The Worm

"The Twins" (as we affectionately call them) had a little farming expedition in the yard today. They eagerly dug for worms and then had a lengthy conversation about their new little friend. Here's a snippit:

Tali: Oh Owey! Isn't he soooo cute? He's soooo lih-tul!

Owen: Yah, Tal. (Then Owen starts poking the worm with a stick and it begins to burrow underground again.)

Tali: Oh, Owen!!!! He DOESN'T like that. That's skay-ween him, Owey. Now he's leaving. That's so sad! Oh, Owen. Isn't he just so cute? Do you like worms, Owey?

Owen: No, Tal. I DON'T like them!

Tali: Hey, how about you be, "Farmer Owen," ok?

Owen: No! (In disgust.) I'm not "Farmer Owen." I'm dust, "Owey."

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She Keeps Me Smiling

This is a shot of my sweet girl praying for people. (As you might have guessed, Tali is a unique one.) We keep all the Christmas photos people send us and use them to pray for people throughout the year. The kids absolutely LOVE doing this and it's a great motivation for me to remember to pray as well. Tali's always asking if she can take the pictures and pray for people for a while.

I used to post quotes from her all the time and I'm so sorry that I've gotten out of that habit. Every day she says hilarious things and makes me so glad that she's in our lives. Really, there is no one quite like Tali. So just a couple quotes from this week:

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I left Addie Beth in Tali's room while I put Owen down for a nap and told her, "Don't pick her up, just talk to her." Sooo...I came back in and Addie was crying a bit. I asked Tali what happened.

Tali: "Well, I was trying to see if Addie could touch my baby so I pull-ed on her arm."

Me: "You pulled her arm?"

Tali: "Yah, but not off."

Me: "Oh. Well that's a good thing."
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I told the kids a teeny bit about what happened in Haiti and have been praying with them that God would help their country and turn people's hearts to Him. So today Tali & Owey were pretending to be different people (this is one of their favorite games) and I heard this:

Tali: I'm Haiti.

Me: You can't be Haiti. Haiti's a country.

Tali: If I put my trust in the Lord, I can be a country.

Me: Hmm. That's a good point. (Not really sure how to respond when she says stuff like that.)
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Tali was squeezing Owen with a big hug and said, "Ooh! Owey, yuh so wuhm. I'd like to cuddle you up at night."

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There's just no one quite like Tali.

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Stockpile of Quotes

I've been storing some up to post so here are a bunch of random ones from my kids...some funny, some sweet:

Me: Tali & Owen, did you know that you're honoring the Lord right now by being so kind to one another?

Tali: Yah. I have fun with my bruh-thuh.

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Tali (talking on the phone to Grandma): Well...I've juhst been use-een Momma's nuh-seen (nursing) cuh-vuhs and she has two but I don't have any and I have lots and lots of babies so...can you sew me some? Because I need some for my babies.

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Josh has been helping Owen not to grumble when he's getting wiped off from dinner or when he's getting a diaper change by telling him that it's "refreshing." :) So the other day I started to change Addie when I heard him say, "It's ok, LuLu, dohn cry. Lu says, 'Oooh! It we-fweshing!'"

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And to continue to crocodile saga...last week when our friends, Angie & her boys were over...

Angie: Owey, do crocodiles live in heaven?

Owen: Um...I'm not willy shuh. (long pause) But Jesus goes in heaven!

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My Favorite 2 Year Old

Tali is one of the most enjoyable people to be around that I've ever met. She really is just so cheerful, funny, sweet, kind, thoughtful, etc. (Don't get me wrong, she has her moments like we all do, but I'm talking the overall picture here!) Here's just a small snap-shot into what it's like to live with her...

This morning the kids were playing with the Strawberry Shortcakes in Tali's room. I was sitting in the chair relaxing a bit and just enjoying their conversation with each other. Here's a bit of it:

Owen: Can I pay Stah-bayree Soe-cakes?
Tali: Oh shuh, Owen. Owen, can I play too?
Owen: No.
Mommy: Yes, Owen, you need to share with Tali.
Tali: Owen, can I please have some of the Strawberry Shortcakes?
Owen: He-uh (handing over a couple of them).
Tali: Oh Owen! Thanks so much for giving me a couple of them. That was so kind of you, Owen! Did you know that? That was kind! Thank you!

