Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this, my mama said..

sigh.

Emma does.

Last Saturday, in the gorgeous sunshine, I was weeding the front garden. Emma and Brandon were running around, throwing pebbles. As I weeded (with gloves), I saw a few worms. Thinking that this could be a good scientific moment to describe what the worm does for soil, I called the kids over.

me: Look, Emma and Brandon, a worm!

emma: ewwww...a worm!!! a worm!!!!

brandon (duplicate voice): ewwww...a worm!!! a worm!!!!

me: the worm helps our garden. remember on Sid the science kid (Sid the Science Kid is a PBS show with a young 4 or 5 year old main character who has daily questions about the way things work, and every question turns it into a science lesson.) Sid saw a worm, and the worm eats and poops out good soil for our flowers.

emma (not listening), runs and grabs a little stick. I thought she might want to prod it, since she didn't have gloves on.

Emma starts to repeatedly stab at the un-offending worm.

me: Emma!! What are you doing? Don't hurt the worm! The worm helps us!!!

emma still trying to stab a worm, but a different worm this time.

me: EMMA. stop that! (I'm now trying to cover the worm with my hand.)

me: EMMA. Would Sid the Science kid stab the worms???

emma: No. (pauses). BUT EMMA DOES.

A picture of my cute worm stabbers:

* photo by Auntie Lisa, in San Diego, 3/2012.

Ban-dan ho.c (brandon's studying)

Brandon is such a fast learning little guy. He loves learning his letters and numbers, can operate the computer, internet, find his favorite learning website (starfall) and open them).

He also thinks that every time he writes something, has a pen in hand, he's studying. "ban-dan ho.c. ban-dan ho.c." He'll write a line on a paper and say, "I"! "ban-dan ho.c. ban-dan ho.c." Recently, I heard his little voice yelling, "Uh-OH,ban-dan ho.c! Uh-OH, mommy, ban-dan ho.c!" I find that he's been writing on things. walls, couch cushions, random papers around the house. So when he yells that phrase, I run.

Brandon: "Uh-OH, ban-dan ho.c!"

me: Brandon! what did you do? where's the pen?

Brandon:"ban-dan ho.c!"

me: WHERE?

Brandon: right HERE!

me: What did you do, Brandon?

Brandon: "ban-dan ho.c on tummy! see?"

me: what's that on your face?

Brandon: "ban-dan ho.c some more!"

Princess Daddy

Brandon is still on the bottle for milk. Juice, water, smoothie - everything else is from a cup. But for milk, he likes to get the bottle and then he runs to his dad to get into position. He also likes to still pull dad's ear lobe for comfort. This night, Brandon is in position, Anh An's arms were occupied, when someone did this:

Who made daddy a princess?? here's the culprit:

(p.s. i don't think daddy was too pleased to have his picture taken!)