Before naptime

Not only does Bear have the twice daily job of feeding and watering Tela, now he has added responsibilty. The park that is right around the corner from us has a petting zoo and we went today. And brought home a rabbit. But only for 4 days. They have a Bunny renting out program for families to take home bunnies for a few days and see how it fits into the lifestyle. Now we are probably not going to keep him, but this is a great way for Bug and Bear to see an animal that is different than a dog. We get to study it and talk about it and then give it back in a few days! I think it is an awesome program. Bear has learned quite a bit so far just from his very observant questions. We talked about how we can't keep him out of his cage for too long because we don't want bunny poop all over. He had a very quick solution for that problem.
"I will show him how to use the big boy toilet!"
"I don't think that will work bud."
"Why, is his butt too small and he will fall in?"
"Something like that."
"Okay."
When we got home, I took Peanut Brittle out and let him hop around a bit.
"Mommy, don't forget about the poop!" as he ran from his room. He returned a few moments later with one of Bugs diapers.


And this morning was the most heart melting moment so far along this road we call motherhood. Despite Bears almost hourly hugging of her sister, she has not gotten used to it. I could say that she has become very much more irritated by it as time has gone on. Today he hugged her and rolled onto his back so that she was laying on his tummy. She wrapped her arms around him and layed her head down on his chest and hugged him. And they laid like that for a good 30 seconds. Of course my camera was across the room and I did not dare leave them for a second for fear of her launching off the bed. But I sucked all the sweetness in while I could.

We stopped at a garage sale this afternoon and bought a couple of baby dolls for Bug. Well once in the car, one went to Bug and Bear took charge of the other one. He talked to it all the way home and told it that she was going to have cookie pancakes for dinner. He named them Mrs Baby doll and Mr Babydoll. Even though they are both dressed in pink. Well my mom found her own garage sale and at it they had a Graco stroller, a doll play yard/bed and a swing/carseat. Even though these were intended for Bug to play with, Bear took over and loaded the babys up and turn a single stroller into a triple stroller. And Bug decided that she was not going to swing the baby, she was going to crawl in the swing herself and get the ride. It is a really cute set that I am glad they are both going to get use out of. And I am not afraid of the girly factor of it all. I know that some people may be very opposed to boys playing with dolls, but if nothing else, it is just going to teach him how to be kind, sensitive and considerate. And he is still a rough and tough little boy that is not afraid of getting dirty.

Back seat driver

We were sitting in traffic yesterday trying to get to the farmers market. The ferry lane next to us was moving just fine and the fact that I would not drive in that lane irked my son.
"Mommy, drive that way!"

"No, we are not getting on the ferry."

"But mommy, just drive that way! I don't want to sit here."

This continued on for a few more minutes suggesting different routes for me to take around the cars in front of me (and I should mention, none of them legal.) Since I was not complying with his requests, he decided to take matters into his own hands and told me,

"Actually, can I just drive mommy?"



We went to the Dr the other day for their 1 and 3 year check ups. And they could not be further from each other on body types. She is at the small end of the spectrum in height as I previously mentioned. He on the other hand is in the 95% for height and weight. He is 35.5lbs and 40 inches tall. I was surprised on the weight thing. The child is so slight and for crying out loud I can see his ribs poking out! But they are both healthy and that is what matters right?

The big ONE!

Well I have been dreading this post. Maybe if I didn't write it, it wouldn't happen. But yesterday came and went and you still turned one despite my not writing this.

You are the sweetest little girl with a streak of stubborn that challenges my patience. I have no idea where you get that from. When you want something, you want it NOW. There is no waiting patiently for mommy. How dare I want to take the time to poor the milk into the cup before I give it to you.

You are so close to walking. You will stand up in the middle of the room and stand there for five minutes usually playing with a toy you picked up. Yesterday you took four steps to me. Before that you would take no more than two steps. If it was too far too lean into or further away than two steps you would just get down and crawl to it.

You now have 6 teeth. You have continued to pop through two at a time. Those eye teeth were awful to get through. For you and me.

Sleeping through the night is new. You started about a week ago and did it for five days and it was glorious. You were much more rested during the day and I think that I too was little nicer to be around. So lets keep that up.

We got your ears pierced two days before your birthday. At first I didn't think you were going to cry but then you gave out a scream and cried for a couple minutes and you were done. Such a champ. And then you for your first Starbucks. You drank that down so fast you almost rivaled the speed your brother normally drinks them at.

You love to dance. Any time any music comes on you stand up and start shaking your toosh. Your brother got a card for his birthday that plays the song from Madagascar. That is your favorite. And it is really funny to watch you dance to it.

We got you a baby doll for your birthday. Today I got you a stroller for the baby with some birthday money. I am watching you right now push her around in the stroller and then pick her up and carry her to your car, put her in the hood and drive around with her. Dancing as you go.

You are the best hugger. Every time I pick you up, I get a hug like you haven't seen me in ages. You squeeze me so tight and sometimes you plant a big wet one on my cheek.

I love watching you figure things out on your own. How to open something or how to get a toy in something else. How to get over things that are in your way. Or how to push cars over to where you can't reach something, stand on it and then retrieve the wanted item. You love your little piggy and putting the big fat "coins" in the slot.

You are a babbler. You just sit there and talk in your own little language. You can say mama, dada, dod(dog), baybay, and tay too.

