4-Year Old Antics

The other morning upon finding that the Kleenex box from the master bathroom was in the Girl's bathroom and suspiciously nearly empty of Kleenex, I called her into the bathroom and questioned her about it. "How come my Kleenex are in your bathroom? You have your own Kleenex in here." To which she replied, "I just brought the box in here and put it right there on the counter. I didn't grab a whole bunch of Kleenex, throw them into the toilet and flush them down." Oh really? Is that what 'didn't' happen?! Hmmm...

On the same day I was folding laundry with my back to Baby Sister who was sitting on the floor nearby. I heard her say, "Hi Daadaa," followed by her usual baby jibberish and I turned to find her holding one of the Girl's shoes up to her ear as if it were a phone. So sweet.

This is what happens....

....when you grub for leftover Cheerios in the Bumbo seat.

You get totally stuck and have to wait to be rescued

until your Momma, who is laughing hysterically, snaps a few photos.

Birthday Fun

Ok, this is it, the last of the birthday posts, I promise. Baby Sister is only ever going to have one 1st birthday so I just couldn't leave anything out. On Monday, her actual birthday, J took the day off and we headed to the zoo.
Here are Baby Sister's new wheels. She's quite happy with them. So is the Girl.

Lucky for us, the zoo wasn't crowded so the Girls got to spend quite a bit of time up close and personal with the penguins.

Here we are checking out....

....the sloth bears.

Baby Sister giving her best snow leopard face.

The Girl put this outfit together all on her own and was quite proud of it, to say the least.

Sweet birthday hugs.

It's My Party....

....and I'll cry if I want to. Cry if I want to.

We had a plethora of cupcakes. Triple Chocolate and Golden Vanilla homemade - straight from the Betty Crocker box! And Baby Sister's cake was carrot cake made from scratch. I just couldn't bring myself to taint her little system with all of those preservatives.

She wasn't quite sure what to make of that candle.

"Are you really gonna make me eat this Daadaa?"

"I guess it isn't so bad."

"Finger-lickin' good in fact."
And of course the Girl, who had already eaten a cupcake, or I should say the frosting off of a cupcake, was waiting in the wings for her chance to get at Baby Sister's frosting.

Things really didn't start to get too messy until Baby Sister discovered the plates upon which the cake was resting.
Where's Baby Sister?

Peek-a-boo!!

"Oh wow, another plate!"

Turn it upside down....

....and what have you got?

Dump cake!

Tastes pretty good after all.

This Baby

This teeny-tiny 6 pound 6 ounce, dark-haired Baby has turned into

this Baby. This Baby of the big blue eyes. This Baby of the wispy, light hair. This Baby, who just in the past few days has discovered that she can crawl on her hands and knees (although she still prefers her army crawl) and can pull herself to standing. Today this Baby's age is no longer counted in weeks or in months but in years. Today this Baby turned One.

Dear Father Time,

I would be eternally grateful if you would grant but one small request. Just a few more hours in each day. A few more hours to read books. A few more hours to play. A few more hours to marvel at new milestones. A few more hours to watch peacefully slumbering babes. A few more hours to listen to shrieks and giggles. A few more hours for splashing and eating bubbles in the tub. A few more hours to cuddle. A few more hours to kiss deliciously soft cheeks. A few more hours of quiet contentment. This train of my children's childhood is hurtling down the tracks at breakneck speed and while it has been a wonderful ride I wouldn't mind slowing down to stop and enjoy the scenery.

Sisters

Sisters, bath buddies,

partners in crime,

playmates,

best friends.

Vroom, vroom!!

Ok, J was giddy with excitement when he saw this. On Sunday we went to Toys R Us to get Baby Sister a wagon for her birthday and apparently she'd rather have one of these. She nearly squirmed herself right out of my arms trying to get to it and once I placed her in the seat she grabbed the steering wheel like a true natural. The best part, she didn't want to get off. She sat there for several minutes before I reached down to get her at which point she immediately voiced her disapproval with a loud growl and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. We literally had to pry her tiny fingers off of it and she protested the entire time.

As for the Girl, she initially shunned the go-cart in favor of the Pink Escalade Power Wheel one aisle over. It was only after she saw Baby Sister behind the wheel that she wanted a turn.

Seriously cute.

"Are you seriously taking another picture Mom?"