I'm not sure exactly what led me to want to post today. I think I was having the feeling that the recent Duker stories were piling up in my head and getting too dificult to recount. Oh he is funny. Sometimes, I'm so embarrassed that I wish he wasn't quite so funny. Amongst other things he has taken to asking people, "Are you a boy or a girl?" and "Does she have milk inside of her?" or "Do you have a baby in your tummy?" Sometimes there is just no way I can beat him to the punch, he really is just going to think of the wildest things to ask. It's overwhelming to think of all the instructional ground we will cover together over the coming years! I just hope one day, when the tables turn and I (hopefully not too often) am the one embarrassing him that he will be just as gracious to let it roll right off.
Today I went to meet my mom and sisters for a lovely girl's lunch. Well, girls plus my 2 little squirts: Duke and Adyline. But we wouldn't have it any other way! It was fun, but not without correction and motherly guidance for my little gentleman to be. He has recently caught on to the fact that he is funny...and although others tell him he is funny, he finds himself even funnier than everyone else does. Well, sometimes this is harmless and fun and other times it's hard to rein the child in. Today at lunch "Totsies" (Aunt Tammy) kept teasing him and sweetly playing with him. So what did he do? Grabbed a small fortune of peas pulled her shirt and tossed them in. Then laughed wildly with excitement. Worst part is even Mimi (the mother of all manners) laughed her head off. Does anybody relate when I say that I really did have complete control of my face and correctional voice until I saw my mothers shoulders shaking and throbbing with her own choked laugh? I quickly looked to Tammy who is laughing just as hard, and I just lost it. Forget it. So, I just had to tell him: "Duke, somethings really are funny. But that doesn't always mean it's ok. Grabbing people's clothes is NOT ok, and it's certainly not ok to throw food down them! Now, can you please tell Totsies you are sorry for getting carried away?"
And he is still packing away the memory verses. I'm so proud of him! He's like a little database of verses. The other day after he said, "Obey your father and mother," he asked me: "what is mother?" To which I exclaimed: "No wonder!" Oh Duke, mother means Mommy so yes, God would be pleased for you to obey your Mommy. Another recent "spiritual" conversation went like this:
Duke: I opened my eyes while you were praying.
Me: Do you know why we close our eyes when we pray? So that we aren't distracted and can pay attention to God.
Duke: Well,...and so bugs don't get in our eyes. Or any other kind of animal.
And another:
Me: Ok Duke, you really do need to go take a nap now.
Duke: *sweetly* But I'm not very sleepy.
Me: Well, you are going to at least lay down and rest during naptime. This is mommy time.
Duke: *serious, pensive* What about Duker time?
I think I have mentioned in earlier posts that stuffed animals have trumped cars and are the new obsession. The naming process is very important to Duke. Oh yes, they all must have a name. Duke could have been Adam because he never runs out of animal names. He makes most of them up entirely, very few are actual names. Here are a few: Train, Potty Train, Stirn, Stunach, Podacy, Joe (random "real" name), Tiny Kitty, Mr Potatoes, and the like. Now, he is quite partial to Tiny Kitty. I often find Tiny Kitty swaddled in blankets, poking out of Duke's shirt (she was riding in his "baby sling" just like sister does in Mommy's) and Duke rocking and bouncing her. Duke feeds her "milk" from a bottle and will "sush" me when she is down for her nap.Sometimes I will ask Duke where she is and he will tell me, "I put her down for her nap." One time Duke told Daniel to keep it down while Tiny Kitty was sleeping, so Daniel faked a loud sneeze and then whispered very seriously, "Uh-oh. Sorry! Did I wake Tiny Kitty up?" Well, thanks a lot Daniel because it took me about a month to get Duke to stop faking sneezes every time I told him to be quiet while sister was sleeping. He often askes if she can sleep with him in his bed or at least in his room. Ooooooh, Duke. You have no idea what you are asking! He loves Adyline SO much and is very, VERY proud of her. He loves to show her to people, "help" take care of her, bring her toys, push her on the swing (not so rough Duke, Duke that's too high, gentle pushes Duke, easy Duke, etc), hold her and give her hugs.
Switch gears with me now from puppy dog tails to sugar and spice so I can tell you about the baby girl in the house. Dressing her everyday is more fun than putting up a Christmas tree! This mommy loves nothing more than to pick the perfect bow of the day to top the sweetest little baby head I know. I love her so much I just can't stand it! In fact I live in this bi-polar limbo where I want her to sleep so much (and I certainly DONT want her to wake up early) but I miss her SO much while she is asleep! I've said before that when I have a baby it takes me the whole first year to realize we really are TWO people. It's just that we really used to be one person! I carry Adyline in a baby sling all the time. She is very content there and I feel very content with her there. We do everything together. She even comes with me to help in the children's department at church. I can "wear" her and do pretty much anything I want (except bend over; that's like being pregnant again!). Oh and she can crawl now! Yes! Well, she can slither now! Cutest locomotion, bless my soul, that i have ever seen! She looks JUST like an inch worm! She crumples her body up, feet toward her head, hiney in the air, hands reaching as far as possible, and then pushing with all her might with the feet while pulling with the hands. Oh, it's just darling! Sweeeee--eeet Adyline!
