November 23

The boys were playing in the living room with Daddy while I was making dinner this evening. I was preoccupied cutting up broccoli for Connor and thought I heard Liam calling for me.
Me: "Liam, did you call me?"
Liam: "Mommmmmaaaaa"
Me: "Yes?"
Silence.
Me: "Liam, what do you want?"
Liam: "I want something delicious. I want a delicious dinner, Momma."

November 14-21

Yes, it's been awhile. I haven't had any real stories to write, just random things, so I figured I'd post those.

Liam loves Sesame Street. He watches faithfully every morning while Daddy gets ready for work and Momma makes breakfast. His favorite part is, of course, Elmo's World. He does a killer rendition of the theme song, btw, ending with a flourish and one hand pointed to the sky while he looks up. Very rock 'n roll. Anyway, he's started mimicking the segment on Elmo where the kids explain to Elmo's goldfish, Dorothy, how to do something. Everything he does, he says aloud in that format like he's speaking to an invisible goldfish.
While brushing his teeth: "This is how you brush your teeth, Dorothy" (proceeds to brush)
While Daddy uses Listerine: "That is how you use Listerine, Dorothy" (points to Daddy)
While eating breakfast: (picks up a big hunk of scrambled eggs, no fork of course, and says with his mouth full)"This is how you eat eggs, Dorothy"

This morning, out of nowhere, Liam picks up Mark's work boots and puts them on. He starts shuffling around the house and tells me he's ice skating. He grabs my shoes from the bedroom and tells me: "C'mon Momma, ice skate with me." I know it's been cold lately, but geez...

I've been trying to see how much of the whole Christmas thing Liam understands. He's been very excited by the start of holiday music and decorations. He's seen Santa at the mall and gets all smiley and happy to tell me about it. He understands that Santa brings gifts on Christmas Eve. He remembers leaving cookies out last year, actually he remembers that all Santa left was "Crumbs, Momma!" After a trip to the mall with Daddy followed by him excitedly telling Momma all about giving Santa five I decided to ask him about Christmas.
Me: "What would you like for Christmas?"
Liam, after thinking long and hard about it : "I want presents."

November 13

It was an overcast fall day. I was in a skirt kind of mood, so I put one on, with a pair of tights. Liam walks into the bedroom after I was done getting dressed and stopped in his tracks and stares at my legs.
Liam: "Momma, what is that brown...?"
Me: "Those are my tights."
Liam: "I like those tights. I like you brown. They are beautiful."
Wow, two and he's already learning to get in good with the ladies by complementing their clothes.

Liam decided to pretend to go swimming in the bathtub this evening. Before he started he lined all the bath toys up on the side of the tub; boats, rubber duckies, walruses, submarines. He pretends to dive into the water and splashes around.
Liam "I'm swimming, Momma, I'm Michael Phelps."
He gestures to all the things lined up so carefully on the tub, "These are my medals."
Me: "How did you get your medals?"
Liam: "Gold Medals, Momma."
Me: "How did you get your gold medals, Liam?"
Liam: "I'm Michael Phelps, Momma"
Me: "How did you get your gold medals, Michael Phelps?"
Liam: "Swimming in this bathtub."
You heard it here first, folks. Michael Phelps wins several gold medals in our bathtub.

November 8, Evening Edition :)

As I was putting away the laundry this afternoon I told Liam that Daddy and I would be going out to dinner tonight. I like to prepare him ahead of time as he is a creature of habit and likes to know what is going on.

Inevitably his next question was, "Can I come, too?"

Me: "No, just Momma and Daddy are going out tonight, but Memere is coming over to play with you and Connor."

Liam: "Okay" Thinks for a minute, "Is it your day off, Mommy?"

Wait, no one told me about days off!

November 8

This morning Mark was paying some bills on line, oh joy. Liam saw the "I Voted" sticker I had stuck to my computer and asked if he could have it.
Me: "Do you know why Momma got that sticker?"
Liam: "Because I voted!"
Me: "You voted?"
Liam nods.
Me: "You voted for what?"
Liam: "For president."
Me, genuinely curious at this point since I didn't discuss who I'd be voting for: "Who did you vote for, Liam?"
Liam: "John Gehiorse" (Our local morning weather man, for those of you not familiar with Channel 10)

Last night as he was getting ready for bed Liam was talking about work. He doesn't like that Mark leaves every morning and always asks to go to work with him. I was trying to explain the concept of a job to him, but apparently not very successfully. After I was through with my explanation I asked Liam what he'd like to be when he grows up.

Liam: "A Jeep, I think."

November 7

This morning Liam woke up and went about his normal morning routine. As Daddy was fixing himself a glass of juice he asked Liam if he wanted a juice box instead of his normal milk.

Liam: "No, I don't like juice boxes" This from the kid who has had 3 of them this week alone.

Mark: "You don't like juice boxes? Really?"

