Around here we're looking forward to fall (I start dreaming of pumpkins, scarves, and apple cider by the beginning of June) but right now we're enjoying these last summer days. I've been trying to make a conscious effort to slow down and enjoy the time with the girls and not rush through life so much. Much easier said than done, especially when we actually need to get somewhere on time! But on the days we are home, I'm trying to appreciate how everything is so new and wondrous to them. Here's what we've been up to lately.
Cbear has given up naps. I know. I may have cried about it. I don't know where she gets this dislike of sleep...okay, I know exactly where she gets it. I stopped taking naps when I was two and even now I stay up waaaaay too late every night. There was a very rough adjustment period (I need some alone time or I'm a terrible mama!) but things are going better now. I put Jellybean to bed and then Cbear and I have some quiet time reading in her bed. After that she has her own quiet play time [cough-cough-watching the ipad-cough-cough] by herself in her room. Then we usually have time to play together because unlike us, Jellybean loves sleep. Yesterday we painted, then played "Go Fish" and "Memory". I love that Cbear can play actual games now and I think I need to get my hands on Candyland.
Jellybean is starting to talk more and more and developing such a personality. My favorite word she says lately is "noon-el" (noodle). It's just so darn cute. She has a great sense of humor. Recently she's been pretending to be upset and then she starts laughing when we get concerned. It's the great toddler fake-out! She's also become obsessed with her little beginner's Bible and sometimes will just go find a comfortable seat and turn the pages contentedly by herself. She likes to do this with the books off my shelf, too. She looks so grown-up "reading" books without pictures! I continue to be amazed at how different my two children are. That would never have flown with Cbear. And yet they seem to be growing into best friends. Sometimes I see them running through the house, holding hands and shrieking happy little girl screams. Until someone injures the other, then all bets are off.
We go through phases of what the girls are currently obsessed with, and two things come to mind right now: jewelry and worms (still). I gave them a lot of my jewelry that I never wear to play with, and they are loving putting on bracelets and necklaces and then admiring themselves in the mirror. It's so girly and fun. And then, just to balance that out, we totally have a worm farm in our backyard. Harry and Lloyd would be proud. We keep them in an old flower planter filled with dirt. We water them and feed them rotten tomatoes from our sad plants. Yesterday morning they got left in the sun, which the girls discovered when they went out to play after dinner. It was catastrophic. Jellybean pointed to them and yelled, "No no no no no no!" over and over while Cbear cried dramatically, "My worms died! They died FOREVER!" Fortunately my husband has mad worm-hunting skills and the farm was filled with a few new wiggly creatures in no time. Now the girls know to keep the worms in the shade!
With the splash pad closed since school started, we've been enjoying our own little water park in the back yard. We put the little plastic pool under the slide and then put the sprinkler under the trampoline. It's insta-fun for the girls and then Clint and I sit in the shade. Kinda beats hovering over them at the water park! Of course, it makes a huge mud puddle under the trampoline (Hey look hon, we made an awesome mosquito haven!) which is, of course, the best thing ever to the girls. They pink puffy heart luuuurrrve mud. So we let them have at it and just hose them down afterward. It's fun, but I'm looking forward to piles of leaves instead soon, how about you?