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Book Time

Tali is growing and changing so much. Her little mind is constantly going and she continues to crack us up with her humor and cheerfulness.

Yesterday I took the kids to the library and when we got home Tali had "Book Time." (While Owen takes his morning nap, Tali looks at books in her crib.) I came downstairs and saw that one of her books had been tossed out of the crib so I asked her about it.

"They wuh haveen bad add-ih-tudes, Mommy. I didn't like it! A man was angry and evweeone kept taking away the guls toys! It was not good and I did not like that book."

Immediately I knew which book she was talking about and started cracking up. "Rummage Sale" is the title. It's a book about various people who come to a little girl's rummage sale and buy her toys. It's kind of a cute book and has some good elements that make kids think. Anyway, I just loved that from looking at the pictures she had thought that it would be absolutely horrible (or "tara-bull" as she would say) to have people come and take your toys away. No wonder she didn't like it!

p.s.- I'm having trouble posting pictures. I'll try to add one later.

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It's Rough Being a Little Brother

Owey's face pretty much says it all. His sister is constantly trying to brush his hair, give him hugs, have him eat her pretend meals, hold his hand, put clothes on him, have conversations with him, etc. This poor little guy is such a good sport, even when he doesn't always enjoy her attention.

Despite all that, Owen and Tali really are good buddies. I absolutely love it when they make each other laugh or when they play ring-around-the-rosy, or when they dance together. Tali's been trying to talk to Owen a lot lately, too. "Hi Owey! How's ya day ta-day, Owey? What chew do ta-day, Owey?" It's so sweet when she does this but I feel bad for her because she doesn't get why he's not responding to her. "Mama, he's not an-suh-een me! Why's he not talkin ta me?"

Also, Tali loves to "hold" Owen's hand in the car. Except her idea of "holding" his hand is really like squeezing the life out of his poor fingers. The other day we were in the car and I heard Owen say, "Han, han! Oh-wee!!! Oh-wee!" (Hand, Hand, Owie, Owie)

These kids are just so cute.

Oh, and today Tali colored all over the wood floor and I was explaining to her not to ever do it again. She said, "Yes, Mama. Mama? Will you fuh-give me?" She's too sweet for words...

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Recent Quotes

I've been storing up quotes from Tali and finally have a couple seconds to post them. These might only be funny to me, but I want to put them up so I'll have a way of remembering her two year old conversations. And yes, I am that dorky mom that quickly grabs a pin and jots down my child's sentences before I forget them.

Setting: Tali was running around the house, acting like a crazy woman. For no reason at all.
Dust uh-skooze me. I'm willy uh-sited!
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Setting: I had just gotten some Play-Doh out for Tali. Owen was crying a bit because he wanted picked up or something like that.
You wanna pay wit Pay-doh, Owey? It's willy fun. You dohn hafta kye for it, Owey. It's fun!
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Setting: The kids were eating their favorite snack: Edy's All-Fruit Popsicles
Can Owey have his beer (that's Owen's word for 'bear')?
Me: No hon, he's eating a popsicle.
His beer would eat his pawsicle?
Me: Yep. That's exactly what would happen.
An Owen would be like, "Beer, what ah you DO-EEN?!"
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Setting: I stuck Owen in the pack-n-play so he'd be safe while I got Tali dressed for bed. He wasn't pleased with the whole idea of being confined and started to fuss.
Oh Owey, dohn you wuh-ree. I'll be in dare in a couple uh whiles.
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Setting: I gave Tali some chocolate chips for fun.
Choc-la-lit chips ah good! Kine-uh like n-uhn-m's!
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Setting: Tali was having some trouble going #2.
Daddy, dats why Mommy said I hafta eat poons!

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Favorite Quotes of the Day

While we were in the car waiting for Josh:
"O-wen! Ware is ya fah-duh at?"

And tonight at dinner:
"Mommy, I willy enjoy dis dinner dat you made me."

