She said it...

Amelia continues to surprise me with the things that come out of her mouth....

Yesterday at the playground, after I successfully dominated the monkey bars, Amelia said "Whew, that's not easy at your age"

Today at dinner, she took her first bite and said "Mom, this pizza is divine."


I don't know if other four year-olds talk this way, but I do know I crack up every time she opens her crazy, little mouth.

Family

We had some family in this weekend and as always, it was a ton of fun...

Thank goodness for IPads and muffins

Hide and Seek

What bounce houses were made for

Ahhhh, Now I See

Just when I thought Amelia's artwork was just a bunch of paint scribbles....

....I saw the title and realized she actually just has a weird imagination. I think I prefer scribbles.

Lesson Learned

We learned three very valuable lessons tonight...

1) Our toddler son likes running around without a diaper
2) If our toddler son gets the chance to run around without a diaper, he will pee all over the floor
2) If our toddler son pees on the floor, he will happily jump up and down in it until you are able to run and grab him.

A Mind of Its Own

Considering I'm not the most follically gifted person, I probably shouldn't say anything,  but Ev is really going to have to work harder at getting control of his wig...

Now I Remember

Most people who read this blog do so to see new pictures and videos of the kids. However, my favorite purpose for the blog is to look back at old posts to compare Amelia and Everett at the same age. While I like to think I have a pretty good memory of where Amelia was at certain stages in her life, this exercise typically proves me wrong. Tonight is no exception.  Like I have heard many people comment, unlike Ev, I sort of always remember Amelia as being a very skinny little girl. She wasn't a big baby and she doesn't have enough rear end as a 4 year-old to fill out her bathing suit bottoms or hold up her ballet skirt. That said, in looking back, I see toddler-aged Amelia would certainly not have projected out this way as she looks like she could have eaten Everett...

Dentist

This is what a bad day at the dentist looks like - passed out from crying, being numbed, and being restrained with cotton still in your mouth from where you bit your own numb lip...

Halllloooooo

Unbeknownst to us, Everett has learned to say hello. Now, he sounds kind of like Franck from Father of the Bride when he says it, but he says it.  As we were traveling yesterday, he happened to get a toy cell phone in his kids' meal. He immediately put it up to his face and started saying "hallloooo" "halloooooo" "haaaaaaallloo". He was doing it a little more in the car, so we tried to get a video...

More Fun Down South

It was one of these kinds of days....

Laughing with Grandpa

Splashing around in the pool

Down on the Farm

We are visiting Grandma and Grandpa for the weekend.  Since they live in a more rural area, this always means the kids get to do things they don't normally get to do (In the past this has meant anything from farming to fishing to "driving" a car).  Today was a little more low key, but it was also a beautiful day outdoors. We swam in the pool, went to the park, grilled out, chased the dogs, and ate more than any human should. I forgot to bring my camera this trip, but here are a few pics I was able to get on my cell phone...

Grandpa and Amelia enjoying the playground

A sweaty, hot bunch leaving the park

Ev taking his first boat driving lesson in the garage

Shoes

Everett still takes his shoes off the second you put them on him. As a matter of fact, we're 99% sure he threw one of his new Stride Rite shoes in the garbage since we can't find it anywhere. However, the little man loves all shoes that belong to anyone else. I was so pleased to see him wearing my tennis shoes the other day because until that point, he appeared to have some sort of women's/girl's shoe fetish (having been spotted in Amelia's tennis shoes, sandals, tap shoes, rain boots, Meggan's sandals, sparkly flats, and a pair of high heels)...

Looking For Help

Amelia prays every single night for Jesus to make her parents say it is okay for her to sleep in their bed with them. So, every single night I am faced with a decision - I either let her prayers fail her, I use my prayers to negate her prayers, or I let her sleep in my bed. So far, I've basically just acted like I didn't hear her prayers and then I silently ask God why he felt it necessary to give me a daughter that looks for loopholes.

Life

This is pretty much what every evening looks like for me....Everett crawling on my legs and Amelia climbing all over everything else....and I love it.

WOOOWWW, a Cupcake!

You know that feeling where you and your wife have gone through a lot of effort to get the Disney princesses to "write" your daughter a sweet letter "inviting" her to be their special guest at Disney...and you even go through the extra expense to make sure she gets to eat breakfast with the princesses in Cinderella's castle....and then you go through the extra effort to have your waitress bring it out with dessert so it is a big surprise...and then your daughter basically likes it, but is REALLY excited about the 99 cent cupcakes???? Yeah, I know that feeling too...

Father's Day

It has been a great Father's Day so far. Amelia made me a lovely card at school with questions she answered on the inside and  I am also lucky to now be the proud owner of a t shirt with an Amelia-drawn portrait of me on the front....

The last answer is all that matters...then again, what do I know, I'm only 15 years old

Looks just like me...and yes, I've worn it everywhere today...

Aaaaah, What a Gift

Tomorrow is Father's Day and I am so excited. It has nothing to do with gifts, praise, or even being the lucky dad of two awesome kids. It selfishly has everything to do with sleep. Meggan always let's me sleep in on Father's Day and that, for a dad with kids who wake up waaaay too early, is like a little slice of Heaven.

Spoon Fed

Now that Everett knows how to use a spoon, he ONLY wants to eat with it. So, even when he is having chicken tenders, pasta, or french fries like tonight, he will cry until we cut them small enough for him to scoop them over and over again...

Sleeping Beauty

Is there a better way to get woken up than to have your little brother come in and attack you (he gave her kisses as well as jumping on her)??? I think not....

Rain Deer?

If Amelia doesn't know any songs, she is not above simply rambling off anything that comes to mind in song form. This became evident after I asked her to sing me a song for rainy days...

Be Warned

Let this serve as a lesson to the kids.  I politely asked Sophie to stop nervously licking her paw or I'd be forced to put a cone on her.  She thought I was bluffing.  .I don't bluff on punishments...

Rainy Day

A little rain is no reason to stay inside....


One of these is a dog standing only on her hind legs, the other is a 1 year-old who doesn't realize it is raining on him.....both are mesmerized by the ball I have in my hand...

If you don't like your feet getting wet, you can always wear your big sister's rain boots....

Trouble Coming

In case you were wondering what trouble looks like for a parent...it looks like the day your son learns to climb on the couch by himself...

Dancers

I think I will have to cool it with all the ballet praise we give Amelia. The reason is pretty simple.....

...while I am very proud of her ballet and tap exploits....

...I'm not sure I love my son running around in girls' tap shoes....

Grown Up

Just in case you don't believe my admittedly biased opinion of Amelia, this is straight from her doctor's appointment today (she stayed home sick)....



Dr. (to me) - So, what brings you guys in here?
Amelia - My throat hurts a little bit and I have the stomach germs. I throwed up twice in the bed. I can't go to school today because I don't want my friends to get stomach germs.
Me - Yeah, that's pretty accurate.
Dr. (to me again) - Okaayy. Does Amelia take any medications?
Amelia - Um, I take Zyrtec before bed...and I take Nasonex after my bath...
Dr. - Well, thank you! Is it okay if I listen to your chest now?
Amelia - With your stethoscope? I have a Doc Mcstuffins stethoscope at home.
Dr. - You do? Oooooh. That's really cool.
Amelia - Yeah, I have a stethoscope, a Doc Mcstuffins Otoscope (which sadly I didn't even know the name for until she said it today), and a thing to check your blood pressure.
Dr. - Wow, you are 4 years old going on at least 17 aren't you...

She's On To Me

In my continual losing battle of wits with my 4 year-old.....

Me: What did you have for lunch today?
Amelia: Ummm, I  ate 4 pineapples.
Me(knowing her teacher, who we asked to monitor Amelia's lunch because she never eats, said she ate NOTHING): Are you sure? I don't think you ate any. Why don't you think about it and tell me again.
Amelia: Ummm, I really did, Dad.
Me: You reeeeeally did? Let me remind you that I talked to your teacher and I know what you ate.
Amelia: Ummmmm, I ate 4.
Me: Let me remind you that I hate lying worse than anything.
Amelia: You said hate. Hate is a potty word, Dad.
Me  Do you know what military school is?
Amelia: whaaaat?
Me: It's a school where you go to live if you lie to your parents.
Amelia: Noooo, that's silly.
Me: No, it's real. I hope you aren't lying because I guess you'd have to go to military school and I'd miss you. But, I guess if you really want to go there, you can keep lying.
Amelia: Noooooooo
Me: Also, Jesus can hear you and he knows if you're lying.
Amelia: Jesus can hear you too and he know if you're lying, Daddy!
Me: Okay, so maybe you don't have to go to military school.

Not Getting Into It

As a dad, there are just some things you are not ready and willing to get into with your kids. Amelia seems to be walking into more and more of these territories these days. Yesterday, she stumbled into the "marriage" arena and more importantly, the "why you can't marry your own family arena"....

Amelia: When I grow up, Ev and I are going to get married.
Me: Uhhh, no, you're not.
Amelia: Why?
Me: Well, because you can't marry your brother.
Amelia: Why not? I love him.
Me: Because it's not just about that.
Amelia: He looks like he'll be a good dad.
Me: I'm sure he will be...but, not to your kids. You can't marry your brother...or me.
Amelia: Then who can I marry???
Me: Nobody for like 20 years. So, stop asking.

Old Timer

I love it when Everett gets a new haircut because he gets some seriously crazy hair when it is long. That said, it almost makes me sad because it makes him look so much older...

The Show

The finest tap and ballet performances I saw all day,,,,

Recital Day

Amelia's ballet/tap recital is today. The house is abuzz with hype, anticipation, and sparkles.