The Good Idea that keeps on giving

I had the bright idea 3 years ago during summer. Alexandra was 3 & Ainsley was 1 and they made "TV Tokens" out of foam paper. They decorated them with stickers. I drew a TV on it and wrote their names on them. They each had 2 and gave me a token when they wanted to watch a program. Ever since that time, they are in the habit of turning off the TV after each program. Whether its a 2 hour Disney movie or a 20 minute program. But, we haven't used the tokens since that summer.

When I need to turn off the TV, I usually use my toe versus bend down to push the button. Keep in mind, I'm usually holding a sack of bricks (Anderson) and bending over is too much effort when my foot can do the same trick.

So now Anderson (16 months now), observing all that goes on around him, likes to turn off the TV with his foot. It's hysterical, it takes him a minute to hike his leg high enough when he could simply touch it with his finger.

This morning I was on the computer and Anderson was watching his 5 minutes of Baby Einstien (the only thing I can convince him to watch for a breif moment). All of a sudden, I hear the program turn off and loud stumbley feet got louder as he ran into the office and jumped on my lap. He sat there with me for a few minutes, I guess he decided he was done with Mommy Time, got off my lap, made a loud stumbley foot noise back to the TV room and turned the TV back on.

It's pretty funny to have a little being who can't talk, who mainly grunts and points and waves, be so matter of fact about what he wants to do. I love that he copies the girls in turning off the TV when he is done, whether it's with his foot or finger! :)

Here he is hiding from me. He climbs in the car, but goes to Ainsley's booster seat instead of his carseat. I guess if he can't see me, I can't see him!

Princess Emma

We have a new girl cousin. Alexandra & Ainsley thought it important for her first gift to be a book on how to become a princess. A REAL princess...


Here is the little princess. Her head could hold a tiara beautifully.


Sweet cousins, sweet girls.


Here is the happy, healthy, blessed and sleepy family.


Welcome Bebe Emma.

Lexi & Anders Sittin in a Tree

Lexi loves Anderson. He will haul off and hit her (and me, anisley, the wall, bed, daddy, teddy) with his hand (or tinker toy, pen, sock, whatever is handy). She'll look at him and say, "ooooh, buddy, what are you doin, silly!" Or, "oh buddy, that hurts!! here, gimmie that... let's do this instead."

Sometimes, he'll be getting into something he shouldn't and she'll try to stop him without asking for help. Anderson is very strong and wiggly so sometimes he is too much for her to handle and she yelps help. They are sooooo sweet together though and she is the kindest person to him.

Here they are, having her after school snack "on top of the deep freezer?? Please can I, Mommy?" Okay, if you want to, sure.... Then, a few minutes later. "Mommy, Buddy wants to snack up here with me." Okay...

They are sweet together, fun to watch and so in love....

Snip

Soooo, I always wondered if this would happen...

Stan walks into the girls room and Ainsley said smiling, "Daddy, do you like my hair?" Daddy said, yes. She asked, "does it look shorter?" Daddy said, maybe. Ainsley said, come look, I'm saving my hair in my boot." They proceeded to the closet to find the boot, put away in it's proper place. There was a little trail of hair snips from our bedroom down the hall to the girls room.

My surprise reaction made her cry and then I felt bad. I told her it was no big deal, I know she was just experimenting, "it cuts really easy, doesn't it?" She nodded... I said, "maybe you can cut hair when you grow up." Then she smiled and said, "I want to be a Princess Hair Cutter!" At that, she promised to get my help cutting until she is "grown up."

Btw, it looks like a long layer in the front. At least it's not the super short, sticking straight up into the air, kid cut... this time...

Ainsley Knows, I mean Nose

The whole litter climbed into our bed last night while we were reading a book. Anders fell asleep hard and the girls started to drift when Ainsley said, Mommy, Buddy smells like cheese. Does he have a poopy?

Mom: No... shhh... You smell like flowers, though. :)
Ainsley: Yeah, I smell like Roses.
Sister smells like, umm a Dandelion.
Mom: Ahh, that is sweet.
Ainsley: You smell like, umm, umm, umm.... a Sunflower!
Mom: Thanks sweetie.
Ainsley: Buddy smells like a Rat.

We all couldn't stop giggling at that point and they had to go into their own beds before they woke up our little rodent.

For the record, Anders does not smell like cheese or a rat. More like a little sweat head, mixed with dirt and sweet babys's breath.

School Begins

School started on Monday. Lexi in Kinder & Ainsley's 2nd year of Preschool. They each get another year with their wonderful master teachers. We are all so lucky to have them.

Here is our Kindergartener. First day before school started, she didn't want to go back because she didn't want to leave me. 2nd day she was mad that she didn't get to stay the whole day (half day first week) and wants to know when she will!
Ainsley has made a great friend at school and doesn't hesitate for a minute in the mornings. She seems really happy so far. She read two Bob Books last year before school was out. She is still just 3. She seems to be in a good place, they let her do what SHE is interested in.

Anders cried when they left with their daddy. Here he is hogging in on the picture. ;-) He darted over there when he saw the camera and turned around.

Soo Cuuuute

So, the girls have started to think it's fun to dress Anderson up(we were wondering when it would happen). I would provide pictures if my camera was not on the blink. Instead, I'll just do a quick breakdown of his adventures...

- Turns the corner down the hall wearing a Tinkerbell Headband.
- Lexi escorts him to my room, "Mommy, look how cute Buddy is!" He had 4 flower and fruit barrettes dangling from his thin hair.
- I walk in the room and see him wearing a tight pink headband that says, "It's a girl thing" while he is destroying a put together puzzle.

That'll do it for now, I think I hear him destroying the tea party set.