"Don't see me, Papa!"

After I picked up the kids this afternoon, I had them sit at the table to have some chocolate milk. They started drinking what I gave them and then decided they wanted it warm, so I warmed some more milk for them. I let them each scoop their own chocolate powder into their cups because it makes them feel better that way. Gustav did exactly what he was supposed to, and Pauline decided it was easier for her to shovel it than to scoop it, since she still only has the coordination of a 2 year old. I held the cocoa container near her cup so she could reach it with the least potential for a mess, and just when it seemed like she had about the right amount to push into her cup, she quickly stuck her spoon back in and scooped out enough to fill her cup half way with chocolate powder. She had already used the cup, and both of the kids have been sick, so I wasn't about to put it back in the container. She just had a really chocolaty chocolate milk.
Anyway, I went back to the stove to check on the milk and make sure it wasn't too hot (have I mentioned that they don't have a microwave?) and I looked over at the table to make sure everything was ok. Gustav looks at me and says "Guck weg, Manda," ("Look away") as he opens the chocolate container. I just kept looking at him, so he said it 2 more times. I looked away for a second, and when I looked back he had a spoon full of chocolate powder in his mouth and he was grinning from ear to ear (like I didn't know that was going to happen). I told him "Gustav, I can see what you did," and he said "Uh, uh, du hast nichts gesehen." Meanwhile his teeth and mouth are completely covered in chocolate. It was classic. Of course, having seen her brother do this, Pauline then did the same thing with the chocolate that was in her cup. They looked so rediculous, I just loved it.

Before the end of the night, Pauline started complaining about her ear. It came out of nowhere, and I thought that she had hit it on something, but it got worse and worse. So poor Paulinchen has an earache. I don't know if Esther's going to have to take her to the doctor tomorrow or not. Hopefully everything will be ok while I'm in Cologne (I start my language course tomorrow!) and her ear gets better soon.