I know what you’re thinking! Another sappy, honeyed post about how wonderful and divine her kids are … Well, I can’t help it; because they are, you know. But there’s a few things that my older kids have said these last few days, that I had to record them somewhere, and this blog is little by little replacing my journal, which I’ll still keep to record the embarrassing things, or the angry, sad or overly sappy things you don’t really want to read about.
But I had to write about my Gorgeous and my Swan Princess because I feel this summer they’ve grown too fast, and every morning, when they wake up, they seem so alien too me, like I have to get to know them all over again. It’s definitely a lot of fun to have these big kids now. They say the funniest and sweetest things, like for example:
Gorgeous: “I’m so happy that I feel this happiness go from my stomach, to my toes, all the way to my throat” (softly crying at the end). This after he got a haircut … More on that another day.
Another one by him: “I miss Coco (the dog!) so much that I feel he’s here with me” (crying again. We were at the mall when he said this. I don’t know what triggered either the recollection or the melancholy).

Another incident that happened yesterday after the pool. In case you don’t know, I have to make multiple trips up the stairs after the pool (or after we go shopping, or if I have the stroller, or … Well, you get the idea, I hope.) One for the kids, another for the cooler, and the last for the stroller. As you can imagine, at this point I just want to collapse, and wake up to find that the kids are bathed and fed (as well as myself), the apartment is clean, and Jeff’s already home. Well, none of that ever happens of course, but the other day, after the third trip up the endless stairs (oh! did I mention we’re on the 3rd floor?), as I was about to collapse right then and there on the kitchen floor, I noticed that my older kids were hiding. I decided not to be so grumpy, and playfully, I called them. Boy was I glad I “chose the right” because both of them opened the tiny laundry room (closet) doors and first Swan sang a verse of a song, and then Gorgeous finished. The song included the words “you’re the bestest most beautiful mama in the world”, with dancing (Carlton’s style) and all. After the final note, they both ran to hug me and Gorgeous said, “I made up the whole song and I taught Swan.” And my Swan Princess said, “I’m going to cry!!!!!” and she held me tight; I could feel her little heart beating through her dress, touching mine, melting all the residual grumpiness away.
Another by Swan after we ate lunch, “I’m so “furiosa” (furious), I’m going to explode!” Jeff and I looked at each other, eyes wide open trying to assess the situation. And she continued, obviously sensing we didn’t know what she was saying, “you know, I’m full.” “Ahhhhh“, we both said, “You’re ‘satisfecha‘ (satisfied. We’re teaching not to say “full” in Spanish. I know, it’s complicated). And then she said, “yes, I’m so safistecha” (and we just let it pass)
My last quote by Swan Princess, “Let’s pretend, we’re dolphins and we swim, and your name is ‘Manure'”
Me: “My name is what?“
SP: “You know, ‘Manure’ like the dolphin we swam with in Mexico …” Duhhhh!
Me: “Ah! You mean “Renoir” (I did say it in the French pronunciation)
SP: “Yes mama, that’s what I said, Manure.”
So never a dull moment. When they’re babies they’re so sweet and innocent and time-consuming and charming and funny and so cute when they’re sleeping.
And when they grow a little they’re so fun and cute and sensitive and wise and annoying to each other and protective and good companions (to each other and to me).
No matter the age, my kids are full of wonders. I wonder what will happen tomorrow. Or what they’ll say.

For an example of Carlton Style dancing, please watch this: