kids say the darndest things.

Babysitting is therapeutic. Some things they say that brighten my world.

The Sahid girls...Abby (6) and Audrey ("free")
Abby (after we put paper flowers all over their dining room chandelier): "it looks soooo festive...it looks so festive...it looks SO festive...it's very festive" and finally the clincher "it's like the FESTIVAL came through town!"

Abby: "Andrea...guess what I am going to do...next... YEAR?!"
Me: "wow. that's a ways a way! What?"
Abby: "I'm going to help with the...mom...heart...CONFERENCE, passing out chocolates."
Me: "that is sooo exciting!"
Abby: *after endless giggles* "I KNOW! When mom told me that, I just felt SO big."

Audrey): "Andwea, if I get scawed can I cawl you?"
Me: "Yes, Audrey, you know you can always call me. But you have no reason to be scared, alright? So think happy things and just go to sleep..."
Audrey: "But what about Mr. Nigh?" *an alleged horse hater in an American girl doll book*, at this point she's totally milking it.
Me: "Sweetheart, he's not real, and he only hurts horses...not little girls..."
Abby (fully displaying that she is her older more "inquisitive" sister): "Actually he ca..."
Me: "Be quiet, abby."

Audrey: while videoing me tell a crazy story with their dolls
Me: "And they were running in the forest in the rain and Elizabeth fell down a hill *Ahhh*. Felicity runs to her rescue...'oh elizabeth it will be alright, the magic wood pecker will get us home soon...'"
Audrey: "I cant hold my hands stwaight anymore with the camewa. I'm tiwed."

My cousin Camila (6)
Me: "I'm thinking of something I like..."
Camila: "ME!!"

Camila: "When I grow up I want to ride a horse without a saddle into the middle of a beautiful garden. I want to bring some instruments in with me and play them in the garden."
Erica and I: "Who are you, child?!"

My little Coulombe munchins...Thompson (6) Owen (4) Calvin (2)
Thompson: I found her crying in bed after she broke the "special" hanging vase in the bathroom:
Me: "Why is it special Thompson?"
Thompson: "It's...ittt's.. the vaa*se *gasp* wee...hold our floooooowweers in!!!!!! ahhh...*gulp*"
Me externally: "Oh honey, mom loves you more than the vase and it will be alright...it was an accident."
Me internally, busting a gut: "yes, Thompson, that one was way more important than the 'vases' you don't hold flowers in."

Owen after picking me a flower: "Andarina, put it in youwr haiwr."
Me: "thank you, honey."
Owen: "Whoa. Its so beaoutiful...like a wedding."

Owen in his knight helmet and sword): "Andarina, youwr haiwr is so pwetty"
Me: "Aww...that's such a knightly thing to say."
Owen: "and you're eyes...and you're face."
Me internally: "can you just be mine?"

While playing Narnia in my back yard...we were in the sea and I was susan, owen was peter, and calvin was edmund
Me: "Ahhhh...Peter help me I'm falling."
Owen: "SUUUUUUUUUUSSSSAAAAAAAAN!! I'm COMING!"

Upon discovering a heart shaped chicken nugget at Wendys
Me: "I 'heart' you."
Owen: "I heawrt you."
Me: "I heart you."
Owen: "Well I HEAWRT YOOOOU!!!"
Me: "I heart you more."
Owen: *stumped at my grammer shift and struggling for a comback*
Me again: "I heart you most."
Owen: *finally locating the words* "Well I heart you one BILLION BADAGILLION!"

Jake (3)
Jake: "When you're downstaiwrs can you heawr me?"
Me: "Yes I can...goodnight I love you."
Jake: "I love you too..."
*half way down the stairs* "Cawn you heawr me?"
Me: "yes"
*all the way down the stairs*: "CAWN YOU HEAWR ME?"
Me: "YES I CAN!"

Thomas (7)
He wasn't feeling well
Me: "What's wrong Thomas?"
Thomas: "MY BONES ARE REALLY GROOOOOOOWING!!!"


Yeah...amazing. I love their ability to say what they're feeling without any worry or self consciousness. I love that when they're feeling big they just pop out and say "I feel big," and when they have a particular aesthetic interest in my curly hair one day, the tell me so honestly and freely, and I love that they are concerned with the shape of chicken nuggets. It's just wonderful, and the more I'm around them the more I want my soul to return to some of these pure ways...those aware, noticing, free, trusting ways. What darling parents they have to foster such innocence and to raise them in God honoring homes!