That’s what Katie said when we asked her to get up but this was happening. This dog has become a major lap whore—she literally follows you around and waits until you sit in this chair. She sat next to me at the computer this morning until I got up and moved to my chair.
Charlie only lasted about two minutes being pulled around, but that was longer than I predicted!
Katie was trying something new for dinner. We always ask for a thumbs up, thumbs sideways, or thumbs down.
Katie: I wish I had three thumbs so I could put three thumbs up.
One of Katie’s chores is to feed the cats. I noticed this morning that their bowl was empty.
Me: Katie, the kitties need food.
Katie: Aww, I’m sorry little one.
Owen was telling us about the fun run [the boys were the spectators while the girls ran, and vice versa].
Katie: All the ladies had to get claps from the boys.
I told Katie she may have to take a nap to catch up on some of her sleep.
Katie: So I have to put ketchup on my eyes?
I asked Katie to fill the pets water bowl. She was excited.
Katie: Owen! Look what I get to do for the first time. Omigosh. I get to put in kitty cat water.
So Katie is pissed at me because I turned off the TV because she was being rude. Her response? Whining loudly: “You hate me. You don’t want me in the family anymore!”
Heaven help me during her teenage years if she’s already acting like this at 4.
Every once in awhile I try to teach Katie some basic language stuff like letter sounds or how to spell basic words. Today I was trying AT (since we just did it the other day at a friend’s house) so AT. BAT. CAT. She did AT but cannot (or most likely just won’t because she’s being stubborn) manage any other AT combinations. I quickly lose patience because she just squawks that she can’t do it but I know she can because she’s smart.
Me: At. A-T. Bat. B-A-T. Cat. C-A-T. Mat. How do you spell mat?
Katie: …W?
Me: Does W make the mmm sound?
Katie: Life is getting horrible for me.
She won’t even spell CAT immediately after I do.
Me: Cat. C-A-T.
Katie: C……Z?
Me: 😐
And she gives up too easily:
Me: Katie, repeat after me. C-A-T.
Katie: C-A-T
Me: B-A-T
Katie: B-A-T
Me: Mat
Katie, whining: I can’t.
I posted to Facebook and there was a rousing set of comments, which basically consisted of “Yep, same here. That’s why I let the teachers deal with it” and “She’ll do it when she’s ready.”
We were going to a bowling birthday party.
Owen: I hope I get a strike. [pause] What’s a strike again?
The kids were playing go fish all on their own.
Owen: Do you have a 6?
Katie: No. Go to the fish area.
Me: Katie, when did you become a big kid?
Katie: Ugh. Mom. At grandma’s.
Me: At Gram—???
Katie: WHEN I TURNED FOUR.
Katie: Mama, I love this kitty.
Owen: Katie why are you reading my book?
Katie: I’M NOT! I’m just looking at it. I don’t know how to read yet.
Gramma was teaching Owen and Katie a new card game that involved matching suits and counting.
Katie: Let’s play plain. Without construction.
Gramma Jean was coloring with Owen and Katie. Owen was complimenting Katie.
Owen: Wow, Katie. You’re doing such a good job. You’re staying inside the lines. I’ve never seen a 4yo color so good.
Katie: I know, right?
At the airport, I told Katie that dad got her chicken fingers because that’s all they had.
Katie: Are you serious? I can’t handle chicken fingers.
Tom parked at one of the Pentagon lots near the metro (but not at the metro) so the three of us walked to the metro station while he walked over to meet us. This is walking through the Pentagon bus depot.
On the metro!
Katie: “This is fuuuun!”
Since we had two hours to kill at the airport, I dropped a Lure. 🙂
This may look like a lot of stuff, but we normally drive and take four times as much stuff! This time? We each have a carry on and personal bag.
They’re more than ready!!
First plane ride selfies!
Our route! I liked this plane—it was newer so had touch screens, movies or TV to watch (free), and multiple USB charging outlets per seat!
Owen was amazed by the outside temperature (-74°F if you can’t see it).
Owen read all the way so he could do less homework at the condo (he finished two books!). 🙂
After snacks it was time for drawing!
Then we switched planes (and kids!) in Atlanta…so I got Katie.
Gum for takeoff. She was super excited as she rarely gets gum. 🙂
Katie, looking out the window as the plane was climbing: “I can see the world.” 🙂
Tom, to Katie: I’m glad you like flying.
Katie: Totally awesome.
Katie: I don’t feel good.
Tom: What’s wrong?
Katie: The boogers are in the way.
We bought Katie a carry-on for an upcoming plane trip. She has been rolling it around the house ever since, filling it up, emptying it out, and playing with it non-stop. When she goes to bed, Owen starts playing with it.
Me: Why do you guys like suitcases so much?
Owen: Let’s just say this. We like suitcases.
Katie got dressed on her own and came in to show us.
Tom: You look like a thousand bucks.
Katie: I’m not for sale!
We were out running errands and Katie asked if I was just going to go in. Tom joked he would just toss me out of the car.
Katie: Noooo! She’ll break everything on her. She’ll break her bones.
We went to the craft show again this year…and had cookies and crafts with Santa. Friends of ours were there so they did candy cane crafts together (that’s Keegan next to Owen, his younger brother Garrett and younger sister Shiela on either side of Katie).
Owen was okay with seeing Santa and talking to him…but he did NOT want to sit on his lap.
Katie was fine with Santa.
They were taking pictures, too…but none turned out that great.
The only picture where Owen was looking our way.
Katie: Mom, Owen answered the bonus question!
Me: Bonus question? What was it?
Owen: Santa asked what daddy wanted for Christmas.
Me: What did you tell him?
Owen: For Michigan State to be better!
