Did I not warn you my kids are cute?

So, just a very few minutes ago, the girls and I sat down around the table for "nap-time craft time." The girls are quite certain that their purpose in life is to create small bits of cut -up paper and glue and glitter, play-doh snakes and braclets, and new this Christmas, alien goo creatures; these works of art all become a "present" for mom. So I always highly encourage craft time! We have had to add the "nap-time" part due to a dear little boy who doesn't quite grasp the intricate qualities and concept of sitting still and not eating glue; so craft time has been curtailed to nap time. Lilly also hasn't quite grasped the idea of descretion- Lil will come up and ask me "Why can't he take his nap NOW??" while he is sitting on my lap finishing his lunch. Nicky knows something is up, but he's usually too tired to fight it.

So today the craft of choice was "Martian Alien Maker." This is, in my opinion, a marketing scam, a waste of time, any number of ridiculous things. But it was the only thing Lilly asked for for Christmas. Recently, at a friend's birthday party, the little girl opened a refill kit for her "Martian Alien Maker," and I saw the glimmer of realization spark in Lilly's eyes. I told her, a few weeks ago, that when the "goo" was gone, then it was gone. Thinking of course, that's all the money I'm going to spend on this ugly plastic waste; unfortunately, Lil came up to me after the present opening and said, very excitedly "See! I told you they had refills! I can make more even after the goo is gone!" Ugh. Anyways. A lesson in how money is spent in our house is due again about now.

The girls were bantering back and forth as they worked on their respective aliens. It went something like this:
Lilly: "Look, Grae! Do you like my creation?"

Grae: "What? You made a lion?"

L:"Nooo...I made a 'creation.'"

G:"A bea-lay-ton?"

L: "No, a creation. Everything is a creation- God created it. He created all the animals, and us, and the whole world. A 'Cre-at-ion!'"

G:"Cwe-ma-shun?"

L:"NO! 'Cre-AY-SHUN!"

G:(shouting) "BE-LAY-SHUN! CWE-AH-BUN!"

L:"Ah! NO! It's CREE-AY-TION!!!"

G:(singing and "shaking her booty" as she says) "Cweadulun...beation...cwemation...YEAH!"

L to me: "Is she really in our family???"

At that point, I was laughing too hard to answer. This "shaking the booty" thing, well, that is another story; but seeing how Graecy instinctively got under Lil's skin...oh, that was just too funny. Not that I am happy Lilly was annoyed, but the fact that Graecy knew what would make her mad and undermined Lilly's determination to make Graecy do what she wanted her to. Maybe you think I am a terrible mother for thinking that, but the earlier they learn to accept that they are entirely different personalities, and that they may not always get along or agree, then hopefully they will have a better time of it than if I constantly made them 'kiss and make up." Lilly hates that her brother and sister have their own ideas about things, and she wants to constantly make them fall into line like her own little ducklings. But Graecy is not about to be put in any place...so seeing them interact without coming to blows was funny, as opposed to frustrating.

I have to now go wipe the goo off the kitchen table before it hardens into neon green and pink fossils that chip away the varnish.