Out of the mouth of Adam...

"I'd like to get a pet octopus. Except maybe I wouldn't because then I would want to eat the octopus because octopus tastes delicious!"

-Adam, age 7
Octopus Aficionado (this is what he eats when we go out for sushi)

Adam's BFF, Conner, made an elaborate train track on the stairs leading to the playroom at his house. He invited Adam to go see it. Adam apparently studied Conner's creation for a while, then decided to add his own touches. "Conner," he shouted up the stairs "come look at the modifications I've made to the train track."

-Adam, age 7
Train Track Architect

"Mommy, it was fun to have you gone but I'm REALLY glad you're home now."
-Adam, at bedtime tonight after Mommy got home from a long trip to the grocery store.

Thomas' 1st birthday

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I've got another puzzle for you...

How do two adults, one teenager, one child, and one baby create TWENTY loads of laundry in a two week period?

The above pretty much summarizes our lives right now.

Let me know when you find the answer! More importantly, let me know if you have a solution. The only solution I have right now is made of soap and water.

I cannot go to school today said little Peggy Ann McKay...

So Adam is sick with some sort of stomach bug. Anything that goes down keeps coming up. He's been trying hard to eat some chicken broth, but that's not working out too well. He's getting frustrated with his lost eating abilities and expressed his frustration with the following comment. "It's like, I can't even eat chicken broth. What gives?"

Interview with Adam, revisited

Mom and Dad
as described by Adam Hooten, age 7

1 What is something Mommy always says?
"I love you.”
2. What makes Mommy happy?
“Me.”
3. What makes Mommy sad?
“When I’m mean.”
4. How does your Mom make you laugh?
“By telling me silly jokes.”
5. What was your Mom like as a child?
“You were like me”
6. How old is your Mom?
“37.”
7. How tall is your Mom?
“So tall.”
8. What is your Mom's favorite thing to do?
“Spend time with me.”
9. What does Mom do when you’re not around?
“Have fun and try to be happy.”
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
“Money.”
11. What is your Mom really good at?
“Loving me.”
12. What is your Mom not good at?
“Not loving me.”
13. What does Mom do for her job?
“Stay home and work by watching Thomas, playing with me, going to the bathroom, and making me happy.”
14. What is Mom's favorite food?
“Noodles.”
15. What makes you proud of your Mom?
“Being my mommy and loving me.”
16. If your Mom were a cartoon character who would she be?
“I have no idea. Oh, I know who you would be - the Mario in Super Mario Brothers Super Show and Super Mario Two. Big belly and he’s pretty much a talker, like you.”
17. What do you and your Mom do together?
“Play and have fun and tell jokes.”
18. How are you and your Mom the same?
“Being people.”
19. How are you and your Mom different?
“You’re a grown-up and I’m a kid.”
20. How do you know your Mom loves you?
“She tells me.”
----------------------------------------------------
1.What is something Daddy always says?
“Dad (whispering) what’s something you say? He says maybe later..”
2. What makes Daddy happy?
“Me, right Dad?.”
3. What makes Daddy sad?
“The same thing as you.”
4. How does your Dad make you laugh?
“What do you do to make me laugh, Daddy? Sometimes he tells me jokes.”
5. What was your Dad like as a child?
“Dad, what were you like as a child? A lot like me.”
6. How old is your Dad?
“40 years old”
7. How tall is your Dad?
“Verrry tall.”
8. What is your Dad's favorite thing to do?
“He likes to play ... well, no, let’s see... he likes to spend time with me.”
9. What does Dad do when you’re not around?
“Work.”
10. If your Dad becomes famous, what will it be for?
“Money.”
11. What is your Dad really good at?
“Carnival Games Mini-golf..”
12. What is your Dad not good at?
“Running”
13. What does Dad do for his job?
“I have no idea”
14. What is Dad's favorite food?
“I don’t have any idea.”
15. What makes you proud of your Dad?
“Going to work without being very, very, very, very, very, very, very (a lot more verys) sad.”
16. If your Dad were a cartoon character who would he be?
“Luigi that’s in Super Mario Bros Super Show and The Adventures of Super Mario Bros 3 ‘cause he’s bigger than Mario and you’re shorter than him..”
17. What do you and your Dad do together?
“Sometimes we play Carnival Games Mini-golf. We just started to play multi-player today. It’s actually pretty good. I’m almost the twin of the [carnival] barker.”
18. How are you and your Dad the same?
“We’re people.”
19. How are you and your Dad different?
“He’s a grown-up; I’m a kid.”
20. How do you know your Dad loves you?
“He tells me.”

My Little Consumer...

Ah, the power of commercials. Adam definitely hears them LOUD and clear...

"Mom..."
"Yes, Adam?"
"I'm thinkin' Arby's."

-------

Me: "Sprint PCS.com is so slow!"
Adam: "Why don't you get Hughesnet?"

-----
And finally...

We went to Wal-Mart the other day so that Adam could spend some of the birthday money that he'd been saving. He decided to get a new game, Wii Carnival Games Mini Golf. He'd wanted that game for some time. As we were preparing to check out, he said "Mom, could I get a cell phone?" With a twinkle in my eye, I said "You could - you have enough money, but you don't need a cell phone." He responded with "Well, then when I want to call my friends to play you wouldn't have to call them like if you were busy. I could call them and ask if they wanna play." I said "Well, I think you have really wanted Carnival Games Mini Golf for awhile. You should stick with that." Adam said "Well, if I do get a cell phone, I would have to get AT&T because it's the nation's fastest 3G network."

A few days later...

"Adam, what is a 3G network?"
"I don't know."

On an unrelated note, our kids have been having a tough time with our dog, Scooter. He's only ten months old and he can be a little rambunctious at times. Michael and I sat down with the kids and explained that they needed to be nicer to the dog or else we would have to find him a new home. To demonstrate their tone and affect when they were speaking with the dog, I gave each of them a personalized sample of how they had been yelling at him. I warned them first that I was going to do this, so they wouldn't actually think I was upset with them. I "yelled" at Frankie first, and even though she knew it wasn't real, she was obviously taken aback. Then I turned to Adam. "Adam," I said in a very angry voice, "You pick up these toys right now!!!" Adam started to cry. I asked him if he was crying because he had been mean to the dog or because I had yelled at him. "Well," he said, sniffling, "let's just say a little of both."

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not onto thy own understaning...

One can't always tell the gender of a baby as early as fifteen weeks, but clear as day, our fourth (and in my opinion, final) baby is unquestionably ... a boy.

We plan on naming him Max Tucker Hooten. I guess the good Lord only wants us to go through teenage girlhood once. Granted, our one teenage girl is equivalent to at least two or three, but I really wanted the pretty little bows and frilly dresses part. Well, He knows better than we do what we are equipped to handle. C'est la vie. I already told Frankie that as my only girl, I apologize to her in advance for how I'm going to behave when it's time to plan her wedding. She responded by telling me that she wants me to cater it. Never gonna happen, my friend.

Sonogram pictures will be posted soon, but for now I wanted to at least share the news. And now, I'm heading to bed to dream blue dreams.

Until next time...