Who Needs Toys?

So I get home this afternoon and the Doodlebug is out in the backyard, carefully cutting up chunks of mud with the side of a garden spade.  

What are you doing, Atticus?

Cutting up vegetables.

He recently figured out how to cut up his pancakes with the side of a fork, and the other day he got to help dad cut up carrots with an actual knife.  Apparently this new skill is very simulating for him, because I got him a plastic knife and he literally sat out there for two full hours doing this.  We had to drag him in for a bath but promised him that he can work on it again some more tomorrow.   

I think it is amazing when the kids hit on something that coincides so well with their development that they are willing to concentrate on it for hours.  It's pretty amazing.  He was just so relaxed and happy out there, perfecting his technique.

In other news, we go to the dinosaur museum and the "bug guy" is there with a cart full of snakes, turtles, and tarantulas.  When we walk in he's sitting there with a snake around his neck.  Franny-bug, of course, shrieks, "A snake!  I want to PET IT!" and makes a beeline for the snake.  She loved on that snake and let it lick her all over the hand and face with its little forked tongue.  (Ugh, right?)  She didn't even hesitate for a second.  

I'm kind of proud of her for being so brave, but it also terrifies me a little on a daily basis.  I mean, this is a girl who caught a bumblebee in her bare hand.  I'm a little scared she might walk in the door with a rattlesnake one of these days.

One more thing: I try to take the kids' questions seriously and give them the best, most truthful answers I can.  So Atticus asks me the other day, completely thoughtfully, "Mom, why does everything have sides?"  

Good grief.  What do you say to that? 

Little Chef and the Alligator

I just have a few random pictures so I thought I'd post a life here the past few weeks.  First, the Doodlebug thinks he's this guy from the movie Ratatouille:

 In case you haven't seen the movie, this kid who works in a restaurant but can't cook meets a rat who is a great cook but can't work in a restaurant because, you know, he's a rat.  So the rat hides in the kid's chef's hat and helps him cook, propelling him into a career as a celebrity chef.  The kid calls the rat "Little Chef."

So the Doodle has this little plastic lion that he carries around and calls Little Chef.  I guess because it has whiskers like a rat?  Anyway, Craig made him this chef's hat from posterboard.  The Doodle keeps the Little Chef in his hat.  It's mildly hilarious.

 
Now Lady Frances.  I post this picture even though her eyes are closed for two reasons.  One, because she insisted on wearing this ensemble all day, including at the dinner table.  Two, her eyes are closed because she is preparing to jump.  Which she did, off of the rim of the wagon.  I don't know how it didn't turn over on top of her.

Here they are at the zoo last week:

What else? We were driving the other day when Craig turned around and looked at Atticus sitting there in his carseat, serious as can be, wearing the chef's hat (yes, I know).  Craig laughs, saying, "He looks like the pope...or a priest...whoever it is that wears those hats."  Atticus says, "What's a BEAST?  I look like a beast?"

As for Franny-bug, she loves to ride the elevator at the museum, but she calls it the alligator.  As in, "Mommy, we went up in the Alligator today."  And she insists on wearing her brother's underwear.  You know, because they have Thomas the Train on them.  Sooo much cooler than her own.  She'll love that story someday.

We're back!

Contrary to what you might be thinking, we did NOT fall off the face of the earth.  Finals and Christmas were crazy, and then No Internet January kept me from posting pictures.  

The Doodlebug.   

He's three and a half.  He's cool.  

He likes to line up all his toys perpendicularly.  Nothing wrong with that.

 

 Franny-girl.

Still the sweetest little mess you ever saw.

Potty-training superstar.

The Doodlebug/Ladybug are growing like crazy.  Now that they are big enough to have actual conversations with each other, they are providing us with endless entertainment.  Such as:

Franny (in her carseat): Ouch!  I cut my finger!

Atticus (from his carseat): What did you cut it on, Franny?

Franny: My finger!

Atticus: But what did you cut it on?

Franny: I cut it on my finger.

Atticus: You cut your finger on your finger?

Franny: Yes.

Atticus: That doesn't make any sense, Franny!

Happy Halloween Hilarious-ness

We went trick-or-treating tonight and we had a blast.  The kids were hilarious.  Before we even left the house, I explained to the kids what we were going to do, and we practiced saying "trick-or-treat" and "thank you."  So the first person opens the door and the kids just stand there, wide-eyed, staring at that giant bowl of candy.  We nudge them to say "trick-or-treat" but instead Atticus holds out his bag and says "Can I HAVE SOME, please?"  At least he was polite. 

The best part of the evening was the last house we stopped at.  A baby who was obviously about to take a bath came toddling up to the front door in his birthday suit, and Franny announced to everyone, "That baby has a penis!"  I almost died.  Luckily, the parents (our across-the-street neighbors) thought it was too funny. 

Our little doctor:

 

My handsome cowboy:

Franny-girl's costume is the same one the Doodle wore two years ago.  She went around all night saying "I'm a doctor!"

His is made of pieces I've been collecting from consignment and thrift stores over the past few months.  I love that pearl-snap shirt on him. 

This picture cracks me up.  Mr. Personality:

When we got home, we sat outside and gave out candy to trick-or-treaters.  The kids were on a mini-sugar rush and were having a blast giving out candy.  Atticus kept trying to "scare" people by shaking his head crazily and going "Bluuuuuhhhh."  Franny gave each person a piece of candy saying, "Here you go!"  One kid walked away without saying thank-you, and she just gave a huff, rolled her eyes, and said "You're welcome..."

