Mara had her two-year-old little buddy Corban over one day last week. So with three under three, I decided we were going to play at the park. I loaded the two-year-olds in the double jogging stroller, put my 11-month-old in Baby Bjorn, and off we went.

We always go in the afternoon, so a morning trip to the park was definitely a new experience! We found it completely deserted, and I was excited: baby swings, big swings, little slides, big slides–all to ourselves! How much simpler it would be to watch these two, without the chaos of the after-school mob of teenagers and toddlers.

But Mara was beside herself! The best part of coming to the park is seeing all the other “tids,” as she calls them.

“Where-zis tids?” she asked, in a heartbroken voice. “Where-zis tids?” (Where is [are] the kids?”)

“They’re all in school, Mara,” I told her. “They go to school every morning, and they learn to read books and write their letters  and they color and play.”

This was the first time she heard about “school,” but she didn’t miss a beat!

“Mara go to school! All by myself!” she exclaimed energetically. “Read & write!”

So for the next few days, Mara kept telling me that she wanted to go to school with the “tids,” and she wanted to learn to read and write.

I am always entertained by Mara’s bathtime conversation.

Mara had watched the Phillies game with Daddy on Saturday night. After the game while she was taking her bath, she announced proudly, “I got a homeRUN!”

“Did you get a homerun, or did the Phillies get a homerun?” I asked, just to clarify.

She thought for a minute. “I got a homerun with the Phillies!” That is a true fan.

She just adores the Phillies. So she continued: “I wish to take them [the Phillies] home, Mommy! And then you will pick them up and hug them!. . .  And Daddy will set them on the floor and play blocks. And build Tower of Babel!” Always, she builds the Tower of Babel with her blocks, despite the fact that I have, on numerous occasions, told her that building the Tower of Babel was bad.

Who knew that the Phillies liked to play blocks?

This was the first bath in which she calmly laid back to let me rinse her hair, without crying, trying to sit up, looking panicked. .  . So it was a rather pleasant moment, and I told her that I always like it when other people wash my hair. I do. That’s one of my favorite parts of getting my haircut. It feels relaxing.

“I will wash your hair, Mommy,” she promised with the sweetest smile. “Then I will put you in a towel and set you on the changing table!”

“But wouldn’t I be too big for the changing table? Wouldn’t I break it?”

“No,” she assured me.  “I will do it when you are a little girl. Then it will not break it!”

(Daniel commented afterwards, that there may be a bit of irony there. Someday Mara may be taller than me, and I may be this old shriveled 4’9″ woman (yes, that would be “shriveled”–I’m currently 5’1-3/8″) and Mara may very well be giving me my baths. . . thanks, honey!!!)

What can you expect when you have a potty-training two-year-old and a 10-month-old who has recently discovered the mobility a baby walker offers?

A 10-month-old making off with the toilet paper!

It was one of those days.

It rained all day.

The dogs hate going outside to do their business in the rain, so they always take forever not going, while standing outside in the rain. Then they come back inside and shake wet dog all over the house before I can get them dry.

My daughter wet her clothes and shoes while sitting on potty. My son had at least 3 substantial poopy diapers in the morning alone. How is that possible?!

My husband works till 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, so Wednesdays are long days for us at home. We clearly weren’t going outside to play (in the cold rain), so in the afternoon, I thought we might dye Easter eggs for a fun activity. –Three hours later, my daughter’s clothes and the upholstered seat of our kitchen chair were dyed purple, with the eggs still waiting. In her excitment, she had started dancing on the chair and fell onto the floor, pulling the glass full of purple dye down on top of her.

My 10-month-old was once again screaming as I wiped the dye off the walls and the floor.

“Why is Micah crying?” I wondered out loud, not really expecting anyone to answer.

But my two-year-old instantly piped up: “Because his mother is diving him DAZ-y [driving him crazy]!”

“His mother”?!?! This is how my two-year-old refers to me!!!

I don’t even think she understood what she was saying. But her remark provided the laugh we both needed today!

There was a twinge of pain though, as I reflected on the truth her comment could hold throughout Mara and Micah’s childhood. There was certainly the potential for me to drive them both crazy, especially on days like today, if I’m not allowing God’s spirit to control my thoughts, my words, and actions.

I pray God will give me grace to see His hand in each detail of my life and strength to grow in Christlikeness, no matter what He brings.

. . . there is no need to ever experiment with another recipe again! I found these one year when I had a Better Homes & Gardens subscription.

These cinnamon rolls are perfect in every way! The texture of the roll itself is perfect. (I even goofed one time and made them without the eggs.–I was afraid I had ruined them, but they were more “bready,” and we almost liked those better!) The cinnamon and sugar filling is beyond amazing!! and the cream cheese frosting–wow, I think if there were no roll, I would still make the frosting!! It is to-die-for!!

Anyway! We’ll be making these on Easter morning!