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Conversation #1 in the car on the way to the Lego Movie:
Nicholas: “I wonder what’s going to be in the movie.”
Alex: “I know what’s going to be in the movie.”
Nicholas: “What?”
Alex: “Some really cool stuff.”
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Conversation #2 in the car on the way to the Lego Movie:
Christian: “Tickets are $6 each, and there are six of us. So how much does that cost?”
Alex, after a long pause: “$36.
Christian: “Very good. Although we might not have to pay for all of us. They might not charge for Michael.”
Alex: “What? He should be the one we do pay for. Because he causes problems!”
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Piano lesson funnies:
a) Julianna with a baby doll in each hand. She was methodically causing them to head butt each other, presumably as a gesture of affection.
b) Nicholas marching around the room, quite unconsciously stomping to the beat of “Dragon Hunt“–Slow, Slow, Slow, Slow, Dou-ble-dou-ble-dou-ble-double-double-double slow….
c) Michael, playing with a gigantic stuffed horse, soon got distracted by a dinosaur with a long neck. He moved the neck around, making the dinosaur roar repeatedly at the horse. Well, at least he’s got one animal sound right.
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Most exasperating and funny simultaneously:
Do “yes-no” fights drive you crazy? You know, yes you will, no I won’t, yes you will, no I won’t? Well, this week I heard Alex and Nicholas downstairs doing a yes-no fight to the tune of Frere Jacques. They were taking turns by phrase. Look at that. If I can find a way to set it to music, they’ll have the most well-mannered fights in the universe. (Face palm.)
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Michael had his first speech therapy session yesterday. At twenty-seven months his receptive language is sky-high. Like I can tell him, “Go upstairs and get me a pair of socks for you.” And he’ll do it. But he has not one single word, even a proto-word. The speech therapist didn’t really believe me, I think. She thought I was holding out for something recognizable. But I’m that parent who’s already taken a child through seven years of speech therapy. No, I had to emphasize. His daddy points to me, says Who is that? and Michael grunts/squeals and points. Daddy says “Say Ma-ma,” and Michael says, “Ma-ma.” But he does not spontaneously use that sound to get my attention. He really has no words.
I know he’s fine; his physical skills and his problem-solving to use them to get into things is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. But he’s starting to scream because he’s mad and frustrated, and it’s time to give him a kick start (or maybe to kick him in the pants? 😉 ).
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This weekend wraps up what has proven to be, hands down, the most chaotic, sprinkle-commitments-through-the-days-and-weeks month I have ever experienced. Getting groceries, meals cooked, and naps for Michael has been a marathon of creative problem solving for the last four weeks. And it should go without saying that it’s not been a productive writing month. Today I’m speaking at the Catholic high school about natural family planning. And I’m going on the Children’s Miracle Network radiothon. Local people, that’s around 9:30 or 9:45.
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Lent is next week! Looking for a plan to help break open the season with the kids?
Kathleen M. Basi 
Love the arguing to a tune. Haha. Wonderful. I am going to have to look at your book! We need ideas for Lent!
Looks like you have a fun, lively bunch in your house! Alex is correct, we should have to pay for the children who cause problems, but it might just add insult to injury for the parents who have to take care of them. 🙂
Fighting in song?! Marvelous. It has to make the fighting a little easier on the ears.