Pickles and other children's non sequiturs(Gratitude for the everyday part 2)

I had originally planned to blog last night, but then I fell asleep while laying with the oldest two trying to get them to sleep and was barely coherent when A.J. woke me at eleven to move from the bottom bunk bed in Josie’s and Jimmy’s room to our bed in the next room.  Though in hindsight he really should have just let me stay in the kids’ room since around 1 AM Jimmy woke up screaming from a bad dream or something and Josie woke up yelling for us and they both ended up in our bed.  Couple hours later so did Sawyer.  Not really the most restful of nights. 

But anyways, my goal is to write about everyday things that I am grateful for on Mondays.  It’s Tuesday so I am not that late.  Yesterday afternoon was really nice.  The boys and I picked Josie up from school then went to the mall to meet an old friend from high school with her kids at the play area.  She and I have not seen each other since graduation or beach week I am pretty sure.  And if we have run into each other after that, I am pretty sure it was in my single days out at one of the popular bars and I was most likely too drunk to remember- just kidding…well sort of.  No comments from my peanut gallery of close friends and family!  The mall adventure went so smoothly yesterday -well aside from the end of the adventure when my credit card was denied when I tried to pay for my kids’ $7.49 worth of candy at the candy store, but I digress.  I was able to use another credit card thank goodness. My friend’s kids and my kids actually interacted with each other and my Josie is eager to hang out with my friend and her children again so it was a success!

The loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong evening at home with my kids until A.J. got home right before bedtime was “annoying” said in my niece Katarina’s perfect pitch that really does the word justice. Sawyer decided to be a nice young gentleman and went to sleep easily once placed in his crib in his dark room with the fan going.  Bart-man was fast asleep in his bouncy seat so I was able to go lay down with Josie and Jimmy in their room and do our old bed time routine which I haven’t since Bart’s arrival.  I really needed it!  I should clarify though that I was lying on the bottom bunk, full bed with Jimmy.  I was not squished on the top single bed of the bunk with Josie.  I do not think anyone wants me to test those weight limits!  We get the noise machine going- used to use one of those cheap little fans for noise, but it gave out last week from being thrown or kicked by the kids one too many times.  We have had the noise machine since Josie was a baby, but still can not figure out how to get this cheap hunk of junk $15 dollar machine to stay on instead of timing out.  So lately the kids have taken turns choosing which “noise” to listen to.  I seriously don’t understand how anyone finds the jungle or camping forest noises so relaxing.  To me they are a bit jarring.  So tonight, Jimmy chooses the crashing waves of the ocean option.  We decide to say a “Hail Mary” for our nightly prayer and Josie informs me that “Daddy usually forgets to say prayers with us.  He just falls asleep.”  Say our prayers and good night I love yous.  Josie tells me a bit about puzzle day at school.  She is midway into talking about it and Jimmy bursts out yelling “Pickles!”.  This cracks us all up.  Where does Jimmy come up with this stuff??!  Sure enough once the laughing dies down, he says it again.  Same response.  Now time to get them back into calm mode.  “Okay, guys, enough.  Time to go to sleep.” 

I lay there and think about how kids use non sequiturs all the time.  On many occasions it is some body part that they yell out.  “Butt” is a favorite of my kids.  Wouldn’t it be great if adults could do this in the work place?  It would lighten up so many tense meetings.  Imagine sitting there, bored out of your mind or aggravated by whatever one of your bosses or coworkers are going on and on about.  Then you just interrupt with “Pickles!” or “Butt!”.  I don’t think you would elicit the same response from your coworkers as my kids get from their little cohorts,  but it sure is nice to dream.