Conversations with a 4 year old

Sam has an obsession with marriage and women having children. It's actually quite interesting and provides us with some laughs and fond memories. Here is a conversation about marriage we had one day while I was cooking.

Sam: Mom, I'm going to marry you.
Me: No Sam, mom is married to daddy.
Sam: Then I will marry Isabelle.
Me: No, you can't marry your sister or any family member for that matter.
Sam: Then who am I going to marry?
Me: Well, you will marry someone you don't know, someone you will meet later and fall in love with.
Sam: Well, (pauses and you can just see the wheels turning) what if there are a lot of girls who want to marry me? How am I going to choose just one?
Me: (What??!!??) You will know which one to choose and she's going to be one lucky lady. You can always marry Kiki or if you dig older chicks, then Olivia or Grace.
Sam: But I already know them. You said someone I don't know and they are my friends.
Me: It's okay to marry a friend.
At this point, Sam looks at me like I am crazy and walks away. He has really perfected that look.

The other topic is about children. Sam knows that only women can have children. He knows that women carry their babies in their belly's and that when the baby is ready to come out, the doctor cuts a hole and pulls the baby out. We had this conversation while driving in the car.

Sam: Mom, how many babies does Isabelle have in her belly and when are they going to come out?
Me: I don't know honey. She's going to decide how many babies to have and they wont come out until she is older...much older.
Sam: Well why can't we get them out now. I want to see them.
Me: Isabelle is just a baby herself. She needs to grow up big like mommy before she has babies. What about you, when are you going to have babies.
Sam: I can't have babies, silly mom!!
Oh right, what was I thinking??

Sometimes we wonder exactly where he came from as we look at him in awe. One night, after our bedtime routine, he came into our room for the 6th time to ask us a question. He has endless questions. Well, on his forehead he had stuck a piece of play doh. And because I did not want to keep him from going to sleep, I didn't ask him what was up with the doh. Even though I really wanted to know.

Sam: (on his way out) Aren't you going to ask me about the play doh?
Me: (you can see right thru me huh?) Since you brought it up, what's with the play doh?
Sam: I want to see if I wake up with it.
Me: Okay, good luck and good night.

Sam goes to bed. A few minutes later, he comes back in with another question. By this time we had lost it but before we could yell at him to get back in bed, it took one look at him for us to bust up laughing. I know it's hard to tell from the picture, but he taped the play doh to his forehead. Who needs luck when you have tape!

Hair today, gone tomorrow

For today's flashback Friday, we are going with some old school hair pictures of Rueben and I when we were in 8th grade. Even then, we were mad stylin! Fortunately some styles fade (for some people). I am just glad to report that we did not get stuck in some funky time warp. All I can say is that I would spend countless hours getting my "bangs" to look just right with adequate height and fullness. Then this "wall of China" would become impervious to any adverse weather with massive amounts of Aqua Net hairspray. I was an addict! I am actually back to having bangs or a "fringe", but I have not been able to duplicate this look. I am lacking Aqua Net. Do they even make it anymore??
Rueben is sporting the timeless mullet with a twist. Business up front, party in the back. His product of choice was Paul Mitchell mouse and with that he would get it spiky and it would smell like coconut all day long. It was delicious! With this look, Rueben would render the girls speechless and powerless. We were both hot messes in the making. Fierce!! Oh, and check out the popped collar. When you got it, you got it!

Flashback Friday: This is the sleep lab, not the move lab!

This posting is dedicated to the brave men and women

of the Sleep Lab. These wonderfully grainy photos were

captured by the old sleep lab polaroid, an archaic

method of producing instant pictures, however an awesome tool

for amusement at three a.m. after the Beto's power surge has worn off.

Here I am mounting Andrew as he attempts to sleep in the

sleep lab, seriously did he think I was going to let him sleep

when I was awake and bored? There is nothing

quite like mounting your brother in the wee hours of the morning...breathtaking.

Here we see Ron Jeremy in his early years,

few people know that Andrew was actually part

of the motivation for the glorious Maystache movement,

this look predates the actual Maystache by at least five years.

