It was bound to happen...

Over the past couple of years we have inherited 2 different sets of fish. One is a beta ("Guppy") and the other is an aquarium with 4 fish in it (2 chiclids (Super Why and Slide) and 2 sucker fish (Sneak and Dr. Greene)). When we moved out of our little, always warm apartment, our beta did not enjoy the new temperature variations in our new basement home. So we moved her to a 10 gallon tank with water heater. But it looked strange to have her all alone, so we added 2 neon tetras (Max and Ruby), 2 glo fish, and 2 tiny frogs (Thomas and James).

Now, the kids love these fish (obviously they're the ones who named them) and look forward to watching them and feeding them. I have lived in fear of the day that something happened to one of these beloved pets and the impact it would have on Timothy. Well, it happened. On Sunday, we noticed that Sneak was laying on the bottom of the tank. Bad sign. So we explained to Timothy that Sneak had died and would not be part of our tank anymore. He had lots of questions, of course, but really handled it pretty well. We had the requisite "fishy funeral" and Timothy wanted to know why we couldn't just keep Sneak's body in the tank. Then "Will Sneak get a new body?" Great opening for talking about the Resurrection! I wouldn't take everything we said as Gospel absolutes, but we made it through.

So I was prepared for the next morning being a little hard as he realized all over that Sneak wasn't there. What I was not prepared for was one of his frogs being dead in the other tank! As mentioned previously, Ben has been leaving for work early, so he was not there. So we had another funeral for James Froggy and that one was much harder. These were frogs Timothy had picked out himself and he took it really hard. "I don't want ALL my fish to die!" I so wanted to tell him that nothing else would happen, but how could I? Ben got a very tearful phone call at work that morning, but Timothy seems to have recovered now.

Thankfully, we've had no other fish/frog incidents! Hopefully it will stay that way for a LONG time...I don't know how much more Mom's heart can take!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

So Ben has been working a lot (read: every waking moment) and the toll is showing on the kids. Every morning, they are disappointed to learn that Daddy has left already and more often than not, he arrives home after they're in bed. But this morning he stayed home a little later and we dropped him off at the bus stop on our way to the library. On the way home, Kassie asks "Where's Daddy?" I told her that Daddy had to go to work. Her response:

"Oh, Daddy just stopped by?"

Ben said it would've been a lot funnier if it was someone else's kid saying it! We are so looking forward to escaping to Montana for Thanksgiving! 6 days of "Daddy home days". (Timothy has classified the days into Daddy working days and Daddy home days).

You heard what?

Remember that I said Timothy's imagination is in overdrive? One more example:

I don't know how we managed this, but our children will not get out of their beds. Once they are put to bed, they stay there. Now they may stay there yelling, screaming, bouncing, or a million other things (and every once in a great while, Timothy convinces Kassie to get up and get him a toy or book), but they do not come out of their room. Even in the morning, they will call for us and wait for someone to come tell them they can get up. So, as usual, I went into their room when Timothy announced that he was awake.

T: Mommy, did you hear that?
M: Hear what Timothy?
T: That little tap, tap, tap.
M: (after listening very carefully), No Timothy I don't hear anything.
T: It's little mice with little hammers, going tap, tap, tap.
M: (after listening AGAIN), Sorry buddy, don't hear it.

So Timothy gets up and heads for the bathroom.
T: Mommy, NOW do you hear it? Tap, tap, tap?
M: (Listening) Timothy, it's the clock. Tick, Tick, Tick.
T: No, Mommy it's little mice with little hammers, going tap, tap, tap.

If you say so Timmy! I hope he never loses this flair for imagination! If I could draw, I think I would have to write a children's book about the little mice. Doesn't it just bring great pictures to mind?

Where does he get these things?!

Timothy's mind appears to be working overtime these days! The things he comes up with amaze us and leave us wondering how he comes up with all this stuff. A few examples:

T: Mom, where did these pants come from? (He's become very interested in what stores things have come from and who bought them.)
M: Grandma bought them for you last year for your birthday.
T: No, what store?
M: Gymboree
T: Oh....do they have banjos there?
M: What?
T: Jamborees have banjos, right?
*Yes, but HOW does he know that?

T: (watching a Scooby Doo episode, his new favorite) Mom, which one is it?
M: It's about zombies.
T: (after watching for a few minutes) Mommy, you a GENIUS! It IS about zombies!
*Always nice to hear you're a genius...I'll have to make sure he reads this at 15!

I was called away from dinner to take a phone call and came back in the middle of this conversation between Timothy and Ben's mom.

Grandma: How are boys and girls different?
T: Pickles
G: Pickles?
T: Yep, my daddy say pickles all the time, but not mommy. (He and Ben have some sort of strange, inside joke revolving around pickles these days. I don't pretend to understand.)
*Stifled laughter from around the table.
T: No, I know! Girls are pretty and boys are hansy (his word for handsome).
*That's right, Timothy, you just keep that in mind!

Just Kassie

Ben is big into nicknames. It's a sign of affection, but he can come up with some really strange ones. Our kids have been subjected to these terms of endearment from the day they were born, but Kassie is striking back. This is how a typical conversation with her daddy goes:

Dad: How's my Frass-a-Kass?
Kassie: Not frass, just Kassie!
Dad: Oh, so you're my Frass-a-pickle?
Kassie: No, no pickle! Just Kassie!

This can go on for quite a while, until dad finally gets it! Kids must think we are awfully dumb sometimes!

Kassie Rose-Age 2

Height: 33 inches
Weight: 19 lbs, 10 oz (no kidding!)
Favorite color: Purple and yellow
Favorite TV Show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Favorite Book: 5 Little Monkeys series by Eileen Christelow
Favorite Food: Chocolate (that's my girl!)
Best Friend: Timasee (Timothy)

Kassie has suddenly gone from a baby to a full-fledged toddler. She is a girly girl who LOVES to dress up and be pretty. She loves to play with her babies and tea set, but is just as happy kicking a ball around with her brother. She is talking up a storm, with mostly full sentences. It's rare that we can't figure out what she's saying. However, if you have to tell her no, prepare for a fight. She is not easily distracted and knows what she wants, even if she's not sure how to go about getting it. She has perfected the "throw myself on the ground and act like my bones are jelly" temper tantrum and has a scream to match. All in all, she is a perfect 2 year old and she brings such joy to our lives. We love you "Just Kassie".

Happy Birthday to Us!

Kassie's and my birthdays are 1 day apart. The year she was born, it was the perfect birthday present not to be pregnant anymore! Last year was kind of crazy since I turned 30 and she turned 1....2 big parties back to back. This year was really fun. We had a quiet day at home (poor Timothy was sick all day), but my mother-in-law took me out to lunch. Ben showed up at home in time for dinner (a real treat these days!) AND he brought flowers for both his girls. Mine were roses and stargazer lilies (just like my wedding bouquet) and he brought Kassie a single red rose. Appropriate for a princess named Kassie Rose! She loved it and talked to her "fower" everyday until it wouldn't hold up another day. My dad sent me flowers at school on Valentine's Day every year from the time I was in junior high until I graduated from high school. It always made me feel so special and I'm excited for Ben and Kassie to develop their own special traditions.