Anna's new look

Anna was growing her hair long so she could donate it to Locks of Love so that disadvantaged kids with cancer can get hairpieces during their treatment. So check out the difference:

Least Influential People

Helpless and forsaken

The other morning Maria was being dramatic and we were not bending to her wishes. So to get our sympathy she pretended to fall down the stairs (grunts and all). When she got to the bottom she saw that we were not running to her aid so she continued rolling in slow motion into the living room.
Maybe she'll be a stunt double when she grows up.

Not a good sign

After a meal, we were sharing ice cream together with the same spoon, Maria had a few bites and said, "I can't walk any more, stop giving me ice cream." 

...Because you have a gun.

The kids have been facinated by guns for the last few days. They have a couple of toy pistols that were given as gifts a while ago and these have recently been the toys of choice. Of course hands and fingers shaped like guns (accompanied by a loud bang) also work.

The kids also have a great desire to be protected. So the question was bound to come some day: "Dad, do you have a real gun?"

So I gave them the "this is dangerous and only dad can touch it" talk. But I told them that I do have a real gun locked up in the house to protect them if a bad guy was to try to hurt them.

Now I am all of a sudden the coolest and most inspiring person on the planet. This morning Maria was sitting on my lap cuddling in a blanket and she said, "I love you so much...because you have a gun." 

Funny Stories/sayings:

Samuel in worried voice "don't dink all of it"
Mom hands Samuel the glass to drink, he drinks, then proudly states "I dink all of it"

Maria in a sympathetic yet patronizing voice to Joshua "calm down, I'll take good care of you"

Samuel drops large bucket of markers onto kitchen floor then attempts to belly dive into them sending marker everywhere. 

Dinner conversation with a three year old:
Maria "are plankton persons?"
Mom "no, thery're creatures"
Maria "do plankton walk?"
Mom "no, I think they float"
Maria "in water?"
Mom "yes"
Maria "look I'm eating pizza just like plankton"
Mom "I don't think plankton eat pizza"
Maria "yes, they do, like this" (eats her pizza while making a fish face)

Sam loves sleeper pajamas, especially his red one. We call them bunny suits.  Last week we were explaininig to the kids that they were born without clothes on. A few days later Sammy states "when, I baby, I waya (wear) red bunny soot in mommy tummy".