October 30

We were playing in the yard as usual this afternoon. Liam and Connor are both big fans of the garage. They love to come in and out of the door at the back. Today Liam called for me to come in to the garage.
Liam: "Come see my house, Momma. Come in."
Once I step in the door he gestures for me to step in further.
Liam: "Don't I have a nice house. Look at it. Okay, I've got to do homework now. You have to go."
Me: "Do you even know what home work is?"
Liam: "No. But I have to do it. See ya later."
As the door closes behind me, "Thank you for visiting. We'll see you next time."
Apparently the what part of polite is sinking in, we just have to work on the why and we'll be all set.

We took a walk around the neighborhood this evening after dinner to check out all the Halloween decorations. Liam is obsessed with pumpkins; squealing as we see them in passing, in the grocery store, on television. I figured he'd have fun with all the houses decorated. Boy, did he.
"Look, Momma! Two pumpkins!" "What's that? A scarecrow? Look, another scarecrow at that house" "Skeletons. Why are they coming out of the ground, Momma?" All the decorations made for a very exciting walk. Even Connor started squealing for pumpkins after a little while. Soon we passed a house with a saint in the front yard, one of those Mary in a bathtub deals. It had a lit candle to the side. Liam looked at it, a bit confused and asked, "What kind of scarecrow is that, Momma?"

October 27

We were outside enjoying another wonderful fall afternoon. Gotta love this time of year. Connor was in the swing and Liam was in the midst of his daily "mow the lawn" ritual. He mows the backyard first, then up the side of the house as far as I'll let him go. He then waits until I'm distracted and/or too far away to get there quickly and he makes a break for it. Nothing like mowing the front lawn with the freedom of a boy NOT under Momma's watchful eye. I'm, shockingly enough, onto this game. Today I caught up with him as he reached the driveway and saw him watching two 11 or 12 year old kids drive by on their bikes. I hear the boys talking to each other as they pedal by.

Blonde kid: "Did you hear what he just said?" Referring to Liam.
Brown haired kid: "No, what?"
Blonde kid: "He asked me where our helmets were."

Yep. Joe Safety strikes again :).

October 26, Connor's First Birthday Party

Firstly, an ode to Connor, my mostly silent soon to be one year old little boy. He may not say a lot with words, but he sure knows how to get his point across. When putting the boys down for naps I always sing them a song or two to put them to sleep. Connor has taken to mooning over me as I sing instead of laying down as he should. He stands in his crib and sways to the music as I sing. The best part is the standing ovation when I finish :). Too cute.

Today while we were out to our usual Sunday morning breakfast at Kip's we told the boys we were having a party for Connor today. Liam was quite excited about the idea of a party. When he went down for his nap, we told him that when he woke up it would be time for the party to start. When Liam when woke up from his nap, his feet barely hit the floor before he was running down the stairs. He didn't stop to play with a single toy (a normal after nap ritual). He didn't stop to see if Connor had gotten up yet (he hadn't and slept obliviously through his brother's escape). He flung the door wide open and called: "Yoo Hoo! PARTY TIME!"

While Liam was eating his pizza outside with his cousin Ava, Uncle Danny joined them at the kiddie picnic table. It's a bit short for an adult to sit at anyway, but to sit comfortably forget about it. I got a chair for Danny and Liam decided he needed one, too. As I was getting a second chair for Liam Pepere decided to tease him.
Pepere: "Can I have that chair Liam?"
Liam:"No, Pepere, it's my turn."
Pepere: "Can I have it for a minute?"
Liam completely fabricates his response:"Um, there are more coming...."

October 24

Liam had been playing gas station when I realized the money he was playing with was a real penny. I took it away and tried to explain that he couldn't play with it because Connor might get it. Connor who puts EVERYTHING in his mouth. Liam started to pitch a fit. Not just a little fit. The hollering, screaming fit only a two year old can pitch. The kind you worry about the neighbors overhearing, even with all the windows and doors closed, and calling the authorities. After carrying on for far too long, I finally had him in my lap calm enough to talk about it. After a few minutes he got up and told me, "I need a break."
Me: "A break? A break from what?"
Liam: "I need a break from all this yelling, Momma."
He proceeded to go sit calmly on the couch and play with his letters.

