Shrek and the Juiceman

Thank God for the iPhone... on so many occasions now we've forgotten our camera for some monumental event. In October, that was Ian's 3rd birthday party. Today, that event was Ian's very first musical theatre performance... in the First Pres Preschool Christmas Pageant. I cried. He knew all the words! How did he know all the words to songs that I didn't even know? He drummed right along to the Little Drummer Boy, and knew all the hand movements to "Mary Had a Baby". Right up until the last minute, he was going to be an angel. When he saw that all his buds were shepherds, we were really glad that a very experienced fellow preschool Mom knew enough to bring an extra shepherd outfit, so that he did not turn out to be the only angel boy... which would have been okay...

Above you see our little shepherd boy with his friend Jace. Together, they are a.k.a. "Shrek and the Juiceman". Now, Matt should really be writing this post, because he has done 7 coop days to my one this semester, and you can tell by the way the kids swarm him when he shows up. He knows more about the little posse of boys and girls that have these alter egos. There is also a doggy, and the doggie's walker (dear little Brynna, who is the cutest little "dog" walker you've ever seen). But it is so much fun to see their little social world unfolding. Today at the snack table, Jace, pictured above, said "So, who likes sprinkles on their cupcake?". They are making small talk! Apparently last week Ian started the snack conversation by asking each kid what they wanted from Santa.
This is my handsome family, messing around at Daddy's office on the webcam, while I was at work. They are finding all sorts of ways to fill days at a time together. It is SO nice to know exactly where they are (and with whom!), and that they are having a ball while I am at work. Yesterday they ran the halls and the library at Grammie's school and then went to the (somewhat decrepit and depressing) Longmont mall- which, by the way, apparently has a great train running through it during the holidays. Other hot spots are Home Depot and Liquormart, perfect places for kiddos to run around, of course.

There is much to catch up on, and will be much more as Christmas arrives!

These shoes are made for walking...

And that's just what they'll do..... through the mall, around the block, at the grocery store, all around the house. I can hear them pitter-pattering right now as I stand at the dining room table and type this (always standing, ready to run to someone's aid, rescue, or just to play). Maggie's red, or ruby, rather, shoes just keep on going. When she gets out of the bath, she is stark naked but hands you her shoes and gives her signature sound which means "these, they go on my feet, put them on now! Please!" and off she goes again. Not just any shoes will do... she'll try on shoes, big or little, but when it comes to actually wearing, these are her pick.

In addition to pretty feet, she also has wheels now... her Little People scooter gets her around the house in princess style. We now have a lot of pink around here!

This is shopper girl in action. Yes, she is looking at the clothes and discerning which she would like to try on. Unfortunately, her attention lasts about half a second, and on she goes. She finds it quite funny to lose us in a store, as she zig-zags around the clothing racks. The other day I actually had a stranger yell "she's over here!!" as I am running frantically around the racks saying "she was JUST right here- how'd she get away so fast?!" to her amused brother. You can usually find her by following her giggle...

So we've finally figured out the mystery of why Maggie has not actually started referring to her brother by any name... the truth is that she has! We just weren't listening hard enough. He is "NaNa".... backwards, shortened, and doubled "Ian"! We were wondering why she would come into a room saying "MaMa??" while looking right at me. I'd say "Mama's right here, silly girl!" and she would keep on. Now we know it was Ian she was looking for; she's gotten better at making them sound different, and we've gotten better at listening to her.

These two were "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" tonight (where did that little saying come from, anyway?)... bouncing off the walls until they finally crashed on their respective laps. So this tired Mama must now go to bed...

The plane that Gramma & Granpa flew on...

That was the title of a little drawing of an airplane on a piece of paper left behind after their visit. Gramma drew it (more the artist than Granpa... who is more the handyman and noisemaker) for Ian, on his Tow-Mater note pad. I found it last week while cleaning up, and it made me sad that they got back on that plane and went home to California. But, it also made me happy that we get these visits- who else gets a week of non-stop Gramma and Granpa action, and their undivided attention, unless one has to take a plane to visit?

