Little things

Here are some of the kids' funny mispronunciations, sayings, and doings:

Asher:
"Let's give Asher a big round of a-claws!"

Charlotte:
"Girl Spout" cookie

I also know that I have totally spoiled them- at least once a week, I make homemade pancakes. White whole wheat flour, buttermilk, sometimes blueberries or strawberries. Well, the kids told me they like Miss Kate's (their enrichment teacher) better. And hers? Bisquick from a box.

Charlotte has asked me to play pretend with her. She wants me to pretend that I am a baby, and she can be the mommy or daddy. I pretend to cry and then she says, "here, baby, want to watch something on my phone?" and she hands me my old, non-digital camera from the 1990s.  Eric and I have gotten a good laugh out how the kids don't even know what a camera with film is.  In addition to the fact that Charlotte things parenting means handing over your phone.

When Charlotte learned about President's Day at school, I asked her what she had learned. She told me, "We learned about the Presidents... but we only got time to talk about the boy ones."  Then I felt a little sad that one day she will learn that there weren't any girl presidents to talk about, and that in general, women don't have the same chances for success that men do.

Speaking of presidents, or the presidential race, I have a small obsession with Donald Trump. I like to read the NY Times online and then begin to huff and puff about the things he says.  I must do it a lot, because now Benjamin talks about Donald Trump.  When I asked if Benjamin knew who Donald Trump is, he said, "I know he is a mean guy!" I guess my political leanings have come across.

Benjamin has been enjoying basketball, but he seems to have inherited my athletic ability. When he was guarding other people while playing, he held his hands in the air and did the hokey pokey and paid no attention to the actual game. As a result, the ball sailed over his head and into the stands. 2 seconds later, when the ball again came his way, he didn't make any attempt to catch it, and instead it hit him square on the forehead.  Next up: T-ball.

We got a Passover "cootie catcher" in the mail (we get a book every month from a company called PJ Library, it is free Jewish books), and inside of it are things like, "When we sing 'Dayenu' at the Passover seder, we are giving thanks. What is something you say thank you for?" But Charlotte only wants us to read the one that says, "The Jews had to flee Egypt in a hurry. How quickly can you run to the other side of the room?" and then she will run across (or around) the room. But every time, we have to go through all the steps to get to the inside- no short-cuts.