I love how kids interpret things

Today after Max and Cory got out of the shower, I told Max I would help him get dressed. He said he wanted Daddy to help him (as always). Then he said, "But first he has to put on his Garlic Undies." (Garment undies.)

Donut Ding has another pal

Xander has an imaginary friend too. His name is zip-eh-AY-eh. He first started saying Zipehayeh when he first started learning to sing songs but didn't know the words, then in the past few months, that became his imaginary friend. As we asked him more about this friend, we found out he was a little animal the size of a fly, that flies around and comes with us whenever we go somewhere in the car. He got Zipehayeh at a Zipehayeh store (of course) which is usually somewhere in our house, and he bought one for Jeff, Cailia, and me at the store. He also scares away monsters for Xander at night when he's scared.

I already wrote about some of the jokes he likes to tell, but there's a new one that I probably can't write well enough to get the full effect, but I'll try. "A horse walks into a bar and the bar falls on his head (while bonking himself on the head with his hand) and he hurts himself... WHY THE LONG FACE!"

Lydia

This is from Cathy, I thought I'd post it for her:

Here's a funny thing I heard Lydia say last night. She had been asking me to read her piles of books all day (as usual) and last night she brought a paper to me and asked me to write Lydia "Steinbook"! I had never noticed her pronunciation of our last name before! It certainly is appropriate for her!

one more...

Every time Diego finds money he yells "cash back!" and puts it in his pocket.

p.s.

Diego just informed me that Donut Ding went home. I asked where he lives, and he said "far-o-far away in Germany!" Keep an eye...or ear...or 6th sense out for him Jen. :)

Jiminy Cricket has a new pal

I forgot about this blog! So I'll try to catch up on a few cute and funny things about D and E:

I know a few of you had imaginary friends, but I don't remember having one myself. Diego has had one for a while now, I think since we moved in here. It's fun to see how he plays with his "friend", and to remember Shelly playing with Jiminy Cricket. Especially because he came up with it all on his own. Diego's friends name is Donut Ding. Every few weeks Diego announces "Donut Ding is here!" Then for the rest of the day he tells me when Donut Ding needs food or toys (generally things Diego wants more of for himself :).) They've been playing Blue's Clues together today.
Yesterday Diego told me he wanted to make Jell-o cookies. I laughed and asked him how to make them. He said (with huge hand actions and lots of jumping) "first you mix it up all together, then you toss it in the air, then you put it in a pan, then you cook it."
Eva took about 3 steps last Wednesday, and has been doing more every day. I love those wobbly first steps. She's the type that tries to get as many steps in as fast as she can before she falls. I think she's up to about 7 now. It's so exciting, but a little bittersweet. I miss my baby, especially because she's always been so eager to grow up. I used to think she looked just like Joe's family, but she's getting curls in back and I think she looks like some of Liz's baby pictures.
Sarah (landlord upstairs) told me yesterday that their hometeacher (also in our ward) was talking to them about Eva (not realizing we lived downstairs). He told them he normally doesn't think he wants another baby, but every sunday when he sees that baby up front with the dark brown eyes and big smile he starts to get "baby hungry." It's so fun to have a beautiful baby who makes everyone at church smile! (I know you all know what I'm talking about!)

Xander's Jokes

A few days ago, Xander told me he loved me, so I said "I love you too." Then he thought for a minute and said "I love you three!" with a big grin. I laughed and told him that was a good joke. He realized it gets a good reaction, so he says it all the time now (along with a few other jokes we've taught him), so Jeff said it back to him and he said "That's my joke, Daddy. Get your own jokes!"

Sassy Max

Today I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. As I was making them, I was telling Cory about how Mom used to get out the cutting board and line up the bread slices to make 5+ at a time. I said, "It's pretty crazy." A couple of minutes later, when we were still talking about sandwiches, Max said, "Your mom's crazy." (Sorry, Mom. Happy Mother's Day!)

A few minutes ago, Max was sitting up to the bar eating a snack. I decided to sit down next to him. As soon as I sat down he looked at me and said. "That's Clifford's seat. Move it Mom!"

Xander's Nicknames

This isn't so much a funny story about Xander, as the latest list of the nicknames he has for me. He calls me Mom or Mommy from time to time, but a few months ago he started calling me Kristi (as most 2 year olds eventually try out). Then I told him my full name was Kristina, so he started calling me Kristinina (not a typo). Then one day he asked me if I was Mimi, and not knowing what he meant, I said "Yep, I'm Mimi." So now he calls me Mimi all the time too, although I still don't know what that means, and I'm not sure he does either. Then a couple days ago I guess he heard Jeff call me Babe-eh (I don't know how you would really spell that), and now he calls me that too. It's so funny to hear him yell that when he's calling for me. He's such a funny kid.

Funny Josh Quote

Today Josh, Bekah and I were in the pediatrician's office. I asked another mom in the office how old her daughter was. She responded that she was 21 months old. Then Josh asked me how old Bekah was and I told him she's 26 months old. To which he replied "Yeah, but in real life she's 2."

Another one from a while ago:
Josh and Caleb were eating muffins and Caleb started making a mess with the crumbs. I told him, "Caleb, use your head!" A few minutes later when Josh was done, I asked him if he was finished and he said "Yes, but I didn't use my head, I used my hands." joshua. (He just typed his name for fun.)

