The first morning we were there, Henry (4,) my brother, and I were sitting at the breakfast bar, and my dad came down the stairs. Henry turned around and greeted my dad with a deadpan, "Hi, Bill." and resumed his breakfast.
Me: "Henry, I need a hug and a kiss from you this morning."
Henry: Dramatic pause, followed by a kiss on a the hand, then, "Yes, Your Majesty." Again, deadpan.
Me: "George (5,) is Clara asleep in the back seat?"
George: "Yes."
Me: "She is?"
George: "Oh wait, no. No, she's not asleep. BRAIN, START WORKING!"
Me: "Henry, how did you like that party?"
Henry: Sigh, "It was so loud and so much music that I just couldn't hear myself."
George to Henry, "Henry, I love you, but you are wearing me out!"
George: "Mom, I have a secret to tell you. I love you so much. Being with you is the BEST day."
(kid knows how to work it at bedtime.)
Henry: (at the same bedtime) "Mom, I think my bottom is trying to tell me I need to go poo poo!"
Henry: (five minutes later) "Mama, I can't get this big poo poo out. I think it's really STRONG!"
George: (forty minutes into the same bedtime) "Mom, do you know what the best Christmas present is? Our family!"
Henry: "I love baby (what he calls Clara,) and the best Christmas present is going to bed."
AND THE KICKER AT CHRISTMAS EVE CHURCH:
Let me set the scene for you...all was going swimmingly...we dressed for church an hour early and had plenty of time for some lovely photos, got to church in plenty of time to drop Clara in the nursery (she didn't even cry!) and had great seats in church that allowed the boys to actually see and hear what was going on. About 45 minutes into the service, Henry was really squirmy so I started whispering to him explaining to him what the music and the lessons were all about. He was listening pretty well then all of a sudden turns to me at full volume during one of the prayers and announces: "MOM! Your breath stinks!" SERIOUSLY? That's what you're going to announce to the entire First Baptist Church??? I mean, my throat hurt all week, and yes, maybe, but REALLY??? it couldn't have been THAT bad! Well, what can you do but keep your head down and continue praying, right? Right...except for if you're my sister, who swung around with her mouth agape, hysterically laughing and who continued to do the silent laugh with her shoulders bouncing up and down for the remainder of the service. All I have to say is that it's a good thing we weren't sitting next to each other or we would've never pulled it together. Well, there went the reverence of Christmas Eve. Oh, Henry, you always keep us on our toes!!!
So, with that, I'll leave you with Happy Happy New Year! I hope it is filled with lots of laughter, love and unexpected surprises :)
"Write it on your heart that everyday is the best day of the year." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Happy Cooking!
