Trunk or Treat

We just got back from the "Trunk or Treat" at Pappaw and Meemaw's church. These were my favorite photos from the evening. Not many turned out, since it was dark.

Gracie was completely enchanted by all the sounds, sights, and smells. She loves balloons, and they were everywhere! She couldn't stop pointing.

Jonah bounced from one game to another like a pin-ball. He tried his first cotton candy (and liked it), bounced in the castle, ran the obstacle course, rode the hay ride, and slid down the huge inflatable slide.

In the line for the slide, two older boys (probably 6 or 7) started heckling Jonah, calling him a baby. Jonah usually gets stirred up and starts frantically hurling insults when antagonized. Maybe it was because Daddy was by his side, but in this instance, he turned around and looked up at those big boys, and when one asked, "do you even know what a baby is?", Jonah shrugged his shoulders like, "who cares", and turned around to tell Daddy what was going on.

Later when I told him how proud I was of how he handled the situation, he started coming up with all the things he could've-would've-should've said. Guess we're still learning about grace under pressure. Hard to teach, even harder to apply!

On the subject of "litteracy"...

...Gracie's version of reading. I just noticed, the book is upside down.

Lost in Translation

Jonah: Why's der a man on dat sign?
Michael: So people who can't read still know what bathroom to use. It's for illiterate people, like you.
Jonah: I can litter! I am goooooooood at litterin'.

Bubba Hunt

On Friday, Jonah spent the night with his Meemaw and Pappaw. They picked him up from school at noon then took him to a playground where he played for something like 3 HOURS. I'm sure they suffered through an episode, or two, of Spongebob when they got home and then hopefully he went to bed before 9:00.

That whole time, his baby sister was searching the house. I bet she's gone on ten different hunts since he's been gone. I keep hearing her wandering around, calling for him, "Bub-BUH?"

Baby Doll

The Rowdy Girls graciously parted with one of their baby dolls after Gracie became attached to it during our last trip to Texas.

She was being so sweet with the baby this morning, I couldn't stop smiling. She kept patting the doll and swaying back and forth singing "bay-beeeee, bay-beeeee". Then, "ohhhh, bay-beee", and kissing the baby's head.

We're in trouble...

15 months old

Dear Gracie,

These are the things I want to remember about you at 15 months...

Random Quirks:

• You love to bring people things and have them say, "thank you". You will even steal things, specifically from Jonah, so that you can bring them back to him. And he better be grateful to have them back.

• You stand in the kitchen and press buttons on the Fridge Farm over and over. The banjo music makes you do a hilarious little jig.
• Nothing is more fun than playing "I'm gonna git you". The squeals and giggles are so fun!

Latest Developments:

• You're working on the art of escapism, making a beeline for the dog door so you can get outside before I notice. Or the frantic shimmy out of your seat belt, then standing up in the shopping cart. You have this way of unhooking your legs and arms and then throwing your weight around so that it's almost impossible to hold onto you if you want to get down.
• I can tell you have a new, intense interest in communicating. You point a lot, and jabber, and I love how you ask questions with your eyes, looking at me, eyebrows raised, waiting for an answer.
• Your hair is getting longer, and the curls crazier. Every morning, we get dressed, then go to my bathroom where you sit on the counter, feet in the sink, and get your hair fixed. You cover your eyes while I spray water in your hair, and then you grin while I rub Curlkarma all over your head. We run a comb through and then fluff your curls. They dry beautifully, but only if we do that every morning. Without that routine, you look like a baby Cosmo Kramer.

Favorite Music:

• Aunt Joy sent us a Milkshake CD for your birthday, and your favorite song is track 4, "Woo-Woo". It doesn't matter what kind of a fit you're throwing, that song will make everything better. You love it when we make up our own words to that tune.
• Baby Signing Time is still the only thing you'll watch from beginning to end. I wonder how much longer you'll be captivated by it?

Toddler Slang Remnants

"ArizoNUT"
Translation: Arizona (We've had MULTIPLE arguments about the pronunciation of this word, and Jonah insists that the state we live in is a NUT.)

"handba-tizer"
Translation: hand sanitizer (I think it's a cross between sanitize and baptize.)

"Caphaleen"
Translation: caffeine
Used in a sentence: "Mama, I LOOOOOOOOVE caphaleen. Can I have a sip of your Dopper Pepper?"

This morning in our living room...
Jonah: LOOK! Mama! A cricket! He came inside to see me and Dixie and Lucy!
Mama: He came in for a visit?
Jonah: Yeah!
*tilting head and talking directly to cricket*
Hi cricket! Crick, crickee, cricka, cricket? Crickeee, cricka? Cricka, cricka, crickeeeee!
*turning to me*
That's how you speak cricket, Mama.

Ba-dum Tish

Me: Jonah, you want to do your hair before you go to school?
Jonah: Yes.
Me: How are you going to do it?
Jonah: Um. I use da comb, an you put some of that stuff in it so it sticks up.
Me: The hair gel?
Jonah: Yes.
*I spray water in his hair, he combs the front straight up, I put some gel in it to help it stay*
Me: That looks nice. I like your new hair-do, bud.
Jonah: Um. We already did it, Mama. It's a hair-did.

It's a beautiful day for...

...going to the pumpkin patch!

Gracie's 2nd time there, 1st time to explore.

Gracie loved the horses. LOVED!

Jonah's bakugan entertained him on the way home. They're the latest in four year old cool...

Gracie's Chickfile fries. Never out of style.
Did I mention it was a beautiful day?

The Monkey Child

What's New?

Jonah is 100% potty trained! We've had MORE than a week of dry undies in the morning, so we're officially finished with night time pull-ups. Hooray!

He's also been learning so much at school! How to write all his letters and his name, memorizing scriptures, how to follow directions and focus, and he's singing a ton of fun new songs. Ms. Tiffany says she can't remember the last time he stood in time-out. Which is huge. Little Man was spending waaaaaay too much time in the Time Out Square at the beginning of the semester. He seems so grown up! Michael took him to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Jonah sat through the whole movie. (A first!) He focused on the story line, ate way too much popcorn, and loved it. I wish I could have seen it too. Mostly, because I have no idea what he's talking about when he giggles about the dancing headless chicken.

The not so great things we learn from school? The dreaded words, "hate", "stupid" and, "butt". I know it's inevitable that my kids will hear these words, and want to try them out, but we sure did TRY to keep them at bay for as long as we could. Now it's time for damage control.


Gracie has decided to start talking. My favorite thing she says is "puppy". Sounds like [bah PEE]. The second syllable is an octave higher than the first :) Also love it when she hollers, "yuck!" Usually when I'm changing her diaper.

And, just to clear up confusion, Gracie appears to be a monkey-child. As opposed to a human-child. We found her standing on top of the KITCHEN TABLE a couple of nights ago. If there's a foot hold to be found, she will climb.

Also, she gives kisses now! They are sweet, subtle, lean-ins. Led by the chin. Eyes closed, lips together. Never by request, which makes them even more precious. You know when she gives you a kiss, she really wants to.