Why are two year olds so cute?

If they weren't they won't survive for very long!
Cuteness that I witnessed today:

1. Jumping into the clean clothes, yelling "where's Slater", then popping out to make his sister laugh
2. Running full tilt across the lawn with both arms out stretched, yelling "watermelon"
3. Sitting down next to and asking a total stranger (grandpa type) to read his transformer book at B and N today
4. Mastering hopping today and then showing off for dad by hopping all the way to his bedroom tonight for story time
5. Wanting to dance naked in the first big rain of the spring

And then the not so cute:
1. Taking the clean clothes, throwing them on his sister, yelling "where's baby", then knocking her flat - he was trying to include her in the fun, so how do you explain to him that now it isn't fun?
2. Slipping past the **kind** door holder at B and N and dashing for the parking lot - who holds the door open for a two year old????
3. The shrieking that went on every time that he hopped, which woke the baby from her nap :(
4. The screaming and thrashing of his little naked body when I drug him in from dancing - he had goose bumps he was so cold!!

So ... it is a good thing that he is cute and the cute outweighs the not-cute, which is always the truth when I sit down and think about it.

The Jado Rocket

Thought everyone should see her in motion. She tears through the house and no one is safe! Lookout! It's a Jado Rocket!

Hmmmm, will this be my kids??

9 months

Sweet baby Jade is already 9 months old!!! I was looking through pictures to post and realized that we have not taken to many of just her lately - have to change that.
Stats:
Almost 18 pounds
Over 28 inches
Still not crawling - she moves around in circles and goes backward :)
LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her little walker - doctor mentioned that she might crawl if we left her on the floor more
Loves to stand up
Adores the big brother - which he loves and hates - typical siblings
Say "mama" and "dada" and "nunnunnun"
Thinks that shaking her head "no" is hilarious
Eats any and all finger food that she can get a hold of
Still has blue eyes

And a flash back to May of 2008 when the little man was just 9 months old.

Chocolate Brown Eyes...

Muffins, bread, cookies, and cake are all popular items to cook and consume in our household. Once or twice a week Slater and I use Jade's nap as a time to get busy in the kitchen. The camera always seems to come out on the chocolate items, which is probably because it is the only time that Slater becomes more interested in the food than in the Kitchenaid mixer.

Here is the newest version of his "smile".

And here is the younger version of the chocolate brown eyes that I fell in love with almost 16 years ago.

The evening walk

The weather this week has been stupendous for Fairbanks in April. This means most of the day is spent outdoors, on the lawn, at a playground, or taking a hike. Most evenings when Dad gets home it is more of the same and tonight he caught two kids cheesing it up for the camera.

While holding the boy in my lap this evening I remarked that his head smelled like sunshine and dirt, which is just the way things should be.

Chopped Liver and other news

Jade has always gone to bed before Slater and gotten up first, we have loved this since it gives us one-on-one time with each of them every day. But lately Jade and Slater have definitely started to form a sibling bond. Slater asks to hold Jade, wants to give her hugs and even feeds her (chocolate pudding - not really what mom wants her having at eight months). This adoration results in Mom being "chopped liver" in the entertainment department.

Friday morning Jade played happily with me for the first half hour, but the instant she was placed in her buggy she raced for Slater's bedroom door and pounded away until he was awake. Not being a morning person, I thought this would make a bad start to the day but Slater was delighted to see his sister at the door and they started squealing and shouting at one another. Then during nap time Slater kept trying to sneak back to the bedroom, when he finally got by me he stood at her door yelling, "Sistah, Sistah." After that he pointed at the door and smiled, "Baby awake." Yup, not to many people can sleep through that.

There are so many little moments that make up their day, I am glad to have the chance to watch them all.