I could outline the exciting adventures of the week, but there weren't really any. It was much more of a help-mommy-survive-the-one-and-three-year-old while Daddy was away at a conference type visit. We shopped a little, we saw Madagascar 2 in the theater (which I do believe G&G loved more than Ian! And thank you, Maggie, for sleeping through the whole thing, quite out of character!), we cooked, we ate, we did projects around the house (okay, Granpa did projects), we struggled to get everyone to sleep at night. It was good old fashioned quality time together. There was quite a bit of "conductor" playing, which is of course when Ian cuts up little scraps of paper and then hole punches them for Gramma, telling her to "have a nice trip!" on the train. Very cute. And there was probably more weaponry and kung-fu than Gramma would have liked, but hey, we are "Raising Cain"

Ian, wearing his "Argh, Matey" getup- which sounds more like "armitty" coming from the pirate himself.
Just a signature Happy Maggie face for the camera...
Pat-a-cake and lion roaring put Granpa in Maggie's good graces... except for during this little photo session!
Awww, a rare tender moment with the busy man.
A little bit sad on departure day, but glad for the fun week.

So, Thank You, Gramma & Granpa, for everything! Our thank you is belated, but I'm sure you understand why after experiencing our current busy-ness first hand. We appreciate all you did, from taking over Doggie duty to finishing some annoying little tasks to shopping with us and for us. We love you and can't wait for our next visit!

....And to all a Good Times!

Dad blogging tonight with many random Ian stories...


What does Chicago's infamous Cabrini-Green housing project have in common with Boulder? Okay, absolutely nothing, but it doesn't change the fact that I find myself singing the opening tune to the 1970s sitcom, "Good Times" every time I pick Ian up from preschool. Why?



Ah yes, that's why... Ian insists on a "bambino burger" (with cheese, no pickles) every day he goes to preschool. The routine goes something like this...

Dad: "Hey Ian, how was school?"
Ian: "Good. Can you get me a bambino burger with cheese and no pickles?"

It was only after the very strange looks I received from both of my kids when I was belting out the "Good Times" theme song after preschool that I decided this deserves its own blog entry. Okay, so it's barely deserving and I have no segue to lead into the next topic...

Of Vacuuming Mice and Jolly White Bearded Men

Ian is now starting to understand the whole Christmas scene. So much so in fact, he can't watch one of his favorite movies, "The Polar Express" because he gets so disappointed at the end of the movie when he realizes that Santa is still weeks away from his magical visit to "Ian's house".


He already has his favorites on the classic Muppet's Christmas album (Deck the Halls and Twelve Days of Christmas).

We have to avoid actually seeing any toys in stores now as well - otherwise, it's a battle to convince him that asking Santa to bring the "Star Wars shooting thing" is better than buying it on the spot. Difficult concept indeed.

He's been a bit more interested in his dreams - telling me when he wakes up what he was dreaming about, whether he thought he had any dreams at all, asking me what my dreams were about. An odd one surfaced this week - apparently, he's been dreaming about scary mice ("mouses") vacuuming ("noo-nooing") up "the sand". Figure that one out... His energy level has been up there as well. Bouncing off the walls, climbing all over the furniture, "balancing" on the ottomans, kung-fu'ing the throw pillows... This photo depicts the aftermath of the destruction.


Yes, that is our living room. To give you a sense of just how bad it was, here is a photo of our living before Ian's wrath of destruction.

Hopefully, we'll get a handle on all this energy, teach him to savor the anticipation of Santa's visit (while working on the true meaning of Christmas), assure him that he need not fear the vacuuming mice, and maybe, just maybe, get him to eat something other than a bambino burger after preschool so I can stop singing that catchy 1970s sitcom tune...

Belated, to say the least.....

Happy 3rd Birthday Ian Matthew!!I've been a horrible blogging mom.... Ian's been 3 for almost 6 weeks now and I'm just getting around to documenting his birthday celebrations! We started with cupcakes and firefighters at school (ok, the firemen were going to be there anyway, but they did wish him a happy birthday!), then had dinner at Ruby's and a little cake and present party with the family on his birthday, THEN we had his kid party at the WOW museum over the weekend. It was quite a week of celebration, and Ian totally understood that this was all about him.

We're so proud of the little man these days... he is thriving in preschool (where his teacher recently told us what a wonderful job we are doing, that he is turning out to be such a sweet, sensitive, independent little guy... music to our ears, but we can't take all the credit for who he is!). He continues to be the best big brother to Maggie- bringing her things that she might like ("She might like a yittle drink of water- she can have some of mine"), sharing his toys and his space without fuss (well, most of the time!), and worrying about her when she seems to be in danger. They light up when they see each other, and are getting a little too in to wrestling and zerbert matches.....

He is growing up so fast, as they all do I suppose, but it's hard to believe that he is ready to learn how to ski this winter. He is learning how to be a dragon slayer, a pirate, and a kung fu master- sometimes all at once. He has a life away from us in preschool- his own friends, troubles, triumphs- and he is learning to handle them himself. Every day he wakes up and says "is today Christmas?", and sometimes his emotions take over when we explain that no, it's not even Thanksgiving yet, and we'll have to wait a little longer for Santa... He is picking out his toys that he thinks some other girls and boys might like for Christmas (one part charitable offering, one part making room for new loot!). In short, he is no longer a baby, or even a toddler. Ian is 100% full-fledged kid, and we are so blessed to be his parents!

The Screaming Banshee wants some cake too!!

The pile of presents he had been waiting... um, patiently... for!

He's learning how to "smile!" for the camera! Some are naturals, some aren't!

The coolest train table ever.... the first and last place Ian plays every day... A birthday gift from Grammy and Pops.

Happy Birthday, Maggiebel!!

Our little girl turned one last week... that was probably the fastest year on record for us. She is playing the part of a one year old professionally- kissing her baby dolls, giving sweet nuzzles when you ask for a love, and even getting a mischievous little look before she's going to do something naughty. She's still tentative with the walking- she *can* do it, she just laughs too hard whenever she knows you're trying to get her to do it. She wants pretty much whatever her brother has, and she tries to get him to laugh by yanking on his hair or tickling his belly. She has started music class while Ian is in preschool, and she sings louder and dances more vigorously than any other one year old in the class. She has a love affair with any dog who pays her any mind, and those who don't for that matter. She has grown into her own little person in one short year, and we are so glad to know her:-)

Who cares about the candle, just give me some of that frosting! Maggie on her actual birthday.
That shocked look... "this is for me?? you mean I get to push it into walls *and* yank the baby out by her hair?"
Very artificially colored birthday cake needed to be eaten on a beach towel... and the "You Are Special Today" plate!
Now this is what I call cake... no whole wheat flour and plenty of partially hydrogenated oil...
Maggie is a regular little chef in her new kitchen! How do you like your plastic food... microwaved or steamed?




The very patient brother and cousin... daydreaming about frosting on their faces

A word about our life....

When life seems so busy, and so many around you continue to suffer with unfortunate circumstances and tough choices, it is easy to let a happy day pass you by without acknowledging it. Not today. Today I feel, well, totally in balance. The word for our life today (get ready to be nauseated if you are in a less content state at the moment), is love.

Today I love my new job. Today I love riding my bike across a campus I love, through a town I love, to a home I love, full of people I love. Today my kids held hands, spontaneously, in their car seats upon picking Ian up from his first day of preschool. Today, Ian's new preschool teacher (whom I love) told me that Ian stole her heart on his first day of school. Today, my doggie love alerted Grammy when Maggie woke up from her nap, in a gentle and loving manner.

Nothing amazing or spectacular happened today, but it was a day that reminded me how wonderful our life is, and how blessed we are that it is so. Every family has times that are not so good, I know, but I am learning the importance of stopping to recognize and appreciate when they are.

Now if we could only find a way to share the love and contentment with others who so desperately need it...

I approve this message

That is Ian's new line... "I am John McCain, and I approve this message". We keep trying to tell him that he should say "I am Barack Obama", but it just doesn't roll off his tongue the way the other guy's name does. Oh well, it gives us a good segue into why we vote democrat in this household...

This has been a landmark few weeks for us (and finding time-and energy- to write about it has been hard!). Two weeks ago, I went to work for the first time in almost 3 years. Aside from feeling like my brain has been re-awakened to diagnostic reasoning, prescription medication, and bedside manner, I just feel great to be back at work. I knew I was ready, but now I know that the whole family was ready for a change. Daddy logged 37 hours alone with the kids over just the first 4 days, and he did an admirable job. The kids were happy as clams, on the go the whole time, didn't even have a chance to miss me. They were having too much fun. Maggie has even taking to pushing me away when she's in Daddy's arms. That's nothing new for Ian of course... Daddy's little man.

Ian is gearing up for the start of preschool in a few days. He is so excited to be left there alone. We're trying to prep him for that aspect, and when we first mentioned this detail, his face got very serious, then broke out in a huge smile as he said "And I can drive my car to my new school!". Soon, baby, soon, but not yet.

Today we were up at Pinewood for a little Labor Day dinner and fun, and Tiffy outlined the kids in chalk on the driveway. Without anyone seeing him do it, Ian went back to his silhouette and added a few details, one being the hair- and the other one being obvious! When I asked him what he drew, he looked at me as if to say "you dope, what do you think it is??" and he said "My bottom!" with a huge grin on his face. Grammy was glad that his ego seems to be intact- no self esteem issues there! It's so fun to see the inner workings of their minds come out- can you tell he's been working hard at potty-training? And he's wearing the most adorable boxer briefs you've ever seen.

Maggie took her first couple of steps today! Yes, this is magnificent and thrilling news, so why isn't it a post in its' own right?? Because I've been trying to write this post for two weeks! So all sorts of big news is getting put into one. I do not mean to diminish her hard work and accomplishment! It started by me letting go of her hands without her really realizing it- and she would stand there for like 10-15 seconds without even knowing she was doing it. Then she discovered I was not holding on to her, and she took two big steps to get back into the safety of my grip. She was so delighted with herself, squealing and shrieking each time I tried to get her to do it again. We all clapped wildly for her each time, and she was in heaven. In all, she took two steps four times over. Then she caught on to our little game and decided she'd had enough for the day. She'll be running before we know it.

It's amazing how fast they go from babies to little people who have stories all their own. Seems like just last month that I could just post about how cute she is, or about sweet little mannerisms she has, but now she's letting us in to her ever-growing personality and doing the funniest things! You can see in the picture below that she is surrounded by helmets. Now, we recently bought her a helmet so she can go in our bike seat. She won't wear the helmet, but she will- correction, she INSISTS on- sitting surrounding by all four of our helmets, trying them each on in turn and then pulling all the little pads out from inside of them. If you dare to open the closet by the front door, where the helmets are, you get an endless string of "ugh, Ugh, UGHHHHHHHHHH", as she lunges her body in the direction of the helmets. And it's not just our helmets- she tried to steal some kid's helmet at the park the other day, having a bit of a fit when Daddy told her she simply could not have it. We have a full-blown fetish on our hands.
In addition to walking, she's also talking! MaMa, DaDa, DuhDuh (doggie, of course), Hi (once, to Ian!), Gram and Grammy, and her first word which of course was Uh-oh... Today she also said hot while playing with some candles (which were, for the record, not hot). She's signing for more and all-done, too. My little genius girl.

Finally caught up- now off to prepare for another wild week of our new life- rich with two jobs preschool, and thank God- a housekeeper every two weeks!

Consistently inconsistent?

I've been thinking a lot lately about consistency, and what that word means for parenting. You always hear how important it is to be consistent with discipline... consistent with potty training... consistent with routines and (I wince) schedules. You also hear often about the virtues of flexibility (this one I've got down). But how do consistency and flexibility work together, when it seems they could not?

I get a "daily groove" email from Scott Noelle, who is a "progressive parenting coach", or something to the like. Some of these grooves are out in la-la land, but some hit right on and give me an "a-ha" moment. Most of them state how I feel on a topic in a much more articulate manner than I am able. Today's groove did just that.... and here is my answer for why what works one day does not the next, hence our parenting style of "consistent flexibility".

Blog envy

Now that I am reading more and more blogs of others, I'm finding myself not only too entranced in them to stop and write my own, but evermore envious of their authors' great topics, style, and general writing ability. Who has time? I guess if I didn't spend so much time reading others' then I'd have more time to write. But my writing would be much less inspired (could it be?). It's a very circular problem. I'll work on that later.

