Conversations with a 4 Year Old!

Some days I cherish the conversations that I have with my 4 year old.  His head is full of so many dreams and wishes.  I just hope that some of them come true for him some day.  He's growing at lightning speed right before my eyes and if it were up to him he'd already be 16 and driving or 18 and living in a fire station fighting fires everyday.

Today was one of those conversations that make you laugh and think to yourself that you want to remember this silly conversation forever.  I'm preparing to leave for a Ladies Retreat with my church tomorrow morning and I've been preparing the kids all week so they are prepared for things to be different than their routine so we had another conversation about how daddy was picking them up tomorrow on our way home today.  My 2 year old Abby said "Mommy I want to go with you".  I explained to both of them that they couldn't go along because it was for Ladies only.  Of course my wise Nathan says "but mommy Abby is a lady".  I chuckled and reminded him that Abby was actually a little girl and that the retreat was for grown up ladies.

Nathan went on to explain to me how he wants to go to a retreatment when he grows up and that Daddy would go with him.  Then Abby of course said she wanted to go with him.  He then said Abby it's going to be a boys retreatment you can't come.  I will have a sign that says no Ladies Allowed.  She whined of course and didn't like that idea at all.  The funniest part of the conversation was the last part when Nathan kept trying to explain to Abby that she could go to her own retreatment when she grows up.  He goes on to say that him and daddy and even Uncle Jeff were going on the retreatment when he grows up and Mommy you can't come because there will be a sign that says "No Short People Allowed".  Most of you know me in real life and realize that Daddy is 6' 6" compared to Mommy who is only 5' 3".  I had to laugh.  My Son is a real comedian!  I guess this Short Mom won't be going to any All Boys Retreatments.

Aquarium Visit

This weekend we went to the Newport Aquarium with some friends.  I haven't been there since I was a teenager.  It's a nice place but I think they charge way too much.  The month of February 2 kids get in free with every paying adult so that made it much more affordable.  After looking at the pictures I realized just how much the kids enjoyed it and that makes it worth it for sure! Nice preparation for our Vacation to Sea World in a few months.

I loved their reaction to the sharks.  They were really awed when we walked through the tunnel. On one window a huge shark swam right at them and they both got a bit scared until they realized that it couldn't get to them.

Our friend Thomas was loving the fish at the beginning but he wasn't too sure of any of them by the end.  I think they just got bigger and scarier in his little 3 year old mind.

Overall we had a great time and once again I got to spend some fun quality time with my kids and some good friends.

 This guy does look pretty scary... I can only imagine what that looks like to a 2,3, and 4 year old.

You can see the look of nervousness on Abby's face.  She wasn't too sure about those sharks.

I Love You to the Moon!

Parenting is so hard sometimes.  All you want is what’s best for your children.  You want them to be happy and succeed at life.  They think you’re killing them when you make them take 2 more bites of their dinner before having a treat or put a coat on and put pants on in 30 degree weather and not shorts and flip flops and the list goes on.

Nathan was in a non-listening 4 year old mood this weekend.  As a punishment he had to stay home and take a nap Sunday afternoon while Abby and I went to a grand opening at a new library.  What he doesn’t know is that he didn’t miss anything exciting.  It was crowded and even though we got there on time we missed out on everything fun by just a few minutes because I had no clue where anything was taking place.  We got to see that last song of the puppet show and poor Abby cried her eyes out when it was over.  Then I took her to get a cupcake and they were all gone.  After that I decided to take her to get her face painted and after standing in line for about 5-10 minutes and getting her hopes up they tell us they won’t have time to paint anymore faces.  I took her for ice cream on the way home just to make her feel like she had some fun.  It worked!  Nathan thinks Abby had loads of fun and wishes he could have gone and Abby got to skip a nap and have some one on one time with Mommy.

Isn’t it funny how you can go from “Meanest Mom” to “Best Mom” in a 4 year olds mind?  He Loves me to the Moon as long as he’s happy!

The Beginning of an Adventure

This is something new to me.  My very first Blog Post.  I thought I'd start blogging my adventures so I can remember them when my preschoolders are teenagers.

Life is always interesting around the Quillen household.  Nathan age 4 and Abby age 2 are always on the go and love to romp and run.

Our Living Room is only used on weekday mornings for sleepy kids to watch cartoons while Mommy gets ready for the day and out the door in a timely manner.  It has started to become their little playground while Mommy is busy trying to get dinner ready after a long day at work.  A perfectly filled play room awaits them down stairs filled with more toys than a 4 year old and 2 year old need but who needs toys when you can have an obstacle course in your living room? Low Couches to climb over and jump off.  A big floor to roll around on and wrestle, and a Big Comfy Chair that's perfect for climbing.  Of course, don't mind the fact that Mom tells us to stop climbing on the furniture more times than we can count on any given night.  

So, last week was a week of breaking things.  A Tall Floor Lamp was the first victim.  All by it's lonesome in a corner of this room that is normally unoccupied the massacre began.  2 kids romping and playing and down the lamp goes with a glass shade.  Of course it had to land on the Brick Fire Place and shatter across the living room.  2 kids with barefeet and mom with dinner on the stove.  That was a fun cleanup!

The next night a 2 year old gone wild runs up to a table in that same room and knocks over a table lamp.  All that broke on that one was the bulb.  

Next Night was the kicker.  My all time favorite Shark Sweeper Vacuum.  It's the best sweeper vacuum I'ver ever owned and it's used on a daily basis.  Nathan loves sweeping with it and somehow managed to break the handle off while "helping" mommy clean.  Needless to say, I know what I'm getting for my Birthday.  

So, that's just a taste of a Week in the Quillen House.  I'm sure there will be lots of adventures to be had in the year 2012.  Nathan will turn 5 and Abby 3 and we are planning our first Family Vacation in an actual vacation spot and not just visiting family.

I hope you'll enjoy our journey along with us as this beginner blogger sets out on an adventure!