Max's honesty

For the last couple of months, Max has been getting up early. Since Cory is usually getting ready for work, he lets Max get in the shower with him so I can sleep in a little longer. This morning though, Max was busy playing with his toys when Cory was ready to get in. When Cory asked if he wanted to get in, Max said, "No. That's not fun for me any more."

Also

I usually sing songs to Max before he goes to bed. A couple of weeks ago I went in his room to sing him songs and he told me he didn't want me to sing, but he wanted me to "just talk." I asked him what he wanted me to talk about and he couldn't really think of anything. So I suggested Nephi. I started by saying, "Nephi was a good boy, huh Max." And he said, "Yah. He didn't scream and he didn't go pee pee in his pants." (Obviously the things Max has been struggling with.)

Carter's silent protest

Nate and I always go in and peek on our boys when they're asleep, right before we go to bed. Last Thursday they'd had a bit of a rough time going to bed (kept turning on the light and jumping on their beds, etc.) and Nate had to go in and discipline them. We were both sort of feeling bad about it when we went in to check on them, but discovered that Carter has his own way to protest the "Mom & Dad regime": he was deep asleep and completely naked! He was lying modestly on his side so only his bum was showing and his pajamas and diaper were dropped to the side of his bed. I guess he showed us! What he doesn't know is that I thought it was so cute, I couldn't help but take a picture. (Mom & Dad regime= 1, Carter= 0) Boy, he'll love it when he's 16 and we pull that out and show it to his dates.

Kid Quotes

From Kristi:

I have a funny Xander story that just happened a few minutes ago. Jeff's dad was here and gave us some money to take the kids out to do something fun. I was telling Xander some of the fun things we could do and I said we could take you to Jungle Jim's or that Kagaroo place in Orem (a new kids place with tons of bouncy toys to jump and slide on), and Xander said, "Or you could buy me a Kangaroo!"

I have a funny one that Xan said a couple weeks ago though. One morning he woke up crying so I went in to see what was wrong. When I asked him, he said crying "I heard someone say Quack! And that maked me sad." Then he thought and cried a little more and then said "Maybe it was a duck." It was so hard for me to be understanding and console him without laughing!

From Liz:

So here are a couple that I remembered about Tori. I should warn you the second one's a bit graphic. A week ago Sunday we were sitting on one of the side benches in Sacrament meeting and Tori kept standing up on the hymn books in the holders in the bench in front of us and I kept telling her to get down. Then she started to climb up on the molding on the wall next to us looking for a spot to put her hands so she could keep climbing up. I pulled her down and told her that I think it makes Jesus happy when we sit quietly in Sacrament meeting and she grinned and said "No, Jesus wants me to climb!"

Yesterday Tori was wearing underwear in church for the first time. Tori was sitting there in Sacrament meeting kind of feeling her underwear and said excitedly to me (and not quiet enough) "Mom, there's a hole in my bum!" I immediately got out a wipe to clean her finger and she started saying (not quiet enough) "there's not poop on my finger!" over and over again, as I turned very red.

From Barb:

Here's one that Kai said today. He was helping me puree strawberries for fruit leather and as I was handing him strawberries, he was moving his hands up and down like he was juggling something invisible while he sort of chanted/sang, "spiders juggaling juggaling juggaling, spiders juggaling juggaling . . . ". (I spelled that how he pronounced it, instead of how it should be spelled) I asked him where he heard that and he said he just made it up, then he told me, "spiders juggle when no one's looking."

From Rob:

Ryan has been asking many questions recently about what things are appropriate to do on the Sabbath. My simple answer has been that we go by the guidance of the Spirit. Now he is asking me how I feel inside about various activities. Recently, after asking about biking, I told him we should seek activities that help us serve and remember the Savior. He asked, "What if we put a picture of Jesus on my bike?"

And From Me:

Okay, so this one isn't as funny for Max as it is embarassing for me. Yesterday I had a shower at my house for Cory's brother's fiancee. So I was cleaning the house all day. When I started mopping the kitchen floor, Max looked at the mop and said, "What's that, Mommy?". I know, pretty sad. What can I say? I hate mopping.

A couple of weeks ago, we told Max he could have some peaches. After a couple minutes of eating, he asked, "Where's the shiz?" (Peach-Shiz.)

Today Max was playing at the kitchen sink. He was leaning over, looking down the drain and he asked, "Is that the water treatment facility?" (A while ago he asked where the water goes after it goes down the drain and we explained the whole process to him.)

Kid Quotes

Another Max story, as told by Cory:

Max and I were working in the backyard with our Chinese neighbor, "Gary." Gary doesn't speak much english, so I tried some Chinese - "Nee-How-Mah?' (how are you) was the only thing I knew. Max caught on, but thought the new phrase was Gary's name. Whenever Max needed help, he'd cry: "Nee-homa, come here!"

Later, we learned more about Clifford and Big Bunny's lineage. It turns out that Barbara and Spencer (Nate's co-worker) are Clifford's mommy and daddy (don't tell Nate.) On occasion, Clifford has two mommies and two daddies, including Nate and Michelle. Nate, we discoverd, is always "at home making dinner," while Spencer is always "at work." As for Clifford and Big Bunny, they have two kids - a daughter named "brother-sister" and a son named - "Nee-homa."

Our cute and funny kids

Hey, I decided that it would be easier to post all of these things on a blog for our family. That way we don't have to fill up our email inboxes, and we can send our other family members here to check it out! I'll start by copying the past posts so that we have some good stories to read again.