For now, I'm too busy staring down the barrel of my last week of "freedom" from work. Okay, taking care of two kids in diapers (oh wait, one! Ian's in underwear for good now!) *IS* work, but you know what I mean. The kind of work where I need to look (and act) respectable... I have to get up and out of the house at a specific time... I have to be knowledgeable about something other than peek-a-boo, animated movie one-liners, or where today's favorite toy for each child is hiding (probably in our disgustingly dirty car). Yes, as of a week from this morning, I am accountable to an institution, and in return will receive a paycheck (yay!). While we've already spent the first year's worth (if not in actuality, then most definitely in our big plans), it is still very exciting on many levels.

Two years, ten months, eleven days since I went on maternity leave with Ian. I think it has just occurred to me what exactly it is I am so nervous about. Since becoming a mother, my priorities have shifted so dramatically that I am afraid I am no longer capable of being a totally dedicated employee. I don't know how to focus on work in the way I will need to (the way I used to...), when my focus has so clearly been on these two little darlings at home. I'm afraid of being less than 100% at work, but how can I be completely present when all it would take is a call telling me that one of them is hurt or crying and I will want to bolt out of there so fast heads will spin?? Hmmmm, tough one. I guess I will need to find the balance that will allow me to feel professionally fulfilled, while continuing to strengthen my bonds and attachment with Ian & Maggie in my time with them. It just may take some practice...

A post about a post about posting...

My new friend, Jenny, took a moment in her blog to reflect on her writing, my writing, and writing in general- she has a very wonderful eclectic style, filled with different perspectives, moods, and topics. It is exactly the type of blog I am drawn to read- you never know what you'll read about next! Sometimes you laugh out loud, sometimes you cry, and sometimes it draws you into a profound and deep thought. I'm hoping that knowing my readership is growing, along with reading the writing of more seasoned bloggers, I will move beyond merely reporting daily happenings to showing more personality... hopefully creating a more entertaining read in the process.

The key to a great birthday (and maybe this is true for life in general?? Matt has always said so...) is to have no expectations. I literally did not think about my birthday this year, and by 10:30 in the morning it has already proven to be one of the best. Not expecting anything makes all those little things so much more special. It started with Ian & Daddy going across town (while Maggie and I slept in!) to fetch my favorite latte... then miss Maggie was clinging to Daddy and waving and chanting "dadadadada" at the door as he left for work. This may not seem like a great birthday present for Mommy, but it is, considering I'm going back to work in a week or so. It reminds me that apart from just a little away from-Mommy-time, they are getting the bonus of special Daddy time. Thank you for the reminder, Maggie-bel! On top of this, I've had more phone calls, emails, and text messages this morning wishing me a happy birthday than I can count! AND, Ian is even napping today! Just when I'd begun to think that birthdays are just for the kids... We'll top it off with a new haircut and a Rio Margarita.... perfection.

Maggie has decided, today, that she can walk behind a most-obnoxious sounding baby walker... all by herself! She went from her room, all the way out to the living room, to the table, and halfway back on her first shot. She then proceeded to cruise from the walker to the ottoman to the couch to get to her brother and ruffle his hair.... he's not so sure about this, as the picture below shows!

Off to continue my perfect birthday....

Hotter than July...

Now we really get what that term means, because this July has been HOT. I think we've broken a record for consecutive days over 90 degrees, and in the last few weeks 90 degrees is relatively cool! But thankfully we have our new house fan, a trusty window AC unit, and beautiful mountains to escape to for cooler temps. During July we've made it to Breckenridge for the Brown Family Reunion- great fun- and to the mountains for camping and a few hikes and of course to Pinewood and "the tubs" to cool off. I need to make a new photo album, and I will, as soon as my sister sends me her pics from their wonderful visit out here:-) She was better than me about taking pictures of course.

There is so much going on right now, it's hard to know where to start! My big news is that in August I'll be re-entering the work force, though most definitely in a slow fashion. I'll be working at Wardenburg Student Health Center on a very part-time basis. It couldn't be a better situation and it feels good to be getting my mind back into shape. Daddy will be nanny for those few clinic shifts per week, and of course will have Grammy and Tiffy backup. The kids are ready for it- Maggie has so much fun with Matt- she likes to be on his arm just touring the world. There's no question about Ian- he has actually said that I can go to work and Daddy can stay home with them and that would be just fine. My only anxiety is about Maggie nursing- which of course she'll have to do less of when I'm at work. But she likes food, a lot, and she likes action, so it will be okay.

