How to Have Fun While Mama Makes Dinner

Every weekday I head to the kitchen around 5:00 to make dinner, and Michael doesn't get home until about 5:30. Usually Colin and Gillian are really good about entertaining themselves and letting me do what I need to do. Some days they stand at the gate and whine at me. Those are not the good days. This video IS from a good day. I heard giggles and couldn't resist peeking around the corner. You can see the fun they were having; and then see what that stinker Colin was up to.

Also, note the presence of Sprout on the TV and EVERY TOY WE OWN ON THE FLOOR. That's how I get dinner made most nights!

Not Loving the Time Change

Poor Bitty Bean.

Sheep Happens

Either Colin or Gillian took this sheep photo, with Dada's help, of course. But, it made me think I needed to share about our current sheep craze. Much to Grandma RoRo's delight, I'm sure, Colin and Gillian are loving sheep right now. They have three stuffed sheep; two of the pink, bug eyed Serta-sleeper sheep seen above (from Great-Aunt Sue), and one grey fluffy guy. They carry them all around, hug them, kiss them, wrestle them, you get the picture. Gillian makes a great "Baaaaaa" sound whenever she sees a sheep. And just this week she started trying to sing along to "Baa Baa Black Sheep" when I sing it to her little grey sheep. Oh, I forgot to mention, the grey sheep "belongs" to Gillian and the pink sheep "belong" to Colin. If one of them picks up "their" sheep, the other has to find the other one. Pretty cute.

On Saturday I was herding them upstairs for their nap (the kids, not the sheep), and they somehow decided that they had to take the sheep to bed with them. This is the first time they've "asked" to take toys to bed with them. They each have a little stuffed doll or bear in their bed, but that's it. I figured it wouldn't hurt, so C&G carried their sheep upstairs and into bed with them. Colin was heart-meltingly cute with a pink sheep under one arm and a blue teddy under the other, with a huge grin on his face as I tucked him in. They fell asleep right away, so the sheep didn't cause a ruckus. Yay.

Anyway, I wanted to share our sheep craze. I think it's pretty funny.

Birthday Party Time!

Last Sunday we traveled to Clarion for a very special occasion! It was Michael's Grandma's 89th Birthday Celebration!! Grandma Hannold is now living in an assisted living facility outside of Clarion, and Grammy Uhl was kind enough to plan a party to celebrate the momentous occasion. I will admit that Michael and I were a little leery of driving 2 hours in the morning, going out to lunch, going to a birthday party, and then driving 2 hours home all in one day, but C&G did very well. (Well, Colin suffered fits of violence on Monday from a total lack of nap on Sunday, but by Tuesday he was all good).

Michael didn't get too many pictures as he was baby wrangling most of the afternoon, but we did get some pictures with the Birthday Girl before we left.

(This was the only shot in which Colin didn't have a glassy "Boy, I need a nap" look on his face)


Michael also got a lovely picture of Grammy, Outstanding Aunt Sharon, and Great-Grandma.


I hear that Great Grandma really enjoyed her day, which makes it all worth it!

Adventures in Lunchtime

The kids and I had fun at lunch today, and I thought I'd write it down while I remembered!

So, we have finally convinced Colin that quesadillas are yummy. It took a while, but he'll eat cheese or cheese/chicken quesadillas, which now gives me TWO choices of something to serve for lunch (grilled cheese being the other). Today I decided to try some black beans in his quesadilla; he has rejected beans every time I've offered them, although Gillian will gobble them down. Don't you know, the little booger gobbled down the first sliver of quesadilla that I offer him? So, I give him another. Half way through the second piece, he spots the beans! Then he started picking them out and handing them to me! I just had to chuckle because HE ATE THEM when he didn't see them, but didn't eat them when he could see them. Sigh. We'll see what he does tomorrow for Miss Amy when she offers the other half of what I made today. Booger butt.

Miss Gillian was not free from lunch time shenanigans today either! Of course, she chowed down her quesedilla (with salsa), green beans, and yogurt, but told me NO when I offered her the "fruit course." I thought maybe she just didn't want pear, so I offered apple, banana, and oranges. Each got an emphatic NO. I usually offer them some pretzels if they eat a good lunch, so I asked her if she wanted some pretzels, again, "NO." Hmmm, now I start to remember that Daddy told me that she INSISTED on a cookie (a Thin Mint, no less) at supper last night (I was my LAST occupational therapy session, so I wasn't home). I ask her if she wants a COOKIE; answer, "YES!" They don't really eat junk food, so I didn't mind giving her a cookie, but I guess we're going to have to decide when cookies are ok, and how many cookies are ok. Don't you know, she wanted a second one when she was done? Booger butt times two.

(Sorry no pictures with this post! The Grand Wizard of Photography is at work!)

No Lack of Personality Around Here

It seems we have some characters on our hands. In fact, we have two strong, distinct personalities growing quite nicely around here. It's a little like ying and yang most of the time. Thankfully.

Let's start with Baby A. Big Brother. Mr. Social, Mr. Easygoing, Mr. "Heeeelllllloooo Pretty Lady." Colin is a riot. He's laid back most of the time, well, as laid back as a toddler gets, and he is super social. When we go to the play center, his goal is get every mom in the place to pick him up and fuss over him. Oh, and he loves his Mama (although he WILL NOT SAY Mama).

Right now he really likes reading books. He likes to point at pictures and say, "S'at?" He also loves dancing; he will request music from the moment he comes downstairs in the morning. He has some awesome moves too (takes after his Daddy that way).

He loves his teddy bear and his stuffed kitty cat. He loves to "meeeeoooooww" and "quack." He loves a good snuggle and "Wonder Pets" too. But, he won't touch a meatball to save his life. He's more of a pretzel man.

He is perfect, and beautiful.


Now, Baby B: Little Sis. Miss Bean. Princess. Miss Nosy Pants. Miss "I'll Do It Myself." She is something else, man. She is strong, and stubborn, and funny. And smart as all get out. She keeps us all on our toes. She understands EVERYTHING you say, and she'll show you that she does! She loves to watch and imitate everything; she loves to play with the "big" boys at the play center.

Gillian loves to feed her baby doll and "help" fold laundry. She loves to take the pieces out of puzzles, but never puts them back. She builds awesome towers, and rarely knocks them down. She likes books, but won't sit to read one with you. She DOES love to look through books on her own though. She's awfully fond of her Dada, I will admit.

Bean likes things to go back where they belong. If she finds something that belongs to Brother, she'll take it to him and MAKE SURE he accepts it. She loves to give kisses to kitties, and Mama, and Dada, and even Brother. She LOVES to eat, especially hummus, salsa, and pulled pork. She'll try anything. Mmmmmm.

She is perfect, and beautiful.

How Do You Spell O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D?

G-O-R-I-L-L-A!