So I was cooking in the kitchen and the kids are playing when I hear “Go tell my mom I’m dead.” 😂
Tom was playing with Katie and throwing her around. When he put her down, she screeched: Daddy! I just drooled on your pants!
An Amazon package arrived and I took a peek. It was something for me from Santa.
Katie: I want to see.
Me: Sorry, you can’t.
Katie: I want to see what’s in the box.
Me: Maybe it’s a Christmas present for you.
Katie: I won’t look. Open the box.
Me: No. Stop asking. I’m not opening it.
Katie: PLEASE?!
Me: No.
Katie: I promise I won’t look!
Me: I am not opening the box.
Katie: I want to see it.
Me: I AM NOT SHOWING YOU WHATS IN THE BOX. PLEASE STOP ASKING.
Katie: I promise I’ll be good.
Me: Being good doesn’t matter. I’m not opening the box.
Katie: Please I want to see it.
Me: NO!
Katie: Mom please?!
Me: No. If you ask me one more time you get a time out for not listening.
Katie: I want to see in the box.
Me: TIME OUT.
And even that wasn’t the end of it. It ended with much more asking, whining, and her being sent to her room.
Happy holidays?!
Katie was playing and she came over and said: Mom, I’m moving into a new place. I packed all my toys and dolls.And all my winter stuff. My Christmas stuff. And my stuffed animals and my costumes. And my phone to play Pokemon. We’re going to live with Grandma Jean. And my kids and my dogs.
Katie: I know what toenails are. They’re at the end of your feet.
Every time we go to the grocery store she asks to ride in the car cart. It’s a big ol’ pain in the ass because it’s so big and awkward so I always say no. But daddy was with us today and he’s a big ol’ pushover. So they played while I shopped. You could hear them halfway across the store, I swear, with as loud as the cart is and her screeching like crazy!
So then this happened:
Katie: Mom, can I roll the dice on Charlie?
Me: Sure.
It was a chilly day so I had Katie put leg warmers on for ballet. We got to her class and her teacher commented on them.
Katie: Yep, I’ve got my warm leggers on.
A single deer ran across the road. Owen wondered aloud if he was alone because he didn’t have a family.
Katie: Maybe if we were deer we could be his family.
We’re listening to Christmas music.
Owen: Katie, do you like Christmas?
Katie: I do. And I like bagels, too.
Shopping at Costco:
Katie: Mama, when we’re done checking out I want to sit on that tractor.
Plus I had a B1G1 coupon. 🙂
Spaghetti face is a bit easier to see than her typical macaroni and cheese messy face.
“Mama! Take another picture!”
We were at the neighbor’s house and they have lots of little pumpkins so Katie created her own pumpkin store.
Twist my arm. 🙂
Katie: Mom! Look! This is like Owen!
(I’m surprised she remembered that picture—it was months ago.)
Katie: And Uncle Rob has earrings. And pirates have earrings.
Me: Is Uncle Rob a pirate?
Katie: Yes! And he probably has a pirate costume, too.
Tom: You’ll always be Katie’s big brother.
Owen: Of course.
Yes, I’ve said no more stuffed animals…but we were making a quick trip to IKEA and walked by a random shelf and there was a single moose there (which someone had obviously left there). Katie took him with us because she felt bad he was all alone. (Awwww, I know.) Then she proceeded to carry him around and fall in love with him. And he was cute. And she was adorable with him. So we gave her the ultimate test: we asked if it would replace her mouse (at bedtime) and she said yes. Whoa. And she is damn cute.
She then wanted to jump off the play structure that’s 6′ off the ground (that level behind her head). I told her it was too high and she might get hurt.
“No. I’ll just brush off my hands like this.” 😳
So I compromised and held her hand as she jumped. She still fell on her butt, bumped her knee, and was covered in wood chips…but she did it!
Tom was out Pokémoning with the kids and Katie had the phone. They were headed away from where she needed to be to catch some balls when he heard from the backseat:
I do not know where I’m going.
Katie has been wearing her tap shoes all day (she LOVES them). The kids were going to put their Halloween costumes on to show uncle Rob on their weekly Skype call. As she was walking to get her costume, I heard her mutter:
Katie: Pikachu is not going to have any tap shoes on.
Katie: Crumbs grow in my eyes when I go to sleep at night.
Owen completed a dribbling drill during soccer practice and I heard him ask the coach: Did you see my moves?
We went out to eat after soccer practice. Katie called my Pomegranate Margarita “a big bowl of drink.”
Katie was so excited to be waiting for him. As soon as she saw him she was yelling “Owen!! Owen!! OWEN!!”
He did say hi to her…
And then he saw daddy and bypassed her without a second thought. 🙂
Katie had wanted to put on her matching shirt for him (if you recall, she had her ballerina skirt on this morning).
While I was getting ready in the bathroom after showering:
Katie: Mooom! Come try to find me! I’m under the covers! On your side!
Tom scared Katie when he walked in the door and was telling us about it when Katie interjected: And he scared my life!
This is what we saw after Katie’s bath: Mama! Just look at them!
The adults had wings and garlic bread, the kids had pizza, and we all had s’mores!
“Mama! Look! I’m in jail!”
Me: Katie, you did a great job. I’m proud of you. And you have pretty clean teeth!
Katie: But I still have crunchy teeth.
At Costco, I wanted to take a picture of this for Tom.
Owen, opening the drawer and posing: On sale 20% off today!
We were at the pool and Owen asked for the handgun. Wait. What?! Oh, Hank gun. 🙂
I liked mine so much I hunted down a pair in her size. She was SO excited to get a package…and even more excited to see what they were. She wanted to put them on immediately but I made her wait until after dinner. And then I put mine on, too.
“I love being twins!”
Me: Do you kids want to recreate this?
Owen: Sure!
Katie: No.
But she did it anyway. 🙂