Ian will be busy himself, as he will start preschool at First Presbyterian Cooperative Preschool in September! We visited this week, as it has become very apparent this summer that he is a big boy and is ready for something more (doesn't he look like a first grader in the serious-face picture above??), and he was so sad to leave at the end of the visit that he almost cried. It's a "cooperative" preschool, which means that parents spend 5-6 mornings in the classroom per semester. I really like that model, and think Ian will like that too. There is always one teacher and two parents for 10 kids- pretty good ratio! Those days can be divided between Mom, Dad, and Grandparents, which makes it easier to meet your quota. Now, the potty training begins in earnest. Ian's almost there, does great at home in underwear- we all just need to get brave and start going out in public without diapers! This morning he was wearing his little undies and thinking about going pee in the potty when he said "Can I go pee pee on the blinds? You'd say 'dammit'!". Hmmmmm, he's right about that one. How do you not laugh when they bust out these funny statements? Ian's constantly coming up with them, whether they are his own original thoughts, movie lines, or things he's heard us or his friends say- for better or worse.

Maggie-bel is a full-blown cruiser now. She's in that super dangerous phase where she can be across the room, into the bathroom, standing up holding on to the tub and trying to empty shampoo bottles in about 5 seconds flat. Can't take your eyes off that girl. Her latest cutest is when Ian is being crazy and she thinks he's coming to "get" her... she squeals like a little piglet and buries her face in my lap and does this amazing belly laugh.

We're coming down from the high of two weeks of Brown family here. Ian, specifically, is having to deal with not being the little prince any more, as he was when Morgan and Hallee were here. There was swimming, playing, swimming, and more playing. Now it's back to boring old us! We're trying to keep busy with outings and hikes, and we're doing okay.

Off to sleep under the fans for another hot night!

Mary

Bye, Mary!

Ian picked this bike out, after test-riding three others around University Bikes. He definitively said "this one", we paid for it, then the mechanic checked it over while an anxiously awaiting two and a half year old kept saying "is it ready yet??". The mechanic gave him his bike, he got on, and he didn't get off until he got home (probably about a mile away). This was his second time, ever, on a bike. He's a natural! A few crashes (he does wear his helmet, Gramma!) and some serious hours on the bike later, and he's mastered hills, the brakes, and turns. We just need a helmet for Maggie to ride in the bike seat and we're ready for some family bike rides!
Camping in the Cache la Poudre Canyon (Gorgeous scenery!), Grammy came back from a trip to town with a Lightning McQueen fishing pole for Ian, and a Barbie one for Nora. He loves it! And he caught quite a few "fish" to "cook" on his "camp stove"!
Ian's first encounter with Cocoa Puffs. Judging by the look on his face, I'm glad I wasn't there. Apparently he said "I like this cereal", in contrast to the boring ones Mom usually buys.
Ian and Pops, out for a bike ride around the campground.

Our track record with camping is not so great, in terms of GI illnesses anyway. Last year it was poor Ian (and our very painful neglect to pack Desitin), and this year it was poor me. Matt said he knew I wasn't faking it to get out of sleeping on an air mattress by my 5th or 6th middle-of- the-night trip to the pit toilet. I, not one for middle of the night walks in the dark woods to spider-filled outhouses, could have told him on my first trip that I was not faking it. The next morning I made the decision to cut it short and go home to be sick in the comfort of my own home, Maggie and Max having to come with me for logistics. Neither of them really cared, but I was bummed. It was the right decision, as I was still up during the night for the next two nights, but it was still hard to leave. Ian, sweet Ian, as if to make my departure easier, would barely hug me (too busy with the new fishing pole), and when I pulled out in the car he yelled "Bye, Mary!". He wasn't faking it, either, he didn't once ask for me and he went ahead and had a great time for the next 48 hours. I was glad for that... really, I was. Some quality time with Daddy and the crew, and without Mom and little sister in tow is really rare and valuable. When they returned home, he told me all about the trip, but his favorite story was "the hail story". Another occasion I'm glad I missed (Grammy did the worrying for me since I was not there) was the boys fishing and playing at the Red Feather Lakes when a massive thunder and hail storm developed out of thin air. They had to run for the shelter of a tree, and got there just in time for a huge crack of thunder, literally right over their heads. It made quite an impression on Ian- we even made up a song about it today while playing in the sandbox.

