Popsicles and puddles

After months of planning and scheming, Benjamin and his friend finally got permission from both sets of parents to ride their bikes to a little paleta shop not too far from our house. They went in and bought popsicles for themselves (because that is exactly what ones does at a paleta shop) and rode home again, excited to share about their adventure.

"This is change from the store!" Benjamin said, emptying his pockets to show his younger siblings some shiny new coins. "The store gave me change back after I bought the popsicles!"

Pretty standard, really. But a novelty for him!

"I didn't really say much. I just said hi...kiwi...and then I said bye."

"In English or Spanish?" I asked him, in a little bit of a teasing way.

"I don't even know!" he said breathlessly, still suffering from the adrenaline rush caused by this terrific adventure in independence. "Rachel—how do you say bye in Spanish?"

"Uhh...adios."

"Oh. Okay. It was in English then, I think."

"You think!" she repeated. "You think you were speaking English?! You're not sure??"

"I was really nervous."

But he did it anyway, so that's pretty cool.

*****

I was clearing leaves off the driveway the other day, like a good, responsible adult. You can't leaf those things lying around—they create hazards! So, there I was, clearing off the driveway...very demure...very responsible. 

And all the neighbourhood kids are out playing because it's a gorgeous fall afternoon. And I'm just reveling in the all-my-kids-are-old-enough-to-play stage of life with a very what-a-good-job-I-did-clearing-off-this-driveway air...and I turned around and...

Phoebe has pulled down her pants and is just...peeing...out there in front of everybody.

"Phoebe! What are you doing?!" I gasped. 

"I not Phoebe! I puppy! I'm peeing on the ground—like a puppy!"

"No, no, no! You are not the kind of puppy who gets to pee on the ground! You are the kind of puppy who needs to sit on the potty!"

"WHY?!" she demanded with great annoyance. And she then added, "Mom, I fink I have pee in my shoes."

"That's why!!" I moaned. "You need to sit on the potty so you don't get pee in your shoes! At least, that's one reason why you should sit on the potty instead of peeing on the ground. But there are many more reasons where that came from!"

Fortunately clean-up wasn't too terrible. But kids really do have special little ways of bringing you back down to earth when you think you've got things all figured out, don't they?