Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Repetition is Good, Right?

I remember doing one of these maybe four years ago, when Carly was tiny. It was all about how I spent most of my day speaking in three-word phrases, like "Walk forward, please" or "We don't hit" (that was during my nannying days) or "Use your words." There was this long list - that seems so long ago. I guess it WAS, but years have this weird way of all blending together as they speed by, so it really doesn't seem like all that much time has passed.

So now, we've got Bree on the back porch, absolutely filthy from our hike and her dinner. She's spinning in circles, singing a mash-up of Disney princess songs while wearing her wedding veil and some pink sunglasses. It's pretty awesome.

And Carly is doing her homework. It usually takes her about ten minutes to get through the easy, easy, easy books that always come home in the reading bag, two math sheets and writing sentences with spelling words. Tonight it's taking longer because her little sister is being a master of distraction...

...which brings me to my current list of phrases that seem to take up most of my spoken language. They are a little different than before, but are still perfectly indicative of where we are as a family.

1) It doesn't matter how smart you are - what matters is how hard you work.
2) CLOTHES BELONG IN THE HAMPER!!
3) Okay, shut the door and take off your shoes.
4) Crawl in your carseat and do the buckle.
5) Let's make bubble gloves!!!
6) Do you have your backpack?
7) Focus, Carly! FOCUS.
8) You'd be done by now if you were *insert practically any verb* instead of complaining about it.
9) Wow, you look like no one is taking care of you.
10) The above is usually followed by: I need a pony and a hairbrush. Go. =)
11) What a mess!!!
12) I don't understand whining. You'll need to speak in a normal voice.
13) The next meal is at *insert next mealtime* and you can eat then if you don't like what we're having now.

That's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure there are many, many more. I do hope that some of them sink in, particularly #1, #2, and #7. Given the fact that their dad hasn't quiiiiiite gotten #2 yet, I'm not going to hold my breath on that one. =)

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