ECM

ECM

Monday, September 19, 2011

Before I forget





Yes I took a picture in church. Sorry.

His hair is unreal.

Cruise has started grooving to the music while we drive. He bobs his head and does this squinty eyed "cool" face. He does look pretty cool.


Pretty eyes.

Cutest little thing ever.
Poor little McLayne woke up yesterday with two of her top teeth cutting through. Then today another one was erupting as well. That would feel terrible, wouldn't it? Kids are tough. Weird how last night she actually slept the best she has in awhile. I guess it was the same with Cruise. He had the worst week EVER (sleeping, I mean) and then the next week he slept fine and cut his top teeth. Hopefully that means she'll be an amazing sleeper from now on.

So I need to list some of the funny things Cruise has said/done recently. He is hilarious lately. But just keep in mind that the funnIEST stuff I can't even share... it would be a little TMI.

- I was outside following Cruise around while he rode his Toy Story scooter when all of a sudden he stopped and said, "Mom, should we go buy you a scooter too? Would you like one?" I said yes, that could be fun. "Okay, and we can get you a princess one!"
- Cruise was sitting on the couch when I said, "You know what I'm thinking? I think it's time for a bath." He put his chin on his hands and said, "Hmm. I was thinking a show."
- I'm sitting here on the couch and ask Cruise to do something and he goes, "Stick it to the mom!" Apparently Eric had been teaching him some quotes from School of Rock, but don't worry, he adapted it from "man" to "mom" himself.
- For some reason he loves the word (or pretend word) Gox. Yes. It's so funny. He just says it whenever and laughs. Maybe it actually means something and we just don't know what. But that would be weird since he's a great talker and we understand everything he says now. I don't know. Maybe I don't want to know, especially when he goes, "Mom gox!!! Hahahaha!"
- Cruise is now potty-trained. It was surprisingly easy. I'd never been able to get him to go ONCE in the "big-boy toilet" so I decided we'd take him to Target to get some super cool underwear. Well, first of all, he decided to call them underPANTS. Don't know why. I always said underwear to him. So, we're in the store and I'm trying to get him on film and I ask him what he wants to get. Of course he says toys, not underpants. I said, "I thought you wanted underpants?" Cruise: "I thought toys AND underpants." Anyway, that night after he got his cool underpants he went like a big boy and was potty-trained. That's it. He's had like two accidents in a month. Fabulous.
- I was reading a dinosaur book to Cruise and was pointing out the different names. Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, Pegasaurus, and before I could say the next one he pointed at it and said, "Scary-saurus?"
- In the car Eric was singing that song by Rancid--Black coat, white shoes, black hat, cadillac, yeah. Eric just happened to be wearing a black shirt. A minute later I hear Cruise singing, "Blue shirt, blue shoes, yeah." And that's exactly what he was wearing.
- I've been trying to teach Cruise about feelings and how he can do things to feel certain ways. I think it's backfiring. For instance, after he was less than kind to Layne I said, "Don't you want to give her that toy to make her happy?" Earnestly he says, "I want to make ME happy."
- During my initial "feelings" talk I was expaining to him how he is so sweet and makes me so happy. I said that being around him makes me smile and laugh. In response he wryly said, "But sometimes you gotta lock me?" (Referring to when I put him in his room for a time out.) I almost died laughing.
- In the middle of sacrament meeting a few weeks ago, Cruise turns to me out of nowhere and says in the loudest voice, "Mommy, are you a nice mommy?? You're not fighting me anymore?" I have NO idea where this came from. I promise I don't fight him.
- On the fighting theme, I made a HUGE mistake. He didn't really know anything about fighting, until.... We were at the library and he found a super-cool book of super heroes fighting. I said, "Oh, nooo. We don't like fighting books, Cruise." He looked at me with huge eyes, realization dawning, his male brain taking a developmental leap, and said, "Fighting. I LOVE FIGHTING BOOKS!!" Since then, the whole time we are in the library he's stage-whispering, "Let's get a fighting one, mom! I love fighting!! I want fighting books!!!" And everyone stares at me like I'm indoctrinating him to be violent.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Payback

Tonight during his prayer Cruise told Heavenly Father, "...and Mommy and Daddy are doing a great job being nice." Lately there's been a lot of clumsily concealed laughter during his prayers, but that was one of those moments where my heart is completely happy and I feel like my life is perfect.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Is that a peace sign?

All day Eric has been walking around the house singing Battle Hymn of the Republic. "Glory, glory hallelujah! Glory, glory hallelujah...." It was completely subconscious, and he might not have realized why he was doing it, but I must know him better than he knows himself because I know eXACTly why he was doing it. Football has begun. And "Hallelujah" is the only thing that expresses the joy in his soul. =) And today, actually right now, his beloved team is playing. He's in heaven.

I must confess, I enjoy it too. I'm that girl at the football game parties that doesn't want to be rude to the other girls who are carrying on lively conversation but that really really wants to just watch the game. This has been the case since I was a little girl at family get-togethers. All the women would be in the kitchen talking and laughing and I'd be in the den with my grandpa, uncles and brothers - all football fanatics (within reason; I learned what football fanaticism was when I met some of Eric's extended family). This brings me to think of my Grandpa Pace (football ALWAYS makes me think of him), or as more affectionately known, Papa. He passed away yesterday. He had a full, rich life and I'm so happy he can be with Mema again. I'm going to post about his life soon. I'll miss him. He was such a fabulous grandfather! I'm so thankful to know of the Plan of Salvation and that I will see him again whole and happy!

But now MY game is on, so gotta go!

Oh, and the answer is NO! It's a V for Victory!


Siiigh, wish I was there. (below)