Replaced

Lizzy has developed a mom-replacement plan. She shared it with me as I washed her hair tonight:

Lizzy: "Mom, you don't have to wash my hair anymore."
Me: "Why not?"
Lizzy: "Mary can do it. She can also clean your house and read me books."
Me: "That would be great, but what would I do?"
Lizzy: "Well, you could do the dishes and Mary could clean the toilets."

This plan actually sounds pretty good to me... I hate cleaning the house, the toilets, and giving baths. I do like reading books though....

Minnesota on the Mind

We spent a couple days in Minnesota over the weekend. Apparently Minnesota made quite an impression Lizzy, as the state dominated a conversation she had with herself this morning:

"Where does your mom live?"
"Minnesota."
"Where does your mom's mom live?"
"Minnesota."
"Where does your mom's dad live?"
"Minnesota."

At this point, I walked into the room, and she immediately started asking me about Minnesota:

Lizzy: "Mom, how many people live in Minnesota?"
Me: "I'm not sure.. millions."
Lizzy: "Whoa. I thought only five people lived there."

Nine Days Old

On the way to daycare this morning, Lizzy found a bag of chips in the back of the van and started eating them.

Me: "Gross. Are you eating chips?"
Lizzy: "Yep. My just found them by my seat."
Me: "Yuck. How do they taste? I think they've been there awhile."
Lizzy: "They taste good. But they are nine days old my think."

A Note

Lexi wrote Lizzy a note this afternoon:

Lizzy looked at it and said "So... what's with the hearts?"

Sleepover

I'm realizing there are a few problems with having "big kids" and "little kids". The biggest problem - the little kids think they are big kids:

Lizzy: "Mom, can I have a friend sleepover tonight?"
Me: "Nope. Not tonight."
Lizzy: "Why? Lexi has friends sleepover all the time!"
Me: "Um, Lexi is 12. You're four."
Lizzy: "Fine, when my 12 my can have sleepovers every night?"
Me: "Ok."
Lizzy: "Wait... Lexi had sleepovers when her was 11."
Me: "Ok, you can have a sleepover when you're 11."
Lizzy: "Fine... like 300 sleepovers!"

"She's talking to Morgan..."

When I got home this afternoon, Brad and the little girls were in the garage. Morgan was crouched in the corner:

Me: "Are you pooping your pants?"
Brad: "Nope. I'm ok."
Lizzy: "Dad...she's talking to Morgan..... I think... "

The Price of Good Behavior

Me: "Lizzy, please  be nice."
Lizzy: "Ok. The only way I'll be nice is if you give me a dollar."
Me: "I'm not going to give you a dollar. Just be nice."
Lizzy: "Hmm, nope. No deal."

A Lot of Friends

Lizzy: "I have a lot of aunties. And a lot of friends. Like 300 friends. Or 600. Or 99. Or 65. Or maybe six. Yeah, six."

Favorite People

Me: "Lizzy, I need a hug."
Lizzy: "Ok, but you're not my best friend."
Me: "Fine. Who is your best friend?"
Lizzy: "Um, Emma, Allie, Aubrey, Karli, Hannah, Jorja..."
Me: "Ok, who is your favorite mom?"
Lizzy: "Tammy."

So Popular

The little girls spent a few days at my parent's farm. Brad, Lexi, Jake and I went to church without them this morning.

I never realized how popular Lizzy is.

I bet a dozen people asked where she was.

I'm sure they missed Morgan too. Lizzy's absence is just a litlte more noticable (church was pretty quiet today!)

Even Lexi noticed how many people noticed her absence:

"Mom, our little girls are pretty popular here, aren't they?"

While I'm so grateful to my parents for taking them for a few days, I'm also pretty happy to have them back!

A Dream

I always smile when people tell me they enjoy reading Lizzy-isms. But I'm afriad at least one reader may need to cut back on the Lizzy-isms:

A friend told me about a phone call she had received from her mother, who was laughing when she called. Apparently she had dreamed that I was holding her granddaughter hostage. The only way I would give her back is if she met with a lawyer. I had already met with this lawyer and had her draft adoption papers - she had to adopt Lizzy if she wanted her granddaughter back!

Hilarious, huh?

But, you should know.... I would never give up my Lizzy... at least not permanently. She brings way too much joy to my life. I would miss her terribly if someone adopted her... but she is available for weekend visits :)

Bedtime Story

Can't sleep?

Lizzy has a bedtime story for you....

One of a Kind Swim Suit

Somehow, Lizzy lost the bottom half of her swim suit.

