Play Date!

Tuesday night was the much-anticipated sleepover here at our house for Lexi and Kylee. They have been looking forward to this since we kept Alaina ... until Monday, when Kylee started to get cold feet about spending the night. Totally understandable of course, so we decided to go ahead with the playing and eating part, and leave the sleepover part to be decided after dinner.

The girls made "projects" for their mommies for over an hour! It was so funny listening to them talk to each other - two first borns with younger siblings at home - you can imagine the way they were bossing each other back and forth! I totally wish I could have recorded every word they said to each other because it was a riot. When they were done with their projects, they put them into envelopes and labeled them in various ways :).

Next it was pizza making time! I made the crust, and they rolled it out and "decorated" their own pizzas.

Both of them chowed down - besides their pizzas they each had cheetos and chips and chocolate chip cookies (sorry moms ... probably not the healthiest of meals but you'll get over it. :)

After dinner we had planned to go to the park and play, but it started to rain. So instead they curled up in separate recliners, got comfy and watched a video.

Any possibility of them spending the night evaporated with the first roll of thunder ... so at bedtime, they went home, tummies full of junk food and hands full of art work for their beloved mommies.

I'm pretty sure I had at least as much fun as they did - hope we can do it again soon!

My best girl ...

I sit, watching the unaffected simplicity of a three-year old. She never stops moving - she is wearing a necklace made of orange yarn and pretzels, which is growing smaller by the bite. Her curls frame her face as she munches, and suddenly she looks up at me and says, “I’m GORGEOUS!” And she is. Her knees are covered with bandaids, and her elbows are covered with scabs, all the result of happy outside adventures. Her pink miniskirt rides up continually, and matches her fuzzy pink slippers perfectly. She even wears the slippers to bed these days, the latest in what will surely be a long line of little obsessions.

“I’m thirsty,” she says coyly. When I suggest she go upstairs for her milk, she replies, matter-of-factly, “No, I want a wittle of your coffee -- kids wuv coffee, ya know.”

She knows by my look that she won’t get her way (this time), so she’s off to the next thing that grabs her attention - the kitty. She swings the fuzzy cat toy wildly around her head, and seems surprised that the cat runs for cover. Her conversation with the kitty goes something like this: “Kitty, you come here now. I want you to sit wight here wif me. HEY KITTY! Ohhhhhh, I LOVE you kitty! Where‘s Papa? I wanna go back upstairs.”

Meanwhile she’s dragged a laundry basket into the room and has captured the cat under it, stopping only to munch another pretzel off her necklace. The poor cat suddenly finds herself being twirled around the room in the laundry basket - child, cat and basket completely off balance until all three fall in a happy heap on the floor. Surprisingly, the cat stays, and curls up on her lap, and they both rest awhile in the basket. Not surprisingly, the cat bolts quickly and the child wiggles until she’s laying flat on the bottom of the basket, her legs dangling over the sides. A minute or two goes by - then, “Uh, Nini, I need some help. I can’t get outta this basket!” She’s right - she’s completely wedged in. I help her out of her fix, and by the time I get back to my chair she’s right back in the same position. I think I’ve been had.

“Hey, let’s go upstairs!” she cries. “Why?” I reply, “there’s nothing up there.” “Yes there is, there’s stuff and fings [things] up there!” I think I have to go. You see, playing with her is much better than writing about her.

At their best ...

Lexi buried in the toybox, playing shy ... such a common trait for her (NOT!) ...
... and now hiding beside her mother to avoid being even remotely polite to her Uncle Mike ...

... now Mason, on the other hand, was so friendly he was sharing FOOD with him - simply a stunning development!
There's a good reason for this face - just look at the next picture!
YIKES! The right cheek in all its glory!!

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

Mason's birthday was Friday, and his party was yesterday ... yes, I'm slow to post but that seems to be the story of my life these days! The good news is he doesn't care at all! :)


The theme of his party was trains, specifically Thomas the Tank Engine - he is all about his trains right now! Although you couldn't tell by the look on his face when his cake was set in front of him - it was really funny. Seemed like he was just a little overwhelmed by the whole thing! Thankfully he had his big sister close at hand to blow out his candles for him.

He went for his 2-year doctor's checkup today - the kid has grown 3 3/4 inches in the last six months!!! Oh my gosh! He's only gained a pound, so he is on the charts both in height and weight for the first time in his short life - 90th percentile in both categories, but at least he's on the chart! His doctor is predicting he will be 6'2" ... will someone please explain how that can happen when his parents are practically midgets?? (I mean that in the most loving possible way, guys!)

I have a hilarious picture of Lexi from yesterday, but I'll just describe it because if I posted it I would get my site flagged for child pornography again ... the poor child has been blessed with a booty that results in one butt cheek hanging out ALL THE TIME! You'd think she would feel it, but apparently she's so used to it she doesn't even notice ... dresses and swimsuits might be a little too revealing this summer!

If you're happy and you know it ...

I took this awhile ago and forgot it - but it delights me!



Life is a little too busy for my liking, but thankfully it's still pretty well short of overwhelming. :) Hopefully it calms down soon! I miss hanging out with my kiddos!