Bear's FOUR!!!

We had a good weekend for Bear's birthday. Caslon and Camera Guy and the sweetest little girl born since mine came to celebrate with us. Daddy came home from "school." The theme was Disney Princess. Early arriving gifts from others as well as gifts from Mommy and Daddy were wrapped in pink princess paper. Balloons abounded, and the cake was, of course, Princess themed (From Publix).

This is the first year that Hannah really anticipated her birthday. Since the arrival of her tutu a couple of weeks ago, she has been asking about when her party would be, who would be coming, etc. It was hard because so many people we love could not be with us due to distance, one friend who we hoped could come got sick, and the others came off of a CRAZY week and could not make it, either. Thankfully, when it came down to it, Bear seemed to enjoy the time we had, and it was great to just hang out and relax with family.

Now all about my girl. She's a good mix. While she is obsessed with all things princess, Barbie, fairy, and my little pony related she also like watching old she-ra videos and has such a vivid imagination. Her hair is darkening and her curls fall in looser waves than they used to. She keeps asking me when she will get freckles, and pointing to non-existent ones that she thinks are on her arm. She wants a dog, but seems to know not to push the issue too much. In the last couple of weeks she has wanted to pay for things by herself at the store, so I think it might be time to start working on an allowance and teaching her about earning. She is sweet, a great big sister, and super-sensitive. If I am talking on the phone and she hears an emotion in my voice, she asks what is wrong. She asks if I am angry,sad or frustrated when she senses it.

I cannot believe my baby is growing into such a sweet girl so quickly.

Bear speaks

Bear: "Mommy, you did good job making this yummy fruit salad."
Mommy: "Why, thank you. It wasn't very hard. I just popped open the can and there it was."

Overheard, a few minutes later: "She just popped open the can and there it was."

Watch out world! (and watch your stuff)

Buddy is walking. Almost running. And he likes to hide things. As I type this, he's trying to hide his jammie-clad self and a clean diaper which he confiscated out of his cainet behind a small wicker chest. I suspect the chest will not survive the attack, as little pieces keep cracking off. My camera is down in the car, Bear is in the bathrub, and I am trying to understand his fascination with cramming himself into tight places. He also retrieved a sock he had hidden back there. This morning I found a toy train in the top of the diaper champ, along with wipes he thought needed to be thrown away. In the past 5 minutes, I have picked him up and moved him no less than 10 times. He's behaving almost like a puppy who has found its spot to mark... but he is dressed, so I don't have to worry about cleaning up that kind of mess this time. Ok, to his play saucer he goes. If you keep up with me on facebook, you know this attempt to corral the kid won't last long. He has figured out how to climb out. He grips around the top and under the edges with his fists. Kicks his legs back and tries to shimmy his legs up through the seat. Then he either shakes the saucer til it tips over and he climbs out sideways, or manages to straddle one leg over the side and then the other without tipping it. Except right now he's tired and getting frustrated instead of remaining determined. (Yes, I do believe it's time to clean up the saucer and put it into storage.) I smile at him from across and he cries in protest. I do believe it's time to finish off that sippy cup and go to bed, son.

new words

Brandon- My friend Cheri took the kiddos down to her church's nursery tonight during their revival service so I could listen to the preacher. Brandon was characteristically fussy after being taken from his Mommy, so she took him for a walk outside. Apparently when he saw Frosty the white kitty, he tried to say "cat" but doesn't quite have the hard "c" sound. Still, she has 4 kids of her own and knows when a kid knows what he's saying. He's saying "ba" for a lot of things. "bye", "bottle (sippy cup), and "bath", to name a few. and he's beginning to use a couple of signs. Waving his hands= all done. He tried to sign "please" after I modeled it for him today. He waves bye, even though I think his palm is usually toward himself, and that can mean "Bye" to someone or "I want to go bye-bye."

Hannah- I told her Bear she was "exasperating" me tonight as I tried to get her to brush her teeth, etc.... "What does "sassassperating" mean, Mom?"

they're growing too fast

I haven't taken Brandon in for his 1 year check-up yet, and he's 13 months. He's big. And walking more every day. And climbing to the point that he scares me, but I don't want to confine him into the saucer ALL the time. However, I might have to if he does not stop being such a dare devil. I really am getting scared that he might hurt himself by climbing, and falling and cracking his skull. When he heard Daddy's voice through the phone, he said "da-da." He LOVES the phone... puts it up next to his ear and grins. He also loves talking to his Grandparents. Every once in a while I get a reminder that he's still a baby. He woke up at 10:30 last night for some milk, which was followed by snuggle time on Mommy's shoulder. I don't mind the wake-up at that time, especially since he tends to sleep in until 8 am most days now.

Hannah is growing up, too, obviously. I can't believe her 4th birthday is approaching sooo quickly. She's handing daddy's mid-week absence for training so well. We're almost 1/4 of the way done! She does ask about him, and sometimes when she misses him a lot, she tears up but won't talk to him, but she's doing well. She tries to watch out for little bro, most of the time, except when she wants to wrestle him or hug his neck. (Sometimes she forgets that she's not gentle enough.) She resumed gymnastics this week, and really seemed to like it. She loves old She-Ra videos and her all things princess (disney or Barbie) and Fairytopia. She asks about our old friends and our old house, but she also loves having a playground in walking distance as well as a swimming pool and balcony. She has taken to sleeping in Mommy's bed while Daddy is away, which would not be so bad except she hogs it. I love cuddling, but don't like feeling pushed out of my own bed. One of her favorite nightime phrases is ," Mommy, I NEED you!!!"

you can't keep a good man down