In Maggie news, she has become ever more busy. She's now realized that crawling can get her places... like right next to her brother as he's playing, to the open dishwasher, out the front door, and many other precarious positions. Even better, she's finding, is to have someone hold her hands while she walks all these places. She's not an official cruiser yet, but today at the Barnes & Noble train table she almost became one. She's pulling up on anything she can grab (favorite right now is the TV stand and particularly the DVR with all those pretty lights... this is deja-vous), and is starting to inch along the edges. I had forgotten how many bumps and bruises come with this stage.

Tomorrow night the next phase of summer begins, as Gramma and Grandpa and Morgan arrive, a few days prior to heading up to Breckenridge for the Brown Family Reunion. We can't wait to see all those cousins, and to have another mountain getaway!

Mobile

That's right, Maggie's got wheels. On her 9 month birthday, and Mom and Dad's 9 year anniversary, Maggie decided to crawl! She's worked so hard, and now it's time to find all those dangerous nooks and crannies in our house. Her crawl is so cute, her legs kind of point inward and it's more like she's rolling along. It kind of reminds me of how you'd roll your arms to a silly camp song. She also popped her top front tooth this week, and is now eating like she's got a full set. Apricots, she just eats them like an apple. She wants no baby food, and she BARELY wants to nurse. Will she be the baby that weans herself before a year, or is she just taking a little break to explore all the other textures and tastes out there?? Time will tell. She's almost pulling herself up on things, and can, she just doesn't know it yet. She is just too funny. Such a sweet and happy baby, that is of course until you tick her off- then she lets you know. This week was vacation bible school at Westview, and she just rolled with it. She played, rode around in the Ergo, hung out in the stroller, or went for tours of the church with Grammy or Pops, and smiled at anyone who smiled at her. She's started waving and handing you things this week too, which makes it hard for anyone to pass her by without an "awww, how sweet!" and a few moments of playing the "Oh, for me?? Now it's for Maggie" game. She has only the slightest hint of the separation anxiety that usually marks this age, and that only if she's hungry or tired. We had our first real dinner out, away from the kids, last Friday night. We had no doubt that Ian and Nora would be fine playing on Pearl Street with Grammy and Pops... well, it turns out that Maggie does just fine as long as you keep the caramel crepes rolling her way.

We're trying to decide what to call the new "play structure" that Daddy (with a little help from the boys) has built for the kids. The fort?? The 5th Flatiron?? It will find a name I'm sure. Ian LOVES it of course, and that's before it's even done. There's a climbing wall, sand for the sandbox, and a swing set yet to come. Get busy Daddy! He's already hanging on the slide, belly down, yelling "No, no, no NOOOOOOOOOO!" as he slides down, pretending he's falling off a cliff or something. Tonight he was climbing up the slide in his Lightning McQueen underwear (we're just dabbling...) with a two foot long two by four... um, what were you going to do with that Buddy?? He's full of imagination, and just about ready for preschool. At VBS all week he was such a big boy- I would spy on him occasionally and loved seeing him just playing with the bigger kids, singing songs, participating in whatever activity they had going on. He even did crafts! He was SO proud of this paper plate and crepe paper parrot that he made... it's now hanging on the wall over his bed, over his pillow specifically, so that he can see it as he goes to bed. Who knew we had a little crafter... he won't even draw with crayons for me! He and Nora went cuckoo for the "banana song" in church every day. We'll perform for you someday if you ask;-) Our little boy is growing up... off to college soon at this rate. Nothing gets by him, either. We've started enforcing a little more vegetable eating, as he's now old enough to understand that we sometimes have to do things we don't necessarily enjoy yet... but we try go "Popeye" on him and tell him that they will make him big and strong. So the other day (after like two peas, mind you) he says "No more peas- I'll be too strong". That's kind of like "It's your turn, Mommy" when he's done with whatever task is at hand, like cleaning his room. Too smart for me.

Mary