Seriously, can you say

Sleazetastic?!!!

Hi I'm Rueben, I enjoy wearing headgear at night to straighten my teeth,

reading LOTR and re-enacting famous chess games.

Remeber Andrew trying to sleep in the chair?, well this time

he decided to wear a helmet in case I tried to attack him again.

Honestly, he didn't have a pillow and discovered that his head

was very comfortable using Spencer's helmet to sleep.

Here is sissy Spencer, "I'm cold, I'm cold". j/k he's not a sissy, but he

was whining about being cold. He does look pretty sweet all arabic style..

Home early + sunny day = bike ride

Today we went out for a 10 mile bike ride. Notice the caution sign approximately at Sam's eye level. He had seen it and played with it. He knew that it was connected to a steel cable. So, I wonder how it was possible for him to run into it? Our son is accident prone. He ran towards it, head long straight into it. Clothesline. Before we knew it, he was laying on the ground crying. Fortunately he was fine, only a small goose egg on the back of his head. Are all 4 year olds like this? We tell him all the time to watch what he is doing, watch where he is going. I wish I could build a bubble around him. We would call him Bubble Sam. Parents can always dream.

Looking cool. Even after getting hurt.

A man and his bike.

Sam rode his bike for a little over 4 miles. He's a maniac. Here comes Sam.

There goes Sam.

2 kids in a trailer. We figured the combined weight is about 150 after adding Sam's 75lb solid steel Walmart bike. We took turns pulling.

This was a very steep hill.

Isa is wearing a very old dress. This was my dress when I was little. I never imagined that I would be putting this dress on my own little girl. Rueben told her she looked like Wednesday from the Addam's Family. All I know is that she is the most beautiful girl ever.

Meet the new family members!!

These are red-eared sliders that we got on Hilton Head Island. They are super awesome and tiny, and they are fast swimmers. They eat bugs and if you touch them and then eat a sandwich, you will get salmonella and poop your brains out. (We promise we wont do that). Sam gave them each names. This is Goldie.

This is Rocco.

These turtles can live up to 40 years. They grow to be between 10-14 inches long. We are looking forward to seeing them grow.

Mini golf and more beach fun

Per Sam's request, we went out for miniature golf. He loved it and had a great time. Isa on the other hand, did not. That's alright though, she is still too little. It was fun anyway.

Hilton Head history and stuff

Hilton Head was named for Capt. William Hilton, an Englishman who sailed into Port Royal Sound in 1663 and wrote about the green headlands of the island. It is off the southern coast of South Carolina. People lived on the island about 3,800 years ago. Beginning in 1526 Spanish, French and English colonists attempted to settle in the territory but were troubled by American Indian raids and pirates. By the mid 18th century English plantations were established. They prospered, growing indigo, rice and sea island cotton utnil the Civil War, when Union troops used the island as a base to block Confederate ports. In 1956 the bridge to the mainland was completed, and the island developed into an all year resort. Below are some pictures of South Beach, Harbour Town, and just out and about around town.

This is Will, our friends son. He is madly enamored with Isabelle. Always telling her she's beautiful.

Sam at the bar enjoying a kiddie cocktail.

This is what happens as soon as you take your camera out. The lens gets all fogged up. Below is a much clearer picture.

Hilton Head

This week we are in Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. Rueben is attending an anesthesia conference. Good excuse heh? It is a beautiful place albeit busy and crowded. The weather hasn't been the greatest. Cloudy with occasional showers. We've been listening to thunder for the last couple of hours. But that is not stopping us from enjoying the beach.
Building sandcastles and making holes.

Seriously, something needs to be done about her hair. I swear I comb it. I told her I was going to shave it bald.

The sand looks and feels like clay. Very different from the OBX sand.

Goofing around.

Today we went to the Coastal Discovery Center because it was rainy. I couldn't help dressing Isabelle as a pioneer girl. Thankfully both children were in a very cooperative mood. She looks so adorable. My own personal doll.

More pictures of our trip to follow.