"Boot-ful"

The weekend was great, but busy so I haven't had a chance to update you all on the soccer game, but I have pictures and promise to post sometime this week. Until then, this little story regarding my sweet babies will have to do.

Both Luke and Evie have added to their daily vocabulary the word "beautiful" however, they say it differently. Luke quite clearly says "beautiful" and Evie quite clearly says "bootful." Luke will see a bird or a picture or his sister in a dress and say, "Look, it's beautiful!" It is such a sweet sound and I love that he can appreciate nature, art, and his sister in such a heartfelt, sincere way. Evie, usually uses this word only in the context of personal beauty and in her own way, it is almost more precious than Luke. For example, every morning we get Evie dressed and she will ask sweetly after she's put her dress (or shorts and shirt) on, "Mommy, am I bootful?" My heart wrenches with sweetness every time and I gush, "Oh, yes, Evie, you are definitely beautiful!"

Some of the sweetest moments, however, are when I come out in a dress or a fancy outfit and either one of them looks at me with saucer eyes full of awe (as if I look like the porcelain faced Audrey Hepburn) and says with soft amazement, "Mommy, you're beautiful." I love it! I wish I looked that good.

And when they do it to anyone else, it's almost just as sweet. We had a babysitter named Erin (I swear, all babysitters are named Erin) who has red hair and goes to A&M. She was home over the summer and came to babysit a lot because the kids just plain adore her. Luke was thoroughly impressed by the fact that she is an Aggie, and Evie was mostly impressed because Erin kicks ass at babysitting and engaging the kids by playing with them. Well, one day she came over, looking totally casual as all college students do, in her workout shorts, flip flops, a plain t-shirt, no makeup, and her red hair up in a ponytail. Luke looked at her and said with that same awe-struck voice, "You're Enchanted!" Now, to understand his meaning you would have to know that he had just watched the Disney movie Enchanted the night before and the princess on that movie has red hair, and to an extent, looks like Erin - but not a lot like Erin. This is a picture of Erin and below that is the princess from Enchanted.She grinned and bubbled and was flattered, because truly, kids that age tell the truth - no matter what.

Each year Chuck and I go to the UT Arlington Distinguished Alumni Gala which is a black tie affair. Chuck wears a tux and I wear a formal dress. A couple years ago when Luke was 2 and a half, I came downstairs wearing my formal black dress and was giving the babysitter final instructions when Luke saw me. He came up with his sticky hands and reached out for my billowing skirt and asked, "Mommy? Are you a princess?" He was absolutely amazed that I could be so transformed. I swear, he earned a little something more in my will that day (not that I've got a lot to give." Here I am in my "princess" costume standing next to honorees in my official capacity as President of the Alumni Association. Not quite Audrey Hepburn.

They're just so darn honest, so a compliment from a child is truly more valuable than one from an adult. Children are so sincere and have no idea that they should or shouldn't say something, aside from not saying dirty words or calling their friend stupid, etc. Although Luke has been super sweet as evidenced above, he has also been brutally honest. As you all know, I suffer from mild acne (sometimes not so mild) and when I "bloom" (as my father-in-law calls it), it can get quite ugly and noticeable. For years, my loving husband has listened to me whine and complain about this plight in my life. Obviously, it isn't cancer so I should shut up about it already, but I can't help but complain. Anyway, in the last year, Luke had gotten old enough to notice that my face is "blooming" and he will point and ask me with just a smidgen of disgust, "What is that on your face?!" Until now, I've basically told him that it is a boo-boo. This, of course, elicits great sympathy on his part whereas with adults and teenagers, it would elicit pure, unleashed disgust. At least, I know that's how I feel about it. But, teenagers and adults would never even mention a sore on someone's face, so I guess it is a trade off. Plus, I'm so used to my "blooming" face being politely ignored, that I am thoroughly embarassed by it and hate even subjecting anyone to lunching with me and having to stare at me while they eat. I know I make it out to be worse than it actually is (sometimes), but I can't help how I feel. So, it was a sweet change to have Luke feel sorry for me and my plight as I reassured him that it would be okay and go away eventually.

All in all, the kids are adorable and saying sweet things (and ugly things) every day. But today, I'm bootful and so is Evie, so we'll ride that wave until they tell me I'm not their friend anymore (which happens just as often as the bootful thing).