growing up

The other day I sobbed watching the TV show Parenthood when the daughter went off to college.  The mom kept crying and said that she just didn't have enough time and wasn't ready for the daughter to leave.  I did the ugly cry.  And Leah watched me.  She came over to me and climbed up on my lap and put her arms around me.  She asked me, "Why you cryin mama?" I told her I just didn't want her to grow up.  She said innocently, "But I gonna grow up mama."  I asked her why?  "Because I gotta get big."  It was so sweet and sad at the same time.

Leah is loving school.  Today she pedaled on her tricycle by herself (says Emma's Dad) on the flat surface but still needs help with the hills.  She's come a long way from the days where she'd wait for kids to slow down enough to hop on the back of the bike.  I co-op on Wednesdays and I love being a part of watching her learn at school.  She paints and counts and builds and plays with magnets, sings songs and acts out stories.  She estimates how much fills up containers, plays on monkeybars and swings, and chases boys.  Unfortunately, the boy she is drawn to is the biggest trouble maker.  He;s behind her starting to tell everyone she's going to poop on their head- I just know it.  We have an agreement that we can discuss peeing and pooing in the bathroom and her bedroom and that's helped with the potty talk.  She asks me often, "Can I say pee pee?" and I'll tell her yes because we are in her room and she just continues "pee pee pee pee pee".  Oh, thank you, Jack for your contribution to my irritability.  I think she's moved on to a boy named GG.  Let's hope he comes with less poop talk.

Bri started walking and talking up a storm.  Today she said her first sentence.  She said "I'm mama's baby."  I swear to you.  My friend Bri was with me and she heard her more than once tell her "mama's baby"  But there was one time she said "I'm mama's baby"  It's possible she was referring to her bunny and saying mine mama baby but still....I will believe the first one.  Earlier today when I was about to pick Leah up I asked Bri if she wanted to get sissy from school.  Bri said, "no".  It made me laugh pretty hard.  She's cutting 3 molars as we speak and has been sick off and on since Leah started preschool but all in all she's in happy spirits.  Things Bri loves these days- pink bunny is still on the top of the list.  We have one off ebay (thanks, Sarah) and then the original one.  She sucks on bunnies nose at night and it ends up stinking like a dog toy.  I wash them a lot but there's a music box in them so I worry that it will die soon.  I suppose I need to check ebay for another one.  Maybe for Christmas.  Bri's also locing the play car, putting her pink bunny in the pretend high chair, and reading stories.  She likes singing and will sing "Part of that world" when she sees Ariel...Today i found her figuring out how to connect the charger into the computer.  We're addressing safety and all, but I was still impressed.

The girls' bday party was a big hit back in September.  We decorated it for under the sea and thanks to everyone who came and made it super special for them (us).  Julian put up balloons along the walls and we did streamers all over and huge blown up pictures.  Each girl got a tied tutu to take home.  I think I needed something to focus on since I didn't go back to teaching and every other teacher was setting up a classroom.  A little redirection of focus.

Halloween was fun.  We did an Up/Merida/skunk mix up.  I made bri a skunk costume but it looked jenky so we didn't take her out in that.  We made Julian a full on Russell costume and Julian built a mini house....so we took pics of each girl in it and then dressed Leah as Merida (which she rocked the red wig) and put Bri in our Mickey Mouse garage sale find.  Bri, I love you so much.  Again, I owe you $20 for a costume I didn't buy you.  But, you were the most adorable mickey mouse.  And in all fairness, I had a new Cinderella costume for you from Grandpa Jim and Grandma Cheri but you've been Cinderella at Disneyland and I wanted to have pics of you in a new costume.  Auntie Erica and her boyfriend Adrian, Yaya, and Luke's family all went trik or treating with us....We used- err had you (Bri) get candy so we could eat it.  I did make you and your sister super cute trick or treat bags.

Life with these two girls is certainly fun.  Leah wants Bri to start sleeping in her room (which would be great in theory) but she keeps trying to grab your hair between the slats....and then you scream and she screams and it just isn't going to work at the moment.  One of the favorite things to do lately are walking the block to see the blown up witch, spider, and cat.  This sounds lame and all....I get that, but when you hand deliver a note to the doorstep written from a 3 year old, it's pretty cute.  "Dear Witch, Spider, and Cat:  Thank you for being on the lawn.  I am three.  Do you have hand polish? Or no polish.  Ya.  I have a princess suitcase.  Can I hold you hand?  I lub you.  Your friend, Leah"  She was very sad they had to leave and asked where they went.
Julian- "They went back to Halloween-land"
Leah- "Um But why?"
J- bc they have to go home to rest for next year.
L- where do they go?
J-To hogwarts.
L- what's hogwatts?

This whole conversation is now replayed daily and today I found myself trying to explain what a wizard is and who is Harry Potter and "Your dad will teach you all of this as the years go on"

Other ways that Leah makes Julian proud- She asks to hear the song that goes (she does the riding horse dance move for Ghangdam style). and she will tell us she has to go to the store to get Daddy a Dark Vader toy.  She wins me over often too bc she snuggles with me a lot these days and is like a shadow which can be tiring at times but overall is so sweet to always have her trying to sit with me, on me, etc.  Today at nap she didn't want me to go so she tried to fall asleep on my back and legs so I wouldn't be able to move.

Bri started playing with the train set so that makes Julian's heart happy.  That and she waves at his picture every single day when he's at work and says, "Hi Dada."  One time we face timed when he was on lunch and Bri got hysterical because she missed him so much.  She runs to him as soon as he comes home.  Bri didn't used to be a snuggler but one good thing that happened from when she had the flu several weeks back is that she loves being held and snuggled now.  You know how we are all about that.



I'd like to give a shout out to my girl, Jen and her grandma.  Mama's got a drink ready for your grandma up in heaven.