Took you to the Dr yesterday. She said you look great and are doing good. You are still my skinny little girl. You are in the 75-90% for your height (30 inches) and are only in the 15% for your weight (19 lbs) I have to continue to bring you in monthly for weight checks. The Dr. also wants to check your thyroid next time too. She asked if you just don't eat, but you can and most of the time do out eat your brother. You are still nursing 6-7 times a day and you get a glass of whole milk with dinner. I don't know where you put it, or if you run laps around your crib at night to work it off.

In the last year your hair has gone from very dark brown to almost blond and is now long enough to put in pony tails. Your eyes are still deep blue and your perfect little lips just as beautiful. You still have long finger toes and beautiful long fingers.

You have figured out real quick how to get your brother in trouble. If he even comes near you, you start to do your fake cry and watch for my reaction. It really makes me laugh.

Your new kissy face is hilarious. You scrunch your nose and eyes up and pout out your lips.

You are so sweet and funny. You love your brother despite setting him up for getting in trouble. You love to play with his cars. I caught you driving his Lightning McQueen slippers across the floor. You haven't really caught the reading bug yet. You will sit by us while we are reading for a couple minutes and then you are off to more fun things.

You have such a big personality. You are still very wary of strangers. We walked into a house the other day and you scoped every one out before you would crack a smile. And even then it was guarded. I still have yet to hear you bust out in a big laugh. You are very reserved when it comes to laughing. You have more of a sarcastic fake laugh. But I love it anyways.

I am so happy to have shared the last year with you. It has flown by faster than I thought it would. And I know the next 17 are going to whip by just as fast. But I look forward to them and the fun they will bring watching you grow into a young woman.

Fun in the sun...

His new slip n slide

This is how she figured out crawling on the concrete so that she doesn't scrape her knees

Sticking her face in the water and drinking

Her pool

We are very much Washingtonians. I was talking with Donna tonight as I was downloading these pictures and she asked if I would look up the forecast for tomorrow. I told her it was supposed to be 80 degrees this week. She sighed and said that she was tired of all this heat. We are ready for some rain. Ready for a break in the heat. This is why we go on vacation. To visit the sun and get our fill. We don't need it where we live.

"May twenty apethf"

Well it did not hit me this morning until I made a folder on my computer that I had to label 3 years. And I cried. It was happy tears combined with sad tears. Sad that the last 3 years have whipped by and happy that you have made it this far alive.

You are my little dare devil. You have no real fear, you will jump off a five foot wall, get up, shake it off and comment on the styling of your fall, "That was graceful!" Your latest trick is to take the ride on car to the top of your slide and try to ride it down. I nipped that in the bud real quick. You do however love to go down your slide backwards and have tried going down on your feet with socks on.

You are probably the sweetest little boy I have ever known. Daily you shower your sister and me with hugs and kisses and are constantly telling me I am the "best mommy in the whole wowd!" When I do have to correct you for disobediance, you always cry afterwards and ask for forgiveness and tell me that you are so sad for disobeying and making mommy sad. And then you tell me you need a hug and a tickle to feel better. You are so considerate. Today I was working out in the yard and your sister was sitting in the swing not moving and you stopped playing and walked over to her and pushed her for about 20 minutes. Talking to her and making her laugh.

You are a very active dreamer and always tell me what you dream about when you wake up. Lately it has been about your cars and what they do and what they say.

You are my little reader. You have most of your books memorized and will sit down and read to yourself forever if I let you.

We have started doing "schoolwork." We started out just by drawing horizontal and vertical lines. Then we moved onto diagonal ones. And you love your little worksheets that you have to draw a line around the obstacles to get the bunny home. We have been working on a letter a day. You can write your name with only a little direction from me. I have labeled all of the furniture in your room and you like to walk around and tell me what each card says and we try to pick out letters in the words that you know. You have become very interested in words and usually we spend meals talking about how different things are spelled.

Potty training has gone beautifully. You sleep dry most nights and always through your naps. I am so proud of you.

You have a steel trap for a mind. You have a funny knack for remembering commercials and funny lines from movies. Throughout the day you will bust out with something so random. Some of your favorites include:

"I know, I am fabulous." (no idea what this is from.)

"Your son rip called he is on line toot!"

"Thank you Delsom."

"You following me camera guy?" (Shamwow)

"I am happier than a tornado in a trailer park!"

"She likes me for my body."

"I'm no mack, I am a Peterbuilt, turn on your lights you poron." (I am not correcting him on the moron thing.)

This really amazes me because you have seen the movie Cars twice in the last six months.

And you can sing the theme song to "Monk" even though you watched the opening song one time.

You are definetly a Washingtonian. When you play with your cars, I often hear you taking your cars through the Starbucks drive thru.

Swinging is now a favorite past time. You love for me to push you so hard until your head touches the trees. You love to be outside digging in the dirt. You will dig holes and put the dirt in your wheel barrow and move it to another part of the yard. And you act like it is the most important work in the world.

Food has become a challenge. You do not like meat. You have informed me more than one time that you are a vegetarian. I can sneak you meat, but when it comes to eating just a plain piece of meat you will keep the meat in your mouth and not chew and not swallow. It drives me nuts. You do however love cookie pancakes and you ask to eat them at every meal. Today you got a treat and got to eat them in bed.

When you do not want to do something, you will tell me that your hands, feet, mouth or whatever the applicable body part is, is broken.

You are my Bear. You love to cuddle and you love to hug. You will always be a mommas boy. Thank you for a wonderful three years.

Bath night!

I am going to mash it,

Smash it,
Lick it,Rub it,

Can't forget the hair,

Just so I can look like this!

Whatcha gonna do about it?

Eleven month pictures

Stood up all on her own...
Still only four teeth

Stair climber

And that is a wrap!