kid bits and getting ready for school

My little girl is no longer in the "why?" stage of life, but has graduated to more complex thinking and reasoning. The other day she answered her own 'why' question: "Why are they called cranberries? I know--because they're shaped like crans [crayons] that you color with." She'll often misspeak little bits of motherliness, especially in scolding her brother. "Calvin, what does the Bible say? The Bible says you have to take turns!" The other day she had a very stern, "Calvin--you're wasting germs!" (because that is one commodity we just don't have enough of at our house.) And if you're playing hide & seek, you'll hear her announce, "Ready or nine, here I come!" Calvin has his own cute 3-year-old vocabulary, including scumito bite, bird mess, just a witto bit, and pie-went [pirate]. And everything has an irresistible lisp. I suppose it's wrong to not correct him...but I'm savoring this cute stage while it lasts. And Jude? He has decided to talk again after a 2-month respite. Today he said "bah!" while waving good-bye with his chubby little hand to Daddy leaving for work. And I heard him say "na" (for banana) and "dah" for dance (his activity of choice these days). He has not learned the word gruel quite yet: He still loves it, of course--just not when Calvin makes a food fight of it. Man, that stuff is sticky--I wouldn't recommend it as a moisturizer. The other top story in news: our last 9 days of summer. We are getting a little preview today with Cami gone to Grammy & Grandpa's, and just me & the boys at home. They are great playmates. I think they'll have some nice brother bonding time with just the two if them at home....but it won't be the same with Big Sis gone.