Peripheral memory

All these tidbits that pass during the day are hard to recollect at the end of long days, so most of the time I am trying to dig up  that memory that I wanted to write down yet is has slipped into limbo.  The IPhone to the rescue. For better or worse it has taken up residence in our family.  I know can share a special moment with my kids, and instead of forming a neural pathway to commit it to memory, I just speak into the Iphone and it reminds me of that special moment later. 
Does the toothfairy have siblings? Maya thinks there is a whole army of them. She stubbed her toe and after milking the injury for some time, asked her mom if the nail came off, she could put in under her pillow and the nail fairy would come.  Don't know what that fairy would look like, and smell like, carrying around all those broken toenails.  Back to the injury, Maya did not even know about it until Jen pointed it out, and of course then it began to hurt. Out of sight, out of mind. She also caught me repairing the dinner chair.  The questions began...actually just one question..why?  I told her it was old and needed some fixing.  She asked if it would go to chair heaven when it got really old.
Funny.  Jen was on her way to a playdate with Maya, late as usual. Maya had not had her hair done so she asked her if she wanted to do it in the front yard before they went inside or once inside.  Maya neither chose A or B, yet answered that she preferred it be done in the backyard. 
I took the kids to the museum by myself and the last day of the boot.  We danced in the funky dance room. They have this real traffic light and intersection inside that rotates between red, yellow and green lights.  Maya is the only one even paying attention and insists that we wait for the light to turn green before we proceed. So we are the only ones standing in the middle of the path waiting, while everyone else walks by.  On the way out I ran a yellow light with Ashton.  Super citizin Maya stopped, and got really upset because she had to wait for the next green light. Ashton loved the water section. Had to take his shirt off as water found his clothes in a matter of seconds. On the way to the parking lot is a real street to cross.  It has the usual push to walk buttons, but in case you have a boot on and cannot walk fast, there is a middle button with curb to wait on.  I actually can make it fine across with the boot, but Maya gets a kick out of stopping in the middle, waiting, pushing the button and crossing the second part of the street.  This time I just had her push it on the way across telling her it would put more time on the clock.
Maya gets itchy on the grass, as does Ashton, thanks to Daddy's defunct genes. Maya's solution...she asked me today if I could take the itch out of our grass.
The family was headed for dinner and we stopped at a light.  A man in a wheelchair was pan handling. He cruised by and Dad, with his new found soft heart for those who cannot walk, offered a few bucks. Maya threw out the question of how the man got hurt and had no legs.  Jen offered her answer.  Maya quipped back " No mommy, I asked Daddy"  As if the guy and I were buds and I knew his story.  In front of us was a old blue van that said "supervan" on the back.  I commented on the label, and Maya asked if the Supervan rescued people, like Superman.  
We tried Ash in Maya's gym class, and he turned into a bouncy ball, running every direction away from what he was supposed to be doing. Coach Julie was very nice, stating that all kids start out that way. Think he will finish this way for a bit.
The entry seems a bit Maya heavy, yet her words make so many wild stories.

Ashton Sign Language

So Ashton has taken up sign language, yet has simplified it a bit.  Grunting, point his arm and the desired object and pointing where he wants it to go seems to work.  Today he woke up screaming as usual at 7 am...ugh. Then he gets up looking for mom. When she is not there he gets pissed and seems to settle for having dad to have around.  Loves my vanilla yogurt.  Maya awakens on her princess blanket, specially placed on her bed with Ariel on the pillow.
Maya the other day had a tissy during filling out mom;s birthday card.  She was trying to write 35, yet wanted my to do it, and wanted the 3 and the 5 in a particular way and matching.  She definitely has some OCD from which side of the family remains to be determined.
In the swing the other day she was hitting me hard with the "whys".  I finally asked her why she followed every statement, fact or opinion with the phrase "cuz why"?  It's almost if it now is a reflex, coming out before I finish my word. Her response was "I don't know dad, why?
While seated on the computer, Maya approached me cautiously and states she had something to tell me. It appeared either she was afraid to tell me, or as I discovered soon, making it up on the fly. She revealed that she had done something to Ash, and it was hitting him on the arm with the remote.  I hugged her and thanked her for being forthcoming, and in stride immediately said " now can I have some icecream for telling the truth"? Funny because the last time I rewarded her veracity with icecream, honesty, although made up, is now her ticket to icecream. Clever.
Ash was being carried down the aisle in Trader Joes and we passed by his favorite fruit crushers. He took immediate notice, pointing and grunting until we turned around.  He knows what tastes good.
I fixed mom's toilet today and she acted like I perfomed a miracle. she was so happy that she took a pee. Ash helped my turn a few wrenches, but mostly took my tools and ran.

maya's third eye

Today Maya was browsing in the pantry trying to decide which little morsel of food to request.  I continued to ask her while she stared and figited silently. Finally she turned to me and said her brain wanted it all.
In the back yard she was eating an orange while I pushed Ash in the swing.  She told be she had a third eye located in the back of her head. I asked what color and she stated rainbow.  It hid in her hair, closed to hide and when sleeping, and also when shampooing her hair as not to get stung.
Ash has picked up sign and words but his fallback is always the same. When he likes something he gives a strong nod, and a dis-like takes on a vigorous head shaking.  And anytime he wants an item, he holds his arm out in front of him and grunts, like we should curtsy and oblige his orders, Sir Ashton.
At the park he went down a long fast slide and twisty slide on his own, once emerging from the twisty slide head first and upside down, scared but still smiling.  Papa Dale noted that the kid walks with confidence, his lordotic style of stance, wide gait and arms swinging, the left way faster than the right. He does not like cantalope but loves whip cream and smoothies.

