Quirky Kids

Canine Colsen
Colsen is definitely in the "dog" stage of development:

He is always happy to see us (practically wags his tale out of excitement); runs to the door when you ask him if he wants to go outside; loves to spin in circles; does a lot of looking at things and pointing to communicate what he wants; runs to the pantry when he wants food; can do certain "tricks" when asked; and likes to rip up, chew on, and generally destroy things around the house.

But his latest thing clinches it: when he indicates that he wants a cracker and I get the box out to give him one, he sits down on the floor and waits in eager anticipation, just like our dogs used to do when we would say "Sit" before giving them a treat! (I promise I did NOT teach him to do this- - and I never say "Sit" to him!)

Plus, I think he thinks the toy box is his crate (and, no, we don't ever put him in there.... he goes in all on his own accord):


Rhythmic Rayna

Rayna has always loved her routines, and we have often said she has joy in the journey of a conversation.... not caring as much about the substance as the fact that you are just having a conversation. So she asks the same questions over and over, and rhetorical ones, you would think, as well. Pete was chuckling the other day, though, about how she does the same exact thing over and over in certain circumstances. For example, whenever we read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to her, every time we get to the "o is twisted alley-oop" part, she always looks up and laughs the same way. Whenever she reads a book about a character going to the dentist, she stops at the same part where the character says, "Lollipops aren't good for your teeth," and says, "They're not??" Every time. Every night after Pete prays for her before going to bed, she stands up and starts dancing around saying, "I said the solla bee. You golla molla lee." (No, it doesn't make any sense, but that's exactly what she says every single time.)

And now we've realized she does it in her sleep, too! Each night when Pete tucks her in before he and I go to bed, he says to her, "You doin' alright, sweetie?" and gives her a hug. And she, without even waking up, does a fake cough, says "yes" very definitively, and then pats his back lightly. Every single time.

This morning she was doing some painting, and Strider decided she needed an artist hat..... definitely expresses her character!

Silly Strider
The other day Rayna was making up some song about how "Jesus is coming."
Strider heard it and started to laugh at her, until I said, "She's right Strider! He could be coming any day now."
Strider said, "No, I read in the Bible that there is a 60% chance He won't come back until the year 3000. [What Bible is he reading???]"
Then after a second he said, "Wait.... If He came back now, does that mean I can't go to the UNCC basketball game this Saturday???!!" [This said in a very high-pitched tone, as he has been looking forward to this game for over a month now]
And then he said, "Hey -- And I want to play college football before I go to Heaven!!!"

Ah, Strider.

This morning he brought me a picture that he had drawn. This, alone, was astonishing because the boy hates to draw. I have tried many times to teach him drawing -- I bought a book and everything. But he has resisted at every turn, and last time I checked couldn't even draw a stick figure.

But this drawing was not only of a person -- a boy -- but it had the weirdest detail. The boy had glasses on, had crutches, and also had what Strider called a "scooter wheelchair." Strange things motivate this child.