And one for Owey, too. He is currently obsessed with his beloved bear that he sleeps with. It's very concerning to him when he can't locate it. This morning I heard him calling out, very loudly:
"Beer? Beer? Go? Go?"

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Favorites of the Day

Just another ordinary day over here. I don't want to forget the little things though. Too much sweetness to take it for granted.

Today I said, "Tali, I'm going to go vacuum. Do you want to come with me to the living room?"
Her response: "Oh shuh, Mommy. I'd love to!" (this is a very typical answer that she gives)

After "resting" in her room for a couple hours and never falling asleep, I went up to get her. When I walked in she said, "Oh Mommy! I'm phew-wee! Tan you change me?"

And then there's Owen. He thinks everything that Tali does is just hilarious. Their new thing is to make a spitting sound together and then crack up. It is funny except when they are doing it at the dinner table and food goes flying everywhere. Oh, and he also thinks it's really funny to put his hand over his mouth and fake laugh. It's great.

We had dear friends staying with us this past weekend and before they left my friend, Angie, said, "I've never met anyone like Tali before." Amen. I think that same thought about every single day. I have a feeling that Owen is following in her footsteps though...

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This Isn't the Time

So much I'd love to post, but my friends, this is not the time! Of all the priorities in my life as I seek to serve the Lord and my family during this Christmas season, the blog's got to go. Hopefully, I'll be able to follow up on more posts about what the Lord's been teaching me regarding marriage in the new year. Maybe over the next week I'll have a chance to post some updates about the kids...you know-posts that take little time and can just be plopped up here. We'll see!

A couple Tali quotes from today:

To Owen as he stood up on his own: "Oh, duhd, dob, bruh-duh! I'm powd of you!"

To Owen when he got up from his nap: "Oh, hi bruh-duh! Hi, baby bruh-duh! How wuz yuh nap, Owey? It wuz duhd? Whud you do up dare in yuh trib?"

To her baby and blankie, "Oh baby...oh bane-kee...I dust love you sooo muts!"

"Oh Lord...oh Lord...you an-suh my pay-uh!"

And my favorite quote from Owey today. He was signing it and saying it while looking out the window at the beautiful white snow falling down: "N-OH!!!!! N-OH!!!!!" (snow)

I look forward to updating about his chattyness sometime...this boy is following in the footsteps of his sissy and talking up a storm!

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Tali's New Favorite Drink

Today I decided to give myself the gift of some Starbucks. This is somewhat monumental because I haven't had anything there (aside from tea) since I went on this crazy food restriction diet for Owen. Now that I've added back in soy and dairy, I thought I needed to celebrate. So, Tali and I went to the Starbucks drive-through. Here's what she said on the way there, even before she'd had a taste of my soy hot chocolate (with only one pump of chocolate, mind you):

"Ooh! I lub Sar-bus! Sar-bus id sooo yummy! I yike Sar-bus! Tah-yee say, 'Mommy, tin I hab sum Sar-bus?' Mommy say, 'Sir, Tahwee, dust a widdle bit. Ya mite yike it, Tahwee.' "

Poor girl. I mean, does she really have any chance but to love the place when her father is known there by name?

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God Hears Us

Yesterday was the start of another fever/sickness thing with Tali. These things are getting familiar as she's had so many but they are still scary. Anyhow, the dr. wanted me to bring her in to see if it was UTI. Checking for UTI means...you got it-urinalysis. A urinalysis on a baby who is not potty trained means a catheter. A catheter means excruciating pain for your baby and an all-out awful and hard-to-forget experience for the both of you.

So, on the way to the dr's office I asked the Lord to help Tali pee in the little bag that they'll do as a first try thing so that the cath wouldn't be necessary. The whole way to the office I talked w/her about what would happen when we got in there and how once she "went" into the bag we could go home. Guess what? They put on the bag and we waited 10 minutes. Then I said, "Ok girl. You need to go right now into the bag." And my little lady "went"!!!!!!!! It was such an answer to prayer and I'm so grateful that she didn't have to go through the pain of the catheder. And of course, once again, all of it was for nothing because she doesn't have a UTI, she has some sort of puking flu. :)

Anyway, there is no way that she would have gone into that little bag apart from the Lord's doing. She is not potty trained and she has never gone on command. So I just wanted to share that as a reminder that He hears our prayers and He does answer them in very specific ways for His glory. May He be praised for His faithfulness!

