Give me the bemote!!!

Today was a typical, lazy day at the Short house. We woke up early, but not too early, and stayed in our PJs until way past time to change clothes. Craig, Molly, and Emma ventured down to KM to move softball stuff while the boys and I headed to buy groceries for the week.

In the line at the grocery store Gabe "grabs" himself. I told him to stop and then asked him if he had to go to the bathroom. He replies by telling me that he just went in his diaper. So I tell him to stop with the grabbing to which he replies, in the LOUDEST voice he can, "What Mommy? Stop grabbing my dingle?". Suddenly, every elderly person in Cleveland County has planted their eyes firmly on my son. Some of them ping pong back to me, to see if I will react, beat his rear, yell at him, or give him anything in response to his question. [At this point, Cooper has had to turn his head because he is laughing.] "Yes, Gabriel [You always call them by their full name when trying to make a point - my dad taught me well.] please stop grabbing your dingle. That is not very nice." [Cue the elderly, still wondering what a dingle is and why this young man is grabbing his crotch in the grocery store.]

So, thanks to Cooper, Gabe also knows how to really irritate his sister. Cooper will just randomly, with very little warning so that Molly can escape, will pull out a butt cheek and rub it on her leg or something. He thinks this is the funniest thing ever while Molly ususally gags and kicks him. So today, guess who pulls down the diaper and rubs his bare rear on Emma - Yep, you guessed correctly, it was Gabe. In disgust Emma yelled and said, "Gabe!! Keep your raw butt off of me!" He darted out of the living room, pajama pants around his ankles, giggling. Emma looked at me and said, "You know Momma, I'm gonna have to take a bath now." I responded with, "Yes, I know Emma." Really Cooper, let me thank you publically for turning your three year old brother into a nasty, stinky, annoying little brother.

Speaking of Cooper, today I asked him to do one simple task while I was in the shower - clean up the living room. Now that seemed pretty simple to me because I did not insert any of the following into my request:
1. Only clean up YOUR stuff.
2. Only clean up the space in front of each couch and the chair.
3. Please leave something around the perimeter of the room so I can play "I Spy" later with Emma.
After getting ready, I entered the living room to find the center completely void of toys but around the perimeter of the ENTIRE living room laid the folllowing:
Random socks, a hanger, a toy Emma got from the treasure box at school, a gun fashioned out of blocks, a box of wipes, projects from Emma, and a pacifier. Hmmmmm...now the boy is fairly intelligent [gets that from me folks] so I know he understood the directions. So my guess is that there s a force field preventing him from reaching these items. He does not want to interrupt this force field surrounding these items. Or, he needs some serious glasses because these things are not visible to HIS naked eye. Bless his heart! [Editor's note: When I asked him why he didn't pick up these items he simply smiled, laughed, and said, "Cause I didn't want to." I will remember that when it comes time for allowance this week.]

Melia continues to make improvements at Duke. Please continue to pray for her and for her family. She is one tough cookie and she's determined - which should inspire us all.

As always....life is good :)
♥ Missy