Chicago, Days 1 & 2

We made our third annual "Spring Break" trip to Chicago. This time I braved the trip as the only adult in the car as our companion, Erin, was enjoying her first year as a principal near St. Louis.

The kids arrived with plenty of energy and were received by the same.

The first full day, we woke to our first experience at coloring Easter Eggs.

And, we truly loved our beautiful eggs!

We spent a lot of time playing "hotch cotch".

...and enjoying the many neighborhood parks.

The Nature Museum was a hit - especially the butterfly garden.

We didn't even slow down at bedtime.

My neighbor from childhood (who moved when I was probably in 8th grade), was rediscovered thanks to Facebook. The fabulous Liesl came and performed some of her original songs for us. She even made up some for the kids! (You can listen to some of her stuff here.)

The "big kid", or the 4 year old, was allowed to stay up a little later than the 3- 3 year olds. Rehema and her mommy played some duets.

Wordful Wednesday

Veronica:

• She noticed the surprise lilies that are coming up again in our back yard. "Mommy, I got these for you... at the store."
• "Watch me do this! Are you watching?" Then she'll do something amazing... like cock her head to the side.
• I was unashamedly bribing her to not wait until her diaper's on for naptime/bedtime to have a BM. Her response, "Mommy, you go poop in the potty all the time, so I can give you a prize too!"
• I was listening to Judson singing the kids to sleep... Mary Had a Little Lamb, Baa Baa Black Sheep.... His finale was the Theme to Mission Impossible, a tribute Peter Graves... Veronica thought the name "Missi Impoplal" was hilarious!
• "I'm sad because my Daddy's not here."
• She's constant with the snuggles.
• "Mommy, are you happy?" She's always checkin' in on me.
• As quiet and shy as she can be, she made sure the teacher told everyone in her tumbling class that the light bulb in her bedroom was burned out.

Thomas

• "Okie Dokie Arachoey!" (okie-dokie artichokey!)
• "We don't throw poop. It's not a ball."
• He was just sitting in the back seat, talking to himself, "Now. I know you're asking yourself..."
• "Sissy, you're going to turn into a boy soon, and I'll be a girl." They both seem certain that they will grow into everything they see, Mommies, Daddies, babies, boys, girls...
• "Hey guys, what's up?"
• Constantly, "I love you Mommy." "I like you Mommy." "Mommy, I love my Daddy."
• "I love you, Sissy."

Both

They like to look out for each other.

T: "I'll save you, Sissy."

V: "It's OK, Thomas, I can hold you."

Balancing Baboons

Oh, how I wish I had my camera at the zoo today. It was a totally spontaneous visit... decided to go while we were in the car, returning home from a fabulous playdate.

Thomas asked to see the tiger first. Most things we went to see were out. The giraffes were in our faces! And, we got to see one pee, which they thought was VERY interesting. Veronica was roaring at the two lionesses that were only 15 feet from us.

There were TWO baby baboons there today. The kids thought it was hysterical. Seriously, they had the giggles watching them. Veronica wanted to know why their diapers were red. Thomas asked if there was a kitchen behind little cave they all went into at the end of our visit. There was a little fight that didn't scare the kids. In fact, the whole walk out of the zoo (which took about 20 minutes) they were screeching like the baboons, hanging on me and walking like them. Veronica even beat her chest.

It was a glorious day with my little baboons.

Wordful Wednesday

Veronica

• She's always telling me who I am in our relationship, as she's always playing like someone is a baby. I was Grandma. "Mommy! You're not being Grandma." I replied that I was, I was just talking to her. "No, Mommy. Grandmas talk like this..." (gestures with her hands)
• When I ask her if I can do something, she usually gives a chipper, "Sure you can!"
• Last night we went to the Steer-In. She pushed her baby in her stroller all the way to and fro. She pushed the stroller right up to our seat. Each time she had to go to the bathroom, she would ask someone to hold Amy for her. Such a good little Mommy.

Thomas

• While watching the slide show screen saver on Thad's computer, he was making comments about the pictures, "aw... that's a cute puppy. There's Paula. Oh, she's nice." He saw a picture of himself "I love being Thomas."
• The last few days he's been telling me he doesn't want me to be a girl. He wants me to be a boy. During that slide show, he leaned in closer to me and hugged me. "Do you like being a girl? I like being a boy."
• He smiled at himself in the mirror the other day. "I'm perfect."
• He's like a commercial for Mike's Car Wash. They both love, "Elmo's house" - there's always some picture of Elmo or a stuffed animal of him in the window. When we pass one now, Thomas's script goes like this... "Mommy, you're car is so dirty! What can we do? I know, we can go to Elmo's house! Elmo's will wash it nice and clean. That would be perfect."

Some serious discussions I've heard between the two of them...

• They went back and forth over whether Mommy starts with 'M' or 'M' starts with Mommy.
• During nap time at the top of their lungs...

T: I'M A BOY!

V: I'M A GIRL!

T: I'M A BOY!
V: I'M A GIRL!

T: I'M A BOY!
V: I'M A GIRL!

T: I'M A GIRL

Giggles erupt on both sides. V gives T a little lesson and they start over. It happens again. Finally at one point after T says it correctly...

V: Great job Thomas. You did it right. That was a very good job.

Wordful Wednesday

Veronica:

• "I'm going to put my ring here because when I grow up I'm going to marry Daddy!"
• Veronica in our bedroom: "When we grow up, Thomas and I will get married and we will have this room and sleep in this bed."
• Reads and reads to her babies. She even makes up authors to the books, "by Cutie Smoosh"

Thomas:

• I was coming around the corner with Veronica. Thomas was seated with Deanna, with his back to us. "My Mommy's coming. I can smell her... she smells like chocolate!"
• "I like spinach. Especially CHOCOLATE spinach.
• "Mommy, guess what? When I close my eyes, Daddy looks like SUPERMAN!" Yes, I think he does too.
• "Hangburger" = Hamburger

Both

Judson was singing the kids to sleep the other night...

• Thomas: "No, Daddy! Don't sing a silly song!"
• Veronica: "Grandpa sings silly songs. But that’s OK because grandpas have to sing silly songs.”

Portraits

The first two drawings are by Veronica. Who they were changed with each picture (Mommy, Emma, Amy, Aunt Nanna, Veronica), they were people she loves!
Last I heard this was a self-portrait (Veronica):

This is me:

Thomas is into Batman now. Don't get me wrong, Spiderman is still probably the font-runner.

The last two days I haven't heard him insist that everything should be blue because it's his favorite color. Now, yellow is his favorite. He even picked out yellow shirts the last couple days. The is (said with a fist punching up in the air), "BATMAN!"

Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

This means so much to me... See my post after last year's walk.