March madness.

 March means birthdays--one which Wes and my mom share.  Happy 42, Big Man.

And we had lots of recent visits from Grandma and Grandpa.  Grandpa got to enjoy a weekend with the kids, without Grandma.  Usually, he's second fiddle to Grandma, but when she's not around, he is lavished with attention.  Snuggles on the couch.

 Snuggles after dinner.

 And then Grandma came, and more fun was had.  Tea parties.

 Trips to the park.

 More tea parties.

 Finger painting--I think Grandma enjoyed it more than the kids!

 And, somebody lost another tooth!  This time it was just in time for family photos.

 

We're trying to teach Dani and Tori about money, and the tooth fairy deposits are helping with that.  A month or so ago, I opened savings accounts for the kids.  Since Dani was born, we've been throwing change into a large baby bottle bank.  The kids are always asking for coins to put in it.  It was finally full so Dani, Tori and I went to the bank to feed the coins into the machine to deposit into their accounts.  (the net was almost $150!).  If you enter my house, they will shake you down for more coins for the bank. 

And, I broke down and bought a minivan.  There's just no making that cool.  But it's practical...woo hoo!

 

And, in funny things my kids have said lately:

 

"Mommy, nobody's perfect; not even astronauts." (Dani)

"But Mommy, I'm not littering, I want to give the birds some stickers to play with."  (A disappointed Tori when I wouldn't let her throw stickers out of the car window.)

 

During a dinner, I had made a roast beef on the rotisserie.  Dani pointed out that the meat was the same color as Daddy, "brown and pink".  I suggested to the kids that perhaps that meant that Daddy was perfectly cooked and ready to eat.  Tori's response was, "NO!  We can't eat Daddy, because he would be too hard to chew."



Little Dude turned two.

 Tommy turned 2 on the 16th...good thing he doesn't know his dates, because we had cake on Saturday.  Grandma and Grandpa sent presents for all the kiddos, and fun was had.  Probably our last birthday without a kid demanding a party.

And what to say about this little tyke?  T is for Tommy and for Temper and for Tantrum.  He is Mister If I don't get my way I will scream until you give in.

He's also destined to be the class clown, amusing his sisters at every turn with silly faces and gestures.

He's the daredevil.  The only kid we've really seen bleed.  Because when you are jumping off of everything, and getting in to it all, you are bound to get a little banged up.

He likes to announce "HAND" as he extends his so that he can lead you where he wants to go, which is, most often, to the kitchen for cookies. 

Amazingly agile, he could climb the stairs like a big boy months ago.  He's our little mimic, repeating everything the girls say.  Tonight at dinner it was "Chuck E Cheese" over and over in varying voices to Dani and Tori's delight. 

He is, by far, the best snuggler of the three.  When you pick him up, he wraps his arms around your neck and places his head on that sweet spot on your shoulder made for baby heads and just snuggles.

He is love.  He is energy.  He is chaos.  He is our Tom Tom.

 And he loves his sisters.  "DANEEE. TOWEEE" he calls, often when they sneak away to do something else.

 

 We went to Animal Land a week ago.  Tommy had no fear.  He touched every animal he could, feeding them, petting them, and at one point, picking up a huge piece of deer poop that we thought was a rock.....ugh.

 He's game for rides, and whatever his sisters have in store for fun.

 On the safari ride, one camel followed us, and was fixated on Tommy.  All I could think was "please don't bite my kid's face off", but the camel walked along us, sticking with Tommy as he petted her nose and said hello.

 And then, of course there was some cake.  Dani helped me bake it.  What a difference a year makes.  He wanted a fork, he always wants a fork because his sisters use one.

He's an amazing boy, our little Tommy.  No doubt, because he has grown up with two smart, older sisters, his vocabulary at his age is amazing.  He's the king of the funny face, and without a doubt makes Wes and I laugh at least once per dinner.  He's our little fireball, and I love him to bits.  Happy Birthday Tommy!

 

And, before I forget to add some of the recent fun things the kids have said.....

We've had a bunch of work done in our house recently, and I was somewhat friendly with the contractor beforehand...so that meant that he shared a number of meals with the family.  One day, his car broke down and he took a cab to our house.  We would routinely bring him home.  On day three of no car, he mentioned at dinner, "I just feel naked without my car."  Dani leaned over to me and said loudly, "Why does Mr. M think he doesn't have any clothes on?  He's wearing clothes!".  I looked at Wes, perplexed (probably because we weren't paying too much attention to Mr. M), but Mr. M caught on--and pointed out to us what she meant so we could explain.

 

In other news, and funnies, Dani is starting Pre-K next week.  We received a packet in the mail two weeks ago with information from the teacher, and which advised us of the dress code:  solid color collared shirts and pants/shorts/skirts in designated colors.  Reading it, I explain to Dani that she will need to wear solid shirts to school.  She looked both disappointed and perplexed.  "Mommy, will the shirts be hard?", she asked.  I looked at her, not having a clue...and asked what she meant.  "Mommy, solids are hard...you know that," she said.  There has been some talk of liquids and solids with water and ice cubes, but it's easy to forget how literally words can be taken.  Ice cubes are solids, and they are hard, so wouldn't the shirt be hard too?

 

These kids, all amazing in so many ways, but I feel like I'm leaving Tori out.  Perfectly potty trained, she's been accident free and wearing underwear to bed for about 6 months...amazing.  At newly 3, she can write most of her letters, as she showed me with chalk on the sidewalk yesterday.

 

They are amazing little peeps, my kiddos!

Long overdue.

Wow--this post is LONG overdue.  I haven't posted in nearly two months--which has never happened.  I got so caught up in life, kids, work, etc., that I just did not make time to blog, and I thought "no biggie".  But when I started thinking about it tonight, I reminded myself that this blog is, for all intents and purposes, the baby book for the kids, the record of our lives that I have printed and bound every year for the kids to have someday, and I realized that posts to facebook won't be anything tangible years down the road that the kids can read, and hold and touch.  So...I'll do better.  And until then, here's the summer in a recap.

Father's Day--the kiddos greeted Big Man with "I love my Dad" t-shirts.  Getting three toddlers to smile and look at the camera at the same time is impossible.

 We spent so much time outside, squirt guns in hand, in the big and little pool.

 We have a gender-neutral dress-up policy.....Tommy's wardrobe is compliments of Dani and Tori.

 We were invited places, and actually showed up, despite being outnumbered by kids who could scatter upon arrival.  Here's Tori at a graduation party.

 And Dani at the same one--they love putting on "party dresses" to go somewhere. 

 At times, they felt like they were in baby jail, just waiting for release.

 Meanwhile, Tommy just sprouted. 

 Grandma and Grandpa visited and, of course, that meant a trip to the beach.

 Grandpa braved the deep waters of Caroga Lake!  (Grandpa is actually an accomplished swimmer and diver, not that he'd need it in the lake!)

 Grandma showed Tommy around.

 Dani and Tori saw their first fireworks this summer.  Their reactions were priceless.

 It was just awe.  Tori yelled, "Mommy, look it's pixie dust!"

 Swimming.

 Dinnertime silly.

 And there are just so many things I didn't capture because I didn't post them when they came up--sorry kiddos.  A few funnies I can think of:  Dani is starting Pre-K and we received the orientation packet.  School has a dress code so I told Dani we needed to get school clothes so she could dress accordingly with solid shirts and pants.  "Will the shirts be hard?" she asked.  I asked what she meant...."Solids are hard, Mommy, not like liquids," was the response. So we explained the concept of solid colors.  We've had someone doing some home improvements  (painting, etc)  "Mr. Mark" who has had dinner with us a time or two while he was working...the other night Mr. Mark (who had taken a cab to our house as his car would not start) remarked at dinner that he felt naked without his car.  A minute later, Dani leaned over to me and asked, "Mr. Mark has clothes on, why does he think he's naked?"
It's been a zany few months...and I promise it won't be so long for me to update.

 Sister hugs!

Father's Day, a Dani, Tori, and Tommy Guest Post.

Hey, Tori, I've been thinking.  Isn't Father's Day coming up?  Are we supposed to be doing something for Daddy? (Tommy)
Tommy, can't you see I'm busy playing on Mommy's tablet?  Leave me alone.  (Tori)

Oh, wait!  Tommy, you're right!  Father's Day is coming up. What should we do?
I dunno, Tori, let's ask Dani.  She knows everything.

DANI, DANI WE NEED YOUR HELP!
DEEDEE DEEDEE HEP HEP!
What do you guys want? (Dani)
Dani, it's almost Father's Day, what are we going to do???
Deede, faga day, doooo?
Don't worry guys, I've got it under control.

I'm totally online right now ordering Daddy some really cool stuff, and getting us Father's Day shirts to wear.  Tori, go in the kitchen and get me Mommy's wallet.
OK Dani.  What are we getting Daddy?
What do you think we should get Daddy? 
Let's get him some coloring books!  And some cookies.
Coookie!  Cookie!

GUYS!  We have to think about Daddy!  He's super fun, and he doesn't want coloring books!  Remember when we climbed in his shirt and we were the three headed Daddy monster?  Maybe we should get him a new shirt?
Daaaddy!  Kitty!  Funny!

 Hmmm, you're right, Dani.  I will sit here and think about it.  What can you buy for the best Daddy in the whole wide world?  He gives the best hugs.  Can we give him hugs?  He likes brownies, can we make him brownies?
Cooookies!
Now you're thinking, Tori!  We can bake him brownies.  Let me get Mommy to help.  I think we should color him some pictures too.
Crayons!  Paper!  (puts crayon in mouth)
Okay Dani, I'm going to draw a picture for Daddy.

 Daddy is good at pushing us on swings.  I will draw the playground.
Playground!  Outside! (puts on shoes)

 Daddy always takes us outside.  Remember when Tommy helped him mow the lawn?

 

When I think about Daddy, I am happy.  He is big, and brown, and tall.  He gives me kisses, and he taught me how to snap my fingers.  He plays the Beatles for me, and he gives the best hugs!

Daddy always reads books with me.  And he makes the best pancakes.  I love pancakes.

Pancakes!  Pancakes!

 

Wes,

Dani, Tori and I join Tommy in raising our sippy cups to you, this Father's Day.

I couldn't have asked for a better husband or father.  You are the foundation of this family; the solid base from which we all grow, together, learning, loving, and striving to make you proud of us, and hoping that you always know how much we truly adore you.

Because it's silly, silly, silly, silly, silly, silly time!

We had a zany weekend!  I spent the week and a fair chunk of the weekend moving my law office.  The kids definitely have spring fever!

It's so awesome to see how much fun they have together!

 They are loving the warm weather, and playing outside.  And running around like crazy monkeys inside!

 And Tori, who lately won't look at the camera, was quite the ham.

Tonight, when we were watching a bedtime show, she saw two characters, and remarked, "It's his best friend."  So, I asked Tori who her best friend was.  (No cute answer like it's you mommy). 

She replied, "The other Tori."

Daddy asked, "Is that the naughty Tori?"

Tori neither confirmed nor denied.

 Tommy is now nearly as big as Tori, and is totally ready to rumble with the girls.

 Bethany junior Dani is busy tattling on all of them, and being insanely jealous of any little attention they get.

Oh, and did I mention, I picked up the pre-kindergarten enrollment packet for her today.

Pre-K?

Pre-K?

Where does the time go?

 The kids were all sitting together Saturday sharing a bowl of popcorn and being silly.  Tommy kept demanding a "bite bite" and Dani would feed him.  Adorbs!

Took the girls to the new office on Sunday so they could see that there's a playroom there!  New office has as much square footage as my damn house, so I figured it was time for them to have a spot to themselves there!

So big-a-big!

Dani has always been insistent that she wants her hair to be like Mommy's.  For about the past year or so, we've been taking her to have her hair professionally relaxed, but it is still so curly.  The relaxing makes it managable for day-to-day, and means fewer tears while we comb and style haphazardly put it into a hair tie or two.

The day we go to the salon, she gets a blow out, and looks just so grown up.  This weekend we did layers, and, except for the bangs (which she begged for) she actually looks like Mommy!

 Everyone at the salon was amazed at her ability to sit still.  She LOVED the dryer chair, and was just as polite as can be.  Tori, who carried on the last time we took her, had insisted that she did not want to go.  That was until we were leaving, at which time she insisted that she needed to go.  She screamed at the top of her lungs as I got Dani's shoes and coat on.  Then she sat at the picture window as I loaded Dani into my car, wailing at the top of her lungs.

On the way home, we stopped and got her some puzzles.

 Tommy had his 18 month baby visit last week--he weighs 31 pounds and is off the charts.  I don't think Dani weighed that much until about age 3.  Thank God he can climb the stairs.  Wes and I may need rotator cuff surgery if he isn't potty trained soon--lifting the little dude's legs to change him is a killer.

 Dani was happy to pose with me post-haircut.

 Tori and Tommy have made a game of chasing each other around the living room pillars.

In other funny kid things....

Tori has taken to nibbling everything she eats.  The simplest little goldfish cracker must be nibbled.  Last night at dinner, Big Man had grilled some burgers, and we were enjoying them with some salad and tater tots.  I look over at Tori towards the end of dinner, and she is hunched over, holding a tater tot with both hands, nibbling on it.  I motion to Big Man--he says, "Tori, you're not a mouse." 

Tori's reponse was to look up and say, "Squeak, squeak, I AM a mouse."

In the car the other morning, Dani told me, "Mommy, I wish I had two daddies."  When I asked her why, she responded, "So I could get twice as many hugs."