Before I Forget

Bridger is hilarious. He just does and says things that are way too grown up for any almost 5 year old to say. He keeps me smiling and I just love this kid. Lately- well, most than usual, he has been in this cleaning phase. The other day he was at a friends house playing. I recieved a phone call that went like this:

Sherlyn: Hi Mona, just want you to know that everything is fine but Bridger keeps telling me that he feels like he should go home because he really needs to unload the dishwasher.

(The crazy thing was I was about to unload the dishwasher but thought I would "save" it for Bridger when he got home. He has been doing such a great job. Color coordinating all the cups and plates, organizing them from largest to smallest etc.)

ME: (Laughing) Okay...

Sherlyn: (also laughing) I don't know what to say to him, but he seems pretty concerned, I tried to find out if the other kids weren't being nice, or if something happened, but he keeps saying no and that he just needs to do his job. Do you want to talk to him?

So he gets on the phone.

Me: Hi Bridger.

B: Hi Mommy, I was wondering if you could come and get me.

Me: Is everything OK?

B: yes,

Me: Are you having fun?

B; Yes

Me: Are the kids being nice?

B: Oh ya,

Me: What's wrong?

B: I really need to unload the dishwasher

Me: you don't need to worry about the dishwasher right now, you can stay and have fun with your friends and you can do it later

B: Naah, just come and get me. I want to do it right now.

Me: Are you sure?

B: Yep. I'll see you soon! Bye!

It was just so funny. I picked him up, he unloaded the dishwasher and then said, "So, now what mommy?"

Last week he also notified me that we needed to organize the pantry. I got this book about being more organized and have been doing some of the things that is suggests, so I just did this a while ago. But he insisted that we do it again and this time have a shelf for all the cereal and snacks and then put the "other stuff" in it's own place too. (Ummm... ya...already like this) But we redid it, this time with making labels for everything so he would know where everything should go.

The other day we were cleaning the toy room. Carter was assigned to pick up all the toy food and dishes and put it in their little kitchen. He did this, throwing it all the fridge while Bridger was doing something else. A while later, Bridger opened the fridge to put in another toy and he let out his huge gasp and yelled, " Mommy!! Someone just threw everything in here in a huge pile!! It isn't even organized!!" So, he took it all out and put all the food in baskets and all the dishes in baskets. I really can't complain over any of this. I just think it is so funny he is so meticulous.

He also has very particular eating habits. For example, he won't use the same spoon to eat his cereal and yogurt. He needs a spoon for each. Also, if he spills anything at the place that he is sitting at the table, he will then move to another chair where there is a clean place to sit. And no, he won't share cups or plates with anyone else. He doesn't like sharing germs, except with candy, he doesn't seem to think its a problem then.

He also is into the "what" questions instead of "why." And it's always at the most inconvient times. One day we were leaving the grocery store, Carter pulling my pants on one side, Sissy screaming in the car seat in the cart. Bridger was walking right in front of the cart. I said, "Bridger, you need to pay attention to where you are going. I almost ran you over!" He said, "Mom, what does pay attention mean?" Me: " WEll, you know.... like, you have to think and look around at what you are doing." Bridger, "Well, how to do you pay it? what money do you use?" Me, "Aauuhh, that's just what you call it: Pay attention." He seemed satisfied with that. Then he gets into the car, he started rummaging through the bags looking for an apple. I said, "Bridger, just hold your horses. I'll get it for you in a minute." He said, "Mom, What does hold your horses mean?!" me, "Ummm... it means..." as I am still unloading and getting the other two into the van..."aaug it means that you wait and are patient. They just call it hold your horses." Then we are leaving and this punk gangster teenager with music blarring comes barreling through the parking lot at 40 mph and almost runs into us, totally clueless that we are there. I say, "Whoa, people, watch out for Homey G!"

Bridger says, " Mom, whats a Homey G?"

We read scriptures together every night and have been consistent for over a year now. It has been a great thing for our family and our boys are usually really cooperative and even sometimes want to read more than we had planned on. One night Carter was super tired- which happens alot since he rarely takes naps... and he kept throwing fits, so I told him he had to go to bed immediately. I got him into his PJ's, brushed his teeth, I put him into bed, gave him a kiss, turned out the lights and left. A minute later he came out sobbing and said, " I didn't even get to read my scripture!"

The boys have their own copy of the Book Of Mormon, the small pocket size. The other night Bridger asked Ben, "How did Joseph Smith make each of these little scriptures?" We skipped the bedtime story of the invention of the printing press.

One night I told Bridger that it was time to go to bed and go to sleep. He responded,

"Mom, I don't sleep! I'm nocturnal!"

I burst out laughing. Thanks PBS for teaching nocturnal to my 4 year old.

Apparently we have a lot of rules in our house. I noticed this when my sister and her kids were here. I felt like I was starting most my sentences with the phrase, "Ok- here are the.... fill in blank..... and here are the rules that go with them."

We went to an outdoor garden to see Christmas lights and they had these cards that the kids would fill out when they went to various stations in the garden. At the end of the night, they turned in the cards and got a prize. Both Bridger and Carter chose little bouncy balls. The only thing I said was, "OK you need to be careful with those around Sissy." We got into the van and were leaving and Bridger says:

OK- here are the rules with the bouncy balls. Rule number one, DO NOT let Sissy eat them or she will choke and die. Rule number two, DO NOT let Sissy play with the balls or she will eat them and choke and die. Rule number three, when you are done playing with the bouncy ball put it away up high so Sissy can't reach it and eat it or she will choke and die. Rule number four DO NOT let the ball bounce by Sissy or she will grab it and it eat and choke and die. And.... ummm... are those the rules Mom?"

Like I said apparently we have lots of rules in our house.

Here are some pictures from the Winter Garden Aglow

Tippets and Perrys

Bridger and Carter with Santa and Mrs. Claus in apparently a really dusty tent

Afton in her polar bear snowsuit

Kids petting Prancer the reindeer

Carter with Prancer