More Singing

There are many things in my brain to "blog out" not the least of which is our recent trip to the Children's Museum. For tonight there is just more singing, i'll try for the rest tomorrow....as that would take loading pictures and i am fairly certain my time is limited by little Theodore who will start crying as soon as she notices that Dave is on duty.

This past week Theodore, Alvin and Mamadavia were out and about........and as if on cue when we got settled in the van and off on the highway, Theodore started crying. Every mom knows the desperation to stop the screaming but knowing that you are nearly powerless to do so while operating a vehicle.
In this particular time of desperation i starting singing...........while i may not have the soothing effect on everyone, i always hold out hope that can calm my own children. If nothing else they have something to laugh about when they are in therapy.
"I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart...where...down in my heart......"
Alvin immediately wants to know where i have learned this song, because he never heard me sing it and he learned it in sunday school. It seemed quite scandelous to him that i knew this song that he thought only he knew.

So, since Joy is Theodore's middle name.....we started singing it quite often in the past few days. It's quite adorable to watch Alvin sing it Theodore and watch her face light up....and Simon has gotten in on the deal, never wanting to miss the fun.

Tonight Alvin is sining and i swear i hear him say....."down in my heart...where...down in my heart tuesday". I wasn't sure that is what he said but since it struck me as cute i would rather remember it as that and not clarify it :) even funnier thinking that today is tuesday.
Then just minutes later it strikes me that Simon is saying that she has the "theodore" joy down her heart.....

For the record, my singing did calm her down when we were in the van.......maybe it reminded her that her middle name is Joy and maybe she should show a little....or maybe she burped and felt better. I'll take whatever i can get.

Hallelujah!

This is often heard in our house, and sadly not by Mamadavia or Dave but by the little chimpmunks....at least the two that can talk.

It all started with a song (seeing a theme here...hmmm) from church that Alvin learned and loves, so in turn he obviously needs to teach this to Simon. Of course, Simon can't get it right and Alvin gets frustrated so i don't get the happy singing of little chimpmunks filling my house. What i did get was kids that say hallelujah all the time.

When Theodore was a week old it was "she doesn't even know what hallelujah means". Say that in a tone of total disbelief and repeat it about a dozen times.....

Jumping into the "foam pit" at open gym Simon started yelling "hallelujah" each time, Alvin hears and then both of them are yelling "hallelujah" as they laugh and jump. I guess if i was hurling myself 5 feet down into a pit i may want to yell hallelujah when i landed and didn't break a few bones....but they did one better yelling it before they landed.

My favorite was the day the Simon was dancing around the house (as she does so very often) and starts to fall (which she also does often, can you say "needs dance class"?)well this time she didn't hit the floor but catches herself on the couch which, hallelujah, was right next to her. Simon turns to me and says "hallelujah, i saved myself"
Theology may not be her strong suit but it was awfully funny..................

Maybe we all need to say hallelujah a little more.

Conversations

...with a 2-3 year old "Simon" regarding potty training. Nearly every time i have had these something i didn't expect came out of her mouth.
With Alvin we never "discussed" much at this age, he hardly talked....well let's be real he still doesn't like to "discuss" anything, unless he brings it up and then it's about something of the upmost importance like the new thing he learned on his DS.
So these talks are new to our house. The first time i asked Simon about why she didn't "pee on the potty" we did it in a non-threatening way.....snuggling on the couch in the morning..........she answer "ummmmmmmmmm, cause i don't wanna". Wow, how do i respond to that.

Last night was more interesting a response then i've heard. Dave was changing a toxic diaper and we started saying that Alvin was trained much younger and maybe Theodore (who is 2 months) may be trained before her. Simon is all about being a "big girl", since her 3rd b-day last month, i thought surely this would encourage the behavior we so desperately desire from her. After a little back and forth between Mamadavia and Dave she says "We'll see what happens when i grow up"
Again i am left laughing and speachless..........

What is with the name?

Well, ironically that is a funny story.

My two older kids (we'll call them Alvin and Simon) started using this term quite often and mama nor dad (or Dave as we will call him), had any clue as to what the little darlings were talking about. After about a month mama had finally gotten that it came from the chimpmunks movie, but had never personally heard the word anywhere in the movie.

Finally, watching the movie again (ok sleeping through most of it) i found at the end of the movie (i think it was in the credits)  one particular rodent says "shake what your mama gave ya"............and in true form for a kid they came up with mamadavia.

Now any adult can relate to hearing a song and having that moment, you know the one where you say "OHHHH that's what they said".
Well, this saying has gone beyond all others and comes up often in our home. Then along came theodore a few months ago and i realised i was comforting her by saying "mamadavia's got you, it's ok".

Mama Davia it is now.
For the record the oldest kid might be a bit like Alvin, but so far i have no reason to call the younger two by the chipmunk names other then i think it is fun.