High Five!

My Big Little Girl

Becca is really starting to respond to directions now. Today she:

1. Got Ben's coat and gave it to him when I asked her to
2. Went and waited by the stairs when I told her it was time to go upstairs
3. Brought me a book when I asked her for one
4. Said "daddy" when I asked her to say "daddy" (but would not say mommy, of course).
5. Gave me a hug when I asked for one
6. Gave me a kiss when I asked her for one (which was actually kind of gross because her upper lip and nose are all chapped from her latest cold).

Of course, she did her fair share of ignoring me today, too, generally when the words "don't" and "stop" were involved (as in "stop throwing your food on the floor"). But I choose to focus on the positive.

An 'I Have Nothing to Post' Post

It's been a quiet couple of days and I really cannot think of anything much to post. But since I am obsessive-compulsive about blogging now, I don't feel as though I can let another day pass without blogging something.

So, a few tidbits:

1. Ben is learning to sing the 50 states in alphabetical order. Apparently only through the Cs so far. But still, I was impressed: "Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut..." (That's right, isn't it?) But now he keeps asking "Can we go to Alabama? Can we go to Arkansas?"

2. Becca's teachers report that she seems to enjoy art activities the most out of all the kids in her class. They say they feel bad when it's time to take the crayons (or whatever) away from her - she cries. Maybe she will take after me in the art department (unlike Ben who clearly takes after Joel!)

3. Ben really knows how to butter me up. Apparently he is trying for a new toy and learned this past weekend that the temper tantrum he threw over a toy I wouldn't let him have was counterproductive. So tonight I got about six "I love you mommy"s, as well as a "I'll never forget you", "I love you more than anything" and "Your necklace is beautiful!" All of this was of course followed up a little while later by the mention that MAYBE on Saturday, if I have money, he could pick out a toy - "But not an expensive one. Five dollars!" How can I say no to that now?

For Grandma

Who misses Becca's top-knot.

Mmmm, Pancakes!

One of Ben's classmates told him about a pancake house that his parents take him to dinner at sometimes, and Ben (naturally intrigued by the thought of chocolate chip pancakes and hot chocolate for dinner) has been asking to go every day for a week. The trouble was I didn't know what pancake house he was talking about. I finally ran into his friend's mom at school and asked her where it was.

And so tonight for dinner we took the kids to The Original Pancake House which turned out to be by far the best place I have ever been to for pancakes. Ben got his chocolate chip pancakes (which I sampled - delicious), and I got a Dutch Baby, filled with fresh sliced strawberries, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. It was sooooo good! We will definitely be returning. You can actually eat healthy there as well (but where's the fun in that?)

The kids are now working off their pancake-induced sugar highs by wrestling with each other.

Twirly Girl

Rebecca's new favorite pasttime is spinning in circles until she falls down. It doesn't take very long.

At Least One of Them Listens to Me. Sometimes.

This morning Ben, Becca and I were in my bedroom and (as usual) I was trying to cajole Ben into his shoes and coat so we could get going. "It's time to go!" I said (for the umpteenth time). "Get your coat!" Ben, as usual, was dawdling (trying to catch the last few minutes of Grossology on Discovery Kids).

But Becca, upon hearing me tell Ben to get his coat, toddled full speed into the kitchen, grabbed Ben's coat off the chair it was laying on, and dragged it over to me. Wondering if perhaps this was extraordinary coincidence, I told Becca to go get her coat. She turned around (almost falling down in her haste), toddled back into the kitchen and grabbed her coat.

Proof positive that she is starting to understand a lot of what I say... though I think most times she, like Ben, tends to ignore me...