Henry Reading "Yummy YUCKY"

Henry read his favorite in the Leslie Patricelli series (Yummy YUCKY, Quiet LOUD, Big LITTLE) to me yesterday. It was a glorious moment for all...even the cowboy boots.

THANK YOU UNCLE JOHNNIE AND AUNT AMBER!

Svea's birthday present from Uncle Johnnie and Aunt Amber just arrived and it's PERFECT. I put the dress on her and she immediately went to her table to play music and dance. Future DJ? Dancer? Doesn't matter - this dress is so great.





THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Starbucks Emergency

Jennie called me this morning at 7:30 in crisis. She interrupted my crisis. We had both been up with little ones for hours. We needed not only Starbucks products to consume, but a Starbucks experience that could maybe last until a nap was an option, or our caffeine buzzes dulled our headaches and raw edges. We were there by 8:30.

Svea and Lilah did a lot of pointing and name calling. All in loving tones of course.



Svea learned to drink from a straw and finished all of Henry's milk. She did tip the milk box to get the last of the beverage, spilling it down her front, into her drawers until I saw it dripping from the seat of the stroller onto the floor. Lovely.



Then Henry thought it was time Lilah had a hug. Or a head lock. Or something.



Next came a dramatic run to the window, which Henry banged with his hand probably to entertain the nice man trying to finish his crossword 20 inches away. Lilah followed suit with the dramatic run but then just watched the banging.
Smart kid.



It was a day of survival.

Fun at Kole's

We went to Kole's to play the other day and Henry and Svea had a great time...obviously.

Svea was practicing standing up and dancing so I grabbed the camera at which point Henry ran to stand behind Svea to pose for the picture.



Then Kelle hooked up the sprinkler and Arwyn, Kole and Henry squealed their way through and around it.

Picnic

There was a picnic on campus earlier this week...and now Henry asks to go to a picnic almost everyday.

I put shoes on Svea, which she obviously did not intend to keep on.
Studying them and unlatching the velcro:



Victorious!:



Aren't I clever, Mama?



Henry found a big-kid friend to throw the ball and run around with...



until they got too hot and tired and had to rest a bit:

Fun at the Park

The other day we met some friends at the park to play (Leta took these photos).
Henry loved the swings:





As did Svea:



I love this one. Not sure what Henry is waiting on...or for...

Feeding the Birds at Bobbie and Pops'

Yeah Daddy's Home!!!!

Starting Early

When we were in Birmingham, we went to the gym at BSC and Henry and Svea and our dear friend Blake had a blast playing with the basketballs. I have to say that it brought up a load of memories from playing basketball in high school and missing my friend Stacy Weygand Barnett who was my lay-up partner (and who now lives in England where I don't even know if they have basketballs readily available?) and I wanted to reassure her that I WAS exposing Svea to the wonders of women's basketball...



Here's Svea with Alex (Blake's mom):



After the gym, Pops gave Henry and Svea a ride in the wagon and it was the first time Henry was really nice to Svea in like two whole days.

Thank You Aunt Beth!!

There are officially 10 days until kick-off. I think.

Roll Tide Roll (weagle weagle...)

Thank you Aunt Beth for my new Alabama cheerleader outfit! Here's my herkey:



And here's my brother saying ROLL TIDE!!:

Taking A Poll

Here's the outfit that Svea wore yesterday that I can't tell if it's ugly, cute, or so ugly it's cute. Any opinions?

She wouldn't stop dancing in the first two pictures.

New Art in Our House

Here is the latest installation on the carpet in the playroom:



And this happened the other day on the bulletin board:



Kinda encourages me to re-do my "only color on paper" routine.

I tried to talk to Henry about the highlighter-on-the-carpet piece, but he had just fit the head of the salt shaker in his mouth and poured in a bunch of salt. It's hard to discipline a two year old when his salt-rimmed mouth is wide wide open and he's looking at you like PLEASE FIX THIS AND QUIT TALKING ABOUT THE RUG, WOMAN.

No Pics

I'm having a hard time posting pictures for some reason...Safari quits during each upload. I'll try again in the morning.

I was attempting to post a picture of Henry in a Halloween t-shirt since he got to pick out his clothes this morning. Svea wore an outfit that I can't tell if it is ugly, cute, or so ugly it's cute. It was on sale.

We had a horrific day and I plan to be in bed by 8:30p since it's pretty much guaranteed I'll be up again (with Brian and both kids) at midnight. Party at our house.

"Prisonbreak" did resume tonight so that is the good news (especially since "So U Think U Can Dance" is over). Other good news is Svea is saying "duck" to all ducks and to the dog; I put new pictures on our mantle today because I was sick of looking at the same ole stuff; I ran 4 errands in a row this afternoon with both kids and no meltdowns in public (lots in private); and there were still some Harry & David truffles in the fridge for after the kids went to bed. Woo hoo.

Hope all of you are well...

Svea is One!!

We had a little get-together with family on our way down to the beach - just a simple splash-water-slip-n-slide run amok kind of thing.







Svea loved her cupcake, and Graham and Henry loved helping her figure out how to dive into it.









I can't believe that I CAN believe that Svea is one. Just in the last two weeks she has outgrown babyhood in remarkable ways (I know ALL parents say that at some point. I just wanted to join the ranks). She is standing up from a squatting position without holding on to anything. In response, Henry has been standing with his feet spread far apart and rocking side to side, then praising himself by saying, "Good standing, Henry, GOOD STANDING!"
Svea also clearly says, "Uh Oh" everytime she throws something off of her high chair tray. Which she does often. When she actually takes a bite of food, she looks at me and says, "Mmmmm."

This morning she stood from squatting, and then danced a minute, and then sat down real hard. She looked up at Brian and shook both of her clenched fists in the air and growled like she had never been so frustrated in her LIFE. I think she'll be taking those steps soon.

Svea Talking

HHHHEEEEEEEEEEYYYYY!!!!



I GOT THIS BOOK!



AND I GOT SOME BLUE SHOES AND SOME NEW DANCE MOVES!



OOOOWWWEEEE DADDY LOOK AT ME STANDING UP ALL BY MYSELF!

First Things First in the Morning

Henry is named after my paternal grandfather, Papa J, whose real name was Henry Grady Jackson, Jr. HIS grandfather had a violin that was passed down to my father, and who lent it to me for a time as I have always loved the violin and Henry is currently obsessed. (His Elmo game on sesameworkshop.org shows Elmo playing the violin every time that Henry pushes the letter "V" on the keyboard. Since he has figured that out, he has been walking around with his guitar tucked under his chin asking for a violin. Thank GOODNESS Pops lent us his).

So we practiced playing it one afternoon while Svea was napping, and now it is Henry's new main thing. First thing in the morning he asks to play:

Even before diaper changes and pajamas come off, he's loving on the violin. We need to get this boy some lessons.

look how big the sky is out here

big sky
Originally uploaded by iMollie.

Pictures from the Beach!!

i'm digging, daddy
Originally uploaded by iMollie.

We are home and settling in, with just a few attitude adjustments today. Here's a good one of Henry showing Daddy how good he can dig.

Henry's Ties

When Brian gets home from work, Henry always wants him to take off his jacket and tie. Immediately. That way he knows that Daddy is home for good for the day.



Yesterday, Brian wore one of Papa J's ties and Henry was all silly about trying it on, and then got very serious once Brian got it around his neck. He even pulled out the high school graduation picture finger-on-the-cheek pose.