Arguing?

I could hear Ethan and Olivia arguing in the backseat of the car. Then Olivia said, "I'm just not going to argue with you!"
Ethan responded, "It's not arguing if I'm right!"
Now that's a firstborn statement if I've ever heard one!

Olivia

As we were getting into the car to head to my parents' house, Olivia, in all her dress-up apparel and accessories said, "I'm prepared for the journey."
Ethan responded, "Livi, I feel like you are always prepared for a journey, but it's just not the journey that we are on."
I've never heard Olivia described so accurately!

Ethan's Thought to Ponder

As our cat Zoey was cuddled up on Ethan's lap, he said, "I wish I knew what it was like to cuddle up on my lap." Then that got us thinking. You'll never know what it's like to sit on your own lap. Hmmmm....

The Day I Lost Ethan

I thought I better document this story, so we can always remember it. It was by far the scariest moment of my life. During the summer when Ethan was home during the day, I would sometimes let him and Olivia watch TV and play downstairs during nap time. I would travel up and down the stairs to keep an eye on everyone during that time. Well, during one of my "checks" on Ethan and Olivia I noticed that Olivia had fallen asleep on the couch. I didn't see Ethan, but I noticed a lump on my bed and figured that he had decided to take a nap there. I smiled to myself and quietly headed upstairs to check on the daycare kids. While I was feeding a baby, Olivia came upstairs. I asked if Ethan was awake, and she said she didn't see him. I went to check on him only to realize that the lump I saw on my bed earlier was just a bunched up blanket. It wasn't Ethan. I checked all the rooms downstairs, but I couldn't find him. I thought maybe he had crept upstairs when I was busy with the baby, so I checked everywhere upstairs. I still couldn't find him. I started shouting his name as I checked every room and closet. He was nowhere to be found! I opened the front and back door, still shouting his name. Nothing! Now I was starting to panic. First I was sad and scared that my baby was missing. Then I started to realize how bad this really looked for me! How was I going to explain that I lost a 6-year-old in a basement? There is no way he could have left the house without me knowing. He just completely vanished! I'm sure the cops would understand that, right?! I called Josh in tears and told him that I lost Ethan. I explained the whole situation to him and he said he would head home immediately. I went downstairs again crying and shaking uncontrollably. I started screaming him name as I threw pillows off of the couch. Then as I lifted one pillow, a curled up little 6-year-old body plopped down onto the cushion. I ran up the stairs and called Josh to tell him that he didn't need to come home. I had found Ethan behind some pillows on the couch! Then it hit me. Why didn't he wake up when I was screaming? Oh my gosh, he's dead! While still on the phone with Josh, I ran downstairs and put my hand on Ethan's back. Movement. He's still alive! But I watched him for another minute just to be sure. He was still breathing, so I went upstairs to take care of the daycare kids, who probably thought their daycare provider had lost her marbles! It was still another hour before Ethan came upstairs. I asked him, "Do you know what happened today?"
He replied, "What? I didn't take a nap!"

Deep Thoughts About Birds' Morals

While on a walk this weekend, we spotted a robin's egg shell on the sidewalk. We stopped to look at it and then went on our way. A few blocks later Ethan said, "Mom, how do birds get married?"
After much thought, I answered, "Well, I don't really think birds get married. Only humans get married."
Ethan asked, "Then how is there a mom and a dad? There are mom and dad birds, you know. How can there be a mom and dad if they aren't married?"
I gave a G-rated response about males fertilizing the eggs that females lay, and birds working together to care for the eggs they created. Then thankfully the subject was changed.
As Ethan grows, his questions seem to be getting more and more difficult to answer! I can't imagine what's next!

Thinking of Hawks in a Whole New Way!

On our way to Ames last weekend, Josh was asking the kids about a bird they saw. Ethan said, "I think it's a virgin of a hawk."
Josh and I both said, "What!?!"
Ethan repeated himself. Yes, that's what he said alright. It took me a few seconds, but then I said, "Oh, you think it's a version of a hawk?"
Ethan said, "Yeah, a version of a hawk."

He Really has an Answer for Everything

I can't quite remember what we were talking about, but I remember telling Ethan, "I sure hope you don't do that in school."
To which he responded, "No, I would never do that to Mrs. Koenen. I love her."
I said, "You love Mrs. Koenen? That's nice."
He replied, "Of course. I love everyone."
Just wondering what his answer might be, I asked, "So then why are you mean sometimes?"
Without missing a beat, he said, "Well, we're all sinners."

Little Hoarder!

Ethan's room is full of clutter. He loves to save everything....old school papers, wrappers, rocks, the Spanish handbook for my new camera, etc. I had to draw the line a few nights ago when I saw an empty toilet paper roll on the floor. I went to throw it away, and he shouted, "Don't throw that away, I need that."
I asked, "What for? Do you have a project in mind?"
He responded, "No, but I might need it someday."
Then just this morning I found a sock with a hole in the toe. He heard me throw it away and said, "Why are you throwing that away. I could use it for something."
Is there a hoarders show for Kindergartners?

It's Not What You Think!

While walking to the car after Olivia's dance class a couple days ago, Ethan and Olivia were singing the famous, "Step on a crack, you'll break your mother's back."
Then Ethan jumped onto the grass and said, "Step on the grass, and you love your mother....."
I bet you're all thinking what I was thinking, but no, he said...
"Soooo much!"

Facebook

Recently, I showed Ethan a neat picture. He looked at it and said, "Cool! If I had Facebook, I would totally like that!"

First Love Note

I pulled this out of Ethan's school bag the other day, and asked, "What's this?"

Ethan rushed over, pulled it out of my hand, and stated, "That's mine!"

Thankfully I was able to get it back long enough to at least make a copy to have on display on their wedding day!