
I thought I'd also keep a running list of her cute pronunciations at this age:
Publix = Pugalix
Hamburger = Hangaber
Blanket = Blankalie
Yes = Yeth
Chair = Chayuh (same with all words that rhyme; hair, bear, etc.)
Hotel = Heltel

A couple days ago she asked, "Mommy, can I call you Mom." I was sad for about a second until she asked, "Mommy, can I call you Dad." Thank goodness, I don't think we're to the Mom label yet.

(All these pictures were taken previously with the disposable camera. Thank goodness it was disposable because I would have thrown it away anyway.