Such a Slave-Driver

Last night, when it was time for Keira to get ready for bed, I told her to politely ask Night to pause his game and help her brush her teeth. She sighed and said, "He's just going to say, 'Why do I have to do everything around here?' again."

Well, she was right, he said it, but he was fine with brushing her teeth too. "Everything around here" entails brushing Keira's teeth and occasionally turning the channel to a cartoon for her. Its a pretty good gig.

Tonight as I was cleaning up the dinner dishes (right before Keira's teeth-brushing time), I thought how much I liked this new routine of having Night brush her teeth. She can be quite... um... belligerent when it comes to doing anything brushing her teeth, so Josh and I are both happy to pass off this chore special bonding moment to her big brother. It is also nice because he brushes his teeth at the same time, so it is one less task to deal with before he goes to bed.

So, when I mentioned to both kids that it was just about time for brushing teeth, I was looking forward to the new routine we've begun establishing. (Yes, the routine includes Night's mention about having to do everything around here.) Before getting up, Night calmly told me, "I was thinking that maybe one of you guys could start doing some of the work around here."

(me)"WHAT? Like cooking for you, getting your drinks, washing your clothes, paying your bills?"

(Night)"Bills? I don't have any bills..."

(me)"You think your food is free? You think this cushy air conditioning is free? You have bills. We just pay for them."

(Night)"Well, anyway, do you think that one of you two could brush Keira's teeth and maybe start changing the channels for her?"

(me)"You are right. We shouldn't expect so much from you. We really do need to start helping, don't we?"

(Night)"Yeah."

(me)"Well, you brush tonight and one of us will do it tomorrow."

(Night)"Okay."

Glad he set us straight before the Department of Labor caught us for breaking all those child labor laws.

Losing Halloween

Nearly all of my friends are pregnant or have just had a baby. I think this latest round of babies rivals the baby boom of the '40s. Seriously, I'm not sure why so many people are having babies at the same time (well, I know why they are having babies, but it just seems freakishly weird that so many pregnancies/births are happening at the same time!).

Ever since Keira has decided never to sleep come into our lives, Josh and I have known that our family is complete. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our children, but we are looking forward to the freedom that comes with not having to change diapers and wipe butts. Although we've decided not to have any more babies, I wish I were pregnant just so I could say, "I've got Tivo." (I know Laura would get it.) Also, Keira says that she doesn't like babies, so that might be awkward if we get one.

Anyway, as we were driving home from spending a fun afternoon at the pool with the kiddos, I started to get sad-reminiscent of how much fun we've had with the kids since they've been born. It was then that I realized that we are probably half-way past getting to go trick-or-treating with the kids. Night is 6. He will probably stop going before he is twelve! We might be able to hold out and get Keira to keep going, but I doubt it.

People always say to embrace when the kids are young because they will never be the same, yada yada yada. I think it is sinking in. I miss my babies! I hope they are still cute when they are adolescence.

Although we've decided not to have any more babies, I wish I were pregnant just so I could say, "I've got Tivo." (I know Laura would get it.)

I wonder...

With Farrah, Ed, and Michael dying, do ya'll think the media might have something to talk about other than Jon and Kate?