Mom, We Need A Timer!

We had our first block party of the season last week.  We love our neighbors.  It is so fun to get together and get caught up and I love seeing the kids and how they have grown over the winter.  With a bit of a rainy day and a smaller group  we decided to have it inside.  

Some of the kids here were Sam (6)  who is very serious at times and very grown up.  Jack (4) is just a riot.  He is a mini-me of his father and just cracks me up.  He has the funniest expressions.   Sam's sister Lilli (3) arrived later after dance class.  Lilli is 3 going on 16.  On a recent first trip to Jordan Creek Lilli walked in and declared in awe, "This place is BEAUUUUTIFUL!"  Lilli is going to give her parents a run for their money.

Lilli dug right into the toys when she got there (the ever famous school bus our grandkids love) and was finally pulled away to get a bite to eat.  Since the boys were here earlier and done eating they started playing with toys.  Once Lilli was done with her meal she returned to the toys and found her brother playing with the school bus she had wanted to play with.  A few of us "older" neighbors were in the living room with the kids and their parents were at the dining room table finishing their meal and visiting.  

Here's a little snippet that just tickled me:

Lilli: (hands on her leotarded hips) "Hey, I was going to play with that bus!"

Sam:  (obviously not new to this ignored his sister and played quietly)

Lilli:  " Sammmm, I was going to play with that!"

Jack:  (sensing that trouble was on the horizon) - looked up very seriously and urgently called to his mother, "Mom, we need a timer!!!"  (I wish I could type the inflection of his voice... it was hilarious.)

Lilli repeated her request and Jack again called for a timer, even more urgently.

I was laughing.  Jack was SO serious about this timer thing.  In fact he got up and went to his Mom and told her what was going on.  

I had to ask, "What is with the timer thing?"  She explained that they use one when Jack and his friend, Augie, (another neighbor) want to play with the same thing.  I discovered  a lot of our neighbors use a timer to help when it comes to sharing things.

I'm still laughing about this.  Lilli with her hands on her hips, Sam ignoring her and doing a wonderful job, and the look on Jack's face.  He was just SO serious and wanted to derail this situation ASAP.  

I love our neighborhood kids.