Pumpkin Carving

We were so excited about how this turned out, I had to share. Mariska didn't like the sound of the little saw we used but once we got the seeds out and separated them from the goop she loved to put her hands in them. Kids are funny. We have never carved pumpkins before and we decided to do something fun with this one. Hope you all have a great Halloween. Be safe.

The things kids do and say

So I have been meaning to write some of this stuff down and I figured it would be fun to share. As Mariska is coming up on two her not so little personality is really starting to shine. She has done some really cute and funny things.
We have been teaching Mariska how to sign. I wasn't going to keep doing it but since that is what I am going to be doing at school I figure why stop. She is a pro at signing please (rubbing your hand on your chest in a circle.) She has even started to say please. Gail (John's mom) has a bag of chocolate chips in her office. Mariska every day goes in and says please to grandma who then puts her on the desk and gives her two chocolate chips. Mariska then gives Gail a hug and a kiss. It is really cute. The other day she went in and Gail was working. Mariska tugged on the chair and when Gail turned around to pick her up she asked her "What do you say?" Her hands were under Mariska's armpits so when Mariska went to sign please she couldn't quite reach her chest so in stead she reached out and rubbed Gail's chest and said please. At least she is being polite.
Sunday I was in the bedroom laying down. John was in the living room and Mariska was being really quiet in the kitchen. John asked her what she was doing. She walked into the living room and lifted up her shirt and said "OHHHH" (something we say when we are talking about something pretty.) She had taken a pen to her belly. The funny thing is that it's all my fault. John is going to be Popeye for Halloween and I wanted to see if my eyeliner would work for drawing a tattoo on his arm. Mariska watched this and wanted me to draw on her arm. I know I know, not to smart on my part.
Riska loves her baby dolls and can be found with them all the time. She has started something new though. She likes to throw them on the ground. The first time she did I told her that's not nice. To my surprise she repeated me word for word and it was incredibly clear. The funny part now she throws the dolls on the floor just say afterward "That's not nice."
Holly (John's sister) and her girls were over a couple days ago. they were trying to get Mariska to say there names. Allie who is 14 (I think) asked Mariska to say her name and Mariska insisted on calling her mom. I thought it was funny how insistent Mariska was. Anytime Allie would say, "No I am Allie" Mariska would look at her and say mom.
I have two more funny kid things but it comes from my nephew's and niece's. Joshua (my sister's oldest) would call me up on the phone just to tell my that I was a goober. I would insist that he was the goober and it would go from there. Jimmy (John's brother's oldest) has taken to telling me that I am a Hoot every time I see him. At the last family get together he called Allie a Hulahoot, which to me is super funny. I think the next time I see him i will call him an Uber hoot and see how that goes.
Again Holly and the girls were over and John came down stairs where Livie(8) and Maddie(10 I think) were. As he walked through the door he asked Livie "What's up chicken Butt?"Livie didn't particularly like the name chicken butt so she started to call John "Johnny-thong." The first time she did it I about fell out of my chair I thought it was so funny. John didn't like his name either so they made a truce that they would no longer call each other those names.
Kids You got to love them. If you have any funny kid stories put them down.

Grandparents

Yesterday I was working in the kitchen and Mariska was with me playing and doing her thing. I gave her a bottled water and went back to the bread I was making. As soon as I turned my back she did what I suppose any two year old would do and dumped the entire water bottle on the floor. Since this is not the first time this has happened (you think I would learn) I told Mariska to go to time out. She marched right to the corner and stood there for all of two seconds and then came back out and down the hall. I wanted her to stay there until I got the water cleaned up and I could talk with her about it. I told her again to go to time out and she did the same thing walked there stood in the corner two seconds and started down the hall. I finally got everything cleaned up (while telling her over and over again to go to time out with the same reaction from her) and had my little chat with her about pouring water on the floor. Bet you are wondering were I am going with this. Last night while we sitting at the dinner table Jim (my father-in-law) came and told me that he found the whole water and timeout situation so funny he actually had to walk away from the hall so Mariska (or I for that matter) didn't see him laughing. So I guess my question to you is why is everything so darn funny to our parents when it is not that funny to us? Is it because they have already experienced it and know what it feels like? I have called my mom several times asking her to remind me that we are supposed to love our children no matter what they have done to my wall, or my couch, or my brand new shirt, or my Piano bench. She will ask what Mariska had done and after I tell her what my wonderful daughter did she laughs and laughs. I know that some things I will look back on and think "hey that was funny" even if it is not funny now because it has already started to happen. I know this probably sounds like I am complaining, I'm not. I find it funny myself and am wondering if everyone's parents are like this or is it just mine and my husbands.