Details

Dr. Daddy and I have been forced into creative mode by our little story fiend. Eirena keeps asking us to tell her stories, usually about her with a few other characters thrown in (Uc, Fuzzy Bear, the family, etc.). Even though she has lived and then memorized the story about our camping trip, she asks us daily to tell it to her. Last night though, she was telling it to Adisu (after we put them to bed). Since they were supposed to be falling asleep, I interrupted story time. This morning she asked me why I had done that and I explained the reason and then told her she could finish the story now. So she decided she would, but pointed out that one must start at the beginning and then tell the rest of the story. And so she did. Her accuracy did not surprise me. What I found amusing though, was her attention to details: we stopped for a potty break and had a snack. After that we got back in the little silver car and Daddy did the top and the bottom seatbelt for Adisu and Eirena and got into the driver's seat and Mommy got into the other seat in the front of the car. When we got to the camping spot she needed to go potty, so Dr. Daddy took her and then she pulled up her panties and pants because she was a big girl. It may surprise you, but we actually leave those little details out of the story. But apparently they are important to her.

Mr. Pouty Face- chub-a-lubs

He better milk it now because in a couple of years we won't think it is so cute.

Segueing into milk... this little guy is now at 10 lbs. 10 oz, that is more than 3# gain since his birth! The midwife said that he could probably go for longer stretches at night considering his weight. I whole-heartedly agree. Now if we could only convince him of that!

Blurry Lines

Recently, Eirena has gotten into story telling and having them told to her. But the lines of reality and fiction often blur. For instance, we really did go camping. But Uc was not dognapped by bad men. However, the details of the the real camping trip and the fictitious one have melded into one story in her retelling.
Another example, she went to a birthday party and had cupcakes. (Really, she did.) But she has also been having tea parties with cupcakes (in pretend play). And, as one would do with real leftovers, she put the extra cupcakes in the fridge. See all the yummy cupcakes in the fridge?

Missing

So here in God's country most of the major highways that I have observed have sign boards in the cities that tell of traffic delays, issues or amber alerts. But by far, the most common message that I have seen on them is about Missing elderly (insert town) couple (insert vehicle type and license here). Which always makes me wonder, is this common across the nation or does this state just have trouble with losing its elderly?

Head to the hills

Although we live in the "hill country" Dr. Daddy must snicker because the "mountain" here is a whopping 900ft. above sea level. This makes our annual Spring Break hike in the mountains a bit difficult. So, we did what any normal, sane family would do... packed up three small children and a dog into a Corolla and drove 15+ hr (that is 15 hours without stops) to Tucson, AZ. Pictures of the trip can be viewed here
Favorite memory: 1) draining the car battery while we set up camp in the Franklin Mtns (El Paso) and thus soliciting the help of the Park Rangers to push start our car.
2) Uc searching for "treats" (of the human waste variety) in the night, and then doing her usual trick of puking in the car. It was so horribly offensive that after little sleep the night before, push starting the car and not having yet had our coffee, we found it incredibly funny.
3) Watching the kids do great hiking.
4) Having fun in the snow (it was only for a very tolerable 1 hour).
5) Seeing mountains again!!
6) Seeing friends again.

Best quote:
I was helping Eirena take a quick potty break while on the trail. It was supposed to be quick, so I didn't take off my backpack. But Eirena was diddling around. She wanted to pee in one spot and poop elsewhere. "There are flowers there", she protested when I told her it was an acceptable place to poop. But no, it wasn't apparently. So I asked her why she couldn't poop near the flowers. She very logically answered, "because if I poop in between the two flowers they won't smell pretty any more". True that.

3 weeks and a few days

A look of pleasure as the burp dislodges

I'm going to say he looks like Dr. Daddy here ;)

The contemplative look- obviously he got that from me ;)

I realize this is blurry, but had to point out his great head control!

who's in charge?

Last night at Bible reading time we were trying to encourage Eirena to ask forgiveness for her disobedience. This is the prayer that came out:
"Thank you Jesus for Jesus disobeying mommy and daddy and help him to obey better. Amen"
I *think* we got it sorted out in the end.

A little tired?

Last night as we were climbing into bed I told Dr. Daddy of a mental conversation I had with Eskil the previous night after his 4 am feeding.
It went something like this: So Eskil, if you start fussing before I get into bed I'll rock you or pat you. But if I get settled in bed before you start fussing, you have to sort it out yourself.
Dr. Daddy's response: wow, you were really tired, eh?

Birthday tea party

Is there anything cuter than a father-daughter pre-breakfast birthday tea party?

Eirena serving the birthday cake (yellow blocks)

Pouring the water- I love that she is brainwashed sufficiently to choose water to drink over anything else, even in imaginative play!

More baby influence

Eirena was trying desperately hard to convince Adisu he needed to wear a diaper this morning. To no avail. I told her that rather than order her brother around, perhaps she should put a diaper on Fuzzy Bear. She seemed quite happy with that idea. But when she came out of her room, she was sans Fuzzy Bear, sans pants, sans panties. But holding a diaper and snappi. And she asked me to put the diaper on her. I asked her why she wanted to wear a diaper and she gave some very convoluted and vague explanation about it being too long in the night to sit on the potty. Never mind that she has been dry at night for months and this conversation was happening mid morning. And then she wanted to go out in the back yard to play. So I let her: shirt, shoes and diaper.

When she came back inside, the diaper went off and panties and pants went back on. I guess she just wanted to be part of the diaper action for pretend play. But what a goof ball!

'Tis the simple things

that I'm enjoying about not being pregnant: (besides getting to meet Eskil, of course)

1. Being able to walk 5 km without contractions
2. Pants that button (rather than elastic waist maternity pants that don't stay up)
3. Being able to bend over to tie shoe laces
4. Having my bladder back!
I think I came up with a few more at 3am feeding, but my brain is a bit foggy now, so there it ends.

Rachel just reminded me of two more things I came up with in the early hours of the morning:
5. Sleeping on my tummy.
6. Sleeping on my back. :)