Curly Straight

TJ looking at the string on his sweatpants: "Oh, that's your string?"

Mama: Nope, not my string.

TJ: That's Daddy's string?

Mama: Nope, not Daddy's string either.

TJ: Oh, that's Jul-ya-ya's string?

Mama: Nope, not Julia's string.

TJ: OH! That's MY string.

Repeat at least three times.

Mama: TJ, are you my baby?

TJ: No, I'm TJ.

TJ at naptime, heard through the monitor:

Tigger, Tigger, Tigger, Tigger.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.

Elmo, Elmo, Elmo, Elmo.

TJ, 2 1/2, today sang the whole "do, ri, mi, fa, so, la, te, do" scale unprompted while playing along on the piano.

TJ remembered yesterday (in MARCH) that the elephants at the zoo were eating pumpkins on Halloween.

That kid is smart!

Better memory than his momma, that's for sure.

Mama, making a shopping list: We need bananas and ham at the store, TJ, can you think of anything else?

TJ: Milk.

Mama: (writing it down): anything else?

TJ: Daddy.

Mama, nursing Juyaya: TJ, you used to nurse like this when you were a little baby, you know.

TJ, pulling up his shirt and looking for nursing equipment: I DID?!?

Mama: That's a cricket, rubbing it's wings together, making a chirping noise.

TJ, flapping his arms: These are my wings.

Mama: Are you a cricket?

TJ: No.

Mama: Are you a bird?

TJ: No, I'm TJ!

TJ, trying to move the baby's arms: Is Juyayaya a bird?

Mama: No, she's Julia.

TJ: I want to flap her wings.

TJ, with his favorite blanket in his mouth, as Mama and Daddy eat dinner: I am eating my blankie.

Mama: is it good?

TJ: No, it's my blankie.

I just tickled Juyaya and I swear she smiled. Big.

Mama, pointing to the letters on the Thomas the Train blanket: what letter is this?

TJ: T

Mama: how about this?

TJ: H

Mama: This letter?

TJ: O

Mama: This letter?

TJ: M

Mama: This letter?

TJ: A

Mama: This letter?

TJ: S

Mama: What does that spell?

TJ: Choo choo train!!!

I love to sing to TJ and sometimes I leave the last word out and let him fill it in. I tried it the other day with a made-up song and this is what we came up with:

Mama: TJ, TJ, I love...

TJ: You.

Mama: Every day, yes it's...

TJ: True.

Mama: From your head to your...

TJ: Nose.

Mama: I love you right down to your...

TJ: Belly.

TJ to our accountant, Ernie: Where's Bert?

Things are crazy when it's just me and the kids. This is definitely an adjustment period. Trying to give extra love to T, but I can tell he's a little jealous and frustrated and is taking it out on me. Right now he's sleeping, so of course, I'm totally in love with him, but as he's acting out it is a different story. It is a phase, and it will pass. That's what I have to keep on telling myself.

Juyaya is already a month old!

TJ, pointing at Daddy's drink at a restaurant: I want THAT.

Daddy, pointing at TJ's cup: You have your own.

TJ: Niiiiiiice.

Mama or Daddy: Why this or that or why are you acting like that or why do you like that or why do you say that?

TJ's answer every time: Because.