Oh, and for those who are wondering-after this trip to see the dr., Tali said, "Duhd dob, Tah-ye! You a bid dull! Yay!!"

We'd love prayers for her quick recovery

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Some Tali-isms

Ok, friends. So Tali has been absolutely cracking us up lately. I thought you might enjoy hearing some of her humorous comments.

Oh, Mama! I'm all ticky! Dust yike da pid!!!
(And so her love for "If You Give A Pig A Pancake" continues...)
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(Imagine this: it's 9:30pm and Tali is 2 hours past bedtime. She's in a white onesie and her hair looks like she stuck her finger in a light-socket. We arrive at the place we're staying for vacation and I start marvelling at what a blessing the place is. Before I know it, I see Tali running all around touching everything, saying emphatically...)
Oh my dud-ness dway-sus! Whud a bess-een! Whud a bess-een! A towch! Whud a bess-een! A tare! Whud a bess-een!
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Doe-nus. Doe-nus. I NEEEEED it!
(And she doesn't really even like donuts to be honest.)
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I WANT FINCH-FYES! I want finch-fyes! I need finch-fyes!
(Wow, I wonder where she got this phrase?!)
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(We've got a picture album of photos from when Tali was first born and I've talked with her a bit about how excited we were to have her. This is her re-telling of the story. I wish I had been up for a date right after giving birth...)
Tahee yiddle teeny baby in hop-i-tal. Mommy say, "Oh wud a bue-a-ful baby!" Mommy tuts huh. Tahee seep on Mama's test. Daddy say, "Oh wud a bue-a-ful baby!" Papa Red an Drahma tum. Mommy Daddy doe on uh date.
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(And my personal favorite:)
Oh Mommy! Dod mate suts a bue-a-ful day!

You've got to agree, this child is a lot of fun.

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Tali's Version of the Story

One of Tali's favorite books right now is "If You Give a Pig a Pancake." I caught her "reading" the book to herself yesterday. Here's what she said:

"Ta pid a pan-tate. Tee wan tum suh-rup go wit you. Soooo...you pan-tate a you an a tam-era an all tickee! Pah-bee all tickee!"

(The pig a pancake. She wants some syrup go with you. So, you pancake and you and a camera and all sticky! Probably all sticky!)

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More Tali-isms

After trying some tiliapia (which she happened to be allergic to):
Tali: No yike. Too baaad. No peas, Mommy.

While playing outside in water for the first time this summer:
Tali: Oh Drhama, Tawee wahter. So muts fun! Vaywee, vaywee fun!

After picking up her baby doll:
Tali: Oh baby. I lub ewe baby. Sooo muts! All da day yong. (kiss, kiss)

p.s.-Owen waved for the first time today. Tali was playing out by him and she waved at him and said, "Hi." He got a huge smile and waved back. These kids are just so much fun.

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Little Chatterbox

I love reading "Maddie-isms" on my friend, Christy's blog. And so...here are some Tali-isms for your reading pleasure. Keep in mind that everything is said very emphatically and with much drama.

"Tah-YEE" (Tali)

"Cov-uh-up" (cover up)

"Pee-YEEE!" (Pe-ewe)

"Mo mo" (one more)

"Oh no, Tah! Mass, Tah!! Mass!!!" (Oh no, Tali! Mess, Tali! Mess!)

"All none. All none." (All done)

"Oh, MAMA!!! ANS! ANS! Oh, no, MAMA! ANS! Wise. Teen-em-up, teen-em-up."
(Oh, Mama! Ants! Ants! Oh, no, MAMA! Ants! Wipes. Clean them up, clean them up.)

Here is my favorite conversation of the day. She was talking to her babies today when she took them into her tent for the first time:

"Oh, baby. Tent. Tent. Yook, babies. Tent. Cuv-uh-up. Wear-eese tent? Boo, tent!"

She is such a funny little thing. I love hearing her talk.

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