Sad Songs Say So Much

Julia-Kate and Rachel.
Tonight as we were driving home from a Father's Day celebration, 13 year old Rachel was listening to her ipod when 2 year old Julia-Kate said she wanted to listen too. Rachel shared one of the earphones and they listened together. Temporarily. I'll let you in on the conversation that ensued:

Julia-Kate: I don't want to listen to this song.
Rachel: Ok, I'll pick another one.
Julia-Kate: I want a sad song.
Rachel: A sad song? Ok, let me find one. Try this one.
Julia-Kate: (listens for a few seconds) That's not sad!
Rachel: Ok, ok, let me get a different one. Ok, this one's sad for real.
Julia-Kate: (listens to new one for a few seconds longer than the first song, and then pulls the earphone from her ear, hands it back to Rachel and says..."I can't listen to this".

I thought I'd die laughing. Where do these people come from?

Birthday Planning

Where do the stories come from? Eli has such a vivid imagination, and he's ALL BOY!!! I love to sit and listen while he tells me stories that I'm convinced he believes, even if he just made them up. Anyhow, last month he began making serious plans for how his 5th birthday (June 2nd) should be properly celebrated.
So here's the breakdown:
Eli: Mom, for my birthday, I want to go to Stone Mountain again, like we did last year.
Mom: Ok.
Eli: And, I want to take my baseball and my T-ball set and I want everyone to sit on the grass on the hill and watch me hit baseballs.
Mom: Ok.
Eli: And, I want a pinata.
Mom: Ok.
Eli: And, I want you and everybody else to stay on the grass at the bottom of the mountain, while I ride that big box thing up to the top of the mountain and tie the pinata to a tree up there and then I'll hit it and break it and all of you can catch the candy. And make sure you fill it up with a LOT of candy.
Mom: Um...ok.
Eli: Oh, and, can we have cupcakes?
Mom: Yes.
Eli: Ok, but don't put any frosting on them. Just bring the frosting with you so that everybody can decorate their own, the way that they like it.
Mom: Oh. Ok.
Eli: Oh yeah, and I want beer to drink.
Mom: What?
Eli: I want to drink beer at my party.
Mom: Oh, that's interesting. What makes you want to have beer at your party?
Eli: Well, Joey (imaginary friend) keeps telling me to drink it and I told him I wasn't going to, but he told me I have to, so I have to.
Mom: Oh, well, as it turns out, beer isn't actually very good for you.
Eli: Oh. Well, hmmm, I guess we'll just have root beer then.
Mom: Oh, well, ok. That's a good idea.

You know, when God made Eli, I'm pretty sure He broke the mold. I love that kid.

Chuck E. Cheese

My hubby alternates taking each of the kids on a "Daddy Date" each week. This week was Eli's turn and he wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese, which is always fun...unless Chuckee actually shows up in full costume...not so good. Eli has never liked dressed up characters...they just plain petrify him. He's always come running, screaming and sobbing to us if Chuckee even dared be sighted across the room. But not today. Today Eli decided to take matters into his own hands, or so the story goes, as told by a newly 5 year old boy.
"Mom, today we were at Chuck E. Cheese and Chuckee came out and I was playing that gun game, you know, the one with the big rifle gun and when I saw Chuckee I aimed it at him and told him to stick 'em up. And he raised up his hands and backed away. And I wasn't scared of him anymore."
All of this was told through a beaming grin and a face full of accomplishment. I just had to laugh.
I wonder what he'll think when we meet Mickey and the gang this summer.