I have searched all her dresser drawers.

I've searched the laundry piles. All of them. There are lots. Still, no swim suit bottoms.

I've searched Morgan's dresser.

Her bikini bottoms are no where to be found.

But that didn't stop Lizzy from going to the pool tonight.

She simply improvised... and wore the top to her new suit, and the bottoms from last year's suit.

I know... they don't match. Don't tell Lizzy though. She rocked this mis-matched suit tonight. And she just may have even started a new fashion trend.

Playing Barbies

I love Barbies.

And I love that my girls love Barbies.

I also love listening to Lizzy make her Barbies talk, but like her Barbies, I don't speak Spanish!

Fart Machine

Lizzy had farts on the brain today.

I have no idea why. There are just some things I don't want to know.

Anyway, her obsession with farts provided some good "isms" today...

Lizzy: "Did I fart today?"
Me: "Um, yeah. I heard you farting when you were in the shower."
Lizzy: "Oh yeah. I farted two times."

Later, while getting a glass of milk, Lizzy ripped another big one. She giggled and said, matter of factly "Wow. I'm just a fart machine today."

Naptime

Lizzy hates naps, for the simple fact that she might miss something while she's sleeping.

I don't make her take a nap everyday, but when I can tell she needs one, I make her lay down.

Yesterday was one of those days.

She crashed on the couch for about an hour. I was sitting in the chair next to the couch when she suddenly popped up, looked at me with huge eyes and said:

"Did I miss anything?"

I assured her she had not missed anything.

She must have believed me, because she laid back down and slept for another 30 minutes.

Drainage Ditch

This afternoon the little girls and I dropped Lexi off for a babysitting job and decided to take the long way home, hoping to bring on naps for both Lizzy and Morgan.

Morgan fell asleep right away, but not Lizzy. She was paying very close attention to the scenery.

Lizzy: "Is that the drainage ditch?"
Me: "Yep."
Lizzy: "Did I say that right? Drainage ditch?"
Me: "Yep."
Lizzy: "Oh. Huh. So it's like 'drain', like you drain the bathtub and 'age' like my four, and 'ditch', like you don't want to hang out with someone."

Time For Church

We were at church early this morning - it was our turn to help with donuts after the 9:00 mass and also our turn to do gifts at the 11:00 mass.

Lizzy was anxious to get to a pew and sit down.

At about 10:50, she tugged on my leg and asked "Is it time to go watch church yet?"

I told her no, in a few minutes we'd go sit down.

A few minutes later she tugged on my leg again and said "Come ON! Let's go listen to church!"

For the record, we did go sit down then... but Lizzy did absolutely no watching or listening!

He's Cute

Lizzy, while watching "The Singing Bee":

"I like him. He's so cute!"

Morning Breath

Lizzy, to me, while cuddling after waking up:

"Eww. Your mouth stinks."

Guess I'll go brush my teeth.

Celebrating Four

This post is long overdue.

Blame the flood.

And then enjoy Lizzy's four year pictures!

Thanks to Jen and Jessi for putting up with four year old attitude and icky weather!

Two Things

Morgan was crabby when she woke up from her nap this afternoon. She only wanted two things: her pink fuzzy blanket and her nookie.

This caught both my attention and Lizzy's too.

Lizzy: "Morgan just love her pink fuzzy and her nookie."
Me: "I know. I think if she had to pick two things in the whole wide world, she would pick her pink fuzzy and her nookie. What would you pick?"
Lizzy: "I would pick my pink fuzzy blanket and my family."

Lizzy is BACK!

The flood has really messed with our lives, my work schedule, and with this blog.

Lizzy, Morgan and Jake spent nine days with my sister because I was working 14 hour days as a Public Information Officer for the City of Bismarck (not my real job, but during a flood, everyone is called in to help).

I missed the kids like crazy, even though I was physically and mentally exhausted at the end of each very long work day.

I am forever indebted to my sister for taking in my flood refugee children. Their suitcases were packed in a hurry  - Morgan didn't have enough clothes or nookies, Lizzy didn't have a swim suit. Jenn took care of those things and more. I'm sure she heard dozens of Lizzy-isms during those nine days, but she was already doing so much, it didn't feel right asking her take over this blog as well.

But now the kids are home and our house has returned to the chaotic zoo we're used too.

The Lizzy-isms have resumed as well.

And Miss Lizzy has had some great ones... can't wait to share them with you. I hope my Lizzy can bring a smile to everyone's face during this stressful time.

Afterall, it's hard not to smile when Lizzy is around!