Pillow Talk

Last night as we were lying in bed, about to fall asleep, Ben casually mentioned that sometimes when he pulls up to an intersection, he tries to figure out how he would get through in an invisible car.

He said, “The oncoming traffic and the cars going perpendicular wouldn’t be a problem. It’s just the cars coming from behind…” I started to doze off, but a minute or two later I heard him say, “That’s probably why Wonder Woman had an invisible jet.”

A Day of Firsts

I just dropped my giant son off at his first day of first grade, and I won’t see him again for almost SEVEN HOURS. This feeling I have in the pit of my stomach, which started when the teacher said, “Parents: it’s time to say your good-byes; you need to stay outside,” can’t possibly be any different from the feeling parents get when they drop their missionaries off at the MTC.

Using My Third Grade Math Skills

I almost just went to bed, at 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday. Then I remembered that it’s August 25th, and on the 25th day of any month I think it’s kind of fun to figure out what fraction of a year old I am that month. My birthday is April 25th, so today is my 1/3 birthday.

But this year I’m 33, so it's actually my 33 1/3 birthday. Today I’m one-third of a century old! What a milestone! I can’t believe I almost slept through it.

Lego Phone Adventures

I just overheard Liam telling Eliza that she could only play the Cinderella level, because all of the other princesses were locked. I asked him what they were playing, and he said, "Princess Adventures."

"On what?" I asked. He said, "It's a game on my phone." I asked him what phone he was talking about, and he said, "My lego phone."

Pretty Sure It's a Land Line

Liam just brought in his phone and stuck it in its charger, because, "It only has 12% battery life left."

Way to be responsible, Liam.

Sloppy Work, Tooth Fairy

The other day Liam lost his second tooth. I hung $2 on the fridge after he went to bed, because I have a horrible memory and I knew he wouldn't get tooth money unless the tooth fairy could see that money before she went to bed.

A little while later, Liam came downstairs to ask me something. Then he went back to bed.

The next morning I asked Liam if the tooth fairy had come. He found the two dollars under his pillow, and then said, "You put this under my pillow, didn't you?"

I said, "Whaaaaaaat???"

He said, "I saw these two dollars on the fridge last night."

I'm absolutely not ready for my 6-year-old to be finished believing in things--especially after only two teeth--so I hurried and found two more dollars to stick on the fridge when Liam was in the bathroom.

Hopefully Eliza doesn't notice that I raided her piggy bank.

You Might Be Ready for School to Start If…

Your child has gotten so good at arguing, she does it with her imaginary friends. I just heard Eliza having this conversation with herself:

Eliza (normal voice): You can’t go in there.
Eliza (high voice): But I want to!
Eliza (normal voice): You’re not allowed.
Eliza (high voice): You’re not the boss of me!

Wherein Road Trips No Longer Cause Anxiety

Ben and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary a few weeks ago, only instead of going to Hawaii, or whatever people normally do on their 10-year-anniversary, we got a minivan. I realize that makes us totally lame, but I love it sooooo much. Because when nobody can touch each other, everybody is happier.

And speaking of being happier, this guy has been happy almost every day since he turned 4-months-old.

I guess he just needed an extra month of fussiness. No big deal.

My Adorable Little Curve Ball

I really thought my baby was cured. And I still really believe the reflux medicine helps. But there must be something else going on, because sometimes he’s happy and adorable, like this:

But other times, no matter what I do, he looks more like this:

And even though I somehow kept a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old alive, I’m feeling like a first-time mom because this experience is just as crazy and mysterious as it was the first time around. Only this time it didn't stop after three months.

Isn’t motherhood exciting? I wish I could attach a screamy sound clip to that second photo, to remind myself that if I ever think a fourth child is a good idea I should adopt a one-year-old.

Everybody Needs a Daughter

I still remember how exciting it was to take ballet when I was 3-years-old. I think it's even more fun to be the mom of the 3-year-old taking ballet.