Belle and "Baby Aubrey"

Belle's motherly instinct seems to be in super-drive, which I hear is normal. But everything has a Mommy (or is the baby).
Even the magnetic letters on the fridge she is lining up the upper-case and lower-case saying they are the Mommy and the baby. So she adored meeting her new cousin and would lather up with hand-sanitizer and declare she was ready to hold the baby.
Keith liked her too, but with not quite as much enthusiasm.

Baby Aubrey is absolutely adorable, and I enjoyed holding her,too!! Her family is always so fun to go visit, and this time was no exception.

Spontaneous Adventure!

We had a great time in CA last weekend...being with family, enjoying the warmth. When David came home on Monday the flights didn't look good for the rest of us, so we stayed! (yeah, poor us...boo hoo, right?) We ended up staying until Thursday when David had his next day off work and was able to fly down and help us get home. Keith is now 2 and needs his own seat so it is a little tricky, especially since Belle is uncomfortable with the idea of having to sit across the aisle from Mom. And so is Mom. She just seems a little young for that.

Anyway, we made the best of our extra days with an impromtu trip to SeaWorld! We had a free rental car day from the place there in Rancho, so we took advantage of that and had a fun day. I'd been wanting to go since one of my friends made plans to go in March and asked us to go along; which we didn't think would work with our schedule. Nana was able to come with us, too, so that made it even more fun! Of the impromptu experience Isabelle said "You should have this idea again!"

The weather was cool enough for our jackets, but we staying comfortable...and the place wasn't crowded at all! We didn't have any trouble with seating or lines...the middle of the week in February--perfect!

They loved the whales, dolphins, sharks, penguins, walrus, etc...and also had their very first amusement park ride. (last time we didn't take them to the ride area). And I have to admit, I'm glad my kids like it--because so do I! I like seeing the whales as much as they do, I think!

I didn't get a ton of pictures, but here are a few.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We are full of HEARTS the last few days:
Heart-Attacked doors and Balloons

Heart-shaped cookies, Heart-shaped peanut butter sandwhiches, and hearts on our Valentine's cards.

We did the heart-attacked doors in the night and the kiddos woke up to them. They thought that was great.



So Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, I hope it is filled with hearts!

But most of all, Happy Valentine's Day to my Sweetheart, who's love is always constant, no matter what. I love you!

2nd Birthday! Already!?!

I can't believe my baby boy is 2! It seams like yesterday we were driving through a very foggy early morning hours to head to the hospital to welcome him into the world. He is a joy to have in our family, and we love him more than we can say. He is sweet, and intense in a quiet way, a thinker and an observer, and most of all he's my boy. I can't wait to see the things he will do as he grows, and at the same time it scares me when I think of how fast time goes, and he will be grown up, and I will be old.

We celebrated by taking him to an Aquarium--and he said before we left home he wanted to see sharks and crocodiles. I knew they had sharks, but was a little worried about the crocodile bit. This isn't exactly a world-class aquarium we have available to us. But--they didn't disappoint! Hooray! The Aquarium had two Caimans, which are not exactly crocodiles, but close enough for us. We had to go back and forth from the tank with the sharks, and the exhibit with the Caimans. The sting rays and penguins were also hits, and the little teeny tiny seahorses where Belle's favorite.
These kids are rather Aquarium spoiled, I will say, with Aquariums in Chicago, Long Beach, and here under their belts plus Sea World. They love the water animals.

So here's the birthday celebration pics. Keith was thoroughly spoiled and loved it. Don't look close at the cake. Someday my children may have a birthday cake that looks like someone older than 12 decorated, but I'm not holding my breath. Nor should they, for that matter.

I think his favorite gifts were the crocodiles and sharks, followed closely by all the new Thomas & Friends stuff.

Vivid Imaginations

So here's Keith, a few weeks ago, playing with the play food and kitchen with Isabelle. They prepare a several course meal to which I am invited to participate in eating. I agree, and am seated at an artfully arrayed place setting on the floor. As we begin the first course, Belle notices something amiss. "Buggie! We didn't get drinks! Will you get us some?"
And Keith dutifully obeys, running after some cups in his I-am-going-somewhere-with-purpose RUN, and then I naively expect him to head directly back to where we are seated. Nope. First he has to dodge several obstacles, go the long way around the couch to the play kitchen, and pretend--with sound effects--to FILL the glasses with water before bringing them back to us. Silly of me to think he would bring them back empty, wasn't it?

I laughed for awhile over this but also have continued to notice how real and vivid his imagination is getting. His big things these days are Thomas the train, sharks, and crocodiles. He frequently has sharks in his pockets, IS a shark (not just any shark. "a MEAN one") or a crocodile, and carries his Thomas trains around. Sometimes the sharks and crocodiles are to eat. Not really sure why, a little strange (maybe it's the NAT GEO watching of crocodiles and sharks eating things--really NAT GEO has crocodiles or sharks on nearly every day), but sometimes he takes a pretend shark and stuffs it in his mouth saying "Num. EAT IT ALL UP. (insert appropriate carnivorous sound effects here)."

So one one occasion, while playing in our submarine (under the blankets on Mom and Dad's bed--one of their favorite games) with Daddy, they spotted some sharks under the water. And Keith caught them. And gave one to Daddy. Which Daddy thought he was supposed to eat, and did so. This upset Keith so terribly he was crying and grabbing at David's mouth, to which David was quite confused. So I explained. "I don't think you were supposed to eat it. He wants it back." And the child did not stop crying until David took the pretend shark OUT of his mouth and gave it back to him.

Tonight he was passing out crocodiles out of a little bag for everyone to eat. (really, this time). Belle had a few, David had a few, but when it came to me he peered for awhile with those big blue eyes into his bag that was holding the pretend crocodiles, looked up at me and declared "Empty". I didn't get any. And no amount of persuasion could get him to change his mind. He couldn't just imagine up more crocodiles to share some with me. How ever many had been in there in the first place were gone, and that was the end of it. Belle came to my rescue and imagined up some strawberries, a whole laundry basket full, for me to eat. A little more tasty than a crocodile anyway!

Talk about a vivid imagination!

Not so "kind and dear" after all

Belle not to happy with me at bedtime, for applying a consequence to an action of hers. So during the ritual singing of "I Am a Child of God" she points out to me: "Mommy, you're not "kind and dear". Sometimes you are mean." And me, trying ever so hard not to burst our laughing replies "does that mean you don't love me?" Her--ever so sweetly--"It's ok Mommy. I still love you."
"Ok Belle. I love you too. I'll try to be better. Will you try and be better, too?"
"Yes, Mommy."
And she cuddles up and goes to sleep. And I am still laughing.
Three and a half? What am I in for?