October 22

We drove by Dunkin' Donuts on our way home tonight. Strange, passing a Dunkin' in RI, I know :P. We stopped at the red light right next to it and I wait to hear the usual, "Can we get munchkins, Momma?" (or Dew Drops if it's a Honey Dew, Liam is an equal opportunity teeny, tiny, donut lover)
Liam:"That Dunkin' Donuts is broken, you know"
I scan quickly to see if there is a light out or boarded up window. Nothing looks out of place.
Me: "It's not broken, Pumpkin."
Liam: "Yes, Momma, it is broken."
I realize that the incessant asking may have lead to the explanation.
Me: "Who told you that it was broken?"
Liam: "Memere says it's broken, but the other one near our house is fine."
Nice, I think. Liam's ratting 'em out again :). Good tactic though, I'm just surprised he bought it.

And an oldie but goody, I had forgotten about this one, but a friend reminded me today. This Liamism has apparently become their new version of "Duh".

A plane flies overhead, which never goes unnoticed in our backyard.
Liam: "Where is that plane going, Momma?"
Me: "I don't know, where do you think it's going?" I fully expect to hear Florida as it's the only place Liam has been on an airplane.
Liam: "To the airport, I think."

October 21

We were driving home from a nice dinner out when Joe Safety (soon to be nicknamed "Narc" Petit) tells me, "Momma, you're driving really fast."
Me:"I'm not driving that fast, bud, I'm just going the speed limit."
Liam:"You're going really fast Momma, I think you should tell the policeman how fast you're going."

And before anyone tries to warn me, I can see the writing on the wall. God bless the parent who is driving if we ever do get pulled over. "I told Momma/Daddy they were driving too fast, Policeman!" shouted from the backseat.

October 19-20

Last night I was getting Liam dressed for bed after his bath. I told him how tall he was getting. He smiled and told me, "I can't wait to be big and tall"
Me: "Why? Do you want to be a big boy?"
Liam: "I want to be big and tall so I can make brownies everyday."
Me: "You want to be a big boy so you can make brownies?"
Liam: "Yup." After giving me a look that can only be described as what else is there??


Today I asked Liam to pick up the recycling bucket from the front yard for me as I was pulling the trash barrels. We were running a little behind on our way to storytime so I was hoping to get moving quickly. When Liam just stood there, deer in headlights look on that face I asked a second time. Very quietly, just audible over the sound of wheels on the driveway I hear, "no"
Me: "Excuse me???"
Liam: "I was just testing you. Yeah, I was just testing and stuff..." He trailed off in his rush to grab the recycling bin.

Ocotober 18

Yesterday we went out to celebrate Pepere's birthday. When Yngrid noticed how long Liam's hair had gotten she mentioned it to him. He fingered the ends and thought about it. He nodded his head in agreement and said, "It's getting long. I do need to get it cut."
Yngrid: "When do you want me to cut it?"
Seeing the inevitable, Liam thought for a minute about his answer,"Um....when I'm 30, I think."

October 13-14

File this one under TOO sweet. Connor slept upstairs in the crib for the first time this week. When he woke up crying he woke Liam as well. He told him, "It's okay, Connor." When he didn't stop crying he kept saying "Peek-a-boo" in the most tired, cute, little boy voice. I just about melted.

This morning while looking at a box from a case of Oktoberfest Liam told me he didn't like beer. I looked at him with eyebrows raised and asked, "When did you try beer?"
Liam: "When I was a boy."

October 6 - October 12

Listening to a halloween/pirate commercial on the radio
Liam: "What is that man saying?"
Me: "He's a pirate, Pirates say ARRRRGH, Can you say ARRRRGH?"
Liam: "No, I can't. I'm not a pirate. I'm Liam."

When Auntie Lorraine came to visit.
Liam: "I can't say hello to you right now, Auntie 'rain, I'm too busy right now."
He goes back to banging on the siding of the house with his toy hammer.