Our day in couch action photos...

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Another amazing trait they inherited from their father...

I can admit it. I'm kind of a food separator. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those semi-extremists who can never have any food co-mingling, or the ultra-extremists who require separate plates for each individual item. I can deal with gravy on my meat, potatoes and cooked vegetables. However, if I had some salad or fruit on the plate, they would need to remain gravy free for my enjoyment. And, frankly, I firmly believe that syrup was only intended for pancakes, waffles, french toast and the like, not meat products-- ever.

My husband, on the other hand, is much more laid back and adventurous by nature. And this fully extends into the realm of his plate. It has been obvious for some time that our children are much more like their dad in this respect. Of this, I am glad. I hope they refrain from many of my more fussy tendencies. They may stumble upon amazing flavors and adventures that would never occur to me. In fact, just last week Hannah seemed to sincerely be enjoying her Granny Smith apple dipped into mustard. And Noah, too, will dip any food into ranch dressing.

I was just reminded of this wonderful trait again at lunch today. The kiddos were happily slurping their tomato soup, fishing for goldfish crackers amidst the thickish red goodness. Then, just as Hannah picked up her last slippery slice of kiwi it slipped through her sweet little fingers and plopped directly into her soup bowl. That would have been the end of it for me. I would probably not have finished the kiwi or the soup at that point. But, without a thought or a grimace, she reached in, grabbed the kiwi coated in tomato and cheddar goldfish crumbs and downed it. Then, she turned and asked for some more. What a champ. Just like her dad.

More pool clips...

Noah's attempt at running and jumping in isn't a dramatic as Hannah's, but his dance moves make up for it. And, as you can see, Hannah has some serious balancing skills and no fear-- this must come from her daddy.

Kiddie Pool Fun!

Here are a few clips from our afternoon. They definitely like to ham it up for the camera.

Noah, the Talker

People are often surprised when they hear Noah speak. They ask how old he is and I inform them that he's not even two yet--just 21 months, actually. Even our pediatrician was a little blown away last week at Noah's appointment when we he asked about his language development. A lot of kids Noah's age like to jabber, have many single words that they use to indicate objects or feelings, and are often beginning to string these single words into brief phrases and thoughts.

Noah, on the other hand, has been putting together complete thoughts and sentences for months now, and many days it just makes me smile to see his mind at work as he carries on full conversations. Here is an actual snippet from today. After he woke up from nap, we were playing with an empty diaper box, waiting for Hannah to awaken too.

Noah: I need my wallet.
Me: Where is it?
Noah: It's in my bedroom.
Me: Okay. Why don't you go get it?
Noah: Can you open that door? (As he pulls unsuccessfully at the knob of the hallway door.)
Me: Sure.
Noah: Thank you.

(He returns from his bedroom with a leather cell phone cover that he pretends is both a wallet and a phone.)
Noah: I'm playing with my phone wallet. I'm calling Grandpa Lou.
Me: That's a good idea.
Noah: It's ringing. My phone is ringing. (He looks inside his "wallet" then looks directly at me) I need some money in my wallet. Where is some money?

Seriously. My not-even-two-year-old asked me for a little cash already. I guess he's advanced on many levels.

So it begins...

First of the summer blogs...

Ahhhhh. Time to relax, hang out with my amazing son and daughter, bake yummy treats, work on projects around the house, read lots of books, cultivate the garden and be a happy housewife. Now that skate camp has officially started, I am a stay at home mom. Below are some pictures from this morning: playing, dancing and sharing a picnic in the front yard. Although, I am fully aware of all the trying aspects of parenting too (I was up with kiddos 4 times this morning, between 12:30 and 3:30), it's mornings like this that make me wonder how anyone could think this is not the very best job in the world?

Hannah's birthday vid