Tarheel Born and Bred

We borrowed the movie "Tarzan" from friends yesterday. Dawson started watching it this morning. At the beginning of the movie, when Tarzan is a baby, Dawson turned to Brett and said, "I think he's going to grow up and become Tarheel." I don't know what's better- when he said that or when I caught him whispering to Kenan at the end of the movie- "that's me Kenan, I'm him" (referring to Tarzan).

Sorry to those who aren't UNC fans and to those who don't even know the significance of tarheel. But for us who do know its importance, we thought it was pretty cute! 

Dawson has of late been interested in french and making sure he says things correctly. He goes in and out of phases where he is interested in Bambara and French and other times where he just wants us to say words "the right way" (in english). He now calls mac and cheese "mac and noodles." I asked him why and he said that's how you say mac and cheese in french. :) 

And not to leave out dear Kenan... I have a hard time writing things he says because it is his expressions that really make his words cute.  But a couple I'll try to write out. 

Syrup "sir pop"

Popsicle "po-kle-sul" And the funny thing with that is that our house guy repeats the way he says it, thinking it is the actual word! 

A few more mice

So we aren't done with the mice adventures here in our home. There's at least one more, I'm fearing more. We've had the glue stuff out for a couple days which hasn't helped. We've missed catching a mouse twice. This morning I went to get oatmeal for Dawson only to find that the mouse had enjoyed himself in our food cabinet. And of couse, as things go, he chose to eat only things that came from America or Bamako. And the stupid thing didn't even like the American good. He ate a few bites it seems of the oatmeal (the last pack of Quaker maple and brown sugar), a bite out of a pack of poptarts and then another bite out of a box of crackers from Bamako. Dawson was not happy to loose his last packet of oatmeal to a mouse. We told them that a mouse had gotten in the cabinet and Brett even showed them the hole where we think he got in. 

A little later in the morning we were talking about it again and Kenan kept saying "Mickey Mouse did it, Mickey Mouse did it" to which Dawson quickly replied "No, no, Kenan! Mickey Mouse didn't do it, he knows the rules not to eat someone else's food!" :) I didn't even know they knew of Mickey Mouse but I guess they do! If only it were Mickey Mouse visiting and not some Malian mice. 

A difficult day

It seems utterly crazy to me that my 5 month old cries considerably less than my almost 4 year old and 2 year old. D and K just love bothering each other. Sometimes I get scared as I realize I have a house of boys- their energy level and way of "dealing" with a situation is much different than how I grew up with my sister. I can only remember a few times of being aggressive with my sister, for which we were thoroughly punished. But these boys- wow- already pushing each other in the face, laying on one another and so forth. Brett and I always talk about the quote someone said that having a three year is like using the blender without the top. I would agree, especially when that three year old is a boy. 

But the whole point of this blog entry was were playing on the floor, the boys were having trouble playing and fussing a lot. Dawson looks at me and says with much frustration and anger, "Mommy, this is a difficult day!"  I asked him why- Jeremie (our house guy) would only give him one popsicle this morning and I took away the Blue Lightning that the boys were fighting over. Man, what a tough day! If only my difficult days could be so "difficult"!

I promise all posts won't just be quotes from the boys. I'll say something else, sometime.

The things kids say

One of my favorite things about blogs is when people write out what their kids say. Kids just say the funniest things. 

Dawson the other day was cleaning his outdoor play house. Kenan was crying a lot for some reason. Dawson looked at him and said, "You can help me Kenan when you stop fussin'" I didn't know I used the word fussin' but I guess I do! :)

The next two aren't so funny but rather interesting with the mix of languages that go on here. We are watching our neighbors dog so we went to let it out to pee. I said that she might have to go poopy. Dawson says "She has to poop? I don't know if they have a nyege" (outside "bathroom"- really a hole). 

Then I wanted to go home, I told Kenan "na ya" (Come here) and he said in such a cute voice- "Ok, coming" He understood what I said but just replied in English.