20 Fingers & 20 Toes

Nine Months Old: Jake

2011-11-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

Our little Jakey is nine months old and even more lovable than ever. In the past few months, this guy has accomplished so much, making us feel like time is flying by even faster than before his arrival (if that is possible).

The biggest recent change is in Jake's mobility. It used to be that you could put him on the floor with some toys, leave the room for a minute, and come back to find him in the same place where you left him. Those days are no more. He is a man on the move and loves to explore.

Jake started army crawling around 7 months and can now fly across the room. He occasionally rocks back and forth on hands and knees in the classic crawling position, though he really prefers to get around pulling himself on his tummy. Some of his favorite things to explore include Daddy's closet and shoe rack, Lucie's dollhouse (much to her dismay), any form of footwear, lotion bottles, laundry baskets, and, the one true baby toy in this list, stacking cups.

We started feeding Jake pureed foods at six months to a mixed reception. He seemed to prefer green foods, with pear, pea, and broccoli being a favorite combo. Unlike his brother who went crazy over sweet potatoes, he scrunches his nose up at anything orange.

Pureed foods are old news now, as his preferences have changed to eating finger foods. He likes to feed himself and not have to wait around for someone to put a spoon of food in his mouth. I don't blame him - in a house of three kids, that can be a long wait sometimes. Puffs, cheerios, black beans, cut-up cheese and soft fruits are some of the finger foods he enjoys now. I'm still a wimp/worrier when it comes to starting new finger foods, so we wait until dinner when Daddy is around to try a new one.

Nicknames abound for this little guy. Newest ones include "The Little Mister" or "Mister Mister" (Lucie's creation), "Muffin", or "Baa-Baa's" (Ryan). Lucie has decided that we really should be calling him by his proper name, so he is now Jacob to her and Ryan. Over Thanksgiving, I even heard her converting Gigi over to calling him Jacob too.

We thought we'd see him start sucking his fingers by now, though so far that has not happened. He sucks on his arm occasionally, but hasn't found that one thing to comfort him. We have a frog lovie in his crib at all times, similar to Lucie and Ryan's beloved Bunny and Ducky. He hasn't taken to it, in fact I often find it flung across his crib. I still hold out hope they'll become inseparable, though the rest of our family isn't convinced, calling me a "froggie pusher".

Each day is another adventure, another accomplishment, another baby-proofing project, and lots of love and laughter with our Jake. We're looking forward, but not too forward, to what the next months will bring. Stay little, big man.

Six Years Old: Ryan

2011-09-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

To our Ryan: As I watched you join your class on the first day of kindergarten, with only the slightest nervous look on your face, I was hit by how quickly you've grown and matured into a little boy. With the beginnings of school, this will be a year of growth and accomplishment, and I want to remember it all. Here's a glimpse of you at age six:

I am not exaggerating when I say that you eat, sleep and breathe baseball. It all started with your first experience playing t-ball this spring. You loved it, looking forward to each game the moment after the last one ended. Each week you'd declare that this next week would be the time you hit a double or a triple or a home run or whatever your latest goal may have been.

Your big accomplishment was catching a fly ball in the final game of the season. You received a standing ovation from your team, the opposing team, and the opposing team's coach (who happened to be a former Dodger player). I think it may have been one of the most exciting moment in your (and your Dad's) life.

During this t-ball season, you and Lucie played for the Phillies. Despite your middle name, and your Dad's strong allegiances, you have declared yourself a Phillies fan through and through. You have an extensive knowledge of the MLB Phillies players, their positions, the schedule and their current standing. It doesn't hurt that the Phillies are doing great this season and have good chances for the playoffs. I hope we'll all get to watch the World Series together this year with your adored Phillies at bat.

Along with the love of baseball has come an interest and aptitude for sports statistics. Your Dad downloaded an application on his phone to track MLB standings. The first thing you do every morning is grab his phone to check the standings. Then begins the commentary, "Lucie, did you know that Ryan Howard hit a three run homer against Florida? Mom, did you know that Philadelphia plays Cincinnati tonight at 7:10? What time is that in our time? I hope Ryan Madson is pitching, but it could be Roy Halladay. " (Notice he loves all players named Ryan.) It's like living on ESPN's Sports Center around here.

You love your little brother like crazy. You come up with the most creative nicknames for him. It started with "Cutie" then moved to "Cute-a-lot" then "Cutie-sticks" and "Stinky Pants", and

now with a funny french accent, "Jacob Bleu!"

As a protective older brother, you've decided that Jake needs a body guard when he's out in public, and you're more than happy to take on that role. As we walk through the grocery store you scan the aisles, doing fake karate chops, and declaring, "Nobody hurts my Cutie-sticks!" We may get funny looks, but it's actually quite endearing and sweet. Little Jake is so lucky to have you looking out for him.

Some of your favorite things right now include: mangoes, stealing the sports section of the newspaper from your Dad, finally losing your first tooth, family baseball games at the park, legos, playing tackle, Magic Tree House books, soccer practice, wearing out your family with your unbelievable amount of energy, watering the garden, breaking in your new mitt and spending time goofing off with your sister.

You pick things up so quickly, and are already reading a ton of words, and can do addition and subtraction problems quickly in your head. We can't wait to see how much you change and grow this year (but not too fast).

Being in your own kindergarten class, with your own teacher and new experiences, it is sure to be a transformative year. We're so lucky to share it with you. Happy Birthday Ryan!

Six Years Old: Lucie

2011-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our little five pound Lucie has turned into a big six year old girl. You're tall and lanky, and proudly trotted off to kindergarten in a size 8 dress. With the beginnings of school and adventures away from us, what a magical time for you. I hope to capture this moment in a few little notes about Lucie, age six:

You are so loving with your baby brother. You have a gentle, calming presence and can instantly turn his cries to smiles and then giggles. I completely trust you with him when I'm in the other room, and know that you will watch over him like the doting, protective older sister that you are.

Like me, you love choosing Jake's outfits every day, and are in charge of picking his pajamas each night. You get much joy from this, and even named one of his sleepers the "cute as cute can be" sleeper. Reading his bedtime stories is another favorite job; you love it when he likes to sample each page with a big gummy slobber.

Your teeth are coming out left and right! It all started with a slightly wiggly tooth late last September. We didn't quite believe you when you said it was loose. Had you fallen and hit it instead? Nope. At only a few weeks past five years old, it was already time to call the Tooth Fairy. Out that tooth came on the day we left for your first Disneyland trip, and three others have followed since. You now have four adult teeth coming in, and make us laugh with your partial-toothed grin.

As I wrote when you turned five years old, you love to swim. After four weeks of daily lessons with swim instructor "Mr.T", everything really clicked for you. You can safely swim across water over your head and are working hard on your free style and breaststroke. You love to jump into the water and recently mastered both forward and backwards somersaults underwater. Handstands are another new skill, reminding me of the various "synchronized swimming" moves your Aunt Rach and I used to come up with as kids.

You also love to boogie board in the ocean with your Dad. You'll try wave after wave after wave, only coming in when you're shaking with cold or covered in sand and seaweed. With a golden brown tan and goggle marks around your eyes, you are our little fish.

You are wonderfully inquisitive and insightful. You come up with such thoughtful questions, and occasionally stump your parents with your inquiries. When looking over a map together you wondered, "Has anyone ever had a family member in each of the 50 states? If so, how would they get around to visit each one? Which road would they take?" Or, when filing papers together, you ask, "Daddy, what are taxes? And why do we pay them?"

You're very interested in who was the first person to do something, recently pondering, "Who was the first person to ever wear a watch?" and "Who was the very first ruler in the history of the world?" With all these "firsts" questions, we've talked a little about the development of humans. When Ryan asked a similar question, you replied oh-so-matter-of-factly, "You know, Ryan, it's evolution. People came from apes". College anthropology, here you come.

Some favorite things right now include: bread with butter, cotton dresses (you haven't worn pants since 2009), unicorns, Magic Tree House books, bedtime stories about the adventures of three magical ponies named Brownie, Blackie and Polka-dotty, ballet camp, soccer practice, Cinderella, making up stories with dolls or stuffed animals, being read to, and family movie night.

We are so proud of how quickly you take to new things. You played t-ball in the spring (one of only two girls on your team!) and won the "Most Improved Player" award. This summer you did two camps, one with Ryan and one by yourself, and enjoyed both of them. You have the same interest and excitement about kindergarten. For the first time, you are in your own class, with your own teacher, classmates and unique experiences. You seem to be loving it.

We know this will be a great year for you, full of growth, new adventures and friendships. How fortunate we are to be able to share it all with you. Happy Birthday Lucie!

Jakey Firsts

2011-09-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

As the little tagalong in our family, Jakey has had quite a few first experiences long before his brother and sister ever did.

The first beach visit came at only a few weeks old, tucked in a stroller and sleeping away. A few more trips followed, either on morning walks or afternoons watching Lucie and Ryan boogie board.

Our last beach visit was the first time little toes dipped in the waves. I think the water was a bit too cold for him. He wasn't a big fan. We all liked seeing him in big brother's old rash guard and swim trunks though.

Another of our little guy's recent "firsts" was the first soccer game (of many to come). With Lucie and Ryan on their own teams, we spend a good portion of our Saturdays on the field. Here's our little fan with a proud member of the Forest Green Pirates:

And next, a smiley moment for Jakey trying out his first high chair. He was getting tired of looking up at us from his exersaucer during meals, and is now thrilled to pull right up to the table:

With the first high chair came his first meal. He took one spoonful of oatmeal and looked at us like, "Where has this been all my life?"

Yes, Jake — we know. You love being just like the rest of the family. Just don't grow up too quickly, little man.

Six Months Old: Jake

2011-09-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

Jacob Blue, you came into our lives on a foggy March morning and have been charming us ever since. I have to remind myself that you've only been here for a short time, as it feels like you've always been a cherished part of our family.

At six months old, you are full of happy energy and smiles. You love to interact with people, especially your big sister and brother. When they come into the room, you light up and crane your neck to see them. They adore you too, and have invented all sorts of silly games and songs to make you laugh. If ever we want to clear up a fussy moment, attention from your siblings will do the trick.

You are Mr. Flexible, and perfectly happy to go with the flow of our family. As the third child, you are toted everywhere, from school drop-off to soccer practice to family outings on the weekends. You had more experiences out and about in the world in your first six weeks than your sister and brother did in their first year! Fortunately you are a great sport about it and are happy to catch naps in transit throughout the day.

You have many nicknames. Lucie and Ryan like to remind us that your real name is Jacob, though we rarely call you that. Instead you are Jake, Jakey-boo, Boo-Boo, Cutie, Cutie-a-lot (Ryan's creation), "Guh" (your favorite sound), and the most fitting name of all, Lovable. With your chubby cheeks, eager smile and sunny disposition, this name fits you perfectly.

You've recently started to babble, with sounds closely resembling real words. A girl at the pool was convinced you smiled and said, "Hi!" to her, though I'm not sure you're quite that far along yet. You do say "da-da" over and over again. I wouldn't be surprised if this is your first real word, as you adore your Dad and beam whenever you see him.

Just within the past few weeks, you've mastered rolling over, both front to back and back to front. Unlike your big sister at this age, you don't roll much at night, and prefer to sleep on your side, with your arm flung across your face, in full surrender to sleep.

We're still trying to figure out if you will be a finger or thumb sucker. At this point you seem to like all fingers equally, or simply prefer to jam your whole fist (or fists) in your mouth. I often see you sucking on your arm when trying to fall asleep, but mostly your favorite pacifier is nursing. As our third baby, I'm so happy to have this relationship with you, knowing how quickly you'll grow out of it. Even in the middle of the night, I enjoy our special time, feeding and dozing off together.

You've grown and accomplished so much in six months. We can't wait to see what the next six months will bring (though I wouldn't mind keeping you at this age forever). Your entrance into the world has brought so much happiness and joy to our family. Happy half birthday Jakey-boo!

The Big Five: A Birthday Retrospective

2010-10-08T16:00:00.001-07:00

At long last, the birthday montage! This time, with a bit of nostalgia. Age five can do that to you.

The Big Five: Lucie

2010-09-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

To our lovable Lucie B, can you really be turning five? You told me you'd be four and a half forever. We are constantly amazed by your recent growths and changes -- here's a quick look at incredible you on your fifth birthday.

This has been the summer of swimming for you! You are an amazing swimmer. You jump right into the water and begin swimming face down while kicking and doing your arm strokes.

You aren't afraid to jump into water that is over your head, even surprising me by doing a dive into the pool on a recent trip. Your risk taking in the water is commendable -- you're constantly pushing yourself to try new things, without putting yourself in dangerous situations. It's lots of fun to watch.

You love to be read to. Several times a day, you snuggle up next to me for a book or two, from Magic School Bus to Berenstain Bears, or any book having to do with dancing or ballet. You love to listen to books, both for enjoyment and for relaxation.

You also enjoy reading your most special books to your loved ones. One of my favorite images from this summer is walking into a room to find you sitting on a stool reading a story aloud, surrounded by all your stuffed animals. I've watched the same scene acted out with carefully placed paper dolls or all your Littlest Pet Shop animals. You love to take on the role of teacher.

Along with your growth in the water comes your determination to try new things on the playground. You got a jump rope recently and have been set on learning to use it. It's still quite difficult for you to do on your own, but you keep trying, and with a little growth, will surely get it soon.

A new fascination at the park is with the monkey bars. One recent day you spent so much time trying to get across the bars, you came home with calluses on your hands. The set of bars at your new preschool is at the perfect height for you, sure to be a favorite destination at morning drop-off.

Your imagination soars. It's not uncommon to find you on the couch, surrounded by all your worldly possessions, pretending you're on a car/ship/airplane journey to the moon/playground/ballet class. You make steering wheels out of paper plates, and gear shifts out of spatulas and wooden spoons. That old green couch goes on some pretty great adventures with you.

The year ahead is sure to be full of adventures and independence, with a new preschool and kindergarten next fall. We look forward to sharing it all with you, and watching you continue to grow and change. We love you Lucie B.!

The Big Five: Ryan

2010-09-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

To our Ryan, despite my numerous pleas to stay age four forever, you've gone ahead and done it -- turned five! How did the time go so fast? In case you plan to keep changing and growing older, here's a peek at you on your fifth birthday.

You used to adore all things firetruck, but that's old news. Now, it's baseball. Playing baseball, talking baseball, reading about baseball -- you love it all. Cousin Scotty passed down his major league baseball bed sheets to you, and they've now replaced your once-loved orange bedding as your favorite set.

You started with the National League sheets on your bed, and spent time poring over every team name and emblem until you had memorized them all. You love it when we point to a baseball team and quiz you on their name and city. Now that you've got the National League down, you're on to the American League, with a head start on familiarity with the Angels and Orioles after recently attending a game with your Dad (which from all reports I've heard was likely one of the best days of your life).

You love projects around the house and yard, especially if they involve a trip to our local Ace Hardware Store. The staff at Ace knows you well, and always makes sure you get your bag of free popcorn and can operate the train that navigates the ceiling. I can genuinely say that your assistance with projects is very helpful, as you know the names and locations of most every tool in the garage and are happy to fetch them (and even help me operate them in some cases). You seem to have a better understanding of our never-ending house projects than I do, happily filling me in on each one's status and estimated time to completion.

