Music to my ears...

Who knew that having a big brother was SO much fun?!?! Apparently, even at the 4 mo. mark, little E has discovered this about her big brother, and BOY did she ever let us know how funny SHE thinks he is...Daddy reset the camera and cut out the beginning shrieks of laughter, but I still think her belly laugh is pretty darn cute. :)

We love to READ!!!

Our evening tradition, before bedtime, is to read. Any book is game (usually) and B often stretches the books out as loooong as he can to read multiple. :) With the addition of little sister, B has taken seriously the job of "reading" to his little sister like we read to him. Thanks, Auntie Meg, for the enclosed super-cute book...last night he "read" this to E no less than 3 times, including the ladybug puppets, much to his sister's delight! :)

With no further ado, I give you B and "Five Little Ladybugs"!

Flashback....

Not so long ago, I popped little man in the basket while I did laundry & it turned into a photo op...why not?!?!



Funny how life changes yet stays the same...fast forward ahead three years, and here's the new little lady, slightly larger than big brother and barely fits into the same basket. :)

...And We're Back!!!

After a LOOOOOOONG hiatus, here we are with newest member already chatting!! Ms. E will be 3 months old in a few days and we're loving her red hair & chatty little personality!! Ha ~ she already knows she'll have to work hard to get in a word, edgewise, around her brother!

Here's a video only a parent (or grandparent) could love...nothing crazy or flashy, just cute, but Grammy & Grampie, eat your heart out!! We miss you!

Halloween preview...

Let the festivities begin...

Trick-or-treating tomorrow @ school, haunted train rides this PAST weekend, pumpkin carving tonight w/ Daddy, all before our Halloween party & trick-or-treating with his "best bud" on Saturday night!! Can't wait!!

"EARNING"...

I'm starting to wonder if B's concept of "earning" things has become a bad thing based upon a conversation we had as he laid on the house in his yuck-fest of the last several days. Unfortunately, because he's gotten to watch WAY more "toonies" (cartoons) than usual in any given day (or week, for that matter!), B has also been exposed to many commercials. Uh-oh.

Upon watching a commercial yesterday (or maybe the day before) for something like a "rockin' robot" (?), he looked at me and said, "Momma, can I earn that?? Can I? I LIKE that Rockin' Robot! Can you get me one and I can earn it?"

We've not seen or had a discussion about it since then...

Perhaps it's good he knows that he doesn't just GET everything, and has to DO things to acquire things he wants...good 'ole hard work, even if it is potty training...

Perhaps I should be worried, however, for him to think that he can have anything he wants, as long as it's "earned"?? Given, he's not hounding me for it, bent on material possessions, for which I'm thankful...but I wonder? Should he be more encouraged to work, for work's sake, for the intangible benefits one gets from hard work and attaining one's goals???

Oh the journey of parenthood...!

What a Difference a YEAR makes?!?!

What an amazing difference a YEAR makes in the life of a child...

Last year's trip to the pumpkin patch:


Today's trip to the pumpkin patch:


How fun to see him grow!

Little Mr. Bossy

While it's a relief to know that our "lessons" have not fallen on deaf ears, it's always funny, nonetheless, when they come back AT you, and NOT out of your mouth. We had a double-dose of this yesterday that just cracked us up.

S came home from work early to get prepared for his golf tournament today, and was around as B and I had our normal, "Mommy-day" routine. As B was eating lunch, S came into the kitchen, being goofy or something, to which he got an earful:
"DADDY, DON'T DISTRACT ME. I'm 'posed to be eating my grilled cheese, Daddy."

Touche!

Again at dinner, S was contributing some monkey business and B piped right up: "Daddy, do NOT distract me!! I'm trying to eat some tacos for dinner, Daddy. Don't DISTRACT ME!"

I am pretty sure that my preggo brain isn't making this up, but I feel as though little B was even chiding himself in the past 24 hours...I vaguely (but can't remember which meal) remember him saying to himself, "This time is to eat. I can't play with these toys because I need to focus on eating now."

Thank heavens HE at least has the brain like a sponge right now!!! ;)

Night Time Prayer

I truly want to get this recorded because it's so sweet, but will try to capture the essence of his endearing night-time habit. Before delivery, he was given a little lamb who says a little prayer. We play it for him each night before bed & awhile ago, he started reciting it with the lamb. Insert toddler speech patterns, though, and I never can help but smile:

"Now I lambie down to sweep
I pway the Wod my soul to keep
Angels watch me fwoo the night
Atil I wake in mowning's wight.
AMEN."

Don't ya want to kiss him?? ;)

He Just Can't WAIT....

B has added a new phrase to his vernacular which never ceases to make us laugh:

"I can't wait to _____________"

He uses it about EVERYTHING...the constant joy, wonder & amazement of the world through his eyes is wonderful to behold.

This a.m., for instance, the school bus drove by. "I can't WAIT to ride the school bus to school when I get bigger bigger!"

At the grocery store the other day, buying EGGPLANT..."I can't WAIT to eat that eggplant!"

Upon anticipating a craft project we're planning on doing: "I can't WAIT to make that craft w/ you Momma!"

I just love it!