Karate Kid!

Ethan started karate two weeks ago, and already is a little star (to us!!) He is learning very fast- it is so cute to hear his little 'haya' and 'yes, sir!' He is and always probably will be a little timid at first, but he is catching on and getting more brave every time. Now I understand, however, when people say that letting your kids do something on their own is like letting your heart walk around outside your body. And this is just a 20 minute karate class! Yikers!!

At the last class, Mr. Chad was asking each child the simple question, "How are you?" and then after their response, he would ask, "Why is that?" He was stressing the point that there are reasons why we are feeling a certain way, and that we have control over our attitudes. Ethan answered his first question with, "good." and then, *tear* he answered the second with, "Because I have been with my mom all day." Oh, my, what a gift! I can't put into words how that felt. I will treasure it forever.

Now onto a funny little story: Mommy, Ethan and Emri conversation:

Ethan: I have a spider web in my eye.
Mommy: How did you get a spider web in your eye?
Ethan: I don't know. A spider must have crawled up in there and died or something. (Hey, he is a boy!!)
Mommy: Oh, that is too bad.
Ethan: Emri, do you have a spider web in your eye?
Emri: Uh-huh!
Ethan: Emri, it will be o.k. I have one too.
Emri: Oh.

What precious times these are- God, help me to cherish them!!!

We have already had quite the day in the Werder household. Alarm didn't go off- woke up an hour late. Which I guess I needed, but still...

Ethan woke up needy today. Most days he is content watching a cartoon until mom or dad gets him waffles, oatmeal, whatever. Today was- "I want this, I want that."

While he is expressing his needs, I am trying to clean up the kitchen so I can actually see the counters to make the needed waffles while daddy is getting his lunch ready. Chaos. Then we hear Emri. She basically woke up like this:

Old picture, not so old facial expression. She is a bit more tricky than Ethan usually to get going and happy in the morning. I guess it didn't help that daddy went up to get her and found that she had overflowed her diaper in both ways babies can. Bummer for dad, score one for mom;) Mental note: start potty training soon, wake her up so she can do this duty in the potty.

Now the kitchen is clean, Ethan is downstairs playing independently, Emri is pretending to play the Leapster, and mom's adrenaline is going down. Oh, and the little guy I watch, Aiden, is sleeping and I didn't even need to rock him. Oh, the grace of God. I believe He will make the rest of the day easy for me! Hopefully he does the same for the daddy who doesn't handle the chaos as well. Bring on the day!!