Things Remembered

Kevin and Cade have so many things that they enjoy doing together as father and son stuff like wrestling, playing video games, watching cartoons, and watching football games. So in an effort to further my relationship with Cade, I’ve decided we need something that he and I do together that he will remember when he gets older and can really appreciate. I’ve determined we are going to pick a charity each month and in someway contribute to that charity whether it be volunteering or donating something that we have. I told Cade of my idea and explained what sort of things we would be doing. I told him I wanted him to go through his old toys and pick out the ones he no longer plays with anymore and we would take them to united way. I want him to experience how it feels to do a selfless act in the effort to make someone else feel better. I explained that when a mother and/or child are in an abusive situation and have to leave their home, they usually come to a shelter with only the clothes on their backs. I told him that his toys would be going to these kids who left their toys behind. He was so excited. I was proud of him and how mature he is at times. This Saturday we are actually going to work at a soup kitchen together. We are both thrilled to be spending time together and getting the comfort of helping others in return as well.

What is she saying?

Emma says things sometimes that are far from normal chit chat for a 2 year old. We constantly dote on how smart and talkative she seems to be. Counting to ten, singing along to twinkle twinkle little star, bossing everyone around saying “no brodder (brother) no mam that’s Emma’s ganget (blanket)” or my all time favorite “no mommy, that’s dadoo’s remote”. She is talking like crazy. She may not say everything correctly, but for the most part she gets things across to you. Until this past weekend, I was decorating our Christmas tree... yes I was decorating my Christmas tree in the middle of November. I’m an adult. I can put up my Christmas tree whenever I want. Besides who’s decision was it that there is such a thing as too early to put up your Christmas tree? Anyway, I was decorating my tree when Emma comes up to me and says “Mommy I kill you”……………….. Hmmm…surely I heard that wrong. “What honey?” “I kill you mommy.” Okay maybe I need some help with this one. “Kevin! Can you come here a minute?” “Okay tell Mommy again baby” “I kill you Mommy.” So I asked Kevin what he thought. As I’m sure any other wonderful husband would respond… “sounds like she’s going to kill you.” Before calling the exorcist, I pondered and pondered. I asked Emma to repeat over and over what she was saying. It couldn’t be what I was hearing. I don’t even know where she would hear something like that. Then the following day while home sick feeling like I had been hit by a Mack truck, she starts again “I kill you Mommy” while pointing to a Santa ornament on the Christmas tree. I picked her up went towards the tree and she started freaking out like she was scared. I said “does that Santa scare you?” She shook her head yes and said “Uh huh, I kill you” Ohhhh! Not I kill you… I scare you. I feel so much better. I called off the exorcist and cancelled the order of holy water. Deciphering toddler language is difficult at times.