Cause and effect.

As Abrianna grows, naturally her reason from cause to effect continues to grow with her.

She has been teething and I had given her a large chunk of carrot to gnaw on. Noticing a little chunk on her sleeve that had fallen from her mouth....
Leaning forward she attempted to bite it off her sleeve. Click on the above picture to enlarge and see why wails commenced with the bite.
Now, if only she'd learn that this is why we don't bite others...

Holding the bird

On the swings.

Here's a clip of Lucas pushing Abrianna on the swing set.

In the Park

I was waiting for Rick to come home from working out to go for a walk in the sunshine, forgetting that his Wing Chun was moved up from 6:30 to 5:30 tonight.
He reminded me and asked when supper would be ready. Well, I threw the egg plant parmesan together much faster than I thought was possible. It was really GOOD!
When Rick was pulling out of the driveway, Lucas burst into tears, "Daddy didn't say goodbye!" he wailed. What could I do to help soothe that sad little heart? A walk! We hadn't gone for a walk yet and the park sounded like the perfect distraction.
Several minutes later, bundled in coats and a helmet for Lucas we started out. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the little park. It has a baseball diamond, some picnic tables, swings, and ( the best part) DIRT!
Lucas started out in the swing, while Abrianna toddled about chewing on a Popsicle stick from home. "Higher Momma, Higher!"cried Lucas.
After 5 minutes or so, I told Lucas it was sister's turn. I pushed a minute or two and then he asked if he could push. Sure, why not. He pushed and pulled the swing trying as only a two-year-old can to coordinate his movements and get out of the way of the swing. As it was, it crashed into his helmeted head several times sending him sprawling into the wood chips. Not to be deterred, he sprung back up giggling, to do it again.
There is a special bond between siblings. Abrianna and Lucas laughed and giggled as he pushed making the swing dance from side to side.
Next it was onto the corner of the wood chips where there was small bank of dirt. Lucas pushed "Doc Hudson" and his motorcycle through the dirt as Abrianna sat on her hind end shoveling dirt into her mouth hand over fist.
Then deciding there were more important things to conquer she stood and scrambled up the foot-tall embankment. That was all fine and dandy. The problem was she thought she could get down as easily as she got up. Down she fell, landing o face first. Oh did she wail. She has some new scratches on her face and was covered in wood chips and dirt. Some comforting from mommy and a few kisses and she had to try again. This time she picked up Lucas helmet and with a little help, put it on. Next she toddled to the precipice holding tightly to mommy's hand. Brother walked over and she reached out her hand towards him. He clasped her hand in his and then she made her second attempt to walk down the hill. She was successful.
Both of my children were in desperate need of a bath after our adventure. I was shocked. I had Lucas lay back in the tub and the dirt that washed out formed a ring around him in the tub. My tub is absolutely filthy! I hope this picture will give you and idea of just how dirty he was. P.S. To Rick's credit he took Lucas hot-tubbing this evening. And he did tell Lucas good-bye before he left but didn't see or respond to Lucas' waving as he pulled out of the driveway.

After the library...

Lucas loves bringing home the books the library "shares" with us. He asked to take the Curious George books to his bed for his rest time. Sure, why not? I didn't think he'd probably sleep but at least have some quiet time.
After I finished the massage, I went into his room and this is what I found. Can't put down a good book!

Sand Time

Since Abrianna has been walking, she's been playing WITH Lucas. Here's our time spent out in the afternoon sun and wind.

This is Lucas' track for his cars.

Abrianna loved trying to play with the track too. Lucas strongly encouraged her to play with her own or in the sand box.

Conscrete

I just finished tucking my precious children into bed after attending an An Dochas concert.
I've taken Lucas the past 3 years and the year before that in utero. Every year he's loved it. As we waited for the concert to begin, he sat wide-eyed and smashing his hands over his ears and munching an apple,while Abrianna visited with Danielle ( a friend whom I've known since her babyhood).
The light dimmed and music came on way too loud- I don't think I've ever attended a concert where the volume wasn't loud. Abrianna jumped in fright and began to wail. Only mommy would do now. Lucas scrunched as close to me as he could get without getting out of his seat.
Then the Irish cloggers came leaping onto the stage, looking like so many puppets who's legs are controlled by strings. Now Lucas was fascinated. The hands came off the ears and he perched on the armrest leaning forward with interest.
Abrianna didn't share Lucas' enthusiasm. She clung to me, pressing her little head to my chest. I placed a hand over her ear and she quickly journeyed to the land of knod where she remained for the remainder of our time there.
I left about 9:00. The concert was supposed to last until 10:00. Way too late for little kids needing their rest.
After getting everybody ready for bed, I asked Lucas what he wanted to tell Jesus that he was thankful for today. He said, "the concrete!" "What is the concrete?" I wondered. Then it dawned on me, "Do you mean the concert?" "Yes, the conscrete!"
Then he kept telling me wanted to go back and asking if I was going back when I left his room. "No" I assured him. I wasn't going back to the "concrete or conscrete" whichever you prefer.

Diva?

I'm certainly not encouraging primping. Anybody who knows me, knows that's really low on my priority list. This morning my hair was absolutely wild- guess I can't go to bed with wet hair now that its so short. I brushed it and slapped on a head band. While sitting on the floor reading to my kids, Abrianna noticed it. Plucking it off, I handed it to her. The following pictures document what ensued.

Gotta make sure it's just right...

Doesn't it look like she's primping in these pictures?
( sorry Auntie Jen, there's a difference between girls and boys from the get go)

Look at me! I'm a BIG girl!

The fastest way to put a big grin on my girl's face is for her to do a big kid thing. Brother is sleeping and she wanted to wear his helmet. Do you think she's pleased or what?

Buddies

There has been a paradigm shift ( if that's what its called). Lucas and Abrianna are great buddies since last week. He seems to think of her as a little person instead of a little pest now that she's got her feet under her and is walking.
They're so adorable, laughing and giggling, even semi-sharing toys. I'm so happy! I was beginning to think that I'd have to run interference forever.

The Dove

We were out enjoying a walk in the warm spring-like weather this afternoon. Abrianna was playing in the grass and Lucas swinging on the swing in the park, when, lo and behold a dove landed on the top pole of the swing set.
Initially, Lucas had a hard time figuring out where we were pointing. Then the dove fluttered to the ground and started poking around. Lucas wanted down to try and touch it. Turns out this dove had a band on it foot and was very tame. Lucas was within a half an inch of touching it multiple times.
Okay, so if its so tame, I decided that I would catch it and let my kids pet it.
It wasn't difficult to catch. Lucas was thrilled to pet it but Abrianna acted afraid. I let go shortly after wards because I though Jasper was going to take a chunk out if it. He didn't, but we had to keep calling him off and telling him no.
What a nice change for our walk.

Imagination.

Lucas has a vivid imagination. He was telling, me when he grows up like his daddy that he'll open the door for daddy, and he'll take daddy for walks in the stroller or take him outside in the back yard. Or best yet, he'll let his daddy ride his "motorcycle."

I guess that may be true. When Rick's an old man, Lucas probably will take him for walks in the "stroller" and open doors and take him outside too.Maybe he's just foretelling the future.

We're still working on the order things happen in life. I explained to him that we start out as babies, then grow to be little boys/girls/ than bigger boys/girls/ then maybe get married and have our own babies.

This afternoon we walked to the store and back. Lucas was coasting down an hill when something happened and the next thing we know he splatted on the pavement.

When I was talking to him tonight in his room, he was telling me about his day. He told me he'd crashed and that is "wasn't very nice!" then, "I'm going to spank the rock!"
His conclusion was that the rock caused him to hurt his knee. If he hurts others he gets in trouble/disciplined, so the rock must need to be disciplined too.

More words

I was carrying Abrianna on my hip when Rick walked the door. Abrianna enthusiastically waved and said, "hi da!" That's a 2 word sentence and she's only 10 months old! I'm a proud mommy!