Gamma Rita Bring Them!

Last summer when Gamma Rita came to visit she introduced my boys to all manner of seasonal fruit. At the time Nate was less than impressed with most of what was on offer, but the one thing both my boys agreed on were the cherries.

It seemed like every major grocery store had cherries in stock last weekend, and since they were also on sale I picked up a bag. When I pulled them out of the fridge the next morning for breakfast my boys were so excited – but it wasn't just about the cherries as it turned out.

"Gamma Rita bring them!" they said over and over again, and since they weren't yet seated at the table they proceeded to look around for Gamma Rita. They really thought she must be here since who else would buy them cherries I suppose. Before they got too carried away I let them know that while Gamma Rita isn't here yet she told Mommy to get them some cherries, and fortunately they both seemed content with that for the time being.

I have to say I was fairly amazed at the instant association they had over something they haven't seen in at least 10 months. I have no idea how they remembered cherries when the last time my boys ate some they were barely a year and a half old.

Those must have been some cherries alright!*

- L.

*More like some Gamma alright, who worried for naught that my boys would have long forgotten her when she visited last December. I think it's safe to say if they remember the fruit they ate last summer, they aren't likely to forget their Gamma any time soon.

PS. I've asked Nate and Seth a few times here and there if they remember the long-distance hugs we made for Gamma Rita and they never fail to correct me:

"We send high-fives!"

Hope you're still enjoying your high-fives, Gamma Rita!

Tastes Like Chicken

Last Hallowe'en Grandma Leslie bought the boys a themed picture book in a attempt to thwart the previous year's mishaps. Unfortunately it didn't make much difference at the time, but my boys have since grown to have a fine appreciation for all things Hallowe'en and are now well acquainted with jack-o-lanterns and bats and a proper spider's web.

There is however one page they still struggle with – namely, this one:

I've called it a toad. I've even tried calling it a frog. My boys on the other hand (and without fail) call it chicken, and so far there's been no talking them out of it. 

And just in case you're not two years old and aren't quite getting the connection looking at what we ate for supper tonight, here's what they are probably seeing every time I get rotisserie take-out from up the street:

It's delicious, but I have to admit... it's getting harder and harder to eat it.

– L.

PS. I think I preferred things overall when we ate dog meat.

Ba-Da-Ba-Ba-Ba...

We've had some lousy/unpredictable weather here the past week, but after enough days of being cooped up due to rain I decided to chance things on Tuesday and took the boys out to the mall.

The mall, by they way, is very exciting and easily rivals the park on their list of favorite things to do. Still, I decided to up the ante since my guys had also been asking on and off the week previous for "french fries!" – and even though I'd already bought some potatoes with the intent of making some oven fries I didn't quite get around to it before this happened instead:

And er... they were lovin' it™. 

I'm not sure if it because it was their first time sampling fast food. 

– Nom...

Or because it was also their first time in a food court. 

– Om nom nom...

I do know that sitting up on the bench and not in a high-chair was a big hit! 

Also, feets!

We had at least one other first that day too...

The closest mall is too far for us all to walk there without putting my guys in the stroller, but that day was the first time I took a chance on letting them walk around somewhat unfettered. They had the choice to hang onto the stroller (or Mommy) or get back in the stroller and they did great. We easily did 1.5 laps around the mall without incident and a good time was had by all. 

– We hangs on tight, everyone! Mommy puts fears into us real good.
I think these faces say it all.

Added bonus: it wore at least one of them out:

– Zzzzz...

I think Nate's expression is mostly the realization that we were home now and that he probably should have taken advantage on the ride back to catch a quick nap: 

– Regrets. I has a few...

You know, like his brother did. Angels couldn't look sweeter than this boy right here:

– I hope you is taking notes angels! 'Dis how it done.

- L.

Is Like Chewnits!

"Is like chewnits!" were the actual words spoken by Seth earlier today after reaching out his hand to feel my elbow.

And even though I should probably be horrified, I promise I haven't laughed as hard as I did after hearing that in at least 6 months*.

- L.

*It's funny because it's completely true. "Personal care" is not a phrase I have much time to live by since I became a mom, and my elbows are a little scabby feeling as it turns out.

Toddlers: speaking the truth since they first roamed the earth.

PS. In case you are unfamiliar with "chewnits", I think my sweet son meant this.

The Great Tse-Tse Capers: Part I

Yesterday while I was making lunch and the boys were playing in the living room I couldn't help but notice things had gotten a little... quiet. 

And as you all know quiet + toddlers = trouble. Really it does, and very nearly every time.

I warily went to investigate and it's not so much that I was relieved at what I found, but in the big scheme of things a pillaged box of kleenex is pretty small potatoes.

And truth be told, I enjoy these moments. 

– It wasn't me, everyone!

– Oh, who I kidding? It totally me!

*stuff stuff stuff* *giggle*

Hey... 'dat look like fun, brother! I think I take some notes.

– So I can do 'dis.

– And whatever 'dis is.

