Saturday, March 29, 2008

Introducing a Funny Nose Knows

I have been reading other blogs and simultaneously trying to come up with a way to write about those cute little random things the kids might do or say on a day to day basis. I have often heard them referred to as Gumbo. I like gumbo. I think the expression is very fitting. Well, for better or worse here is my unique twist on gumbo. There will be more to come in the future.

A Funny Nose Knows [#1]
How it makes him feel.

When the kids are pushing and pedaling their numerous vehicles around, Utah (our rotty) chases them. Sometimes they are amused, sometimes they are not. One day last week, Jake was riding his bike up and down the sidewalk on the side of the house and Utah got a little close, apparently knocking him over. It happens. Once Jake got over the small raspberry on his knee, he began riding his bike again but suddenly appeared on the back patio where Joe and I were with Jadyn on the swingset. Jake had a particularly sour look on his face so Joe asked him what was wrong to which he replied, "Utah made me grumpy". We couldn't help but laugh.

A Funny Nose Knows [#2]
Her colors.

Okay so not really. Although we are making some progress. At least everything is no longer green or yellow. She does now know blue and purple. But for awhile I would color coordinate the kids bowls and cups - the blue and green would generally go to Jake and the purple and pink would generally go to Jadyn. The sippy cups are definitely meant to be gender specific. The cups have pink flowers for the girls and blue trucks for the boys. The bowls are just random solid colored bowls. The reality is it is just an easy way to keep track of whose cup is whose. Occasionally I would get distracted and hand Jake a pink flowered cup that belonged to Jadyn to which he would reply, "Mom, you picked the wrong one. That's silly!". So the other day, I am serving Jadyn a bowl of lemon yogurt and place it in a green bowl and sit it in front of her. Gee. Guess what she tells me. "Mom, You pick wrong one. That's silly!" How do I argue with a 22-month old headstrong little girl about the color of her bowl and how it is perfectly fine for her to eat her yogurt out of a green bowl? I guess I should be more cautious about what I start. I am inflicting unnecessary gender stereotypes upon my children. Whatever shall I do?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

We have an ongoing battle about this in our house. We explain over and over again to Robert that pink will not turn him into a girl. I bought princess yogurt drinks once and he actually asked me if I was trying to make him a girl!! Um, no, we can just pour it into your blue cup little man. I really want the boys to be open-minded but they can't get beyond color sometimes.