She and Atticus ran around the yard in the dark acting like two little goofballs.  They just kept going in circles, Atticus going "Bluuuuhhh!" and her yelling "That's a CAZY (crazy) costume!" over and over.    

We had fun.  Two thumbs up.

Doodlebug's Fall Adventures

What!? It's raining!!

  The Doodlebug is growing up so fast!  He loves school, and he has learned how to spell and write his name (although it's usually backwards...but I think that's a good start!)  He is getting more and more adventurous about making new friends.  He loves to run and race, and loves to wear his tennis shoes ("My fastest shoes").  Interestingly, now that it has gotten cooler, he has also decided that he loves his shorts and wants to wear them every day.

Here he is at the zoo with his friend Jonathon checking out the birds:

                                      ******

The other day he came into the bathroom while I was getting ready and told me he needed me to leave so he could have some privacy to use the restroom.  He said "Privacy is when you stay in the bathroom by yourself."  

I told him I was getting ready for school and if he wanted privacy, he needed to go use his own bathroom.  

He thought that over for a minute, then shut the bathroom door and said, "New privacy is when you can have two people in the bathroom.  That's new privacy."

A perfect mirror?

 
One interesting thing about having a three year old is seeing so much of ourselves reflected back to us, good and bad.

Like when we overheard Atticus say "That sucks" this week when playing with his matchbox cars.  (Confession: Thank goodness Craig is a good parent, because instead of being properly horrified and giving him a talking to, I ran out of the room laughing.  Craig kept it together and had the "not a nice thing to say" discussion.)

Or when I was asking Atticus questions about a book he was trying to describe to me, and he got frustrated and said, exasperated, through clenched teeth, "I don't know, SWEETIE!"


But it's also a million other phrases and looks and actions that I hope reflect our better side, like when he shares the last of his snack with Franny, or when he pats my face with a hilarious, sincere look and says "I'm so proud of you, Mommy."  Or his sweet concern when anyone is sick or hurt.  And so, without saying it, he also reminds me to be on my best behavior. 

Are you ready, Boots?

So Craig and I are putting Atticus to bed, and I offer to sing a song with him before he goes to sleep. Which one do you want to sing, Atticus? You are my Sunshine? I've Been Working on the Railroad? Somewhere over the Rainbow?

He looks at me and says, "The boots song."

What? Craig and I have no idea.

"You know, the Boots Song...and walking...dum-dum-dum..."

I die laughing. "These Boots are made for Walkin?"

His face lights up. He has been wearing his rainboots around the house which prompted Craig and I to start singing that the other day. Little did we know it would go on the lullaby list.

Craig ended up pulling up the Nancy Sinatra video on youtube and letting Atticus watch it. Atticus was absolutely enthralled. Craig says, "I can't believe this video has 2 million views. 2 million people have actually watched this video?"

I would be surprised if a single one of those 2 million people were watching it at the express request of their two year old.

If anyone doesn't know the song I'm talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww

Well, we knew this was coming...

We took the kids to the Farmer's Market this morning, and two separate people stopped us to ask if the kids were twins. Actually, one guy just assumed they were and started telling us a random twin story. It's the first time that has happened but I'm willing to bet it won't be the last.



After the Farmer's Market, we went to an outdoor fair. Atticus rode a pony, which he thought was great fun. We were going to let Franny-girl ride a llama, but she didn't want anything to do with it.

They were also doing elephant rides, which we didn't do, but we did get within about four feet of the elephant. I told Atticus, "Look at how that elephant is eating the grass!" He gave me a Look, sighed, and said "That's not grass, that's hay, mom." (He was right.)

Sweet little ladybug at the park:



The Doodlebug playing with his trains:



The Doodlebug has two teddy bears, Stinky and Bert. This afternoon he told them it was bedtime and rocked them both in his little rocking chair (while pretending to listen to Yo-Yo Ma). Then he made Bert go to bed but told Stinky he could stay up and watch Cars. Goofball.

Funny stuff

Picture this, if you will...

I've gotten the kids out of the bathtub. This is CRAZY TIME in our house. We have two kids running around that we are trying to corral and coax into diapers and pajamas. So tonight I'm struggling to get Ladybug snapped into her jammies, she's crying, things are nuts.

The Doodle comes in, naked, with a toy piano. Climbs into Franny's dollbed announcing, "Look, Momma! I'm in the BATH!" And proceeds to give the following stellar performance:




In other news, Franny is walking! She can't get very far, though, because she thinks she is SO AWESOME that she gets too excited to stand up. She crashes down, laughs hysterically, and then jumps up and tries again. She cracks herself up.

These funny kids

These kids are so funny. Franny's little personality is really starting to develop. Atticus has always been a little reserved around people he doesn't know. Franny, on the other hand, tries to make friends with everyone. Every time we go to the store I keep getting these funny looks from people, and I think, "Why are people laughing at me?" Then I realize that she's down there flashing these huge smiles and doing everything she can to engage people to pay attention to her.

Atticus' imagination is starting to take hold, and it is so entertaining! Last night he says "Bye!" Where are you going? "Library." Okay, see you later. "Yeah. Later!" He goes to the door, then comes back (in a perfect imitation of me), and says "Oh! Keys!" and grabs his forgotten pretend keys off the coffee table. We are cracking up. "Bye!" He's gone a few seconds and then comes running back. "Library book!" and picks a book up off the table and takes off with it. "Bye! Library! Love you!"