• • • • • • •

"Whatever 'dis is" turned into 15 minutes of making clouds and snow and seagulls and just about anything else a 2 year old imagination could dream up to make out of Kleenex.

Watching them play with those ill-gotten tissues was a delight, but also a timely reminder of some posting that I've been meaning to get to – namely the often-mentioned-but-never-blogged-about "Great Tse-Tse Capers". 

Last December I never would have imagined that this humble box: 

Combined with this very hallway: 

... would be the impetus for not only the first of many "Great Tse-Tse Capers", but also the birthplace of my boys' first twin-speak word: "tse-tse"*.

And although I have referred to (and will continue to do so) incidences of tse-tse's as "The Great Tse-Tse Capers", not all tse-tse's are, in fact, capers. I was however already calling them that before I decoded what a "tse-tse" really is and truth be told 95% of the tse-tse's that happen at the OP are capers of one sort or another. I don't see that changing any time soon so the title stands, but truly a tse-tse is as follows:

Tse-tse 

– noun 

1. any mutual undertaking where hilarity is the end result. 

• • • • • • • 

– I is thinking 'bout making up a word right now.

– Funny you mention 'dat. I is thinking same thing.

– I think I call 'dis one "tse-tse".

– Is like you reading my mind brother. Oh wait... you is!

• • • • • • •

Of course, this post would be nearly meaningless without a video, so I posted one on our YouTube™ channel.

Special highlights include liberal use of the term "tse-tse!" (of course), as well as Seth sampling the flavors of this particular tse-tse at the 2:05 mark (at which point it's clear that intentional hilarity is not necessarily the exclusive domain of the tse-tse purveyors if you catch my drift). 

- L. 

*I hadn't a clue what was going on at the time, or that "tse-tse" would become such a big part of our vernacular at the OP. To be honest, I wasn't really even paying much attention to what they were saying at the time since it just sounded like toddler gibberish. It was only long after the fact that it became clear that "tse-tse" was a real (albeit made-up) word with meaning.

PS. This and this were likely the early iterations of this particular caper, but my boys were still working hard on saying "UP!" at the time (former) or things like "book", "apple" and "baby" (latter). In all fairness, they probably needed to get a few legit words under their belts before they branched out on their own.

Typical Teenager

As many of you know, Squirtle turned 14 last Thursday. What you (and I for that matter) didn't know was that he decided to skip town to celebrate his big day and he shanghaied Padrin in the bargain.

Squirtle is still sleeping off his poutine binge, but Padrin has apparently been trying to leave a message in comments for you all weekend without success and asked me to post the following:

Thanks for all the love everyone! Squirtle and I went to Montreal for the weekend to check out my friend play his beats at Mutek. We ate some Montreal style bagels, smoked meat sandwiches from Schwartz and of course poutine. Now it is time for Squirtle and I to go on a diet. 

Lots of love,  

Squirtle & Padrin 

Gotta watch out for those teenagers Padrin – another two years and that Squirtle will be asking you for a car. Don't say I didn't warn you.

- L.

Warning: Lack Of "Cahs" May Lead To "Itchy Nose"

"Itchy nose!" tied with "Kiss a bonk!" for the #2 spot on the list of my Top 5 least favorite sayings currently in use at the OP, mainly due to the sheer volume of times per day I hear either, and often both in the manner of "Itchy nose and bonk!".

Still, I never said it wasn't cute.

I shot some video of the boys a few weeks ago* because they were not only doing one of their favorite morning routines (jumping on their beds), but were also having a grand time reciting their numbers and alphabets. Of course, by the time I thought to myself, "Hey – maybe this would be a good time to grab the camera" things were already winding down.

Yes, the new video on our YouTube™ channel is the "winding down" version. Still, it yielded some unexpected things as I've found videos and pics often do around here.

If I was making an "honorable mention list" to go with the "Top 5 Best and Worst" list, I think the following probably would have made the cut:

"Turn offa lights!" and "Go play cahs!"**.

As for the new video, "Itchy nose!" makes an appearance at the end, and illustrates my point pretty clearly about the very serious nature of it all.

Truth: I spent at least a few weeks actually quite concerned that both of my sons had some kind of allergies before I cottoned on that "itchy nose" is strictly for the attention that's in it.

Also truth: I still come running with the very real tissues for all that "itchy nose" fakery every time.

- L.

*In the video, Seth is still visibly sporting the same black eye I posted about here and here, but no worries – his eye looks perfectly regular once again and has for some time now.

**"Turn offa lights!" is more of a Nate-ism, while "Go play cahs!" is entirely a Seth saying. Both my boys are pretty obsessed with cars, but it's Seth alone who greets me in the morning with "Go play cahs!" on a loop until I produce said "cahs". "Turn offa lights" is used interchangeably by everyone at this point to mean both "on" and "off". We're still working on this one.

Speaking of "Turn offa lights!" though, remember this post? Both my boys can both now reach the light switch in their room without the boxes. Three months and apparently they've grown at least as many inches.

*sigh*