small talk

Sam, Teresa and Katie received a Valentine's Day card from their Aunty Ann and Uncle Mark and each card contained a crisp ten dollar bill. Sam is my kid who loves to spend money. As soon as he gets allowance money or birthday money he is asking to head to the store to spend it. Even on Webkinz he will blow through every last kinzcash on lamps, rugs, appliances and garden accessories. Teresa on the other hand is like a multi millionaire in webkinz world. She goes to some place on the site and buys only whats on sale. This difference between the two of them always gives me a chuckle. Anyways, I assumed Sam would be wanting to head out to the toy store immediately upon opening the envelope and finding his riches. But he surprised me. He took his ten dollar bill and headed into my bedroom. I asked him what he was doing and he said "I'm putting my money in the bank." I reminded him that his piggy bank was upstairs and he said "no, not that bank. The big bank with ALL my money." I realized he wanted to put it in his savings account and I keep the passbooks in my room. When I asked him why he wanted to put it in the bank he answered. "Well....I'm saving up for something big." Visions of science kits, books, the bakugan of all bakugan filled my head. So I asked him what he was saving for as he headed down the hall to my room, to which he replied "A Toyota."

Teresa has picked up this funny new habit. She makes air quotes. It completely cracks me up and I have no idea where she's seen this. I don't do it or if I do it's not often enough that she would pick up on it. Just yesterday she was chatting with me as I made dinner about some of her favorite songs. "Our song on my (insert air quotes here) new Taylor Swift CD is so funny!" I have to stop myself from laughing at her because she thinks she's being so grown up using them. (The reason she feels her "new" Taylor Swift CD requires the air quotes is that it's actually the first album but Teresa got the second album first. So while it's new to her, it's not the newest Taylor Swift album. The fact that she uses her air quotes appropriately cracks me up further. )

I've mentioned before that Katie and I have extensive conversations while we're driving hither and yon. This memorable repartee happened the other day.

Katie: Mumma, how do babies get in Mommys' tummies?
Me: Well....the Mommies and Daddies make them.
Katie: yes, but HOW do the get IN the tummy?
Me: (wondering how much to tell her and how much does she really want to know...in other words stalling.) ummmm....the Mommy and Daddy love each other in a special way and when they do the baby gets in the Mommy's belly.
Katie: but HOW?
Me: (are you freaking kidding me? I have to have this conversation now? Totally chickening out) Well honey, that's how God helps out. Sometimes when the Mommies and Daddies love each other in the special way they make a baby and sometimes they don't. God decides when it happens and puts it in the Mommy's tummy.
Katie:how does God do THAT?
Me: (and this is where I throw in the towel) God's magic so he can just do it.
Katie: Oooohhhh, now I get it. Hey Mumma, did God go to Hogwarts like Harry Potter to learn his magic?

And just one more:
Unlike most kids his age who catch their parents showing each other signs of affection like hugging and kissing, Sam does not say "ewwwwwwwww!" and pull faces. He tilts his head to the side, flutters his eyelashes, clasps his hands under his chin and chirps "romance!" in a syrupy sweet voice. Kills us every time.