Katherine and I had a Girls Night Out (GNO), which consisted of us going to Lowe's (needed floor cleaner) and Wal-Mart. We're simple folk, really. My lean-mean fruit-and-veggie eating machine declared that all she wanted for supper was a banana. And she would have been just fine eating A banana for supper. I declare. Jim started off the eventful evening with telling Katherine that since we were having a GNO, him, Nathan and George (the cat) were going to have a boy's night out and party. Her look was indescribable. So then he asked why we weren't taking Gracie since she's a girl also and her response, "Because Gracie doesn't have a car seat." How's that for being practical?
It was storming fiercely when we left so we had fun listing all the things the rain was falling on: cars, trees, flowers, grass, trucks, signs, branches, power lines, houses, windows, mailboxes, etc. She looked at her window and commented on ALL the raindrops, then said, "I can't count that far." But then quickly changed her mind and declared there were ten.
To spice up tomorrow a little bit during brother's nap, I wanted to buy a craft kit that we could do in about, oh, 5 minutes. So the end of our browsing through Wal-Mart was looking for this craft kit. Now mind you, she'd been so excited about us going out together that her voice was a couple notches louder than normal. She's not usually loud, but when excited, she can be. So she was officially excited and there were numerous times throughout the store that I had mentioned to please keep her voice down. She predictably asked where we were going next and I told her the arts and crafts aisle. Well, Katherine heard "craps" aisle and started the 20 questions in her loud voice.
K: Mommy, why we going to the craps aisle? What's craps? What you do with craps? Do I have craps? We made butterfly craps before? I don't remember. Oh, the purple and yellow one, yeah, I love that one. I really want to buy some more craps, Mommy.
And as you can guess, I got very tickled. So tickled, I couldn't correct her before the 20 questions at 100 decibels continued. I had to stop the cart and her from walking any further with her proud proclamations, and sheepishly avoided making eye contact with other mothers scoping for other "craps."
We finished off our excursion with 2 York peppermint patties, which I reluctantly let her hold all by herself in the back seat (she did marvelous). It was so simple, yet so joyful and one of those everyday moments that I wish I could store away forever.
I've been working on teaching her that she can talk to Jesus anytime. When she's playing, in the bathtub, in the car, before sleeping and eating, by herself, anytime. So on the way home she complained about the barely-there boo-boo that had just popped up from her shoes rubbing her. And her comment to me was,
K: Mommy, can we pray for it?
M: Of course we can honey.
(We're in the drive-thru at Taco Bell waiting for my husband's midnight snack)
M: I'll close my eyes and you pray.
K: Dear Jesus, please heal the boo-boo on my feet. Amen.
Wow! From the mouth of babes. He is here to heal all our boo-boos, anytime. I couldn't be more proud of her and her budding relationship with Christ.
On the XY chromosome homefront, Jim and I both believe that Nathan is probably cutting another tooth. His fussiness has returned; but alas, we'll have to wait for the proof once more. He got so tickled by his sister this afternoon. She had on "the" purple dress and was twirling (because what's a dress if it doesn't twirl?). He pulled himself up on the couch and giggled uncontrollably while watching her; so much that his knees gave way many times and plopped on his hiney. It was all too much to take, and they stopped once I got the video camera out, of course. I can see a fascination with the Dora potty seat forming. Does anyone know of any medicine to calm gag reflexes? Guess I 'll have to be the bathroom door monitor until we get this under control.
