My Little Hindu

Luke has recently become rather obsessed with death - what happens when we die, does everyone die, when will we die, etc etc etc. I'm not a 'religious' person, but I do believe in God, and long ago before we had kids Esposo and I agreed that we would be providing some churchin' to our kids. Looks like it's time for Sunday School!

But back to the discussions about death. On the ride home from the Field Museum last week, Luke asked:

"When I'm died, will I be made again?"

Esposo: "If you believe in Hinduism, you will."

Luke: "I will believe."

I'm not sure where he came up with the concept of reincarnation, if he saw it somewhere (it wasn't from us) or if it was referenced in some Noggin show (Little Arun comes back as a cow! A horse! This is a great show idea, let's run with it!).

Impressive for a three year old. Oh, I'm sorry, three AND A HALF.

THE CRAP, PEOPLE

Have I mentioned how hard it is to actually 'go green'? And not like recycling or composting is hard (oh, the compost is composting away!! I don't have enough!), but please do not give me plastic bags, people.

I took my plastic bag o bags to the store along with a cloth bag - the store I WALKED to with a CHILD, mind you. (By the way, check out the walkability of your neighborhood - I scored a 46) I shopped with my basket and handed my plastic and cloth bag to the bagger, asking that she place the frozen items together in the plastic bag.

So she placed the frozen items in a STORE plastic bag and then that bag into the cloth bag. @#$!@#$%!@#$! She also wrapped my 'Spray n Wash' in a plastic bag so it could be safely placed next to my watermelon. Rather than, I don't know, handing it to me if she thought I'd be concerned? So I went with two bags for two bags of groceries and still came home with two plastic bags. GAH!!

In-ba-fin-er-tee

We recently moved all our VHS movies up to the lake house, set up a TV with a VCR and created a 'downtime kid zone' in the loft. Also known as, 'Look kid, I'm exhausted, you're exhausted, go zone out'. A lot of time outdoors being active can lead to whiny kids. It's been a FANTABULOUS solution. Plus, it got rid of all our VHS movies, and then my sister in law added hers! A veritable entertainment library!

So of course Luke wants to watch one movie over and over and over again. Toy Story.

You've seen Toy Story, right? It's a great kids movie, right? It's all about friendship and working together and all sorts of great things!

Except when your kid climbs to the tops of tables and couches and leaps off shouting "TO INBAFINERTY AND BEYOND!"

Sure, sure, we saw that coming. He's acting out Buzz Lightyear! Of course!

And then he says "Stop it, you gallits!"

Uh, what? Esposo figures out that one - when Buzz is being picked up from the crane game at Pizza Planet, Woody shouts at the aliens "Stop it, you zealots!!" You know, since Luke has watched the movie 400 times by now, he's picked up some lines.

So, "What are you looking at, you hockey puck!"

Ah, um.

And the coup de grace from this sweet Disney movie about friendship is "you idiot!", which Luke says about 20 times a day, with no clear idea what it means.

Thanks, Toy Story. Thanks a bunch!

Up North

We just got back from spending a weekend 'up north', which is what a great deal of Chicagoans call Wisconsin. Also Michigan. Possibly Minnesota, too. Or Canada. Really, anyplace that we go regularly that is north of us. It was a long week, and a good one. There are stories and exhaustion and beer. One of my favorites revolves around Luke, of course.

Luke learned recently to use "Shut up". We told him in unequivocable terms that he was NOT permitted to use that phrase, and use thereof would result in the loss of a car EACH TIME he said it. He got the message loud and clear and quickly found other ways to get it across that he would like you to, uh, shut up.

When his cousins came up (they are 6 and 3), all three of them slept up in the loft at the lake house. My MIL (Grandma) slept there as well, keeping them in line or something. My three year old nephew woke up and went to find his parent's room. Luke woke up as well, but my MIL convinced him that he needed to be quiet and stay in bed since everyone else was sleeping.

And then she dozed off. And started snoring.

Luke took this as an affront to the directions he was just given and loudly proclaimed "SILENCE!", and she woke up to him glaring at her.

German much, kid?

In Love

The basement is finished. Oh my. I may have mentioned it. Today is the first day that we've really gotten to take advantage of the fact that it's 5 or so degrees cooler down here AND be safe from the storm! Exciting!

The dog has settled into a new spot NEXT to the desk - which is so so infinitely much better than UNDER the desk where she layed upstairs. No dog footrest. The children are running like fools and playing with toys. Artwork has been done and it didn't stress me out. Since we have no TV down here we're not watching anything, either.

Man, this rocks.

Mama Needs Some Alkymahol

Also, a day or two AWAY from children. Also, a child who poops. Because even though he's on laxatives daily, he hasn't pooped since Saturday. It's Tuesday. POOOOP.

The computer has been moved to the basement office, and an interesting side effect of this is that I can now hear the children moving around upstairs, so I know when they head into the kitchen or upstairs. Considering I'm hearing-impaired, they stomp pretty loudly. I can not hear them going into the 'magic cabinet' (art supplies), pulling out the markers and paint, and coating each other and themselves, though. I can hear crying and whining.

This is Week Four of Esposo working late, and it was supposed to be done last week. The children have not been particularly obnoxious or difficult, in fact they've been mostly well behaved - markers and paint not withstanding. HOWEVER, THIS Mommy is just a little tired of the wake up routine and the bed time routine and all the hours in between routine. And THIS mommy would like to jet off to Vegas for about 48 hours and then have 24 or so hours of intravenous fluids to flush out the alcohol and sleep.

And most sadly, our planned Weekend Without Children has been messed up, so now we have to re-plan a Weekend Without Children. This is our FIVE YEAR celebration of marriage (in September, but two weekends is a bit much to expect), so I'd like to do something fun, with beer.

Do I sound like an alcoholic? I guarantee I am not, since I never get to drink, but I am one of those people who thoroughly enjoys becoming a happy, obnoxious idiot while drunk. What could be more fun than being happy and silly and giggling? Nothing. Please give me beer and child care.