You've always loved to help me cook, especially on nights when your Dad has to work late and we enjoy a well-loved tradition of "breakfast for dinner". Banana pancakes are your specialty. Along with cooking, you continue to love to eat. Every time I turn around it seems you're declaring, "Mom, I'm STARVING!" Fruit is still your preferred snack, from fresh to dried. I felt bad the other day for telling you you couldn't have one more apple, only because you'd just polished off three.

Though your language is constantly changing and growing, you still say some cute things that remind us that you're not all grown up yet. Sunscreen has turned into "skunskreen" and instead of saying "my" you say "mine", like "mine arms" or "mine shoes".

First Day

2010-09-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

Always a favorite tradition in my family, the first day of school photo lives on in our house with Ryan and Lucie.

Yesterday's first day at a new preschool was met with much excitement and anticipation. The kids were up, dressed and ready for breakfast by 7:05 am, long before I had even put the muffins in the oven for breakfast.

Though super tired when I picked them up, Lucie and Ryan both seemed to enjoy their first day. Lucie was especially vocal about the day, chatting all the way home about the different craft stations she visited, her successful trips across the monkey bars, and the kid-sized bathroom (not an automatic flushing toilet, to her great relief).

Ryan was a little more quiet, but happily perked up at dinner when he told us all about his assigned job in the classroom as "Electrician". It seems for the month of September he is in charge of turning on and off the lights for rest period, outdoor play time, etc. Since we know he loves buttons and all things having to do with electricity, this is the perfect job for him, and one in which he takes great pride.

Before and After

2010-08-23T16:50:00.001-07:00

After a summer of chlorine and sun exposure nearly every day, Lucie's hair was due for a good cut. Looking over some "old" photos together (well, old for a five-year-old), we found a shot from when Lucie was about three-years-old and had her hair cut just above the shoulders. She loved it, and decided she wanted to go for that look again.

Here's Lucie's latest look after instructing the stylist all on her own. The new short cut is great for staying cool and quick dry-offs after the pool. We all love it (and I not-so-secretly wish I had Lucie's hair too...)

Uncle Greg and Aunt Jessica

2010-08-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a week visiting with family and enjoying Greg and Jessica's wedding festivities. It was a wonderful time, and the kids are now having fun switching from saying "Uncle Greg and Jessica" to "Uncle Greg and Aunt Jessica". Hopefully by Thanksgiving they'll have it down...

The day of the wedding was gorgeous with perfect weather, a radiant bride and ecstatic groom, and, all modesty aside, a cute and poised ring bearer, and an equally sweet and dedicated flower girl.

Though we talked about the wedding a lot leading up, Lucie and Ryan had no idea what it meant to be a ring bearer or flower girl. All they really knew was that it was a special honor, involving wearing fancy clothes and shoes, and at the end of it all, they could eat cake. Beyond that, things seemed a little unclear to these little guys.

Thanks to an on-site rehearsal and a few stick figure diagrams, the kids did great on the wedding day, and each took their responsibilities very seriously. Ryan cruised down the aisle at the perfect speed, cradling his pillow, and giving Greg a high five as he reached the end. Lucie was so dedicated in her petal tossing, making sure Jessica had plenty of petals to grace her steps, right up to the officiant's feet (this caused a few giggles from the audience).

We were super proud of Lucie and Ryan, not knowing how they'd react to the attention. The only moment they exhibited the slightest bit of apprehension was when the DJ announced the wedding party. Lucie and Ryan were supposed to walk in the reception hall together holding hands, but as soon as they opened the door to a room full of cheering people, they bolted back by our sides. Instead the four of us walked in together, which was just how we all liked it anyway.

Congratulations to Greg and Jessica! We are so happy for you, and were honored to be a part of your day.

Flow Control

2010-08-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Pre-potty training:

Post-potty training:

To be fair, the post picture represents two years of trial and error. Fortunately for our bathroom hardware budget, Ryan now has his aim under better control...

Summer

2010-07-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Despite our strange on-again/off-again weather, Ryan and Lucie have been enjoying all their favorite summertime pleasures this month.

Beach days:

Cool treats in the backyard:

Pool time:

With swim lessons four days a week, the kids have been making great progress. It's so fun to see them glide and kick, with faces in the water, across the pool. Thankfully, the water is heated, as our overcast weather has made for some shivering towel-offs. Though I'm not sure any amount of teeth-chattering would stop these two from loving the pool.

The Many Faces of a Ferris Wheel Ride

2010-06-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Big smiles and confidence:

Apprehension:

Anticipation:

Pure joy!

Not sure what to expect:

Warming up:

Comfortable enough to check out the crowds:

Loving the ride:

Happy Summer!

Tackle!

2010-06-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

A very happy father's day to a dad we can always depend (and endlessly climb) on...

You're the best.

Camping

2010-06-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

Our first tent camping trip as a family was lots of fun. We hope to camp more in the future, and made a few mental notes of things that worked/didn't work for upcoming adventures.

Lucie and Ryan taught us a few things along the way too:

Though your parents may try to convince you otherwise, skirts really are appropriate camping and fishing attire:

Sticks, campfires and s'mores can provide hours of entertainment:

Sleeping inches away from two four-year-olds makes for a restless night (think sleeping next to two flopping fish). Though you couldn't ask for a more cheerful or goofy wake-up crew the next morning:

Shopping Helpers

2010-06-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

When I wasn't watching, a little boy (and his sidekick sister who came up with all the ideas) added a few items to my grocery list this weekend.

They found it hilarious, and kept asking me, "Read the list, Mommy! Read the list!" I wonder how much a "Ryan", "Gigi" or an "ATM" goes for at the store these days?

And, speaking of shopping, we picked up a bag of the first cherries of the season last week. The kids love cherries.

Last summer we had to take the pits out for them, as Lucie and Ryan hadn't quite mastered it on their own. But not this year. They were very proud of themselves for figuring it out. We just had to make sure everyone was well covered up, because there was a juicy, sticky learning curve.

At this age, every seemingly small accomplishment is celebrated with such enthusiasm and excitement. It makes me want to eat cherries with Lucie and Ryan every day.

Cousins in the Sand

2010-05-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate to spend some time at my Grandmother's beach cottage, right on the sand in Capitola. The kids loved opening up the door every morning to reveal the wide, open beach, chasing sea gulls, and listening to the waves as we went to sleep each night.

Of course, we also indulged in large, cheesy slices of Pizza My Heart on the beach wall for dinner, keeping watch over any interested birds, and Polar Bear ice cream each afternoon. (I'm getting really good at passing along all my favorite habits to my kids.)

Tate, Caleb and Aunt Rach joined us for two days of cousin time in the sand. Lucie and Ryan had discovered this enormous hole on the beach. The kids spent lots of time there, running and jumping in,

playing "bad guys" and turning Lucie into a sand mermaid.

Caleb crawled around in the sand too, teasing us by trying to chew on every stray piece of seaweed he could find. With tons of smiles and an ever-cheerful attitude, we sure love that little cutie.

I'm happy Caleb knows he can always come to his Aunt Meg for a supply of Cheerios. And, with just ten days until his first birthday, he'll soon be able to join us for ice cream too...

May travels

2010-05-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Though we know the flight practically by heart, each trip to visit family includes new experiences for Lucie and Ryan. That's part of the fun of traveling with these two -- there's always a discovery around every corner.

With Grandma and Grandpa we visited a newly reopened zoo/amusement park, one I had fond memories visiting as a child. Lucie and Ryan surprised us by trying and loving rides they wouldn't have gone near a year ago, including their first roller coaster, and a crazy, bouncing aerial drop ride.

At the end of the first frog hopper ride, we expected the kids to run over to us clutching their stomachs or crying, but instead they raced back into the open line, ready to try again, even individually. Such bravery for our two.

Later in the week at the beach, Lucie, Ryan, Tate and Papa headed out on a fishing trip. They had been fishing with Papa several times before, though unfortunately never had caught anything. Things started slow, but after a location change to a warm spot with views of diving pelicans, the fish started biting.

On the first day, Lucie caught one fish and Ryan caught three. The next day the total went to twelve with fish coming in like crazy, even two on one line for Lucie. The kids were so excited, doing most of the reeling themselves, and helping Papa throw each one back in the ocean (Lucie wasn't so sure about the feeling of fish scales on her fingertips). They couldn't wait to call Daddy to share the news.

Before boarding our flight home, we checked out a great children's museum with Gigi. Lucie made a new friend in the make-your-own-pizza play room, and the two became fast playmates. With Ryan in tow, the kids raced around the museum together as their new friend showed her favorite exhibits, inviting L & R to her birthday party (in December -- too cute) along the way. We could have spent the entire time pulling levers and making big splashes in the water room. Mr. Ryan made good use of a dry shirt for our flight home.

More photos to come of our beach time and fun with Tate and Caleb.

Beach Kids

2010-04-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

We've had a few gorgeous days at the beach lately. The skies have been clear and blue, and the sand wide and open. There's been plenty of room for making and selling "mud ice cream":

turning the beach into our personal soccer field with Gigi and Papa (Ryan could have played for hours):jumping waves:

and getting cozy in a warm towel.

Ryan was mesmerized by a pair of skimboarders on our last beach visit. While he has a few more years until he can try that sport, Chris found two used boogie boards at a family swap meet that the kids can't wait to break in. The ocean is still pretty cold, but when things warm up, I think we'll have a tough time getting these two out of the water. They love it.

Following the Paw Prints

2010-04-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

Easter Bunny be warned. Ryan and Lucie have begun to recognize handwriting and can quickly spot your signature paw print. While last year's hunt was pretty tricky, this year's wasn't quite challenging enough for two quick four-year-olds who work together.

The kids found their hidden baskets after just one clue, not the six you carefully hid (note for next year: do not hide the baskets in the same room as the first clue).

Fortunately Lucie and Ryan enjoy a good hunt, and were more than willing to overlook Ryan's premature find and follow all the clues to the prize -- baskets filled with a Hello Kitty coloring book, dot-to-dot worksheets, fruit leather, a new Strawberry Shortcake book, play money, chocolate bunnies and and a kitty and dino stuffed "loved one".

Half Birthday Girl

2010-03-23T11:26:00.001-07:00

To Lucie, our wonderful-in-every-way girl, you can now declare with pride that you're "Four AND a half!" When asked what you wanted to do on your half birthday, you said you'd like to go to Hallmark and maybe, just maybe, get a new stuffed animal, preferably a kitty. You charmed me and the sales lady, and came home with your first Hello Kitty friend. I'm sure it is one of many to come, if you're anything like me or Aunt Rach as little girls.

Here are a few glimpses of you at this fun-loving age...

Reading together is one of your favorite things to do. You could spend an entire morning sitting on my lap and reading from a pile of hand picked books. Some recent favorites include The Magic School Bus, poetry by Shel Silverstein, and we just finished our first chapter book, Gooney Bird Greene. You are a patient and quiet listener, and always find humor in the little details, from words to pictures.

With all this reading, you are constantly picking up new vocabulary words and incorporating them into your speech. When playing a game recently, you called out happily, "This is brilliant fun! Brilliant fun!" We had just read a book about a dog in London so I knew exactly where you got that phrase. It's fun to see you try out new things with language, and show your facility with words.

You are a creative thinker, and an active problem solver. We had been having trouble with our morning routine, and were looking for solutions to help you and your brother get dressed more quickly (and with a more helpful attitude). You proposed a special code word and a hiding place for green blankie and Bunny, so you would know exactly when it was time to get dressed and would not be distracted by loved ones. The plan has worked great, and has made getting ready for preschool much more fun -- with plenty of time for breakfast!

We all count on you for fashion advice. You often compliment me on my shoes, clothes, and jewelry and love it when we all wear our "party clothes" together. When I came downstairs for a night out last week, you said to me, "Mommy, I like your boots, but why are you wearing your jeans with the rip in the knee?" As always, you're right -- though the rip was not intentional, it's definitely more of a daytime look.

You are eating and growing like crazy. Lately, you've been known to have 4 bowls of cereal for breakfast, 2 sandwiches for lunch, and 6 pancakes on breakfast-for-dinner night. You love any sort of bread product, and your most favorite snack is butter on wheat bread. All this eating has shown on the height charts as you've shot up lately. Dresses that used to fit perfectly last fall, now fit like shirts on you. Sadly, that means your two favorite dresses, crown dress and cake dress, must soon be retired unless you change your mind and decide to like wearing pants under them.

You love back rubs and leg rubs, fairies, making up games and shows, coloring, crackers and peanut butter snacks, making families from your stuffed animal "loved ones", pretending that Ryan is your baby brother, and quiet time with green blankie.

You're our sweet, amazing and bright girl, Lucie, and we love you like crazy!

Half Birthday Boy

2010-03-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

To Ryan, our incredibly lovable boy -- when people ask how old you are, you can now declare with pride, "Four AND a half!"

As a twin, I'm sure it's tough sometimes to share a birthday, so we like to celebrate your half birthday as well. Maybe not as good as a day all to yourself, but at least you get two celebrations a year, one with half a cake. Here are some glimpses of you, Mr. Ryan, as you round the corner towards five-years-old (did I just remind myself of that?) ...

You love being in the yard planting seeds, checking on the garden, spraying the hose or just peering behind trees or under rocks. You've named yourself our "super weeder" and can pull the plethora of green and unwanted visitors out of our yard with incredible speed, and a much more cheerful attitude than I've ever seen in a weeder.

You've picked up all sorts of funny phrases and jingles. When being rounded up for a bath, you'll belt out "Missed me! Missed me! Now you gotta kiss me!" (not that I ever have a problem with that) And, you love to copy all your Dad's favorite silly phrases like, "Let's get it on, Donkey Kong", "Never shower, never cower!" and "Ain't nothin' to it but to do it!"

Speaking of your Dad, you adore him. I know you love me, but truly, Daddy is number one in your book. Mondays are your least favorite day of the week because it means Daddy has to go back to work after two full days with him. Most every art project you make is for Daddy, with thoughtful notes attached to say, "Daddy, I hope you had a great day. How was work? From, Ryan"

We count on you to relay all the latest preschool news. You always remember sharing day, what we signed up to bring for an event, and when the book order is due. You also fill us in on any new kids in class, who left preschool early for a doctor's appointment, what everyone brings for lunch and your teacher's favorite green foods (in case you were wondering, it's pickles). You keep us in the loop, with versions of events far more interesting than anything reported in the preschool newsletter, and keep our dinner conversations lively.

It looks like you may have inherited my tendency towards indecision. When given a choice in a store or at the library, you'll deliberate. "Well, let's see...", you'll start, and then go back and forth between choices, giving each your full attention. It's just like your sweet and caring nature to see the good in all things.

You love dinosaurs, making families out of your stuffed animal "loved ones", family sports day at the park, measuring things, playing baseball in the tub, dribbling a basketball, making science experiments out of the whatever you can find in the pantry, pretending to be your sister's puppy, and of course, dear old Bunny.

Thanks for making each and every day so bright -- we love you Rye-guy!

Little Leprechauns

2010-03-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

Chris and I joke about how the kids' preschool seems to be a series of parties, one after another after another. There's always something to celebrate -- and hey, why not? Four is an age that definitely appreciates a good fete, especially if it involves rainbows, a mischief making fairy, and green cupcakes.

When it came to dressing in green, Lucie and Ryan went for a more subtle approach, with little tidbits on skirts, shirts, and underwear, and of course polka-dot shamrock and Leprechaun socks (thanks Grandma and Grandpa).

Onward and Upward

2010-03-11T21:10:00.000-08:00

Quite suddenly (at least in my mind), Lucie and Ryan are turning into kids, leaving the toddler and baby days farther and farther behind.

Little things remind me of this, like the beginnings of successful card games, and time spent in deep concentration creating tiny Lego structures. Gone are the Candy Land games that lasted mere minutes before cards were bent, chewed and scattered about. Gone also are the alphabet blocks and chunky Duplo blocks. These two are ready for new challenges.

With grandparents visiting this past weekend, Lucie, Ryan and Grandma played a rousing game of Old Maid for the better part of an afternoon. While Lucie munched on pretzels dipped in hummus and intently studied her cards, Ryan repeatedly tried to offload the Old Maid card on Grandma, giggling hysterically in the process.

And later in the week, Lucie and Ryan got a special treat in the mail from Gigi and Papa -- their first box of real Lego blocks. Many hours have been spent since creating firetrucks (Ryan), helicopters (Ryan), and houses with steering wheels and slides off the roof going into swimming pools (Lucie). Ryan was so proud of one of his trucks that he brought it into preschool for the letter "T" sharing day.

On a side note, Lucie was thrilled to get this Tinkerbell dress as a hand-me-down from cousin Maggie. It was originally an Aunt Betsy creation, and has quickly become Lucie's favorite dress. Any time it's clean she'll wear it, even though it means having to wear an undershirt, which she usually protests. But for Tinkerbell (and cousin Maggie), anything is possible.

A Boy and his Sis

2010-03-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

Lucie, Ryan and I were reading a book recently about a duck feeling a little "homesick". I asked the kids if they knew what this meant and they both looked at me blankly, shaking their heads.

Since I was once a little girl quite prone to homesickness (even up to the college years), I think I gave a pretty good description of the word, simplified for the four-year-old audience. The kids looked at me knowingly, hugged their bunny and Ella, and we finished the story.

This word seems to have struck a cord with Ryan, a boy we all know loves his home, bed, and most of all, his bunny. At the end of a long morning at the park last week, Ryan gave a big sigh and said, "Mommy, I'm homesick". Every time he uses this word, I want to scoop him up with a big hug and kiss -- he's just so sweet and genuine.

Ryan found a new use for "homesick" this weekend. Exhausted from constant coughing and nose blowing, we found Lucie asleep on her bed late Sunday afternoon. Having already recovered from the same cold, Ryan enjoyed the house to himself for some time, tossing his baseball into his mitt and imagining sliding into base through the kitchen hallway.

After he wore himself out with all the sliding, tossing and catching, I found him trying to sneak into his room and wake his sister.

"Uh, Mr. Ryan, what do you think you're doing?", I asked.

"I'm Lucie-sick", he said.

"What does that mean?", I wondered.

"It means I miss my Lucie", he replied.

Fortunately, the cure to his illness was right on the other side of the bedroom door. Lucie was waking up, feeling much better and ready to play.

A Four-Year-Old's Olympics

2010-02-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

We've been having a lot of fun watching the Olympics with the kids.

Ryan loves the downhill skiing, bobsled, and snowboarding events (basically any sport involving speed and risk) while Lucie is mesmerized by figure skating. She discovered ice dancing last night and spent the rest of the evening showing off her twizzles, reminding me of walks to school with Aunt Rach and friends during our childhood Winter Olympics, leaping down the blocks while practicing our toe loops.

However, the action isn't just in Vancouver. A few local Olympic events include balloon tennis with friends:

Bucket balancing while wearing hearts from head to toe:

Hula hooping:

and the favorite when rainy weather turns warm, mud puddle creation and splashing:

I guess life is a series of Olympic events when you're four years old.

Sports Nut

2010-02-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

I wouldn't say Ryan's obsession with fire trucks has been completely replaced with a love of sports, but it's getting pretty close. He still wants to be a firefighter when he grows up, though only by night. During the day, he plans to be on the baseball field.

Sports are at the top of Ryan's mind these days, especially baseball. He can turn anything into a bat and ball, tennis racquet or golf club. He spends his baths swatting a plastic ball with an empty shampoo bottle against the side of the tub (fortunately for Lucie the kids take separate baths lately) and then runs around in his pajamas trying to hit his plush baseball across the room with his stuffed dinosaur. Everything becomes a sport to Ryan.

We've been taking family sports trips to the park on recent weekends, bringing gear for a few different sports, including Ryan's favorite Christmas presents, his new baseball tee, ball and glove, and golfing set.

At long last, Ryan's multi-sport class started this past weekend, with Gigi in town to enjoy. We were beginning to worry it might never happen as it had been canceled twice already due to rain. Thankfully, the weather was gorgeous and Ryan enjoyed an opportunity to run around and kick the soccer ball with a new coach and friends. He can't wait for the week they play baseball.

Twinkle Toes

2010-02-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

When she grows up, Lucie has decided she'd like to be a "ballerina teacher in the day and rock star in the night".

She came up with this on her own, likely from countless ballerina books we've read, and a particular My Little Pony book on pony rock stars (a new concept to us all) we once came across in the bookstore. Lucie loves to dance, and often entertains us with her "rock star dance" involving lots of wild motions, singing and laughing.

When asked what class she might like to take this winter, we were not surprised when she declared without hesitation, "BALLET!" She has never taken dance before, and had been asking to for a long time. So at last, we found a dance class.

The class and teacher are great, incorporating a little of ballet, jazz and tap instruction with stuffed animals, princess costumes, fairy wands and tiaras as props. All of the girls take class so seriously, furiously concentrating to get the steps just right.

Needless to say, Lucie loves dance class. Dancing with a stuffed kitty while decked out in a Cinderella costume and tap shoes is pretty much a dream come true for her. And, she loves any excuse to get dressed in her tutu.

Of all the steps Lucie has learned so far, my personal favorite is the"boogie moves", involving wild finger pointing, jumping and clapping. The at-home interpretation has an extra bit of spunk, crazy energy and giggles not always seen in class. It has "rock star" potential, for sure.

Snow!

2010-02-02T21:14:00.001-08:00

Our long anticipated weekend in the snow with the home school preschool crew could not have been better timed.

Recent storms meant lots of activity in the mountains, and piles of fluffy, mostly untouched snow everywhere we looked. With blue skies above, the conditions for L & R's first snow trip were ideal.

Chris and I weren't sure how our kids would react to the snow. After the requisite fifteen minutes of getting everyone bundled up in boots, bibs, hats, jackets and mittens -- more clothing than they had ever worn before -- we hoped they wouldn't take one step outside and want to come running back in the house.

Fortunately, the opposite was true, and our kids, along with their four buddies, loved the snow.

They made snowmen. They climbed play structures covered in snow. They helped make their own sledding run in the backyard of the cabin. They stepped on ice to hear it crack, jumped in puddles, and ate mittens full of powdery white stuff (especially Lucie). They played tackle in the snow, and threw snowballs at each other and any unsuspecting grown-ups nearby.

One of the highlights was a morning spent at a snow play area and tubing hill. Our kids were a bit nervous to go down the hills (on an adult's lap) at first, but after a run or two, and a snack break or two, they caught the fever and loved it. We soon devised all sorts of fun ways to go down, in trains with our friends, sideways holding on to our friends' tube, and the most adventurous of all, head-first hanging on to Mr. Chris or Mr. Noah's back.

I loved it that at the end of the morning I had been down the hill with each of the six kids. It was so sweet to hear, "Miss MAY-gan! Miss MAY-gan! I wanna go with you!", and then experience the ride through a different child's eyes.

All in all, it was a great weekend to just be a kid, regardless of whether you actually were one or not (I just might be hinting at you, Mr. Chris), and play to your hearts' content in the snow.

Stormy Weather

2010-01-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

The winter storms predicted to hit us this week have not disappointed.

With tons of wind and rain outside, we've been busy building forts, reading stories, baking cookies, painting the weather, and eating snack after snack to keep the cabin fever at a minimum. Not that we all haven't had our moments of feeling a bit stir crazy — with kids singing the "Handy Manny" theme song on permanent repeat, it's hard not to feel a little batty.

Our usual routine is to walk home after preschool, but because of the wet and unpredictable weather, we did preschool pick-up in a taxi instead. I told Lucie and Ryan to pretend we lived in New York City, not our suburban streets of SUVs and minivans. Ryan thought it was terribly exciting. Lucie wasn't feeling quite as cosmopolitan, shivering from the cold and declaring she was carsick.

In the storms' milder moments, Lucie and Ryan have put on every piece of rain gear they own to splash in puddles and find fallen sticks and leaves. The ladybug and frog umbrellas seem happy to get so much attention.

Bikes!

2010-01-17T11:29:00.001-08:00

As promised, Santa made a visit to our house while we were away over Christmas. We came home to treat-filled stockings hanging from the handlebars of two shiny new bikes with training wheels.

Initially, the kids were focused on their stockings, pulling out a stuffed unicorn for Lucie, stuffed baseball for Ryan, their own sets of flashlights, chocolates, and Santa's favorite, fruit leather. Little attention was paid to the bikes. We're convinced the kids thought the bikes were not theirs, but on loan from Santa to hang up the stockings.

After a little encouragement, Lucie and Ryan came to the mind-blowing realization that the sets of wheels in their living room were all theirs -- purple with flowers for Lucie and blue with green racing stripes for Ryan. After that first spin, they haven't left their bikes since.

We agreed to let the bikes stay in the house for practice before hitting the pavement. What we thought might just be a few days of practice has turned into weeks. The kids are just having too much fun.

Lucie and Ryan come downstairs each morning, hop on their bikes, ride to the breakfast table, hop off to eat, then hop back on again for a few more rounds through the house. This pattern repeats itself over and over again. All hours of the day you're bound to see little cyclists pedaling around dressed in everything from pajamas, party dresses, slippers, socks and as Lucie shows here, even new snow boots.

Lucie and Ryan have devised little games and routines on their bikes, with rings of their bike bells (thanks Uncle Greg and Jessica) to call for a "tow truck" whenever someone gets in a jam, and personalized parking spaces through out the house. Their current favorite trick is to do laps through the kitchen while I'm cooking, hoping to be fed a chocolate chip one lap at a time.

What a life these little cyclists lead. We just hope the scuff marks come off the floor eventually...

The Fun of Four

2010-01-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

A book I'm reading describes age four as the age of exuberance. I love that portrayal, as it seems everything these little guys do is accomplished with such gusto, from the joyful to the challenging.

There is glee and excess and unrestrained wackiness in everything, from running to dancing to protesting parental requests to roughhousing to singing to feeling sleepy. These four-year-olds are present, and excited to be present, each and every moment of the day (and night).

Here you have some exuberant room clean-up that turned into a fence composed entirely of hangers, meticulously constructed (mostly by Ryan) until the very last millisecond before bathtime. And, some sweet and exuberant cuddling, as only these two can do.

As with each and every age, we're loving four.

Tights, Not Just for Party Dresses Anymore

2010-01-05T11:01:00.000-08:00

If Lucie had her way, she'd wear a sundress and sandals every day of the year. That's too chilly to pull off in the winter though, even in our climate. Since we'd never dare suggest giving up dresses, we thought adding pants and socks underneath would be a good stay-warm plan.

We quickly learned that this plan was not so popular. Many a morning battle ensued where she made it very clear that she does "NOT yike pants!" no matter how soft or fuzzy or elastic-waisted they may be -- only dresses, and maybe some slippers to keep her toes warm, thank you very much. But that leaves some very cold legs in between.

Peace has returned to the morning routine now that Lucie has discovered a love of tights, preferably pink ones. She wears them every day and every where, thrilled that they meet all her needs because "they have built-in socks with pants in the middle!" Now if only we could keep one or more pairs clean and hole-free at all times after all the digging, playing, jumping, sliding and bike riding that's done in them.

When we were out for a New Year's hike with friends, a woman stopped us to tell Lucie how much she loved her polka-dot stockings. "What are stockings, Mommy?", Lucie asked. As I explained that it was just another word for her tights, Lucie broke out in a smile. Now not only does she love tights, but she loves stockings too. Apparently pink polka-dotted ones are great for hiking.

Holiday Highlights, Part II

2009-12-30T14:42:00.000-08:00

After a morning of visiting with family and playing at the park, Christmas Eve officially began with the donning of festive holiday attire. Lucie is not used to having someone to match with, and was so excited that her doll had an identical dress (thanks Gigi).

We enjoyed an delicious cioppino dinner, our traditional reading of "The Polar Express", and a pile of gifts for the kids.

The next morning Lucie and Ryan were delighted by a note from Santa letting them know he'd left gifts for them in their living room at home. That Santa Claus really is a considerate guy, and made our packing on the way home a lot easier. We headed off to Grandma and Grandpa's house for several more days of celebrations, including a delicious turkey dinner, complete with sweet potato fries for Lucie and Ryan, and a visit to Christmas in the Park.

Over the next few days, Ryan enjoyed testing out his new sports equipment with Daddy, Grandpa and Uncle Greg, and his space puzzle with Jessica (soon to be Aunt Jessica -- hooray!). Lucie was in pony heaven caring for several new little friends, and put on a fashion show for Grandma with jewelry from her new jewelry box.

Many thanks to our families for such a special and memorable holiday. We're looking forward to many more wonderful times together in 2010.

Holiday Highlights, Part I

2009-12-30T13:46:00.000-08:00

My two little fliers and I prepared for take-off and headed up to Gigi and Papa's house several days before Christmas. Their pre-flight reading is now routine, not because anyone really cares where the emergency exits are, but more because L & R love looking at the picture of the plane "landing" on water. Uncle AJ will have to explain the physics of that at a much later age.

For the first year, Lucie and Ryan were willing to sit briefly on Santa's lap at a family party, at least until he gave them a gift, and then they bounded as fast as they could back to me. They were both impressed that Santa gave them books with their favorite "My Little Pony" and "Handy Manny" (or "Handy Mandy" in Ryan-speak) characters, and declared that he was actually a pretty nice and observant guy, despite any earlier reservations.

Much more Christmas fun was had at Gigi and Papa's as we went on a holiday train ride (complete with fake snow flying alongside of each car's windows), checked out neighborhood lights, and spent a morning constructing Lucie and Ryan's own gingerbread house scene. Lucie spent most of the time eating chocolate kisses, while Ryan constructed a multi-story marshmallow snowman he named "Giant". We were sure "Giant" would bite the dust at some point, but we propped him up with a graham cracker and lots of frosting, and Gigi says he's still standing to this day.

Unfortunately Tate was too sick at the beginning of the week to join us, though once he was feeling better, we paid him a visit for some always high-energy and fun cousin time. The kids raced around the house on scooters while Caleb looked on with delight. You'll be crashing into walls at high speed with them in no time, big guy.

Snowbound!

2009-12-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

Strange to think about snow on a day when the mercury hit 82 degrees, but Lucie and Ryan have gone more than four years without having ever experienced snow. And while that is mostly due to geography, it's a little sad. Fortunately, the streak is scheduled to end next month when we head to the mountains for a long weekend.

Since that trip (and probably all snow trips for the next few years) will be focused on sledding and snowmans, I decided to sell my snowboard gear. I haven't been on snow since 2003 and better to free up valuable garage space for L & R's Christmas presents.

And even though L & R demonstrated great form at age 2 1/2, we'll probably wait another year or so before strapping them in.

Christmas Spirit

2009-12-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

Even though this is our second Christmas in the house, we only managed to put up a paltry little tree last year. This year, Lucie and Ryan insisted we prepare early to avoid a repeat performance.

So last weekend, with Grandma and Grandpa's help, we got started. First order of business was a wreath for the gate. Nearby pine trees contributed pine cones while L & R made paper snowflakes with Grandma.

Next up was outdoor lights. After last year's holiday let-down, I bought LED lights on clearance sale and, for eleven months, the boxes have been gathering dust in the garage. It took a few hours to install the hooks (nothing says Christmas like dangling 15 feet up armed with a hammer, drill, hooks, and electricity...) and tuck power cords out of sight, but our house is now officially lit every evening. And while the brightness of the LED lights is a little underwhelming, at least it only costs us 20 cents per week to light them up.

Finally, we decided not to get a tree — just didn't make sense this year. After much discussion, we arrived at a compromise: the lights intended for the tree would be put up in L & R's room instead. The lights are turned on each night at bedtime and turned off once no creatures are stirring.

Me, I want a hula hoop

2009-12-12T15:23:00.001-08:00

Lucie and Ryan made their stage debut at the preschool Christmas show last week. There were so many sweet and funny moments throughout the night, my favorites including Ryan's enormous yawn on stage, Lucie's chipmunk ears falling over her eyes, and how little Fiona (next to Ryan) kept looking over at him for clues on the final words to "Away in the Manger".

Lucie wore a dress that was my Christmas dress as a girl, sewn by my Mom with a matching one for Rachel. It fit Lucie perfectly. She was so proud to wear it, declaring to her friend's dad that "This was my Mommy's dress!"

The kids were exhausted when we got home, especially after the post-show sugar cookie rush wore off. When I tucked a sleepy Ryan into bed, I told him how proud I was of his singing. "Oh Mommy" he murmured, eyes drooping shut, "it was nothing."

Tech-Savvy Boy

2009-12-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

While we weren't paying attention, a little boy has become quite proficient with all kinds of gadgets and buttons around here. It started with an interest in learning to use our digital camera. In no time Ryan had mastered taking photos, deleting photos, changing the date/time stamp, and mysteriously turning on a chirping noise every time a photo is snapped.

That was just the beginning. Now Ryan can hook the camera up to the computer, upload photos and add them to his personal folder in iPhoto, all on his own. He's very proud of this achievement, and meticulously arranges his roughly 84 uploaded photos, routinely going through his assortment of random (and mostly unflattering) shots of his parents, firetrucks outside the grocery store and poses of his loved ones, batting helmet, and train tracks.

Once Ryan mastered the digital camera, he became quite intrigued by the Netflix envelope that occasionally appears in our mail. For many years we had kept this a secret, maintaining that only "Mommy & Daddy shows" could arrive in a red envelope. Everyone seemed okay with that, until we were all sick one week and I began searching Netflix for some kids' movies to get us through a long stretch indoors. Once Ryan caught sight of the Diego and Little Einsteins movies on the computer screen, the jig was up. Our queue has never been the same since.

This all seems so different from my childhood, when developed photos came in paper envelopes at Longs Drugstore, and movies were a slumber-party treat on a rented VCR from the video store. Now our four-year-old now knows how to work a TiVo remote and greets me at preschool pick-up with, "Mommy, mommy -- did you get Daddy's text?"

Thankfully, low-tech games involving a blanket, a giggling sister and yelling "BOO!" out the door at the rain (I don't get it either) are still some of the favorite activities in our house.

Happy Birthday Daddy

2009-12-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

As our kids love to do, the countdown to Daddy's birthday was started over a week in advance. Everyone from Lucie and Ryan's preschool teacher to the guy behind the counter at the smoothie shop was kept well informed of how many more days remaining until December 1st.

Once the day came, it did not disappoint. L& R each got a "Happy Birthday" helium balloon at the grocery store, we celebrated with mint chip ice cream cake, and the first windows of the long anticipated chocolate Advent calendars were revealed. No wonder these kids were excited. It was a wonderful celebration for a wonderful-in-every-way Daddy and husband! We love you.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-27T09:35:00.000-08:00

We're thankful for so many things this Thanksgiving...

We're thankful for feasts at preschool, where the favorite dishes are kiwi, macaroni and cheese, and cupcakes.

We're thankful to live in such a beautiful place, where two little people can accompany us on a three mile hike without a stroller (many shoulder rides were given on the final stretch home).

We're thankful for four-year-old cheerleaders declaring, "Our Mommy is going to win!" and plentiful high-fives at the end of the neighborhood 5K Turkey Trot.

We're thankful to celebrate the holiday surrounded by family, and many helpers in the kitchen. Ryan makes a terrific pear, cranberry and walnut green salad.

We're thankful to have graduated to the "transition table" at our family Thanksgiving so Lucie, Ryan and cousins Maggie, Milo, and Julie could take over the kids table.

We're thankful for holiday plays organized by Katie and Aunt Betsy where everyone gets stage fright and forgets their lines.

We're thankful for one little turkey who spent the entire drive home (at 10:30 at night) wide awake, playing "I-Spy" with his Uncle Andrew and giving minute-by-minute traffic reports. We're just hoping he'll sleep in this weekend...

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Goofballs

2009-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Lucie and Ryan's laughter is such a pure, infectious form of happiness, that I'm guilty of trying to provoke it myself. These two can turn a seemingly normal word into a laughing fit of uncontrollable, gut-wrenching giggles. The next thing I know, I'm rolling on the floor with them over something as silly as Ryan saying "beluga whale" over and over again, or a rendition of the latest song from the "Fresh Beat Band" (a music group that sometimes plays after their favorite TV program). L & R's punchy moods can be contagious.

This sweet and simple silliness doesn't always translate to writing, as so much of it is in tone of voice, pronunciation or corresponding dance moves (the best!). Often times too, the intention is perfectly serious, but whatever comes out of their mouth makes everyone laugh. These recent gems are just too funny, sweet, and innocent not to write down.

Lucie: "Ryan, do you want to go on a space mission with me?"
Ryan: "Sorry, can't do it, I have to go pee!!!"

Lucie, at the dinner table: "Daddy, I will NOT eat pizza, I will ONLY eat broccoli!"

While working together sweeping under the kitchen table, Lucie to Ryan: "Ryan, you're making me work ALL DAY!"

Lucie, at bedtime: "Mommy, how do you say I really, really, really, really love you in french?"

And, lastly, one of my recent favorites is Ryan's adoption of the word "perhaps", though out of his mouth, it sounds like "be-haps". It's hard to catch sometimes, but if you hear him say it, I guarantee you'll smile.

"Yegoyand" Revisited

2009-11-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

To celebrate a successful effort at reducing finger/thumb sucking and Tate's new status as a big brother, we ventured to Legoland last week. Aunt Rach, Tate, Gigi and Papa all flew down to join us. Sharing the adventure with family, combined with beautiful weather and virtually no lines, made for an all around great day.

We've only been to Legoland a few times, but each time we go I'm reminded why we love it. The park is clean, small, and perfectly suited for the preschool set with tons of simple -- yet to a 3 or 4 year old quite thrilling -- rides and playgrounds. This past trip was particularly special because it was Tate's first time, and Lucie and Ryan got to share all their favorite adventures with him. Our kids also got to try a few rides they hadn't been on before, now that they've reached age four.

Anything that the kids were able to steer themselves was declared the favorite of the day. Lucie particularly liked the car ride, and maneuvered her way around the mini-track with such ease and nonchalance it was as if she had done it hundreds of times before.

One morning a week ago Lucie woke up declaring that she had a dream that night where she drove a car "on the freeway, Mommy!!" So clearly, she'd had some recent practice at this.

Like last year, Ryan was a big fan of the boat ride, again because you could steer yourself. As co-captain, I gave him full control of the wheel and gas pedal. His captaining style involved jerking the boat all the way to the right and then all the way to the left, repeatedly, even spinning us in a full circle as we motored into the landing dock.

Ryan also kept one eye on the water, and the other on a fire fighting show going on right next to the boat ride. Boating while watching fire trucks -- what more could a little guy ask for?

When I asked Tate which ride he liked the best, he said he liked the "dinosaur" ride. Aunt Rach and I both tried to remember a ride with dinosaurs and couldn't come up with anything. Then Rachel remembered that there was a good view of some dinosaurs from one of the rides -- that had to be his favorite. Here he is with Papa, enjoying the view of the dinosaurs (and figuring out that you really didn't have to pedal to keep the train moving).

Houses of Bounce

2009-11-08T20:23:00.000-08:00

My lingering cold gives me the opportunity to catch up on a few posts I drafted earlier this year, but never published. Funny side story about bounce houses — L & R were at a party for a preschool friend today and one of the moms (a recent transplant from South Korea) asked Megan if it was normal for American birthday parties to include an inflatable house. Based on our experience, it is in So Cal.

This post should have gone out sometime in April...

We went through a long stretch in February and March where just about every weekend presented at least one opportunity for bouncing. A couple of birthday parties for buddies, the twins club spring party, even a random party at our local park. At first, L & R wanted a parent to bounce with them, but soon figured out that it was more fun with just kids.

By now, they are seasoned pros and are starting to ask if they can have a bounce house for their next birthday.

The Astronaut and the Fairy/Princess/Ballerina/Butterfly

2009-11-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

On Sunday morning Lucie looked at me sadly and asked, "Mommy, how come Halloween is only one day?" We had so many celebrations leading up to the big night -- two pumpkin patch trips, a party at preschool, and countless costume discussions -- it's no wonder she felt let down when it was over. Halloween at age four is a lot of fun.

Ever the fashion lover, Lucie had two different looks this year, which was actually quite useful when attending both day and night time events. One was a princess gown, and the other was a fairy costume with a glittering, fuschia tutu. She sometimes was both a fairy and a princess, depending on whether she wore her tiara, butterfly wings, fairy crown, or some combination of the three. If it was pink and sparkled, it was part of her costume (not surprisingly, many girls in preschool shared this same costume criterion).

Ryan passed along his beloved fireman costume to Tate, and decided to be an astronaut this year. Grandpa gave him colorful patches of various space missions, and Ryan helped me sew several on his flight suit. The patches made an otherwise plain costume look quite special, and Ryan felt proud. He liked to tell people that he was off "to the moon!"

After a month's worth of build up, the kids were so excited to put on their costumes on Halloween night and make their tour of the neighborhood with Daddy. I stayed back to hand out candy at home and try to remember all the cute costumes I saw to report back later.

The kids returned from their trick-or-treating exhausted and toting plastic pumpkins brimming with candy. Apparently their candy got so heavy towards the end, they worked out a system where Daddy would carry the buckets between houses and then hand them over when it came time to collect more treats. The kids each dragged home what seemed to be nearly their body weight in candy.

Though they loved the experience as a whole, some aspects of the trick-or-treating adventure were quite unnerving for them. Any house that had too many cobwebs, dangling skeletons, teenagers in gory costumes, smoke machines, or most terrifying of all, recorded spooky noises, was declared "too scary" and completely bypassed. The preferred house decor was a nice, bright porch light with cheerfully carved pumpkins grinning on the front step, and a brimming bowl of Skittles (for Lucie) and M & M's (for Ryan) waiting inside.

Chapel

2009-10-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

Lucie and Ryan's preschool is affiliated with a community church, incorporating a small amount of religious instruction through Bible stories, short prayers and monthly chapel services.

From what I've seen and heard through the kids, the lessons are quite general, and would likely resonate with people of many different religious backgrounds. The prayer they've learned to recite before each meal, as sung by little four-year-old voices, is just about the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

Last week the kids participated in their first chapel service at preschool. Having never attended church before, I hoped they wouldn't feel confused or out of place, and wondered what they thought of the experience. They told me they liked it, and as Lucie explained, "A man and lots of teachers sang songs about God!"

Though pretty certain I knew the answer, I asked if they understood who God was. They both shook their heads no. Trying to keep things simple, I explained that God was someone who watched over us, and kept living things safe and loved. "Even plants and animals?", Lucie asked. Yes, I assured her.

Ryan, looking thoughtful and slightly dissatisfied, wondered, "Does God take care of green blankie and Bunny too?" I paused for a moment, and then said, of course. He smiled and gave Bunny a big hug. Any God we love must surely look out for our stuffed "loved ones" as well.

And there it was, our first religious discussion. It was very sweet and simple, exactly how I hoped it would be.

Banished

2009-10-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Three times we've dined at the local Soup Plantation, three times someone has thrown up. In the restaurant. Usually while at the table.

Lots of theories on why this keeps happening. Lucie's thinks its because she ate raw broccoli. Ryan says it was the chocolate milk. Megan is suspicious of the blue jello (rightfully so). I'm leaning towards the soft serve ice cream with sprinkles.

In the end, we and Soup Plantation have mutually decided to take a break from one another. Will also help save money since it takes a sizable tip to come close to compensating the staff for having to clean up afterward.

Prepared for Takeoff

2009-10-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

It's no wonder Lucie and Ryan have both recently earned free roundtrip Southwest Airlines tickets. A few weeks after our trip in September, the three of us made another visit to celebrate Tate's 3rd birthday. With four flights in as many weeks, our little ones are getting pretty good at taking their shoes off in the security line and managing those tricky airplane seat belts.

When it comes to airports, Lucie and Ryan are easily entertained. They could spend hours staring out the windows asking "why? how? when?" about everything from jet ways to refueling tanks to baggage handlers. The one thing they don't like about airports is the bathrooms. Lucie is particularly terrified of the automatic flush toilets with their unpredictable nature and deafening sound. Her first question whenever we enter a new bathroom is always, "Do they have the automatic flush, Mommy? I don't like those."

These past few trips the kids have been fascinated by the airplane safety instructions found in each seat. They spent a good fifteen minutes each way mesmerized by their laminated sheets, chatting away about what they saw:

"Mommy, when do the slides come out? They look like fun! Can airplanes go in water? Hmmm... that's weird - how do the people float? How do these masks come down? Why is this lady opening the plane door? Where does it go?"

On our return flight a passenger nearby laughed at the commentary, and then began looking slightly terrified, possibly wondering if the kids knew something he didn't know. Of course (and thankfully) the kids' safety knowledge was not put to use. Though I also remember thinking as a kid that those exit slides looked pretty fun.

The party was a blast, complete with "Mater" cupcakes and a Diego impersonator (pictured at top -- no, that's not Uncle Jason with the orange satchel). We all enjoyed meeting some of Tate's little buddies and celebrating the big number three. Lucie and Ryan were especially excited to help him open and try out all his new gifts. The stomp rocket and new stories with cousins before bed were particular favorites.

The Rules According to Lucie

2009-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

In recent weeks, our household has gone under new management, or so a certain four-year-old girl and her sidekick, Ella the elephant, like to think. Lucie has become quite interested in rules, especially her own rules. Perhaps this fascination came from preschool and its corresponding guidelines, or maybe this is just a normal four-year-old girl phase. Either way, Lucie and her rules -- hmmm, how do I best put this? Well, they rule.

When Lucie is asked to do something she doesn't want or like to do, she simply declares, "But Mommy, that's not my rule!" And, just to cement her point, she'll protest, "And it's not Ella's rule either!" According to the doctrine of Lucie, dirty hands before dinner, shoeless feet outside, and skipping the bathroom before bed are perfectly acceptable.

The rules of Lucie are sometimes adorable, sometimes enough to drive a parent or twin brother crazy. She loves to put her personal spin on games, from made-up adventures at the park with friends to "game night" with the four of us. She assigns her own meanings to the cards she draws during Candy Land, which curiously all get her closer and closer to Princess Frostine. While Daddy may offer a unicorn ride before bed, her rules dictate it should be a baby kitty ride instead, even though we all know she adores unicorns. The Lucie touch is everywhere.

This past week we met one little creature that didn't follow Lucie's rules, and made me just as upset as our girl. While at a pumpkin patch, a bee arrived out of the blue, and stung Lucie through the sleeve of her dress. As tears streamed down her face, she cried, "But Mommy, that bee didn't follow the rules! Why did it sting me if I wasn't bothering it?"

Fortunately, Lucie recovered quickly, with only a short bout of crying and some slight inflammation. She definitely had a point though -- if you bother a bee you might get stung, but what if you get stung while innocently waiting in line for a pony ride? That's just not right. As far as the rules of Lucie go, no bee stings at the pumpkin patch is one rule I'm more than willing to adopt.

"I Be-member"

2009-10-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

As the kids get older, they are beginning to develop traditions based on their recollections of events in the past. It's really neat to see this develop as they associate certain locations or times of year with particular activities. There's nothing cuter than the pensive, slightly quizzical look on Ryan's face as he launches into a memory with, "I be-member..."

Many of these traditions are associated with the upcoming holidays, such as a trip to the pumpkin patch to pick out this year's Jack-o-lantern or a desire to buy advent calendars at Christmas. Lucie and Ryan each remember their favorite details of these experiences from last year, and when this memory is triggered, they'll talk, talk and talk about repeating the same this year.

A tradition they've developed with their grandparents is apple picking in September. When we've visited around the kids' birthday, they've enjoyed helping Grandma and Grandpa pick from their backyard tree, and then munch on their pickings during a photo with Grandpa. The top photo is from this year, with the previous two years below. And so a tradition begins.

Pop Flies and Fishing

2009-10-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

We found this orange bat and a soft baseball deep in the closet of the beach condo. Catching pop flies (and chasing sea gulls) became a favorite beach day activity. With a little coaching from Chris and Uncle Jason, a group of kids was soon running after the ball on the beach, including three sweet girls who happened to be staying with their family next door.

Our two and the three freckle-faced sisters became fast friends, with very little prompting from the parents. At first they were a little tentative around each other, but within a few hours, they were all calling each other by name, wrestling and sharing birthday cake. The girls took a particular liking to Ryan, and would alternate calling out, "Ryan, tackle me!" or "Ryan, come get me!" and then fall into a giggling pile in the sand. Ryan loved the attention. Everyone was sad to see the sisters go at the end of the weekend.

In later adventures, Papa took the kids fishing on the Capitola Wharf. We had a great time, and by the end of the afternoon, Lucie and Ryan were starting to get the hang of casting and reeling, wanting to practice over and over again. We didn't have much (or any) luck with the fish, but that didn't matter to anyone, as most of the fun was moving from spot to spot on the wharf, enjoying a different view and peeking in the buckets of fellow fishermen.

Fourth Birthday Bash

2009-10-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

When we learned that we could spend the week of the kids' birthday at my grandmother's beach condo in Capitola Village, we jumped at the opportunity to celebrate the big number four there. With an open beach (or "sandbox" as Taterbug called it), beloved friends and family, balloon animals, baseball, and cake (two of them, of course), the day of the party was delightful, and reminiscent of the many celebrations my family had there when we were growing up. You can't beat the beach for a party.

The hands-down highlight of the party was our family friend, high school student, and budding magician, Brettso the Great. When I heard Brett was doing his own shows, we thought he'd be a great addition to the party. But, who knew he'd be the hit of the party? The show wowed us, and kept the kids at the edge of their seats. He was really sweet to make the birthday kids feel special, calling them up individually to assist with a trick.

After the show, he started making balloon animals for the kids and amazed us with his creations, everything from swords to aliens to an octopus and a cornucopia basket. When Brett's a famous Las Vegas performer someday, Lucie and Ryan will have to say that they knew him back when he knocked the socks off the guests at their fourth birthday party.

The second highlight -- the individual cakes -- were discussed and discussed long before the day of the party. Lucie went with a lavender princess cake from local Gayle's Bakery, a vanilla genoise, whipped cream and marzipan delight that was a favorite at Aunt Rach's childhood parties. Ryan went with a mint chip ice cream cake (his favorite flavor) with Bob the Builder and orange frosting. Not only did they enjoy their own cakes, but they also took generous samplings of their twin's cakes, making for a perfect combination of mint chip and purple frosting. Yum.

As seen in this last picture, Lucie was still enjoying her cake (second or third helping? I forget) long into the party, and even had to stop for bites during a balloon sword fight/wrestle match with Uncle Jason. Now that's the sign of a good party.

p.s. Lucie and Ryan's birthday crowns were handmade by my dear friend, Amey. The kids loved them and barely took them off all week -- so special and sweet and thoughtful.

Dinnertime Conversations With Lucie

2009-10-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

Lucie continues to crack us up at the dinner table — here's two sample conversations from this past week:

Me: "Lucie, what was your favorite part of today?"
Lucie: "Well, we went to our park and we saw people working in a manhole. When can me and Ryan go in a manhole?"

Megan: "Lucie, when you are on the playground at preschool and have to go to potty, where do you go?"
Lucie: "We go to the bathroom in our classroom because it is the only one that shares with the playground. Today, while I was peeing, a boy came in."
Megan: "What did you do?"
Lucie: "Well, I had to say 'hi'."

The Fourth Year

2009-09-28T20:39:00.000-07:00

A celebration of this past year — enjoy!

Big Four Year Old Boy

2009-09-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

To our Ryan, you sweet, lovable, thoughtful, athletic, fun-seeking boy -- you're days away from your four birthday! There's so much to capture about you at this age. I want to write it all down so I can always be reminded of this wonderful moment in time.

You are a boy in constant motion, kicking, running, jumping, throwing, skipping, and hopping through your days. One of your favorite activities is launching yourself from the couch, a chair, or the bed into an enormous pile of pillows and blankets. You have no fear as you fly through the air sporting a grin from ear to ear. Thankfully, you're still cautious enough not to make me totally lose my mind with anxiety, but your stunts do get my heart pounding.

You're constantly finding new ways to manipulate toys and objects around you. I'm amazed by the variety of tricks you come up with on your scooter, or how you can swing on the door to your room or the fridge. In the backyard or at the pool or park, I hear over and over again, "Watch me, Mommy! Isn't that a cool move?" It always is.

As a boy in constant motion, you share your Dad's love for roughhousing. You've created all sorts of games, favorites including "Daddy Rock" (climbing and somersaulting over Daddy), "Leg Lock" (trying to escape Daddy's grasp), "Lump" (hiding under the sheets for Daddy to find you) and, no explanation necessary here, "Tackle" . You could wrestle and tickle and roll on the floor with your Dad for hours.

Along with your physical, active side, you have a quiet, focused side that continues to enjoy creating, both in the kitchen and with art. You'll never pass down a chance to help prepare a meal, or make an art project, and you especially enjoy creating letters to send to family members. These letters often include cut-out photos of your favorite things, glued meticulously onto orange sheets of paper. You're learning what one would write in a letter, and can dictate sweet phrases for me to write like, "Dear Tate, I hope you are doing well. Here is a picture of a fire truck. Love, Ryan and Bunny".

Which brings me to another thing, your love for Bunny. You are devoted to that little guy. No matter how filthy or tattered he gets, you still adore him. Actually, the dirt and rips only seem to increase your love for him. You're fine with not toting him to preschool, but always remind me to bring him along when I pick you up. He's the first thing you grab as you climb into the stroller for the walk home. Bunny continues to bring you much comfort in the topsy-turvy, ever changing world of a preschooler.

Ryan, as your swim teacher put it, you're a pleasure to be around. I feel so lucky to watch you learn and grow each day. Happy Fourth Birthday Buddy! Promise me you won't grow too quickly this next year...

Big Four Year Old Girl

2009-09-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Lucie, our sweet, intelligent, funny, precocious, goofy and delightful girl — can you really be turning four on Saturday?

Like you, I have a difficult time imagining life before you entered the scene. When we talk about things that happened before you were born, you wonder, "But where were me and Ryan?" It's hard for you to fathom the pre-Lucie and Ryan days, and even more difficult for you to grasp that there were years when your mom and dad did not know each other. In your mind, we've always been together, from childhood to adulthood, just as you imagine marrying Ryan some day.

You've developed this funny practice of calling me "Mother". I'm not sure where it came from, but it's almost become habit for you now. I feel like I'm living in the days of Little Women, a book I can see you enjoying when you're older. In a silly mood, you'll make it sound goofy like "Mudder" and then abbreviate it to "Mud" — just what I've always dreamed of being called.

On the subject of books, I can see you writing your own someday. You narrate your life, bringing in phrases from books or favorite TV programs. Sometimes your narration is in the first person, other times you refer to yourself in third person, depending on your mood. When we ask you to get in your car seat, you might say, "And so Lucie climbed into her car seat, she grabbed her favorite kitty and smiled with delight". And then when crawling into bed that night, you might say, "I jumped into bed and nestled all snug as a bug in a rug. I kissed my mother on the cheek. Good night!"

Your vocabulary astounds us. You'll come up with delightful phrases, out of nowhere. When asked if you'd like some more fruit for dessert, you recently replied, "Oh yes, cherries make my heart melt!" You're always interested in what words mean, stopping us in the middle of a sentence for clarification. A visit to Target taught you the meaning of the word "tempting", during our summer heat wave you wanted to know what "scorching" meant. If you don't understand a word, you'll ask what it means, soak it in, and be ready to use it yourself.

Your imaginary creation, Lucieland, has taken on a life of its own. We learn more about it every day, and apparently you're able to sneak in quite a few visits, as we often hear stories started by, "When Ella and I were at Lucieland..." The language of its people, named appropriately "Lucie language", is quite extensive. You're always introducing us to new words, sometimes to be silly, other times to get yourself out of a jam, like when you try to convince me that your loud declaration of "No!" is actually Lucie language for "Yes, Mom, whatever you say". Sure.

Though you enjoy playing with fire trucks or reading about garbage trucks, you're a girlie-girl through and through. You love purple, sparkles, rainbows, flowers, fairies, and unicorns perched on purple rainbows. Play ponies and kittens are adored, as well as anything having to do with ballet or ballerinas. You've decided you want to be a "ballerina teacher" when you grow up, which I think is so interesting, that you'd chose to be the teacher instead of the dancer. Whatever you do, we know you'll be great at it.

Happy Birthday to our amazing four year old girl. We love you through and through.

Noodle Countdown

2009-09-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Right about the time my birthday rolls around, Ryan and Lucie start asking, "When is it going to be OUR birthday?" They know that their celebration is next in our family, though it's hard for them to understand that it's not the following day, but seven whole weeks away. That's a lot of time in the life of an almost four year old.

Once September hit we began the official countdown with one of their favorite ways to understand the calendar -- stringing pasta noodles. They start by stringing a noodle for each day remaining until the 19th, and then take off one noodle each morning. They love removing a noodle after breakfast each day, and are visually reminded of how quickly their birthday is approaching.

We've used this before to count down days until trips or family visitors, though this time R & L had the idea of painting their noodles before stringing them. Lucie chose a heavy marinara sauce approach, rolling her penne in gobs of purple paint, while Ryan was more of a light olive oil kind of guy, gently coating each penne with a brush of orange. Yum.

First Day

2009-08-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

We started talking about preschool early in the summer, knowing that the first day would come quickly, and wanting to make sure Lucie and Ryan were prepared. Ryan was always cautiously optimistic about it, expressing mild interest, with a few reservations about missing home (possibly only for my benefit -- he's sweet like that.) Lucie expressed little to no fear, and by mid-August was ready for the preschool countdown. "Why can't it start tomorrow?", she'd plea.

Before we knew it, the first day came last week. The kids did great. There were no tears (except my own the night before), no leg-grabbing, no heart wrenching walks to the door. In fact, Lucie and Ryan practically skipped off to see their teacher and start the day. Chris and I found ourselves on the playground alone, quickly realizing that we were staying more for our own benefit than for theirs.

When I came for pick up, the teacher said Lucie and Ryan did well, and spent most of the morning by their sibling's side. They each had a name of a new friend to share as well as several drawings and school work. And, Ryan proudly proclaimed, "Mommy, we didn't have to use our back-up outfits!" (Both kids had wondered why we had to bring a change of clothes for their cubby -- what exactly would they be doing at this preschool place anyway?)

Though I'm sure we'll have our fair share of tough days, it's reassuring to know they enjoyed their first day and are ready for more. Now all I hear is, "Mommy, when's the second day of preschool?"

The Great Outdoors

2009-08-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was our inaugural family camping trip, spent with two other families both with their own sets of three-year-old twins. With two swimming pools, a small farm, climbing structures galore, and teepees to sleep in (with electricity), this campsite was the perfect introduction to camping with kids. We had many of the comforts of home combined with the beauties of the outdoors — sunlight, fresh air, star-filled skies at night, and plenty of dirt. And, boy did the kids love that dirt.

Chris and I have many memories of camping with our families as kids, and were excited to share the experience with our two. We knew Lucie and Ryan would like it, but didn't realize how much. As we unpacked the car, the kids immediately started exploring our campsite with their friends, climbing boulders, kicking dirt and finding bugs along the way. They later spent the afternoon swimming in a large kiddie pool and licking ice cream sandwiches as they dripped down their wet bathing suits. To Lucie and Ryan, this was heaven.

At night we roasted marshmallows and sang songs around the campfire. One family brought glowsticks and another brought musical instruments, and soon we were all enjoying gooey s'mores while the kids belted out "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". It was one of those wonderful, happy moments that makes you stop to think — wow, this is what it's all about.

Lucie developed a close friendship with one of her pals' older sister, who also happens to have the same name. Lucy and Lucie became good buddies, holding hands on the way to the pool, laughing about the different spellings of their name, and looking at back-to-school clothing catalogs together (something my sister and I would always do while camping in August). It was really sweet to see Lucy take on the big sister role with our Lucie.

Needless to say, we hope to camp again very soon. Lucie must have asked four times on the way home, "When can we go camping again?" She's ready to pack up the sleeping bags and head out again. And Mr. Ryan has declared that "CAMPING!" is his favorite part of camping. When I asked him what that meant, he said, "That means I loved everything we did." Clearly, they've caught the camping bug.

True Happiness...

2009-08-19T22:12:00.000-07:00

is launching yourself off a chair and over a cushion with your tongue hanging out. Terrifying your mother in the process is a nice bonus.

Pushing Capacity

2009-08-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

When we bought our kiddie pool last summer it seemed plenty big. There was room for Lucie and Ryan plus a friend or two to splash around and not feel too cramped (for a kiddie pool).

This year, things are a little different. The first time we set up the pool, it looked so tiny. Clearly it had shrunk stored in the garage these past nine months, or, uh -- maybe our kids had grown? If their recently too-tight/too-short clothes aren't enough to prove that, this kiddie pool certainly makes the point.

Adding in the homeschool preschool crew last week, and it's clear we need a new pool. The kids still had fun and didn't seem to mind the lack of personal space. Though I did notice that everyone hopped out pretty quick once popsicles appeared.

Little Readers

2009-08-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Lucie and Ryan read their latest fav book, Alphabet Under Construction

P.S. As soon as I figure out our new camera, L & R fans will be able to enjoy videos in high definition. Hopefully in time for their birthday...

Pool and Field Fun

2009-08-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a summer of sports for Lucie and Ryan. One set of swim lessons ended in July, and a second set at a different pool began in August. This month L & R are taking lessons separately, which we all enjoy. It gives each kid their own experiences with different teachers and classmates, while their sibling gets some alone time with one of us. Their teachers are great, though no one has matched the much loved and still talked about Mr. John of July's lessons. That guy's a legend in our house.

Along with swim, L & R are taking their first soccer class. It's a great class -- no pressure, no rules, no formal games, just lots of fun running around and kicking soccer balls. The only real "rule" they've learned is not to use their hands, though Lucie can sometimes be seen picking up her ball and moving it if it isn't going the direction she wants it to. Early reports from visiting family members indicate Lucie may have inherited my soccer "skills" (involving occasional dandelion picking and pigtail twirling while on the field), though I still think it's too early to tell.

We've learned that for Lucie and Ryan, the best part about running, kicking and floating is the perks that come along with expending all that energy. We were running a few minutes late to soccer class this week, and I encouraged the kids to hurry. "We can't be late, Mommy", Ryan said, "we don't want to miss water break!" They love water break, as shown by the pure joy on their faces running up the hill to their water bottles.

The same is true for swim class. After everyone is done we treat them to a drink out of the vending machine. It's hard to pinpoint what's more thrilling, the Gatorade or the experience of using a vending machine, but both are talked about over and over again. So, not only has it been a summer of sports, but it's also been a summer of good hydration. Gotta love that water break (and of course, the machine that can give one to us).

A New Elephant in Town

2009-07-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

It used to be that Ducky was Lucie's favorite "loved one" — toted everywhere, dressed in tutus, held close during naps and at night, and involved in countless imaginary adventures. These days Ducky is most often found tossed to the foot of Lucie's bed, and Ella the elephant has taken her place in Lucie's heart.

It's hard to say exactly when the shift took place. Ella had been around for at least a year or so — a gift at the Wild Animal Park from Gigi and Papa. She had a spot among the handful of special animals in Lucie's crib, but was no where close to as treasured in her early days as she is now. As Lucie moved to a big kid bed, the stuffed elephant in her crib became "Ella", and Ducky has been playing second (or third or fourth) fiddle ever since.

Ella is Lucie's everything. She adores that stuffed little pachyderm. Though I have to admit a touch of sadness for the demise of Lucie's first lovey, Ella does seem like a good friend to enjoy future whispered secrets, slumber parties with friends, and trips to see grandparents. And, if Lucie is anything like her mother, maybe Ella might even make the trip to freshman year of college?

At this same time, Ryan has developed an affinity for a stuffed ball. It also has it's own name, "Ball-eee" (emphasis on the e), and is loved and treasured and slept on and hit and kicked and thrown all day long. It has in no way taken the place of Bunny, but is definitely at number two status. It even travels with us, providing quite a challenge to squish and fit into a backpack.

Last Hurrah

2009-07-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

Out of the blue and with absolutely no prompting, Ryan decided that it was time to pass along his well-loved fireman costume to cousin Tate. It was definitely getting too tight, and way too short -- perfect timing for a hand over. Before we could give away old faithful, Ryan and Lucie dressed up for a farewell performance of the fireman and his tiara-wearing sister (who happens to be wearing a cousin Maggie hand-me-down).

All reports out of Tate's house indicate that the costume is continuing to get lots of love. Apparently Tate wanted to wear the "FDNY" undershirt three days straight in his first week of possession. We're happy it's found a good home. And, when the fit gets tight again, cousin Caleb is next in line.

And One Fell Out

2009-07-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

The holiday weekend seemed like an opportune time to setup Lucie and Ryan's big kid beds. After cleaning off five months of dust from garage storage, my team of helpers installed the 32 Allen bolts (big advantage to having little hands) and climbed right in. No rails — just a padded quilt on the floor and clear instructions not to fall out.

Worked great until last night...

Little Fish

2009-07-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Last week Lucie and Ryan started their first independent swim class. As I wrapped Ryan up in a towel after day one he exclaimed, "That was fun!" Lucie loved it too, telling us all about her teacher Mr. John and his "crazy moves" in the pool. I've noticed that he does a little dance with her each time she jumps in to him, which she can't describe before dissolving into a fit of giggles.

The class meets four days a week, giving the kids lots of time to try out their new skills in the pool and enjoy Mr. John's antics. Lucie and Ryan have been so excited to go to class, that they deck themselves out in full swim attire -- suits, rash guards, pink and green fluorescent goggles, and pool shoes -- hours before class starts. Ryan even turned down an offer for an ice cream cone before class, worrying that it might make us late (when really it would have made us thirty minutes early instead of our usual forty-five minute early arrival). Ah, to be a kid in the summertime!

Summer Art and Reading

2009-07-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

I should know by now that any art project requiring shaving cream and food dye is sure to turn crazy quickly. This adventure started out tame, mixing colors and shaving cream with a spoon in a baking dish. One finger dip in the shaving cream later, and blue-green foam exploded over the patio.

The kids loved it, and like with so many of our art projects, were soon naked to fully enjoy the fun.

In other less-messy activities, the kids joined the summer reading program at our library. They were so excited about earning a prize that they quickly raced through the required ten books for the first level, and begged me to return the next day. Two sweet teenage volunteers checked in their logs, gave them a certificate, and reached underneath the desk for the much anticipated prizes.

We were expecting a sticker or small coloring book, but instead both kids received a stuffed animal, book, two tickets to a baseball game, free passes to museums, stickers, numerous free kids' meal coupons at local restaurants and an echo microphone. All this for reading ten books of their selection? This was nothing like the summer reading program of my youth! (I remember being so thrilled about the patch I earned for my backpack after slogging through a summer's worth of nonfiction, fiction, how-to, mystery, and science books.)

Lucie and Ryan were hooked. The next night we read another set of ten books, and returned to the library for the next level of prizes. A second wonderful prize package was presented, along with a raffle ticket for each kid. With such a bonanza already, it's hard to imagine what the grand prize for the raffle could be. A pony? Trip to Disneyland? Dinner with Curious George?

Snoozing on the Road

2009-06-30T14:21:00.001-07:00

Having outgrown portable cribs, Lucie and Ryan found some creative ways to sleep on our recent trip. At Grandma and Grandpa's house, they were greeted by a fun handmade headboard filled with pictures of their recent adventures. The kids enjoyed pointing out photos of themselves and recalling the stories behind each shot. This, along with beds set up with guard railings and special bedding, made for some cozy bedtimes.

At Gigi and Papa's, Lucie and Ryan enjoyed an entire full-sized mattress to themselves (on the floor, just to be safe). It was their idea to sleep head-to-toe, which I thought was really cute. And, they're always excited to pull out their favorite "Gigi and Papa loved ones", some new, some from our childhoods, including Uncle Andrew's baby quilt, and two musical lambs, nearly identical except for their 30+ year age difference.

And finally, here's my favorite sleeping shot. This photo was taken at Tate's, after the trip to the water park. Tate had never seen "Cars" before, so we put it on for a little late-afternoon downtime. The next thing I knew, everyone was asleep -- except Taterbug. While Aunt Rach, Caleb, Lucie and Ryan napped, Tate kept his eyes wide open, making it through all 116 minutes of the movie. That Lightning McQueen is a pretty mesmerizing force the first time around.

Celebrating Summer

2009-06-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

Leaving behind gloomy June weather, we spent a week-long trip enjoying family and sunshine. Lucie and Ryan basked in the warm weather, taking advantage of every opportunity they could to swim, splash, jump waves, and get as wet as possible.

The water fun began at Grandma and Grandpa's, where L & R hit the pool with Grandpa for evening "night swimming", a favorite tradition. They loved going swimming after dinner, especially when it meant enjoying their brownie dessert in the pool.

Later in the week, we visited Tate's neighborhood park, complete with a water area. The three cousins ran from fountain to fountain, gleefully anticipating where the next spray of water would shoot out and catch them by surprise. Tate's favorite trick was to stand right on top of the spray, letting the water balloon out his Nemo swim trunks. Lucie and Ryan thought that was hilarious.

At Gigi and Papa's, we spent a gorgeous day at the beach. Each time they returned from jumping in waves, Lucie, Ryan and Tate would plead with Papa, "Can we go again, Papa? Please? Now?" Lucky for them, they have a Papa who enjoys the water just as much as they do and was more than happy to take them out.

After all this water play, Lucie and Ryan crashed hard at night. Now that they sleep in "big kid beds", I have some great pictures of their new sleeping set-ups at grandparents' houses, and of course photos of sweet new cousin, Caleb. We pulled off some interesting diaper changes with two cousins and a big brother helping out. More to come soon....

Snapshot of Homeschool Preschool

2009-06-11T13:41:00.000-07:00

After a rousing game of "Mother May I?", the homeschool preschool crew posed for this shot last week. I just love it. The looks on each face are terrific, showing six little fun-loving personalities, and how much their friendships have grown in the past ten months.

Last week's theme was on manners and helping at home. During circle time, the kids came up with examples of how they help their families — everything from holding their dad's hand while crossing the street (Eliza) to hugging their brother (Ethan) to fetching their twin's favorite blanket in times of need (Lucie). They are all so genuine, sweet, spontaneous, and eager to share at circle time.

This week we talked about visiting the doctor and dentist, a topic of much fascination for three-year-olds. They took turns playing the roles of doctor, nurse and mommy/daddy as their stuffed animals went in for check-ups. The most popular medical procedure performed on their furry friends? Shots! There's no getting behind on vaccines with these junior medical professionals.

We're coming to the end of the "school" year, with plans for a beach day, and a camping trip later in the summer. It's always a blast, and never dull or quiet, when these six get together.

Forts and More Forts

2009-06-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

Lucie and Ryan have always been big fans of homemade forts. And fortunately for them, they have a father who considers himself an amateur structural engineer.

So we've built forts out of cushions...

and out of cardboard...

and out of used garden sheds...

and, as of this morning, we've built forts out of big kid beds.

Lucie and I did the initial construction while Megan and Ryan went grocery shopping. Although the problem with using beds as the foundation of your fort is that you need to take the fort apart for sleeping. And since we usually still get a nap out of L & R on the weekend, we dutifully took apart our fort at naptime and then promptly rebuilt once everyone was awake again.

Cousin Number Two!

2009-06-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Lucie and Ryan awoke to the happy news that their new cousin made it safely into the world. Little Caleb Manuel (Manuel was my grandfather's name) was born early Saturday morning, right smack on his due date. What a punctual guy!

Lucie and Ryan can't wait to meet "Baby Kay-yub" and spend time with his big brother Tate. They took great pride in assisting with his "Gigi blanket" when Gigi was here last month. In their minds, a special Gigi blanket officially makes him one of the cousins. (Here are Lucie and Ryan with their blankets at age 3.5 months — can't believe they were once that tiny and took pacifiers!)

Welcome Caleb! We love you to pieces already. And, Ryan hopes you love the color orange and firetrucks as much as he does, as we'll have a steady stream of hand-me-downs headed your way.

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone enjoyed their watermelon as much as Ryan did. And, yes, we did make a special trip to the store just to pick one up...

Living Room of Trains

2009-05-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful Maggie and Milo hand-me-down was unearthed this weekend — turning our living room into Grand Central Station. Of course, every train in the house just had to come out to greet the new set of tracks and engines.

So far, it's been a good weekend of eating, sleeping and playing trains (though, not necessarily in that order). But when it comes down to it, it's hard for a toy to beat the real thing...

Some New Ryan-isms

2009-05-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Lately Ryan is fascinated by three things: speed, strength, and age (or size). If it moves, or even if it doesn't, he wants to know how fast it goes, how strong it is, and how big it is, often in comparison to himself.

For Ryan, speed and strength come to play in nearly every task. Most places he goes, he runs, declaring along the way, "I'm faster than you, Mommy!" and "I'm going to beat you, Lucie!" Or, when we pull out of the driveway in the car, he'll call out, "Are we going to go fast? Is this the freeway?" And, he loves to talk about how strong he is, like when he recently declared, "I can carry a THOUSAND...or a HUNDRED...or a MILLION books!"

He's interested in ages too, whether it's a friend's, a new baby, an adult, or even a charcoal grill. When helping Chris prep for a BBQ recently, Ryan inquired, "I'm older than the barbeque, right Daddy? I'm three and a half, and it's only two, right?" A conversation ensued trying to determine the exact age of our grill, but neither of us could remember. Since it really seemed to matter to him, it has now been determined that Ryan is definitely older than our little Weber.

When it comes to size, Ryan is and has always been just a tad bit taller than Lucie. It's barely noticeable, but he has made a mental note of it. He likes to point out that he is "just a yittle bit" taller than his sister, and pinches his fingers together to show the exact measurement of difference.

If he's not assessing his speed on a scooter or strength behind a bat, Ryan is pretty interested in taking pictures. He has always enjoyed our camera, and has just become proficient enough to use it on his own.

You give this boy a camera, and he'll walk around the house documenting everything of interest to him. Ten minutes later, he'll hand me a camera full of images of his feet, a firetruck, my feet, Bunny, a firefighter jacket, Lucie's feet and Bunny again, all meticulously posed. It's pretty cool, like a glimpse into his mind.

Then he likes to print out the pictures, crop them with scissors, and put them in envelopes to give to Daddy at the end of the day. If we had the paper and ink supplies, he could do this over and over again. (Lucie likes to share her photos too -- she recently sent Aunt Rach a picture of the beloved tag on her green blankie, requiring a bit of explanation.)

Using Bunny as his muse is not limited to photography. Ryan also likes to do paintings of Bunny, like this one here. He set Bunny up on his outdoor play kitchen and kept glancing back at him, trying to get the ears just right. He turned out with a pretty good likeness of a once pink, now dirty gray bunny who disintegrates a bit daily from lots and lots of love (and portrait sittings).

Sleep transitions

2009-05-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

Lucie and Ryan have handled the transition to big kid beds with aplomb. Not once have we had to return a rogue (at least, not an awake one — see below) child to his or her bed in the middle of the night. Instead, we set a ground rule that they call for us if they need anything. And while that means hearing the occasional "Daddy, I have to pee" cry in the middle of the night, it sure beats midnight wanderers.

However, since we elected not to use bed rails, we put their beds directly on the floor for the time being. Good thing since it turns out that Lucie has a penchant for rolling in her sleep. Over a two week period, I've found her in a variety of funny positions when checking on them around 10pm.

Ryan, in contrast, sleeps in the same position every night...

Our Favorite Mommy

2009-05-10T22:32:00.000-07:00

There's a French cafe close to our house that we've been meaning to check out for awhile. Given Megan's appreciation for all things French, Mother's Day provided the perfect reason to visit for the first time. And if Lucie and Ryan weren't fans after the first slurp of hot chocolate and whip cream, they definitely were after the brioche french toast with powdered sugar.

After a delicious breakfast, we hit the miniature golf course. L & R are known to log some couch time with Daddy when golf in on TV. They love that every two minutes there is cause to shout "go in the hole" as someone putts. Finally, they had their chance to try it out for themselves — everyone had a great time among the whales, crabs, and Koi fish that populate our local course. As a final thank you, L & R then proceeded to take a 2+ hour nap.

And a very Happy Mother's Day to Gigi and Grandma who have helped us out on so many occasions. We couldn't do it without you both.

Home Runs and Butterfly Rides

2009-05-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

As an early Mother's Day treat, Gigi spent two days with us this past week. It was wonderful to see her and spend time together.

We all were looking forward to some Gigi time, especially Mr. Ryan. He decided he wasn't feeling well enough for art class with Lucie, and instead wanted to get out on the grass for some baseball with Gigi. Apparently the little cold he was suffering from enhanced his baseball playing skills, as he had many home runs to report later that afternoon. "Mommy," he told me, "I hit it OVER Gigi's head!" He's really starting to enjoy sports -- especially baseball, soccer and basketball.

We spent the next day enjoying the science museum and surrounding park. Lucie and Ryan braved a merry-go-round that had their parents' stomachs churning from just looking at it, and did great. Ryan sat behind Uncle AJ and talked to him the entire ride, spin after spin after spin. None of us could hear what he was saying, but apparently he had lots of comments about his first solo carousel experience.

Gigi sat next to Lucie for half the ride, then spent the other half standing next to her as Lucie's face grew progressively greener. She didn't get sick, however, and never asked to get off.

Lucie loved riding on the ostrich, but she wasn't so sure about Ryan's choice. They had read a dinosaur book in art class, and the only boy in the class (other than Ryan) told everyone that dinosaurs had sharp teeth that dripped blood. This didn't sit so well with Lucie, and has had her avoiding any dinosaur-looking creature ever since. She especially couldn't understand why Ryan would choose to sit on one.

When given another opportunity to ride, the kids opted for something a bit more tame. This butterfly ride was more Lucie's speed, and happily did not include any snarling or teeth-baring creatures.

We spent a beautiful day together, and had a great visit. I love it that Gigi notices changes and growth in Lucie and Ryan that I'm often too close to notice -- like how much more physically coordinated Ryan has become, and how well Lucie has been eating and sprouting out of her clothes. I really enjoy hearing what she notices, and feel thankful to have a mother who is so interested and involved in my kids' lives.

Happy early Mother's Day, Mom! Next time we look forward to Papa joining us too.

Some New Lucie-isms

2009-04-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Lucie has a way with words. She soaks up phrases and vocabulary, bringing them up later in her play. And with this facility for language comes a vivid imagination. Many of our dinners are spent listening to Lucie as she regales us with detailed and funny imaginary tales.

Recently she's been adding different voices to her stories for dramatic effect. Coincidentally, a few of the books we've picked up lately have had story lines where a mysterious voice calls from out of nowhere. Lucie thinks this is pretty funny, and sometimes scary, especially when Chris uses a deep, ominous voice while reading. She'll now do the same in her play. I'll hear her narrating a tale to stuffed animals and suddenly she'll switch to low, gruff tones to declare, "...and then a voice said, HELLO DOWN THERE!"

Lucie has had a bit of a cold lately, and is doing her best to fight off a sometimes stuffy/sometimes runny nose and hacking cough. At one of her low moments yesterday, she asked to skip lunch and go straight to bed for a nap instead. As she climbed up the stairs, I reminded her to take off her shoes. "But, Mommy" she said with a sniffle, "I really want to take off my nose."

Along with several imaginary friends, Lucie has created an imaginary land. This land is called Lucieland. To locate Lucieland, you need to drive just a little bit past Legoland. There you'll find a magical place where they only speak Lucie language. Lucie language is unlike any language I've ever heard. It's a combination of hand signals and noises, everything from tongue clicks to made-up words and grunts.

Though it's taking us a while to learn the native tongue, we're lucky to have an in-house translator to help us out on our first visit. I can't wait to go. Apparently in Lucieland there's an entire city devoted to ice cream. I wonder if they are accepting new residents?

Beach Kids

2009-04-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

With beautiful temperatures outside and grandparents in town, we broke in Ryan and Lucie's new rash guards during an afternoon at the beach.

Each time we visit the beach, I'm amazed at how much confidence the kids are gaining in the ocean. Lucie spent much of the afternoon dancing in the waves, sometimes splashing high enough to soak the top of her head.

Ryan ran back and forth filling the hole that Grandpa made him with water, then rushing back to refill his bucket again just as the water soaked in. He didn't seem to mind the monotony of his work. As with so many things these little guys do, the effort or process is more than half the fun.

Goodbye Cribs

2009-04-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

After much procrastination, we finally set up Lucie and Ryan's big kid beds. Though we've had the beds for over two months now, they hadn't made it from the garage into the house until this week.

The delay in set-up was partly because we've had a lot going on, but mainly because the thought of packing up cribs made us both a bit sad. In taking down Ryan's crib, Chris said he felt like he had just set it up (and to think that was back when we only needed one crib!). To me, it feels like just yesterday that I picked out bedding for our second crib to accommodate growing babies who no longer fit side by side. And now, suddenly we're done with both cribs? Just like that? Really?

But, clearly, it had to be done. Lucie and Ryan are definitely the "big kids" their new beds celebrate. Not just in size, but also in attitude and maturity. They were beyond ready for this.

And, boy have they celebrated! They adore their beds. Ryan is giddy over the fact that he has orange sheets and a fire engine on his quilt. Lucie loves having space to spread out Ella the elephant and her entourage of loved ones, while admiring her pink flowered quilt.

Whenever anyone has come over these past few days, L & R have raced to show them their room, with Ryan building up to the big surprise by declaring, "You may not believe this, but come see! Come see!"

He's right. I'm still not sure I believe it either, but I'm warming to it. I love to see how much pride and enjoyment they get from their beds. Though, I must admit, it may take me some time to fold up the old crib sheets. This parenting thing sure moves quick.

Hoppy Easter

2009-04-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

We've been building up to Easter for weeks around here. With dying eggs, ducky and bunny art projects, Easter Bunny books galore, and tales of last year's adventures, there has been lots of anticipation.

Lucie and Ryan clearly remember all the details of last year's hunt. This is the first holiday where they've brought up memories of the previous year -- such fun! They love to recollect where the Easter Bunny (a.k.a. "EB") hid each egg on a treasure hunt to find the final prize, their treasure-laden baskets hidden in "THE DRYER!" (This is a tradition that stems from my Dad's wonderful rendition of "EB" each year when I was young.) For weeks, the talk has been about where EB will hide the baskets this year. Such pressure for a bunny!

Thankfully, this year did not disappoint. R & L hopped with glee when they found a note in the morning directing them to their first plastic egg clue. They couldn't believe that EB had managed to hide an egg in their dresser drawer, Daddy's closet, and the washing machine -- how could that have happened when we were all sleeping? This year, EB's final clue led to baskets in the front seat of the car. They loved it.

After another egg hunt in the backyard, we took an Easter nature walk. Ryan and Lucie skipped down the trail, stopping only to smell the flowers. The butterfly wings are a Saturday morning garage sale find (50 cents!) that have barely left Lucie's back all weekend.

Evolution of Art

2009-04-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying watching Ryan and Lucie's drawings evolve from random scribbles to actual forms and shapes. I was amazed by this little girl Lucie recently drew, complete with a face, eyes, mouth, hair, and body. I didn't realize she'd be able to do that sort of thing on her own yet. After a bit of thought, she came up with a title for this picture too. It was called "Girl Wearing the Perfect Dress Who Dove Into the Sea When She Turned Four Years Old". That's such a Lucie title, so detailed and sweet. I had to write it all down to keep up.

Ryan's pictures have become very detailed, filling up the entire board or page with lines, circles and other shapes. When he describes his creations, they sound like complex systems and machines with gears to switch, ladders to climb and buttons to push. He gave this picture two titles, "Submarine Underwater Picture" and "Submarine with a Light and Delight". I love the second title, as I know that submarines do cause this little boy such delight.

Half Birthday Girl

2009-03-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Miss Lucie B., you tried to convince me that you were actually turning four and a half this week. I'm not ready for that yet, though I do agree that you're growing like crazy. Just recently, you sprouted up an inch in only one month. Suddenly long pants turned into capris on you. Before you start fitting clothes from my closet, here's a glimpse of wonderful, thoughtful, creative, amazing, and not-quite-four-year-old you.

You love assigning family roles to every creature, stuffed, plastic, or real, that you meet. At the zoo, you'll quickly point out which giraffes are the mommy, daddy and baby. Your stuffed animals all have a brother, sister, Gigi, Papa, Grandma and Grandpa. You've even given babies to soccer balls and forks. Everyone is part of a family.

Family assignments are just a part of your rich imagination. Recently, you've been telling us all about your sister. Sometimes she's a baby, and sometimes she's ten years old and lives in Chicago. Like so many of your friends, she has an elegant and extravagant name, Lavinia. I'm still trying to figure out how I have a daughter that I've never met, but that's no matter. Lavinia sounds like a great gal (like her sis).

Other literary friends of yours include Madeline, Olivia, Frances, Angelina and Nancy. You love a good story, especially if it involves a little girl and a grand adventure. These girls rarely disappoint. Each time we go to the library, you search out a book on one of your favorite friends, that we're sure to read over and over and over again.

You're beginning to be very interested in languages. You're fascinated by letters and have learned to write the letters "LUC" in your name. We've been teaching you bits of Spanish and French, and you've been teaching us your own versions of these languages. You'll say a funny word like "yanky" or "net-spek", and when I ask what it means, you reply with, "Well, Mommy, that's just Fwench for park" or "Spanish for placemat". Oh, well of course.

You love to be outside, singing, skipping, and collecting rocks and sticks. When we go to a park down the street, we pass through a beautiful grove of Eucalyptus trees, now nicknamed "Stick Alley". Like all good Eucalyptus trees, these trees leave sticks and leaves everywhere, which you adore. You'll fill your hands with sticks, deposit them in the stroller, and fill your hands again. As Papa says, our Lucie cannot pass down a good stick.

You are incredibly affectionate. Your "baby bird" and bear hugs are the warmest, biggest hugs I've ever had. I never want to let go. Before bed, you'll sing out before we close the door, "Don't forget your baby bird hug!" You love to save up hugs for Daddy's return from work or visits with relatives. There's nothing like a Lucie hug.

Thanks for making every day a grand and exciting adventure, Lucie. I love being by your side.

Half Birthday Boy

2009-03-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

Mr. Ryan, it's hard to believe that you're now closer to age four than you are to age three. All I have to do is look at you in your favorite "3's a charm" shirt to see how much you've grown in only six months. How could a shirt that had room to spare last September now hit you mid-belly? I want to savor every little bit of the charming, inquisitive, smart, oh-so-wonderful (and taller!) guy you are today.

At age three and a half, your favorite food, by far, is watermelon. Anytime I go to the grocery store and ask you what I should buy, you cry out with delight, "WATERMELON!" Some of your other favorites include pickles, black olives, Hawaiian pizza (though really it's just the pineapples you like), cashews, and corn. You explore and savor your meals, rarely complaining about trying something new.

You have an amazing memory. You can recall the smallest details from things that happened months and months ago, especially if you were with your Dad at the time. Something will remind you of an experience you've had and you'll say, "Daddy, do you be-member that time we did...?" The story you'll tell will have incredible detail, right down to what you were eating or what color shirt you were wearing. This memory serves you well when it comes to retaining important facts, as you can now recite your address, including street number, name and city, and retell some of your favorite books word-for-word.

You love routine, and like to know what to expect. Every day has a meaning to you. What do we do on Tuesdays? Library day, of course. Knowing what to expect also means that you prefer games that have predictable outcomes. You might start out enjoying a chasing game with Lucie, but quickly dissolve into tears, not enjoying the possibility of her reaching out and grabbing you at any moment. That's way too unpredictable for you.

Construction trucks, garbage trucks and fire trucks continue to light up your world. You run right to the transportation section in the library, eagerly picking out new or old favorites in the light and heavy machinery genre. Our library receipt recently indicated that we'd checked out two copies of same construction book. I was sure it was a mistake, until I looked over our pile of books and discovered that Ryan had selected two of the same Giant Machines book. Why check out one copy of an amazing book about cement mixers, concrete trucks and excavators when you can check out two?

You're fascinated by letters and sounds. You've mastered a few words from I Stink! (a book for true garbage truck fans), learning to read such phrases as "YUCK!" and "You're on Mount Trash-o-rama, baby!" You also love talking about rhyming words. "Hey, Mommy!", you'll say, "ball rhymes with hall!" Or in a silly moment, "Cabinet rhymes with Babinet!"

You are a little man on the move, running, jumping, leaping and bounding everywhere you go. When it comes to quiet time, you love art projects and show incredible concentration mixing the perfect shade of orange paint, or covering your entire sheet of paper with cut-outs for a collage.

Ryan, we're all so lucky to listen to your sweet voice as we enjoy the world through your eyes. You make each and every one of my days fun because you're in it.

Cookie Love

2009-03-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

Dessert is usually pretty tame for Lucie and Ryan -- a piece of fruit, applesauce, yogurt or letter crackers . But with this weekend's arrival of Girl Scout cookies, R & L's post-dinner treat has taken on an entirely new and delicious meaning.

After a taste test, Lucie was asked which one was her favorite. She had to hug them all. Clearly, choosing a favorite was too tough a decision.

Ryan couldn't choose either, though he does love the ones in the orange box (no surprise there). I'm not counting on four boxes to last very long around here.

I just love it how Lucie and Ryan get so excited over the smallest of life's joys.

Forming Friendships

2009-03-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

I love this photo from last week's homeschool preschool. We took a buddy walk, pairing up the kids with someone other than their twin. With an equal number of boys and girls in our group, the walk turned into this adorable line of boy/girl partners.

The kids loved the walk, taking it very seriously with repeated calls of "I have my buddy!" and "My buddy is holding my hand!" It was great to see them take responsibility for one of their friends, as they counted mail boxes, cars, and trees along the way.

Lucie and Ryan tend to stick together in groups of kids, sitting next to each other in art class or lining up together in tumbling. I love to see this closeness, though I also think it's important that they have opportunities to branch out and make other connections.

Clearly they do too. At the end of tumbling class last week, they both reported to me that they had made a new friend. Lucie struck up a kinship over spinning in circles with another girl. Ryan made friends with a girl too, who also happens to be named Ryan. Or, as the teacher now calls her, "Miss Ryan", to avoid any more tumbling collisions when their shared name is called for a turn.

Though Lucie and Ryan have fun making friends, when asked about their best friend, they'll almost always answer with "Lucie!" or "Ryan!". They are a devoted little pair.

Sunshine Ahead

2009-03-03T21:06:00.000-08:00

With beautiful sunny skies, a visit from Gigi and Papa, and a super fun birthday party for homeschool preschool buddies, we welcomed March with open arms this weekend.

We hadn't been to the beach in some time, and Lucie and Ryan were delighted to put their feet (and eventually entire bodies) back in the water again. While I would never describe our kids as reckless or fearless by the ocean, they are gaining more confidence in the water and will continue to venture out further and further on their own.

The water was a bit chilly, but that did not stop Lucie. She does not like it when her clothes get wet, and as soon as the first wave tickled the edge of her skirt, she had stripped out of her underwear and dress. (I wasn't expecting such eager swimmers or warm temperatures and neglected to pack swim suits.) As Papa described her, Lucie was our little free spirit, running across the beach in the nude, happily dipping in every pool of water and hole in the sand she could find along the way. The sun sure feels good on a little body.

After a dip in his underwear, Ryan was ready to return to his sand toys, and more specifically his skip loader. He'd been talking all week about how excited he was to bring it to the beach and didn't want to waste a minute of pushing, moving and dumping sand. Our boy sure loves his heavy machinery.

Slow Days of February

2009-02-15T14:21:00.000-08:00

I know we're only half way through, but this has already been one long month of feeling yucky. It feels like we've all had every cold/flu symptom in the book. Hopefully we'll be better soon. In the meantime, we've been making the best of staying home with lots of projects and exploration (and naps).

We did enjoy a little calm in our family's storm of illnesses with homeschool preschool this week. We hadn't met in several weeks, mainly due to runny noses among all the kids. It actually felt pretty remarkable to get through five months of preschool without a sick day. I think that's impressive for six little ones.

This week we learned about community workers (thus Ryan's fireman costume) and made Valentine's Day cookies. With Ryan in costume, Lucie wanted to dress up too and opted for her ballerina skirt with a wizard hat. We had an interesting discussion about how wizards qualified as "community workers", and decided that their magic kept us all safe.

The kids loved baking cookies. They all did great rolling out dough, using cookie cutters, and decorating with much gusto. The only thing they had trouble with was waiting for the cookies to bake. Ten minutes seemed like an eternity.

In other adventures this week, Lucie happily went to art class all by herself. Ryan decided that he was still too sick to go, and preferred to hang out with me instead. But, after missing class for two weeks, Lucie was ready and waiting to go. She walked right into the classroom and didn't look back. It was the first time she did something entirely on her own, without Ryan or a parent. I could tell that this was important to her, and she did great! I was so proud of her bravery and independence.

Even Firefighters Get Runny Noses

2009-02-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

Ryan and Lucie (and Chris) have been trading illnesses for the past week. It started last Thursday with fevers, then moved to coughing and now runny noses, watery eyes, aches and pains.

Lucie has had a few symptoms off and on, but nothing like Mr. Ryan. The poor guy has not been himself these past few days. He's fallen asleep twice on my lap during story time, and has had no energy for anything but weak calls for "Kleenex, please!" from the couch or his bed. I really feel for him.

With Ryan feeling so yucky, Lucie has been experiencing all the benefits of being sick, with few of the icky side effects. She's enjoyed Sesame Street marathons, toast for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plentiful "Daddy" juice, and endless bowls of ice cream. This sort of stuff doesn't happen every day -- but for now, she'll have another scoop of Neapolitan, please...

Feelings

2009-02-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

During a low moment this week, Lucie and Ryan got into a tug-of-war over my watch. I had given it to Ryan to look at and naturally, Lucie wanted a turn too. As always, the biggest battles are fought over the silliest things.

I was busy making lunch and could hear them going back and forth, over and over again. "It's MY watch!" Ryan yelled at Lucie. "No, it's MY watch!" Lucie screamed back at the top of her lungs. When it became clear that things would only get worse, I had to step in.

Once everyone calmed down, we talked about taking turns, and how to politely ask for one. But, as I explained to them, what I was the most disappointed about was the yelling. I hated to hear them scream at each other like that. I asked Ryan how Lucie's yelling made him feel. "Sad, and like I want to hide" he wimpered. Then on to Lucie, how did being yelled at make her feel? She thought for a second, then pumped her fist in the air and proclaimed, "HUN-GRY!"

They both fell over in giggles, bringing me along for the ride. I got to hand it to her — Lucie does have a way of diffusing a tense situation. And off to lunch they went.

Big Kid Beds

2009-02-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

With Lucie and Ryan getting close to 40 inches tall, Megan and I have reluctantly started thinking about moving them to big kid beds. Personally, the thought of them roaming the halls at night terrifies me. I take great comfort in knowing that we'll find them in more or less the same position come morning. No doubt, plenty of fellow parents who have struggled with crib tents, climb-outs, and nighttime escapes would consider this a problem they would love to have (as Brian and Jen discovered in coming up with reason #47 why every household should have multiple bungee cords).

Coincidentally, Megan's Aunt Betsy recently realized that Cousin Scottie (if can you call a nearly 6' boy Scottie) had outgrown his current twin bed. To be honest, he probably outgrew it over a year ago. In looking at this picture, it seems silly to think of Scottie and L & R sleeping in the same size bed. But when Betsy called, we jumped at the chance to pick up his hand-me-down. Especially since she offered a second matching bed, dresser and desk as well.

There were a few logistical problems to overcome. Primarily that we don't have a vehicle capable of transporting two beds, a dresser, and desk. A quick call to U-Haul secured a nice pickup with an extra long truckbed. On to problem #2 — upon hearing that only Daddy would get to ride in the pickup truck and pick up the beds, L & R protested wildly at the injustice. So I canceled the reservation at U-Haul and started searching to find a 4-door pickup to rent. Five calls later and we had a nice, shiny Ford F150 at our disposal.

The hour-long trip passed quickly, especially since Lucie and Ryan were armed with personal Kleenex boxes. With Betsy graciously providing lunch and handling story-time, we made relatively quick work taking apart the bedroom set. But the last problem was Betsy and family have a lot of nice stuff and our little truck began to get very full. Armed with only a 30' section of rope, we managed to strap everything down securely enough to brave the freeway ride home. I'm proud to say no pieces were lost or broken.

For now, we've decided to store the new beds in the garage. Hopefully, we can get over our big kid bed fears before Lucie and Ryan are ready for Kindergarten...

Ryan, A One-Shirt Kind of Guy

2009-01-29T20:57:00.001-08:00

If only Ryan were always as happy wearing long sleeves as he is here, in matching sweaters with Tate and Lucie. Much to his mother's dismay, Ryan is not a guy known for his fashion flexibility. He knows what he likes, and likes what he knows -- and that usually involves short sleeves, the color orange, and elastic waistbands. He is not a fan of long sleeves, jeans or fitted waistbands. (Who really is — can you blame the guy?)

Ryan has had several favorite shirts, starting of course, with his fireman costume and "FDNY" shirt. That shirt, which once seemed enormous, has been so well loved it is paper thin and skin tight. Next in the shirt Hall of Fame came the "crane shirt", a shirt picturing the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge, bought when we were visiting Minnesota for cousin Jayme's wedding. That shirt was worn day after day after day after day last spring, the bridge slowly peeling away with each wash.

This past summer, the favorite shirt was an orange striped shirt I bought at Old Navy for $3.99. He loved that thing, especially since Chris has a similar orange shirt and the two of them could be "matching orange shirt buddies" on casual Fridays (for Chris, not Ryan — every day is casual Friday for Ryan). When I think of this past summer, I think of that shirt. It spent very little time in his drawer, and instead was either on him or in the washing machine preparing to be on him again.

And, now more recently, the favored shirt has been Ryan's "3" shirt, declaring "3's a charm!" and announcing his third birthday. Multiple requests have already been put in for a "4" shirt. I have my eye out, though frankly, I'm not ready for that yet. I wish Ryan, and his quirky fashion tastes, could stay three forever. It is a charm.

Mandatory Rest Period

2009-01-25T17:20:00.001-08:00

As Ryan and Lucie approach 3 1/2, nap time doesn't always translate into sleep time. Sometimes there are just too many stories to tell and giggles to share for an actual nap to take place. Oh well. We're not giving up though — that hour of peace and quiet is too valuable to us all. We still go through the nap routine, and if they're not asleep in an hour, they each get a pile of books to read.

One day this past week, I could hear both of their voices sharing tales of the morning, and then suddenly I only heard Ryan's voice. "LUCIE! LUCIE! Look at my crazy move? I went bonk! Lucie?", he called out. Even Ryan's crib gymnastics couldn't keep her awake. It was time for some "quiet" time away from his sleeping sis.

He happily went through all his Amazing Machines Truckload of Fun
books one by one (he's very methodical, just like his dad). My favorite Ryan line from this reading of Busy Boats, "Some boats carry cars!" Who knew? And now on to Super Submarines...

Playmates

2009-01-22T16:31:00.001-08:00

Out of the blue, Lucie has started to call Ryan "honey", and Ryan calls her "sweetie". They sound like an old married couple sometimes, gently chiding each other with, "Now Ryan, honey, you follow the rules" or "Don't be so funny, you silly goose!" Actually, it's mostly Lucie doing the ribbing, and Ryan following along cheerfully.

They're certainly not always this chummy, but when they hit a streak of playing well together (like their garbage collection services or Christmas morning reinactment here), I try not to interfere. I've found that if I say the slightest thing to them, the beautiful spell of getting along may be broken, and I hate to risk that.

When they're in this mode, they get completely absorbed in their game, with made-up, mutually understood rules and goals. Santa must come after all the loved ones are tucked in and the tea set is the first garbage we collect. Everyone magically knows their role and falls into place.

Mostly, they ignore me, but sometimes they'll call out with strange requests like, "Hey Mommy, can we have a Kleenex box? We're pretending we're sleeping and we might have some mucus." (How can you argue with that?) Other than these quick check-ins, they're totally absorbed in their own, imaginative, garbage-collecting and Santa-waiting world.

Adventures by Land and Air

2009-01-19T13:30:00.000-08:00

We packed lots of fun into our four day trip to visit family. Lucie and Ryan had a non-stop day of play at Taterbug's house, including time at the train table, a partially successful nap (Tate slept, Lucie and Ryan giggled) and a trip to a neighborhood park. When we first got there, Tate was so jazzed to see his cousins he started running laps around the kitchen in delight. Lucie then led the boys in a spontaneous yoga session, adding her own twist to the downward dog pose.

Next came some time at Grandma and Grandpa's house, where L & R happily helped plant a new "Lucie tree" (later a lemon tree), and picked oranges and tangerines. They love spending time in the garden, especially when Grandma sets aside special tasks for them. And, much fun was had tinkering with Grandpa's remote control boat and learning to drive it in the pool.

This was the first time I flew both legs of the trip by myself, and thankfully, all went well. (I've flown by myself with our two plenty of times, but usually have at least one leg with Chris.) By now, Lucie and Ryan know the drill. They take off their shoes in the security line without even having to be asked, and go right to our favorite spot of the airport for smoothies and entertainment. Boarding the plane, they always peek into the cockpit, hoping to get a glimpse of the pilot and myriad of buttons/controls. This trip the flight attendant gave them each a set of wings and a luggage tag, which they thought was the coolest thing ever and wore proudly on their shirts.

Unfortunately, both kids have developed a bit of motion sickness when flying. They're fine for the majority of the trip, except during landing when I can be found sitting at the end of my seat, airsickness bags in hand. The guy across the aisle from us on our outbound trip laughed at me as I sat with bags poised in front of each kid while the plane made its final descent. Thankfully, no one got sick. In fact, as soon as we touched ground, the moans of "My tummy hurts!" were gone and L & R bounded off the plane. Phew. It's always an adventure with these two...

Needed: One Trampoline

2009-01-15T14:32:00.001-08:00

Lucie, Ryan and I made a quick trip this weekend to my grandmother's 80th birthday party. With a trampoline, game room, slides, ride-on toys and tons of young cousins to play with, adventures were aplenty at my Aunt Karen's house for the celebration. It was great to watch the kids have such a fun-filled time, because that's just how I remember family parties at Karen's when I was a child.

Lucie and Ryan bounced and bounced and bounced the afternoon away. Lucie only came off the trampoline once, and that was to get food, and then jumped right back on again. By the end of the afternoon, her white tights were practically black from so much bouncing from her knees to her feet. They made up little games with their cousins, alternating between jumping with reckless abandon to being bounced around like popcorn in the middle. What an afternoon.

When we got in the car to go back to Gigi and Papa's, Ryan declared (totally unprompted), "That sure was a great party!" Then, he cuddled Bunny, sucked his thumb and proceeded to sleep the entire way home. I think Lucie was asleep before we even left the driveway. If only we had that kind of entertainment in our backyard — nap time would never be an issue.

There were many great photos from this day (the weather was gorgeous), but one of my favorites is this one of Lucie, Ryan, Uncle Andrew and Aida taken by my Uncle Chris.

Moon Garages and Gondolas

2009-01-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

Kids this age say the cutest things. Lucie and Ryan are constantly trying to figure out the world around them, putting confusing and abstract concepts into terms that make sense in their minds. And, like the girl who declared in the middle of L & R's gym class, "I have a new dollhouse!", their speech is so spontaneous and in the moment. Sometimes I feel like I can see their minds working as their thoughts come rushing out, one after another.

Yesterday we went for a walk late in the day, just when the moon was rising for the night. Ryan loves looking at the moon and following its various forms throughout the month. We're trying to talk a bit about planets and stars, in the very simplest terms, but I'm not sure they really understand my explanations. Today he said thoughtfully, "Mommy, where does the moon go when it's daytime? Does it have a little garage or something?"

We checked out a book from the library on Italy. It was a very simple book geared towards children, with pictures of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, plates of pasta and castles. Someday I'd love to take my kids there. When we got to the Venice page, I said excitedly, "Hey look, Lucie, this boat is called a gondola!" She looked at me, totally unimpressed, and said, "Mommy, I already know what a gondola is -- the Wonder Pets used one to save a baby kitty floating on a piece of driftwood. It was just like this one."

Huh? My 3 year old can recognize a gondola? And uses the word "driftwood"? I couldn't believe it. Days later when that same episode of Wonder Pets came on, sure enough, there was a gondola saving a kitten floating on a piece of driftwood. This girl remembers everything.