Liam: "No, they're too juicy."

November 4, Election Day

Have I mentioned Liam has a flair for the dramatic? He tends to be a bit over the top about things. He had a band aid on his knee for a few days. As we were getting undressed for his bath tonight I noticed that he'd developed a little rash from the adhesive. I told him we wouldn't be putting another band aid on tonight. No biggie. He got in the tub as usual. Was playing around with his rubber duckies and toy boats as usual. Suddenly, about three minutes in, he starts whimpering.
Me: "What's wrong Liam?"
Liam: "My skin is falling off. It's going to come right off of me"
Me: "Your skin is going to fall off?"
Liam, apparently already bored with the discussion answers in a nonchalant tone: "Yeah"
Watch out Robert Dinero, you've got some competition.

On his way up to bed Liam turns to Mark and tells him: "You're trouble, Daddy"
Me: "Daddy's not trouble!"
Liam: "You're trouble, too!"
Me: "Me?"
Liam: "Okay, you're not trouble. Daddy's trouble, though"

My little pundit made me proud today. It was such a nice day that we walked to the polls with our neighbor. Liam asked where we were going and I told him we were going to vote. Mrs. Burrill reminded him that we were picking a new president. I asked if he remembered who was running, as he shouts out Obama's name whenever he appears on TV. He not only remembered 'Rock' Obama, but John McCain as well. Better than most people Jay Leno encounters on the street :). He also impressed one of the political volunteers out in front of the polling place. She was holding a "Vote Democrat" sign along with one for our incumbent mayor. We have a sign for him on our lawn, so when he saw it Liam announced, "Vote for Mayor Doyle". The look of surprise on her face was priceless.

November 2

We went to breakfast at Kip's this morning a little later than usual. The place was packed. It's a small hole in the wall diner anyway, but there was a wait 4-8 people deep the whole time we were there. Seated just across the aisle from us this morning was a man and his 12 year old daughter. We were waiting for our breakfast, Liam being pretty patient and looking around enjoying the goings on. He randomly looks at the table across from us, not more than 2 feet away and says (LOUDLY): "That man has no hair, Daddy." When he didn't get a response he repeated: "Daddy, that man has no hair on his head." I think Mark was about to crawl under the table...that or die laughing.

November 1

Joe Safety strikes yet again. Liam, wearing his Daddy's hard hat 'cause he's too lazy to go and get his brand spanking new helmet from Grandma that he LOVES, is riding his big wheel in the driveway. He notices a few kids driving by at the corner. None of them are wearing helmets.
Liam: "They don't have their helmets on, Momma! They should. I have my helmet on." Great. Not only is he a narc, but he's a holier than thou narc :).

Liam and Connor, apparently on a safari for junk food, are skulking about the dining room table. Liam nonchalantly mentions, being sure Momma is listening, "Oh, look Connor! I believe it's cake. Yes, It is cake!" He knows darn well it's cake. He was with me when I put it on the table. Smarty pants thinks if he mentions it in passing Momma might offer him some. What two year old says "I believe" anyway?? Cute as the ploy was he still had to wait until after dinner.

Liam has been trying to inject himself into dinnertime conversation between Mark and I. Usually we'll ask about his day or he'll mimic what he hears us talking about, "I like my chicken, Momma" or "Can I have more mashed potatoes, please?" Today he asked me what the name of the pasta we were eating was. He likes to know these things so he can ask for his favorites when we shop. Currently he's loving the mini-wheels. Since he liked the mini version so much I decided to get baby shells this week.
Liam: "What kind of pasta is this, Momma?"
Me: "Baby shells."
Liam: "No, they're regular shells."
Me: "No, they're baby shells. Regular shells are bigger."
Liam: "Why don't we have regular shells, Momma?"
Me: "Because, these are the ones I bought. The regular shells are still at the store."
Liam: "Oh, That was a good explanation."
Me: "What?!?"
Liam: "It's a good explanation."
Me: "I thought so. Thank you."
Liam: "What's an explanation, Momma?"
Honestly. Where does this kid get this stuff? :)

October 31, Halloween

Liam dressed as a bat this year, not the lion we had planned for months. Momma learned a valuable lesson about not buying costumes for children too early. Connor was an adorable triceratops, although more people guessed dragon than dinosaur.

Liam was able to go door to door this year and caught on to the "rules" pretty quickly. Only go to the houses with the lights on, check. Hold Momma or Daddy's hand when crossing the street, check. Say "Trick or treat" before receiving candy and "Thank you" afterwards, check. Shout "Happy Halloween!" when person is handing out candy and you get twice as much, check and double check :).

Toward the end of the night our little bat boy was getting tired and dragging his little ghost bucket along (Thanks Grandma, btw!) He finished up at one house and gave me a sly smile and said with a gleam in his eye: "I didn't even have to say trick or treat at that one, Momma!"