Hello calf...where did you go?

Got my cast off today.  Was told I would have to have one on for 4 more weeks until they realized they made a mistake and I needed a walking boot. Was about to start swinging because there was no way in hell...
Let the kids tag the cast this am before I had it sliced off. Was supposed to be fun but with kids there are plans and then there is what ends up happening.  Ash pooped so had to take the pen away from him to change his pants.  He freaked and chorus one started. Then the cat lost the cap to Maya's green pen and she freaked...chorus number two.  
I have been dubbed the running hug master, where the kids scream down the hallway and I catapult them onto the couch.  They think I was born to be there all time running hug dad.  They do not understand when after multiple sessions I have to stop, like I am some robot and you can just oil me up and I don't stop. I missed Maya and she went flying by. Sorta funny but not when she sat on my lap crying saying that I made her really sad.
Today at dinner she told me that she was up with God watching us before she was born.  Maybe she was...sure am happy she picked us to be her parents.
Ash loves chapstick. Lid on...lid off and don't you dare take it away from him.  He also likes to put things in the toilet...tonight's victim...my gym shorts. He is now saying hat, car and please. Both kids wanna kick my leg now, as I let them kick it with the cast on...I see pain in my future.

Too be a kid

I think my daughter is so cool.  Today I am checking my email and allowing the kids to entertain themselves in the family room. Maya comes in, shoulders a bit shrugged carrying a winsome little smile stating she has something to tell me. Splattered with a bunch of "ums" and "well" she managed to tell me that she had done something to Ashton. I heard no screaming so hoped he was still breathing.  She said she was building towers with books and little man had knocked them down. She got mad and chucked a few books at him.  She had come to tell me this and that she was sorry.  Wow...what do you want kid...ice cream, money.  What honesty. I am sure it can work the other way and tattle taling will start soon.
Fuuny... I asked Maya where mom was. She answered that she was going to the bathroom... and was having a hard time. Shall I get the plunger?  Turns out she was having a hard time with Ashton in the bathroom.  That kid. Had a cookie in hand in his high-chair. He put his hand over the edge, stared at me and knew what I did not want him to do...yet with our eyes met he spiked it down to the floor, then his fork and tray all before I could hobble over to get him. Little bugger.
After playing with Kyle at his house, Maya as usual began to itch in the grass. As soon as she got home she ran to the bath. I had to grab bro from the car, and when I finally got back, she was naked in the bath without any water just pleading for me to make the itch to stop.
Maya got that blow up globe from her reading challenge, so we have been introducing her to geography.  I pointed out Madagascar and she is set that she wants to go there.  Actually anywhere we point out that has animals is a destination she desires.  I think Madagascar is doable, but when she keeps pointing to Siberia stating she wants to go there next...not so sure.

Fort

Today we brought out the princess tent with the tube. We opened it up for snack time, the cat participated in destroying the set up, and Ash and Maya hung out like buds for a bit. Then I super-sized it, adding on a new room. Maya loved it, Ash tore it down.  Still true to their nature.
Maya and had some good time together while Ash napped. We beaded some collars for Lucky and made an anklet for my cast. Dad then coerced her into learning time with ABC dot to dots and some thinking exercises. Quality time with Ash was just throwing some balls around...so simple. He learned how to climb up the slide today. While we waited for Mom's return we danced to salsa and did running hugs and throws onto the couch.

I'll take two please

Today Maya and Ashton were playing on the slide together in the backyard. I was seated reading my book and just keeping their actions in my periphery, or more realistically just listening for sounds that would suggest damage or danger.  I glance up once in a while to make sure all body parts are attached. One glance I noted that Ashton had a butterfly net over his head, and holding onto the other end was the Ashton catcher...Maya. I asked her quickly not to do that to her brother...that he is not a butterfly.  Her response, " But he did not cry".  Nice logic actually.  So as long as he does not cry it flies.  So if she puts tape over his mouth, or puts his head in a bucket of water...all good...don't hear him crying.
Ashton usually takes baths first, then Maya lingers in the second one.  I was repairing a wire that the cat had chewed through and Jen was busy in her usual Monday "getter done" phase, I heard a splash. No crying, no screaming so all is good.  Upon investigating after not seeing Ash, he had decided that we may have missed a spot and dove in with PJ's and all...happy as can be with Maya in the bath.
Maya got a sticker for reading books this summer and for some odd reason wanted to put in on her cheek...two days ago.  It has remained untouched until tonight when bath time came around. She was so upset it had to come off. Tears followed comments that it was her favorite sticker and she wanted people to know she had read.