We were out and about running errands this morning.  While we were in the car, Jane looked out the window and said, “Mama!  Look!  Firefighters!”  I said, “Really?  You see a firefighter?”  She responded (in between giggles), “No, Mama.  That’s silly.”  Jane’s first joke is on the books.

Jane, during every turn in the car:  “Woah, Mama!  Big turn!”  

Jane’s favorite question today:  “Mama, what you doing there?”

(Scene from the changing table.)

Jane:  Mama, what’s a clock say?

Me:  Tick, tock.  Tick, tock

Jane:  That’s right, Mom!

Walt’s been doing a combination army crawl/roll all day.  At one point, he went across the family room to get his stuffed monkey.  I give us another week before we have to put the baby gate back at the top of the stairs.

Talking on “the office” phone

We had a playdate with Jane and Walt’s buddies.  They had a ball playing and running around.  The highlight for me was watching Janie give her little buddies big hugs before we left.  What’s cuter than watching toddlers in their big, puffy winter coats and hats giving each other a big squeeze? 

Jane has a musical set with mini-cymbals that are about three inches in diameter.  Dr. Jane took one of the cymbals and went around, putting it on the chests of all of her stuffed animals, saying, “Check up, Ernie.  Check up, Elmo.  Check up, Baby Stella.”  Apparently she learned a new phrase last week at her doctor visit (“check up”), and we didn’t know it!

Jane developed an addiction to dry cereal in the last week.  It’s her new favorite snack.  I think I must say, “That’s all” a lot when I pour the last bit for her because while I was giving her her morning snack, she said, “That’s all, Mama.”

Jane held her sippy cup to her favorite stuffed dog, T-Bone’s mouth.  As she pretended to have him drink, she said, “Slow down, Doggy!”

The weather was so gorgeous today that we were able to go for a family walk before dinner.  Jane walked ahead of me down the stairs on our way out.  She turned back and said, “Come on, Mama.  Hold my hand?”

Look at that baby sitting up in the stroller and his big sis on the back!

When I dropped Jane off in the childcare room for our evening event, she gave my leg a squeeze and said, “See ya later, Mama!”  I love that she’s simultaneously loving and secure when I leave.

As Philip got Jane ready for bed tonight, she said to him from the changing table, “Dada, you so cute!”

The kids had a last-minute playdate this morning, and it was a ball!  Jane is especially fond of her little buddy, Connor.  Instead of playing alongside her friends, Jane is starting to develop an interest in playing with them.  It was so fun to watch those two be silly together and share toys.   

We went shopping for the kids’ spring and summer clothes at a second-hand shop.  We got both of their spring and summer wardrobes for a whopping $140!  I don’t know about you, but getting the kids quality clothes at a low price is my idea of a good time.  Probably a quarter of the clothes still had the tags on them!

  

It was a quiet day at home.  This was the first weekend in a long time that we had Philip all to ourselves for the entire weekend, so we did a few projects around the house.  Philip cleaned out the garage, I organized a few things in the storage room, and we got my new office space in the front living room set up.  (More on that another time.)

My awesome husband told me to have some me-time.  I went shopping with a girlfriend after lunch.  It was so nice to shop for a few clothes with the helpful expertise of a gal pal.  Getting out on my own with a friend was good for my soul.  Thank goodness for a husband who encourages me to have that time.

We had a fun night out on the town with some friends.  We had a yummy dinner out and followed it with some bowling and a stop to the attached arcade area.  Putting a little bet on the game brought out the best in our bowling skills.  I’ve never seen so many strikes and spares in one game!  Unfortunately for Philip, more of the strikes and spares came from our friends than his sidekick wife.  Janie and Walt played with two of their favorite sitters, and Jane even got to do a craft with them.  They put a bunch of glitter and pom-poms on a wooden “J.”  So cute!  As always, it was fun to go on a date with my hubby, and the kids enjoyed having fun sitters to play with.

 

While I ate my breakfast this morning, I read an article on the Holy Father’s upcoming trip to Cuba and the big news that Fidel Castro might re-convert back to Catholicism.  Philip asked a question about Fidel’s regime, and I responded with an, “Oh, yeah!” for emphasis.  Jane decided this is her new favorite phrase.  She said “Oh, yeah!” in response to just about everything this morning. 

Walt is a crawling machine!  He does an army crawl/roll combo all over the place, and he’s getting so fast!  Walt’s no longer our potted plant bambino.  I think we’re putting the baby gate back up tomorrow.   

Our not-so-little guy

My religious education students received the sacrament of Confirmation this afternoon.  What an honor to be a part of their big day!   

We decided to end the era of binkies for Janie tonight, and we went cold turkey.  We’ve been telling her for a few weeks that she’s a “big girl,” and we’ve ushered in a few changes like a bigger, forward-facing carseat.  We emphasize that we make the changes because she’s a “big girl.”  At meals, instead of having yogurt bites like Walt, she has “big girl yogurt” (regular yogurt out of a container).  So, tonight, when it came time for Jane to go to bed, we said “binkies are all gone.  Janie’s a big girl.  Binkies are for babies.”  She got on board right away and said, “Binkies all gone.”  It’s 10:00, and she’s still asleep in bed.  Could it be too good to be true?  Perhaps tomorrow during naptime will be the biggest test.  Stay tuned!