A & M

The kids are off to a great start this year. Just need to get Miriam on a better schedule all-around. At 6 months she was really sitting up well. Now at 7 months she is clapping and turning in circle on her tummy.

Drew is talking up a storm. Repeating just about every conversation we have, verbatim to anyone who will listen. The other day he asked if Texas had mountains. I said not where we live - but there are mountains in Arizona. "Where the Twists live? Do Aunt Allie and Uncle Erik climb mountains?" Hm...sort of... "Can I climb mountains with them?"

2012

A new year. A new post. Don't get used to it, my blogging days may be over as I plan to start a new business soon! We'll see if and how it all works out.

For now, I'm just happy for a new year and to be well on my way to keeping up with my "goals". One of the first, is to be more organized. I sifted out 4 boxes from our cluttered garage last night and am determined to have a garage sale by March 1. The kitchen, old photos and art supplies are in-progress.

Some of the my other goals include:

Volunteering

Reading

Working out

Successful vegetable gardening

Buying less/saving more

playing pretend

I remember playing "house" and "store" with my cousins and actually feeling like we were in a real place - someplace other than in the front yard or the play room. Drew has started this phase and hopefully it will continue until Miriam can play along!

The other day Drew decided we need to go out and look for "fish". He said we were both witches and had to put on our "witch hats". We do not have any witch hats, but he let me know I would be the cowboy witch and he would be the pirate witch. We then proceeded to go to the "woods" (our backyard) to look for the fish.

Another fun play time was when he came across Christmas stickers with an appropriately dressed snowman. Drew HAD to put on his winter coat, mittens, hat and boots. He came across a Christmas gift bag and headed out to the backyard again to play in the 100 degree heat.

Other funny sayings:

- You're a genius mommy! I'm a genius too!

- Ehh, what's up doc!?

- Ehh, what 'cha cookin'? Rabbit stew?

- Stop it balloon! You're in time-out!

- 9, 10, 11, 13, 13, 13...Daddy? Oh no! Daddy is lost!

- Couldn't have done it without you, Mommy!

- Hello, Mommy! I'm off to fix the table. Now, where is my hammer? (while carrying toolbox and wearing a cowboy hat)

- Drew: Mommy, you make the ants cry. Me: Why? Drew: You make them sick. Me: How? Drew: The food makes them sick. (fire ant poison...oops! at least he is compassionate)

- Mommy, do you want to be a pumpkin for Halloween?

- Drew: My belly button hurts. Me: Why does it hurt? Drew: Because I want to get out of the car.

- What's that sound? Daddy tooted. No doubt about it!

- For his birthday, he requested a pirate party with an elephant pinata.

joy and peace

travel

And yet another funny conversation with Drew:

Does it get darker in the airport?

Where'd the orange stroller go?

We should go to on an airplane today.

(Me: You'll go on an airplane with daddy soon, to visit uncle Shaun.)

You should go too, Mommy.

You should go on an airplane with me and Daddy.

Daddy is your brother.

Oh, Daddy is your husband?

I want to go on an airplane with you.

(Me: We'll go on an airplane together at Thanksgiving.)

No, I don't want to go WITH Thanksgiving!

(Me: Okay, we'll go someday then...)

You should put the orange stroller in the car.

I'll go check your car for the stroller.

He clearly tries just about every angle he can!

car talk

Drew is growing up so quickly! Most of the time he is a delightful little character, though he certainly lives up to the title of "Terrible-Twos." We're doing our best to remain patient with him and give him as much attention as we can with a new baby in the house. When we're in the car and Miriam is asleep, he takes all the attention he can get!

On our way home from daycare today he was chatting up a storm, I couldn't even respond to all of his comments, except to laugh. Here are the ones I remember:

we had 'pagetti and Miss 'Vangeline's (Evangeline's)
i didn't help pick up the Legos

David Scott has Legos

I have Legos at home, yep

we should have 'pagetti at home

i don't like 'pagetti, he didn't eat very much 'pagetti (he who?)

i didn't pick up the Legos at Miss 'Vangelines (telling on himself, again)

you like 'pagetti, Mommy?

hey, what's that song?

is it a guitar?

i need my pink guitar

we need a new blue guitar

does Santa play guitar?

we'll see Nana and Reagan at Christmas, when Santa comes

Santa's really, really big

Santa will come to Nana and Papi's, yep.

we need snow boots at Christmastime

he has a flag on a stick (pointing to a homeless man)

he has a hat, he's a cowboy!

hi cowboy!

The following day, he reminded me of this:
where's my water bottle daddy? (my reply: "am I daddy?")
no, you're jess.
doug is at home, yep.

male bonding

Our new baby girl has allowed for some male bonding time for the boys...With lots of wrestling and rocking out to loud music. The last two nights have included both - ending with Drew dancing around the living room with his guitar belting out lyrics to the White Stripes. He has also decided "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" left out one very important body part...boys. Wow.

break-dancin' the new room

creative education

Daddy will have to handle the math, science and history for our kids...because all I ever really want to do is foster creativity: