Family Fun

Rowan had a great idea to go to the playground Saturday morning. Since we're all feeling better and the weather was nice, we went. Fresh air can do wonders for your spirits. So can swings!

Climbing high

Raleigh's favorite

Rowan telling me a story about his pretend restaurant

Treasures from our adventure walk

Post-walk refreshment

August Versus

This past month has been a butt-kicker. Life has been a little rough on us from the beginning of August through Labor Day weekend. Check out the stats. Winners are in bold.

Cold vs. Raleigh

Croup vs. Raleigh

Gout vs. Jeremy 

Jeremy vs. Gout (Rematch)

Toyota Highlander vs. Odyssey

Rowan vs. Slide

Stomach Virus vs. Rowan

Holly vs. Driveway


But, we have had some good stuff mixed in here and there. I don't want to lose sight of them.

• We've all worked through our illnesses and injuries and are on the mend.
• Rowan started his new school and loves it. 
• I enjoyed some grown-up time with good friends. (Thank you, Abby and Andrea!)
• And, to all of the everyday stuff that we take for granted until it's not working properly... Thank you, stuff, for keeping on keeping on!

Whew! Let's all get massages and take a long nap. 

Funny Business

Say what?
Jeremy and Rowan were talking about natural enemies on the way to the dentist last week. How funny is it that his appointment was for 2:30? I giggle everytime I think about it. Sometimes life throws you a bone. But I digress. Part of their conversation turned to the fact that lions are carnivores.

Jeremy: Lions are meat-eaters.
Rowan: What?! No, those are rocks in space.
**confused looks all the way around**
Jeremy: (laughing) I mean lions eat meat; they're meat-eaters. Meteors are space rocks.


Lego Power
We took Rowan to Lego Adventureland this past Friday to celebrate his pre-schoolerness. It was a lot of fun, more so than I expected. It had been a long time since Jeremy and I spent quality time with Rowan as a triad. That's probably what I liked the most. That, and the milkshake from Johnny Rockets. This morning I asked Rowan about the play area at Legoland. He said he had wanted to try the wrecking ball zip line thing but that another boy was on it the whole time. I told him I saw that boy and that he looked a little too big to be playing in the jungle gym area. 

Rowan: Yeah, he was 7. 
Me: How do you know that? Did he say something to you?
Rowan: No. I just could read his mind.

Logic
Walking through the mall on our way back from Legoland...
Rowan: Look! There's a man statue.
Me: That's called a mannequin.
Rowan: Yeah and girl ones are called girlaquins. 

So it'll last longer...
The kids and I were shopping at the Publix. I turned around from the freezer case to see them hugging nicely in the ailseway. 
Me: You guys are being so nice to each other. That makes me happy.
Rowan: Do you want to take our picture?

Feeling Blue
My mom and I went on a shopping excursion Saturday morning and decided to take Raleigh with us. One of the stores we visited was DSW. Raleigh was immediately drawn to a pair of shiny red stilettos and insisted on trying them on. She is such a girly-girl. It makes me laugh and shake my head at the same time. 

In the clearance room my mom and I tried on funky, crazy, fancy shoes just for fun. Raleigh was all about it. Mom tried on a pair of royal blue satiny heels with a bow by the ankle that looked pretty snazzy actually. Raleigh had on something else but when she saw those blue shoes she insisted that mom take them off so she could try them on. "I need those blue shoes. Blue shoes!" Then she started singing and dancing to "I Can't Go for That" by The Bird and the Bee. (Yet another reason to like DSW.) "Mommy! We have this at our house!" 

Later at lunch I asked Raleigh what was her favorite part of the day. "Blue shoes. They match my shark shoe flip flops at home." 

Signs?

My sweet tomatoes

Oh, yeah and Jeremy's tomato plants are in the background. 


Ha ha! I just noticed that Rowan has Tow Mater on his shirt! Wow. And... get this - We were on our way to have dinner at Sweet Tomatoes!!! 


Chill bumps, y'all. I can't stand it. It's too much. 


"Is it possible that there are no coincidences?" (from Signs - Graham Hess, as played by Mel Gibson)

Worth Reading

I've been checking out a few new blogs recently and thought I would share them with you. 


The Meaning of Pie 
If you're looking for food fantasy fodder, check out Kelly's sheet cake recipes. Actually, just check out everything, 'k?


Bev Cooks 
... and she makes me laugh. Food and fun, fun and food. It's a winning recipe.


Alisa Burke: Redefine Creativity 
She makes cool stuff, is inspired by nature, and uses bold color.


goop 
This is Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly blog about rich people stuff. Her recipes are fun and she writes about London. 


In the movie about my life, I'd like to thing GP would play me. You know, 'cause we look so much alike and all. 

Who would play you in the movie about your life? And, what are you reading that I need to know about? 

Summer Fun

When you can't get to the pool, the sprinkler works just fine. Hope you're having fun and staying cool, too.

Cracker Barrel of Laughs

Raleigh was coloring and drawing on the kids menu color sheet. She was talking with my mom and dad about the girl with the pigtails on one of the pages.

G-Daddy: What’s that girl’s name?
Raleigh: Sally.
G-Daddy: Sally. Like Sally Goodin?  
Raleigh: Yeah. She’s not naughty.


Later in the toy area of the store after dinner...


The hostess calls out over the loudspeaker, “Michelle, party of 4.”
Raleigh: That’s not us.
Me: No, it’s not. We’ve already eaten.
G-Daddy: And that’s not our name. Are we the Millers?
Raleigh: No. We’re done.

Happy Independence Day!

We had a wonderful time with our friends at the Fourth of July parade this morning. The pirate club's float (it looked like a pirate ship!) was a crowd favorite. We even learned a new joke. 

What's the first letter in the pirate alphabet?

Arrrhhhh!

Sibling Love

Amelit and Raleigh

P.S. The answer to the name that movie reference in the last post is "Zombieland". Emma Stone's character, Wichita, says it about Bill Murray. 

Under the Covers

People that know me well know that I have a "thing" for lovely bed linens. It's been something that I've battled for several years. But, I am getting much better about it (avoidance is key here) and have reduced my collection to a manageable size. But this post isn't about bedding.

There's a Dwight Yoakam album titled Under the Covers. Good tunes on that one, let me tell ya. I enjoy the music, but the title is what gets me. I'm a sucker for a good pun. They get me right there (pointing to elbow) [Name that movie]. Puns and cover tunes:  Yes, please!

Some people have issues with cover songs; i.e., they don't like them. Not me! I don't mind if someone stays true the original. I don't mind if they shake it up, add in things, or strip it down. I will even admit that there are some covers that I like better than the original. It's true.

Here are some of my favorite cover songs.

Whichita Lineman, REM
Drew Carey told me (and the thousands of other Underground Garage listeners) that he has an insane number of versions of Louie Louie on his iPod. It's a song that people like to sing. They are compelled to do it; they cannot control the urge. I think the same is true for W.L. It's a smooth tune with haunting lyrics. It wants to be played and sung and the people want to hear it. Play on!

Dancing Queen, The Yayhoos
A lively, rockin' version that still makes you want to dance, jive, and have the time of your life... Ooohhh ooh ooh


I Can't Go for That, The Bird and The Bee
I grew up on Hall and Oates. They have a special place in my musical heart. The Bird and the Bee don't disappoint with their tribute. Their other H&O covers are pretty good, too.

Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues, Dwight Yoakam
Waylon Jennings has a good version, but I prefer the Dwight treatment. Besides, how could I mention D-wight's album and not feature a song?


What do you think about cover songs? If you like 'em like I do, which ones rock your world?

Stories and quotes

Here are some funny odd and ends from the kiddos.

RALEIGH
R: Can I have a popsicle?
Me: No. We aren't having popsicles now.
R: I need it! (slams door)

At the Stone Mountain kiddie ropes course playground
R: Ouchie! Stop! (to a random wild kid who was at least 5 years older)

R: Knock, Knock!
J: Who's there?
R: Johnny Cash!


ROWAN
We had kielbasa for dinner a while ago. Rowan proclaimed "I ate all my Chewbaca!".

G-Ma: What do you like on your pizza?
R: Cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and those meat discs.

In the parking lot, a noisy car drove by and startled Rowan. He yelled, "Piece of junk!" as it drove past... with the windows down.

On the way to school the other morning, I told Rowan that the name of the band playing the song on the radio was called the Beatles. He laughed and said that was a silly name. I tried to explain that they didn't mean it like the bugs, they were trying to be funny. Music has a beat, so BEATles.
Me: Those words sound the same but they have different spellings. They're homonyms.
R: No, you mean Hampton Inn.


MISC.
As I was heading into the grocery store...
Rowan: What are you getting?
Me: Just bread. Why, do you have a special request?
Rowan: Yeah! Candy, M&Ms...
Raleigh: I like Nims!

Rowan was frustrated with something Raleigh was doing or saying and started to get a little testy. I told him he needed to cool down.
Raleigh: What happened, Bub?
Rowan: You happened!

Hello, strangers

I needed a little break from blogging. I didn't know it was going to last two months, but here we are.
Here's the whirlwind tour of what's been going on these past weeks.

May
I went to Denver for work. It was good. I used FaceTime for the first time and it was awesome-so much better than Skype.

We took a family trip to Chattanooga for 3 days during Rowan's school break. We had a nice time and plan to go back, maybe in the fall. We stayed at the "historic" Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel. That was an experience. In this case, historic was more like long-in-the-tooth. I told Jeremy I felt like we needed to be wearing polyester and have bigger hair, perhaps driving a Riviera... and smoking. But, it was clean, quiet, and spacious. And, the kids liked the pools. I must admit that I was entertained by the reservation desk clerk who looked like a twenty-something Tim Blake Nelson sporting a Green Lantern ring, Superman ring, and Captain America belt buckle to personalize his hotel uniform suit. However, Hampton Inn will be getting our business next time.

June
We've been sick a lot this month. I think we are on the mend now.



See? You didn't miss much. I've got some funny quotes and short stories on the way. Stay tuned.

Re: Monkey Joe's

Jeremy and Rowan were on the way to a birthday party at Monkey Joe's, one of those indoor bouncy house places. Rowan wanted to know if they ever closed. Jeremy told him that the workers needed to go home and rest. Rowan's reply:


"I just don't know why you would ever want to leave that place."


Rowan thinks you should be allowed to spend the night there. He may be onto something.

Mind Games

You can usually hear a faint array of favorite hits from the 80s, 90s, and today floating from the cafeteria at work. Adele, Mariah Carey, The Police... You know what I'm talking about. Normally I don't pay much attention to what's on after I identify the song title and artist. Today was different.


This morning, when I went to fill up my water bottle, I was greeted by the hushed intensity of Kenny Loggins singing about the highway to the danger zone. It made me want to creep around the salad bar and sneakily grab my ice and water before... Well, I don't know exactly. Before the Russians nabbed me, I suppose. 


What can I say? Kenny Loggins stirs my imagination. At least it wasn't Footloose.


Please tell me you do this stuff, too. If you don't, how do you get through a Monday morning, standing in line at the post office, or other mundane task?

Deep thoughts

Rowan was telling about the field they play in at school sometimes. It's more of a grassy plaza on the college campus very close to his school. There's also a park next door to the school. Rowan told me that you can get to the park using the path from the field.


R: Bad guys don't use that path. They use another one. The wrong one. Bad guys always choose the wrong path.


I told him that he was absolutely right on so many levels. Ah, the wisdom of babes.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Raleigh!

Happy Birthday to Raleigh! We had a great weekend-long celebration. The party theme was Old MacDonald's farm with ladybugs. It turned out cute. Photos to come.

• Likes: ladybugs, hair bows, her new toy baby stroller and doll, outside
• Dislikes: hair washing
• Skills: singing complete songs, counting things
• Communication: She has started recounting stories, especially ones involving boo-boos.
• So big! Shirts 2T, Pants some 18mos some 2T, Shoes 6, Diapers 4

Dear, sweet Raleigh. Happy birthday to you. We love you very, very much.

5 Things

1. Spring blooms. I love 'em! The plum trees are exqusite this year. I pass by a small grove of them on my way to work and can't help but extoll their beauty every time. The azaleas, pear trees, dogwoods, and cherry trees are lovely, too. And so vivid! The colors are almost Seuss-like.
2. Pinterest. I've known about Pinterest for a while but finally took a minute to explore it. It's a neat concept, particularly if you are planning something (like a wedding or room re-do) or like collecting things. It's easy to use and appeals to my organizational sensibilities. Warning: You can lose a lot of time wandering around in there.
3. Cropped pants. I have a black pair but I want more. Definitely khaki, possibly red, maybe floral if I am feeling brave. Look what you can do at H&M's website.
4. The Pool. We belong to a community pool and it's time to renew our membership. I can't wait for it to open!
5. Running. I replaced my worn out (and muddy-beyond-cleaning) running shoes and have yet to try them out. I must get to the gym.

What have you been thinking about or pining (pinning?) for? 

Running for my life

Oh yeah... I also forgot to tell you about the zombie 5K I did at the beginning of the month. It was fun. It was challenging. It was messy. I felt like a tough chick after finishing that kick-butt course--a very orange, tough chick. Check out the photos, but do it soon. They're available only for a limited time. There are some more photos on Facebook if you are really, really interested. Look for orange-hued ones from Atlanta on March 3.


We had torrential thunderstorms the night before the race. (For those of you who are not aware, Georgia clay does not respond well to rain. Clay + Rain = Super Mess) Running on sand is tough. Running on wet clay is a total body workout. You're trying not to slip while avoiding zombies who are greedily grabbing for your life force (football flags) and trying not to lose your shoes in the tenacious clay that envelops your foot, sometimes up over your ankle. (I kept thinking of Mr. Rooney and the mud scene in Ferris Bueller.) To add to the challenge of it all, the clouds opened up for a 5 minute soaker rain just before our start time. It provided a nice slick surface-perfect for wiping out as you ran a curve. Not that I did that or anything... 


You'll get a slight idea of the clay situation in the photos but they really do not tell the complete story. When I got back to my parents' house afterward, my mom directed me to the water hose out back and brought out a washtub for my race clothes. I lost one pair of shoes, a towel, and a shirt to the clay. My skin was stained for 2 days following, even after several showers with scrub brushes.


In addition to zombies, there were obstacles throughout the course. Some of the more interesting ones were 

• a huge vat of water, topped with logs suspended right at water level that you had to go over or under, with zombies positioned in between
• swimming across a freezing cold creek - no zombies there, just freezing cold, nasty water that took your breath away and induced temporary hyperventilation
• sliding down clay mountain into a man-made pond (that was the finish line)

Don't let this post fool you-it was a good time. I partly wanted to do it for the adventure and partly to prove that I am not too old to do this sort of thing anymore. You could tent camp the night before or after the race... in the rain and mud. I am definitely too old for that crap.

In case you were wondering, I didn't cross the finish line alive. I was turned into a zombie somewhere around the half-way point. I lasted longer than I predicted and that's fine by me.

Would I do it again? Maybe. Maybe I'll try something else instead. Come on, world. Show me what you got!

Rowan Update

So, the first month as a 4 year old has been quite exciting. Rowan started swimming lessons at the Y earlier this month. He is doing so great! This week he swam about 5 yards all by himself. I almost stood up and clapped when I saw him, but held myself back. 


His current fascination is with ninjas. He mentions them a lot and claims to be a ninja as he wields a tube of bubbles. The bubble container is also his Jedi "lightsaver" (light saber). I can only assume he is learning this stuff at school since we haven't talked, read, or watched anything about ninjas or Star Wars at home... at least not that I know about.


Random Quotes
My dad was wearing running shoes one day for a change from his usual loafer/oxford/boot option.
R: G-Daddy, stomp your foot on the ground.
G-Daddy: What? Why?
R: So the lights in your shoes will come on.


R: Mommy was making cupcakes and I couldn't sleep. They smelled good and I can smell for a hundred miles. 


G-Ma: Rowan, do you want some goggles for swim lessons, like the boy in your class?
R: Aquaman doesn't need goggles, G-Ma.

Raleigh is 23-months!

Mommy fail. I completely forgot to write about Raleigh's 23-month updates. And Rowan's mirthday just passed, too. But that's for another time. Back to Raleigh.

• Likes: Singing, dancing, playing with Rowan, blackberries & yogurt, playing in sand, hair doo-dads, Curious George stories, art projects
• Dislikes: diaper changes, hair washing, veggie burgers
• Skills: She counted to 12 all by herself one night in the kitchen, totally unprompted. Genius! She can jump really well. We're still working on the potty. She's not too into it right now but loves her Minnie Mouse undies. 
• Communication: It's getting a lot easier to understand everything she says. There are still some things she has to repeat a few times before we finally get it.
• So big!: tops 2T/24mos; bottoms some 18mos some 2T/24mos; dresses 2T/24mos.; shoes 6-ish; diaper 4 (undies 2T/3T)
• In the works: I am going to introduce the sticker chart for the potty in another week or so. Her day care is moving to a new location next month and she will be in the 2-year-old room where they work on potty skills and other big kid stuff.

My baby is going to be 2 next month. This is such a fun time! I had forgotten how clever and funny 2-year-olds are. Of course there will be some trying times ahead for all of us, but I choose to focus on the fun. This era will be gone in a flash so I want to be sure to enjoy the ride, scary stuff and all.


Happiest birthday wishes to my sweet baby girl!

Hello again...

Wow! That hiatus was a tad longer than I planned. We've been busy and my computer's been out of commission. Here's a brief rundown of what I've neglected to share with you. 


* I turned 36. Jeremy and I had a swanky kid-free night on the town that included a ham tasting. Yes, you read that correctly. I have also affirmed that I really enjoy bourbon - just as it is. Mother's milk, I tells ya. I don't know how I feel about it yet, though. 


* My computer got new guts and a battery and is working like a champ. Thank you, Jeremy. In other tech news, I have a new toy: an iPad2. I'm using it right now as a matter of fact. I hope to be using it more. Again, thanks to my Geek-in-residence, JT for the hook up. 


* There was a lice outbreak at Rowan's school. Thankfully we were unaffected. But, we did keep Rowan home most of the week as a precaution. Bugs freak me out. (shudder) And, Jeremy's been sick this week. So far, the rest of us remain healthy. 


* I wear glasses now. If I can snap a decent photo, I will share my new look with you. 


There, now you're all caught up. You didn't really miss out on much. My latest idea is to take my iPad to work and blog during lunch. We have free wi-fi down in the cafeteria (not at our desks, which I find typical of government). I guess we'll see how that works. Bear with me as I work through the formatting/compatability issues. 


Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy 4th Birthday, Rowan!

Where do you spend your fourth birthday? If you're Rowan, you lunch at Red Lobster. He's been talking about Red Lobster for about a year now. I don't think it was as awesome as he imagined, but it wasn't a total drag either.

The Batman themed party--and the awesome Batman cake--was a hit. Jeremy, Raleigh, and I wore our superhero tees in celebration. Grams and Papaw showed their Batman solidarity during the party, too. 


Happiest birthday wishes to my sweet, funny, smart four-year-old boy!

Rowan and Alex

The pure delight... The cupcake-crumb goatee... I can hardly stand it.

Baby, you can drive my car.

Last Friday was a big day at Rowan's school. They had a sweetheart dance for the preschool village and it was Alex's last day. Alex is Rowan's best bud of late. She's a real pistol, kind of bossy, but silly and fun, too. 

They were really cute about spending as much time together as possible. Instead of joining in the dancing and antics in the piazza, the kids chose to stay in the classroom playing Legos and computer games.  

The were saying all kinds of funny things that day. It started that morning...

Alex met Jeremy and Rowan at the door.

Alex: Rowan, where are your handsome clothes?

J: They're in this bag for later.

Alex: I want to see them.

Jeremy opens the backpack a little.

Alex: No, take them all the way out.

J: We're going to keep them in the bag so they stay nice for the party.

Alex: I want Rowan to put them on now.

One of the hot topics of conversation concerned the dinner date we had for that night with both families.

Alex: I want to ride with you, Rowan.

R: You can't. There's no seat for you. We just have a baby seat.

Alex: You need to get a seat for me.

R: When I get big and have my own car you can sit in the front with me. You can drive it, too.

Alex: I can drive? Okay.

After dinner we went on a short walk. Rowan and Alex spontaneously held hands as we started out. It was almost too sweet to bear. We have plans to Skype when Alex and her family get settled in their new place.

Thank goodness Rowan has Valentine's and his birthday to distract him. Kids are so resilient. He'll probably be over the whole thing by next week.

Bon chance, Alex and family! We'll miss you.

Raleigh is 22 months!

Likes: bubbles in the bathtub; chocolate milk; her shoes with flowers on them; blackberries; art projects at school; markers instead of crayons; animals; The Animals of Farmer Jones, and Baby’s Birthday. She likes the idea of a hair bow but won’t keep one in very long. She prefers chewing on them instead.

Dislikes: brushing teeth, sometimes; waiting, all the time

Communication: She’s talking in complete sentences mostly. Some stunners from this past week. “I like your necklace, mommy.” “This juice is yucky. I don’t want it.” (I watered it down too much!) There are still a few things that she says that are hard to understand. Sometimes Jeremy and I look at each other and shrug our shoulders. We ask her to show us, but sometimes she won’t or can’t.

Skills: She can take off most of her clothes without help. School tells me that she is a very good helper, especially with the little babies.


So big!: Clothes are still size 18 months though she does have a few 24-month things that fit okay. Shoe size is 5 or 6 depending on the brand and style. Diaper size is 4.

This past month has been really fun! I am amazed at how quickly her verbal skills have evolved. She is also starting to show more and more of her sense of humor. You know we need another comedian in the house.


Happy mirthday to my sweet, smart, funny girl!

Veggie Tales

Me: Wow! You sure grew a lot of hair since the last time we were here. It must be all those vegetables you eat.
Fred: What’s your favorite vegetable?
R: Cabbage. Fred: (looks at me skeptically)
Me: He does like cabbage, especially purple.
Fred: You know, I heard that cabbage makes your hair grow well.
R: That’s why I eat it.


I thought Fred was just teasing, but thought I would troll the Internet to research the topic. Turns out that a mixture of boiled cabbage and lemon juice applied to the scalp is but one natural remedy to stimulate hair growth.


So, hairs to you, Fred for helping me learn something new. (Snorting with laughter)


Why do I have to be so nerdy?

Table Talk

Jeremy made some delicious soup last night-- kale, potatoes, chicken sausage. It was very tasty. We all ate it up. It also inspired some funny statements from Rowan. Pieces of kale kept covering the pieces of sausage on his spoon.

"This is camouflage meat."

"I see through your disguise, meat."

Mental Jukebox

Here's the playlist running through my mind lately. Like an ample bosom with no support, it's all over the place.

Courtney Jaye: Sweet Ride 

Metronomy: The Bay
Toe-tapping music, a video that makes you smile, the way he says "Berlin". C'est si bon!


Freedy Johnston: Bad Reputation
Love this tune. Actually, the whole album, "This Perfect World" is good. It's a great album to listen to while making soup on a rainy winter day. "...and it isn't just talk, talk, talk."


Maroon 5: Moves Like Jagger and Flo Rida: Good Feeling
Just try to keep still during these songs.

The Dandy Warhols: Bohemian Like You

Rowan Update

In less than a month, Rowan will be 4 years old. It's a hot topic of conversation around here. He's already put in his request for Transformers cupcakes (with matching napkins) for school and a chocolate Batman cake for the family party at G-Ma's house. I've asked him a couple of time about what he wants and he has not wavered once. Sounds like a good plan to me. 


Because I know you love them as much as we do, here are some recent Rowan quotes.


After his bath one night, my mom gave Rowan a hug and told him he smelled so fresh and clean. His reply: "Don't take all my fresh love."


"Mommy, I have x-ray vision. I can see inside towels. You know what's in there? Fur. Sheep fur."


Happy mirthday, sweet boy!

Raleigh is 21 months old!

I would have shared this post sooner but both children have developed the inability to go to sleep on time for the past week or so. Their routine has not changed so I am not sure what's going on. Maybe it's the weather. Dunno, but I hope things change soon! Now for the Raleigh update. 

Likes: "Love You Like a Love Song" by Selena Gomez - especially the part that goes "And I keep hittin' repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat"; Books - "Go Dog! Go!", "The Little Red Caboose", and "Where's My Mummy?"; Puzzles; Mushrooms, noodles, and pasta; Swings; Caillou and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; Ring Around the Rosie

Dislikes: Veggie burgers (That's yuck!); Having her hair washed; Being told no and basically not getting what she wants when she wants it

Communication: Wow! She's a talker... like her mama. She likes to chime in to most conversations and speaks in 3- to 4-word sentences. And she has great manners. Examples of what we've been hearing lately: "Share toys, Bub. Please." "Shhh! Baby's sleeping, Mommy. Okay?" "Eat dinner now. Yay!" "More stickers, please!" It actually sounds like "Mo stickuhs, peas." It's adorable. 

Skills: Raleigh can jump! She made liftoff on Christmas Day. She is very good at stacking blocks and other objects in complicated ways. Her crayon skills are more controlled though she still likes to bite off the tips. Ugh. She likes to "read" to me and will join in if I am reading a favorite passage. She also likes to count images in books and can do it in Spanish, too. She is a good helper at school. She helps take care of the little babies, mostly by helping them hold their bottles.

Funny Girl: Raleigh loves to tell knock-knock jokes. Her favorite goes like this. R: Knock knock. 
Me: Who's there? 
R: Banana 
Me: Banana who? 
R: Neena na nee nee banana? (Translation: Orange you glad I didn't say banana?) 


Another classic gag that gets plenty of laughs... She will toot and then claim that Lulu, my parents' dog, or G-Daddy did it. She came up with this all by herself. 

So big! Clothes are still size 18-month for the most part but she can wear a couple of smaller 24-month size shirts. She is now wearing a size 6 shoe and size 4 diapers. 

Happy birthday to my sweet, smart, funny little girl!