I love kid speak.  Not goo-goo gaa-gaa but names they give things or mispronunciations that you just can’t correct because it’s so darn cute.  That, and it doesn’t last long because eventually they learn the right words and you are once again reminded of how quickly they grow!

Noah mostly speaks properly at this point but Kate…. ohh dear, sweet Kate…

First of all, Kate never.stops.talking.  NEVER!  She cannot have silence – ever!  When she runs out of things to say or questions to ask, she sings.  The rides in the car have never felt longer because although I love hearing her voice… everything is better in moderation.  At any rate, some of the things she says are quite funny and cute.

When we get home from anywhere, she bolts for the front door.  She won’t come in until she gets to ring the “ding dong” (doorbell) and she’s very emphatic!

Goggles are “giggles” and she lost her brand new pair at the bottom of the pool at the Y.

Now that she’s potty trained (thank God!) she wears pannies.  Don’t call them panties, you will be corrected!

She loves the beach, especially the sand.  She builds with buckets and shubbles.  Yeah, shubbles, you know, the things you scoop up sand with?

Her stuffed animals (that she carries around and distributes among the members and guests of our home) are very simply named.  She loves kitty, elephant, puppy, and ooofy (her other puppy).

She loves to sing her abc’s.  Unfortunately they go like this – abcdefghijklmnopqrStuvwSy and Z.  Someday she’ll learn the difference between S and X, but not today.

She never counts 3.  Her class makes her count when she washes her hands – 1 bubble, 2 bubble… up to 10 bubble when she rinses her hands.  She always skips 3 and goes from 2 to 4 every time.  She knows 3 but apparently isn’t a fan.

“You’re SO SO SO SOOOO BEAUTIFUL”!  It doesn’t hurt to hear it everyday but she wants you to say it back, and she’ll tell you that too!

She’s also very in touch with her feelings and always wants to know if you’re “happy at her”.  No matter what you answer you then get the barrage – “Are you happy at Noah? Are you happy at Daddy?  Are you happy at sharks?”.  SHARKS!?  WTH!?!?

She’s also very into favorites.  That’s her favorite color (she usually has 3 or 4), that’s her favorite dinner (rice, always), that’s her favorite toy (the one Noah is holding)…. she’s quite a character.  She’s also my favorite girl!

Today is my parents’ 37th wedding anniversary!  They’ve been through so much and literally challenged and thrived through each of their vows – in good times and in bad, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…

And while they may not be perfect (and, really, who is?), they are my parents and I love them – to the moon and back!

Happy anniversary mom and dad!  May you love and honor each other all the days of your lives!

I know it’s been eerily quiet on here!  Unfortunately I feel like Facebook has killed my itch to blog because it’s so much faster, so much easier, and so much more relevant.  I’ve decided, though, that I’m going to pick blogging back up because some day I’m hoping to wrap this thing up with a big ‘ol bow and tell my kids I wrote it for them (especially since they don’t really have baby books).

What jolted me back onto the blog was the need to share Noah’s adventure to kindergarten!  If you’re on Facebook, you’ve already seen the photos and heard the stories but I need to put it here too!

On August 21st, Noah started kindergarten.  We took the obligatory first day photos -

We were all very nervous!  Would Noah like it, would he do ok, would he make friends, would he wear the uniform shirt since he despises buttons…???  As everyone who had ever been in our shoes before assured us, he did just fine.  He was a little hesitant at drop off but he went and didn’t fight it or tear up.  When I picked him up I was the one running into his arms (instead of the other way around)!  I couldn’t wait to hear all about it!!!  He smiled, stood tall, and said “I liked it”.  I almost dissolved into a puddle of tears.  I’m not normally emotional about this sort of stuff but it hit me like a ton of bricks.  My little boy… my happy kindergartner.  I was so relieved!!

On the same day, Kate was officially a “Playful Puppy”.  Noah started at the YMCA in Ms. Molly’s class three years before and now Kate was making herself at home (ie taking over) the same room.  As a potty trained, nearly 3 year old, she was ready!  Here was her on the first day, sassy as ever -

But before the start of school I suckered the kids into a “back to school”-esque photo session.  They did really well through the HEAT, bugs, and occasional traffic!

Noah helping set up -

At this point the books had avalanched and the sweat was dripping off of all of us!  I will love these photos forever!

Dear Noah,

I can’t believe I just put you to bed on the last day of your fourth year. I love that you still insisted on finding your best friend, monkey, to curl up with, even if he is becoming less necessary to your daily life.   Tomorrow you will be 5. It’s so hard to imagine, since the day of your birth is still so fresh in my mind; like it was just yesterday!

In the last 5 years you have changed a lot – you have become such an awesome little man! As a baby you were fussy and reserved. As a toddler you were fearless but shy and incredibly active. You eventually became stubborn, determined, and strong willed (much like your mother). But as a four year old you thrived as a curious, inquisitive, and funny little boy. Your only-a-mother-can-love qualities became more bearable and you really blossomed! You made friends, spoke in front of people, you sang at the Mother’s Day brunch (YOU! You sang!!), you finished potty training and no longer wake us in the middle of the night with wet sheets (for which we’re very grateful), you’re independent and you love to figure things out. I’m rambling now but you’re crazy cool!

I want nothing but the best for you! I have all these dreams and aspirations for you. I want you to grow big and strong. I want you to swim underwater, to finally give in and wear clothes with buttons, I want you to learn, to read, to tinker. I’d love for you to stop teasing your sister but I know, baby steps.  I can’t believe you start kindergarten in August! I was never going to be one of those moms who got emotional about that sort of thing but that’s proving harder and harder as every “graduation” event passes.

This will be a big year for you, full of a lot of change. I know you will continue to grow and that you will adjust just fine. But, if you need your mommy, now or ever, I’m right here. You still curl up perfectly on my chest and you will always fill my heart, even when you tower over me!

I love you bubbs!
~Your mommy

Longest question ever?  THIS is why the kids got such a sweet reward – they totally rocked their costume session!

What could possibly deserve a bribery this big!?!?  If we’re Facebook friends you already know!