We've Stopped Counting — Instant Mama

Apr 18

Apr 18 We've Stopped Counting

Today is day “who knows” of quarantine and while we have been trucking along just as well as we can (which I think is pretty well!), we have just been struck by some extenuating circumstances.

Massive forest fires near the Chernobyl exclusion zone with winds carrying dust, particles, and hazardous material right through Kyiv.
An apartment fire just 3km away from our house that has only worsened our air quality.
Our girls need more medicine and we have to take them with us into the center of Kyiv to get it (not a good time to be mobile).
A ramping up of Russian attacks in the East

This is NOT what this post is about, but I figured that I would give you some context as I type this from my kitchen table with tea in hand and kids on the couch watching Saturday morning cartoons (They LOVE this as this is their only allowed TV time outside of once or twice a week family movie night and the OCCASIONAL (but becoming more frequent) “Mama and Papa just need a break and we don’t have a babysitter” show).

That being said, here are a few steps in our shoes:

Mama: Rowan, why are you crying?
Rowan: The sticks that I put in the ground are not all the same size.

Mama: Girls. I love you both DEARLY. I know that you are trying to help and I love your hearts. But PLEASE, don’t mop the floor by dipping the mop in the toilet.

Amelia: Remember that time that you taught me what the girl and boy parts are called?
Mama: ……… yes
Amelia: I was thinking how funny it is that China rhymes with vagina! (now singing) CHINA VAGINA, CHINA VAGINA!
Rowan: (joining in the sing-song) CHILA VALILA, CHILA VALILA!
Mama: (thinking to herself) Did I do that!? God help us.

Papa: Girls, PLEASE do not climb on me just to fart. That is not funny.
Girls: Hee hee hee!

Amelia: (from upstairs in the bathtub) ROWAN, NO!
Mama and Papa: (downstairs trying to enjoy some quiet time) I didn’t hear that, did you? …. Nahhh. They’ll figure it out.

Rowan: (coloring and crying) It’s not working out!
Mama: What’s not working out?
Rowan: My drawing
Mama: What are you truing to draw?
Rowan: I don’t even know!

Amelia: Mama, can you teach me EVERYTHING that you know?
Mama: Amelia, it took me 27 years and a lot of school to know what I know.
Amelia: But you know everything. I want to know everything!
Mama: I do not know everything. I actually know very little. There is so much knowledge in the world, no one can know all of it!
Amelia: (mind obviously blown) WHAAAAAAT?
Mama: Sweet Amelia, please never change!

Rowan: (mid breakfast, with still a half bowl of granola left, and a mouthful of milk/granola) Mama, I am so hungry. May I have a snack please?
Mama: I can’t even answer that. You literally have food in your mouth and a half bowl left.
Rowan: Oh look! I have more food!

You can’t make this stuff up. I will say, amidst all of this chaos and all of the unknowns of right now, they keep me laughing!