Explorations

 Today my beautiful daughter and I spent sometime exploring our nearly naked backyard. Its like a whole new place to her now that the trees have shed their leaves.

 To her great delight, hiding among the trees were her brother's G.I. Joes! Here's the thing, one of those Joes was hiding a little higher then my almost 4 foot tall young man can reach... I think someone else might have been out there creating some war scenes.

 Then there was the snow. We got a slight dusting this past week and there were still some remnants left around the yard. Lucy was fascinated! But, how do you explain to a one and a half year old that if she plays with snow with her bare hands, her hands will get unbelievably cold?! She would play for awhile then look at me and cry, I'd put her mittens on her, she'd pull them off, then repeat the cycle. It's a little maddening.

Isn't she gorgeous!? She just melts me.

Hug

 We got this new book from the library:

 It's a super cute, mostly illustrated, story about a baby monkey that sees all these other baby animals hugging their parents, he gets sad, then his Mommy comes and they hug. The only words in the story are "hug," "Bobo" and "Mommy"
Today, my sweet baby started calling me "Mommy." It is adorable but it is also one of those small things that means she's growing up. Thank goodness when I ask her if she's my baby or my big girl, she tells me she's my baby, and then we snuggle.

This Kid

Yesterday, I bought this kid his first pair of boy (rather then toddler) sized, lace up shoes. He is now officially out of all toddler sizes, clothes and shoes

 This kid is getting scarily close to the 4 foot mark. He barely shed a tear when he got his flu shot. His sister calls him "brother" and he teaches her everything he knows. He wrestles (mostly) gently with her and makes her laugh.

 He uses his manners. His creativity and ability to create games and play independently have taken off. His friends at school make a point to stop him and say goodbye.

He is a master at Candy Land. He thinks about others when he makes his decisions. He had his first kiss, with his first girlfriend at school on the playground. Where she says they're getting married, he says they are the best of friends.
But, he still needs a snuggle when he falls and hurts himself. He still wants someone to sing to him at night and lay with him till he falls asleep.
He's on the doorstep of his fifth birthday and we are trying to hold onto his little boyness for as long as possible.

Similarities?

They're not quite the same age in these pictures, Lucy's about 10 months older. Still cute comparison photo.

A Knight, A Princess, and some Ducks

Autumn

 Since coming home from our vacation, Lucy sustained her first major goose egg. Someone thought it was a good idea to pull her legs out from under her while she was walking toward the kitchen. Her forward made significant contact with the corner of the wall and within a few minutes she looked like a baby unicorn with her horn trying to emerge. Fortunately, the swelling stopped quickly, the guilty party issued a heartfelt apology and all was right in the world again. Well, until the cap gun found the same spot on her forehead...

 Lucy's opinions are getting stronger daily, as you can see from the picture above, she wore her jammies as a cape with slippers and a King Soopers balloon. She loves shoes and hats. Today, she was tasting all of my shoes, literally, putting them in her mouth and biting down. I'd like to blame teething but really I think she's just weird.

 Ethan's school had "carnival day" this past week. Families were invited to watch, I got to meet all his new friends and watch him participate in events like the tricycle race

 Shared a snack with his sister

 Beanbag toss

 Waiting for pumpkin bowling

 Pass the apple, without using your hands

 Obstacle course

 And, for lack of better name, carry the bird-seed-to-the-bucket-without-spilling.
He's been doing great at school, quite a ladies man. He has at least two girls telling their parents that he's their boyfriend. Plus, I found out that he kissed one during recess. O.K. how do you tell your (almost) five year old that kissing is special, without taking away the innocence of giving his "very best friend" a little peck? We're working on it, so far we have "no kissing at school."

 Fall is in full swing here in Colorado. One day it'll be high 60s the next in the 30s. But the colors are beautiful!! And we've been able to bust out our boots and sweaters

Ethan's been getting into games lately, real games, not computer or video games. We play at least two rounds of Candy Land a day, at least. We even bought it for one of his girlfriend's birthdays so she could have experience the joy too.