Things that I like

I will admit, I'm easily amused, but don't often show it. Comedies on TV, or colour comics may be uproariously funny - and I love and appreciate good humour, but I don't laugh out loud much - Unless it comes to my kids. Maybe because they just say the most unexpected things, that it throws me off.
Like yesterday, when I caught Matthew opening a little decorative storage chest that we have in our living room. He stood there with the lid open, pants down, aiming to pee, and even jumped a little when I caught him red handed (is that the right phrase in this instance?) trying to pee where he wasn't supposed to.
This has been a bit of a problem in our household. Matthew seems determined to go anywhere and everywhere except our bathroom. I don't know why. It's clean. It's got all the right equipment. Nobody else has a problem using it - It even smells good thanks to my funky air freshener. Still he takes every opportunity to pee elsewhere, it's like a game to him. Find a new and unique place to pee.
I'd had enough - after catching him (almost) in the act - I finally gave him a swat on the bum and told him he must always always always use the potty. He rubbed his bum in defiance and told me "I will WASH THE SPANKING OFF!"

I actually had to leave the room so he wouldn't see me bust into a torrent of giggles.

So, here's a few things that amuse me greatly. Sometimes I even laugh audibly.

1. Matthew laughing at the opening credits to Monsters Inc. There's a door that opens with a scary monster behind it, and he just lets out a belly laugh like you've never heard. He doesn't get tired of it. He laughs the same way, every time. It makes me smile.

2. Duncan pretending to be a thief like Swiper from Dora the Explorer. He walks around taking stuff, hiding it then come to find you and says "You'll NEVER find it now - heh heh heh". It's the Heh-heh-heh's that make me laugh.

3. Finding treasures in my shoe from Joey - The simplicity of giving from a 14 month old - it's really beautiful.

4. The pure delight that a 3 yr old gets from having helium balloons on his birthday. Well worth the 10$ I paid for 6 balloons.

5. The even greater delight that they take from popping said helium balloons with a fork, and laughing their guts out. Still worth the 10$.

6. How they beg me to make scrambled eggs for them - just so they can crack eggs - a favourite passtime.

7. Licking the bowl after I've made a cake. One of my own fond memories as a kid takes on a certain nostalgia when I see my kids creating their own similar memories.

8. The fact that I have some of the pickiest eaters on the face of this planet, but one of them will eat an entire can of green beans for dinner because he actually likes them. I'm still baffled by that one, but it amuses me just the same.

9. Sometimes in the night if I can't sleep, I'll check on one of the kids. I can't resist giving them a little kiss when they look so angelic laying there. I may even lay down beside them for a minute, because inevitably, the kiss wakes them up. The older boys both do the same thing - go right back to sleep - but reach out an arm to touch my face. I like that. It's like the security of knowing I am right there is all they need to feel 100% safe, and able to fall back into blissful sleep, without a care. As long as they can touch my face. It amuses me.

10. Whenever Duncan gets hurt - stubs his toe, bumps his head, scrapes his knee - A Bandaid and chocolate milk ALWAYS makes him feel better. He'll even tell me between sobs; "I --- need ---chocolate----milk --- to make--- my --- toe --- feel ---- better"

11. When my kids ask me if I'm happy. I always answer that yes, they make me very happy. They do.

Except when they pee where they aren't supposed to!