Miss Ainsley at 9 months

The Queen is 9 months old toady and, yes, it's gone by fast. She has accomplished so much the last three months...

After weeks of trying to get her to eat solid food, she now can't seem to get enough of it -- anything with apples is her favorite.

She tried crawling for weeks without much success until she watched Asher do it a few weeks ago. The next day she had it figured out and now she goes anywhere she likes. She LOVES to chase after The Boy, who loves to run circles around her.

She loves to splash in the big bath tub and chew on The Boy's bath toys with her four teeth. I tried getting a picture of her teeth, but she is thus far uncooperative. The teeth on the top are the two on either side of the front teeth (still no front teeth). I'm mulling over the idea of taking her to audition for the vampire movies...

Her favorite activities are peek-a-boo (she now takes on an active part and hides under a blanket), the silly game and the "so big" game, ripping apart (and eating) magazines, and crawling after The Boy while he runs around the room.

You are getting so big, Ains! We love you and are so glad you came to our family!

"Higga, Higga" (and other funny Caleb things)

Thought I'd share some of Caleb's funnier moments from the last month.

Whenever Caleb sees (or hears) a diesel truck, "Mommy, that truck says 'higga higga.'"


Caleb: Mommy, I playing wif my scunruction site.
Me: Caleb, it's con - struc - tion.
Caleb: No, mommy, scun - ruc - tion

...I hope the scunruction (construction) trucks (that say, "higga higga") don't ever get into an axkident (accident).


This is what Caleb wound up wearing to the store on Friday.

Trust me, it really wasn't worth the battle.

...from all of us to you

Best friend. The term had a different meaning when I was younger. In elementary school, it was an intricate matrix of who had the latest video games, the most G.I. Joe figures, and the best yard to play in. Not surprising, the title was as transient as the marketing forces which bestowed it would suggest.

The elementary school playground was a long time ago. I've grown older since, and as I've coursed through the years I've even grown up a bit. At some point, my understanding of what constitutes a friend, let alone a best friend, changed.

It isn't that he's someone who will make you laugh, but that, no matter how much time passes between meetings there is an immediate sense of comfort when you are around him, and you know you don't have to impress.

It isn't that he has the same interests as you, but that, as you move down slightly different paths that take you different places, his loyalty continues in the face of differing interests, holding your friendship as common ground.

It isn't that he is willing to help you with pouring concrete, laying sod, and hanging crown molding, it is that he works just as hard to help you improve as a person.

He endures your foolishness, even if it is painful to him. He believes in your dreams, and in some instances is more committed to them than you are. He is someone you can hold in the same esteem as your family because his values and his integrity are the same as theirs.

Can you have more than one best friend? Of course. Given my definition, this is not the paradox it may seem, though for my part I consider myself blessed for even one.

Happy birthday, Simon.

mw

Cuddles

Part of Caleb's routine for bed includes "cuddles." Mark generally gets to go first while I nurse Ainsley and put her down to sleep, then I go in for my turn.

Me: "Can I get some Caleb cuddles?"
Caleb: "Sure!"

*a moments pause*

Caleb: "After Caleb cuddles, can I get some Mommy cuddles?"

Can't turn that down!

Buggle Gum, Buggle Gum

Caleb chose to read "Buggle Gum, Buggle Gum" (Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum, by Lisa Wheeler) before his nap yesterday. It starts out like this,

"Bubble gum, Bubble gum
Chewy - gooey bubble gum
Icky - sticky bubble gum
melting in the road.

Along comes a toad.
A fine, fat toad.
A fine, fat, wild - SPLAT - wart-backed toad.

Ew! Yuck! The toad got stuck!

Sticky toad, sticky toad,
Bumpy-icky-sticky toad,
Lumpy, grumpy, sticky toad
Sitting in the goo.

Along comes a shrew...a goose...a bee...a crow...

(and) a truck...
A big, blue truck,
A big, blue
- COMIN' THROUGH!-
Honk-Honk truck!"

In order to avoid being hit by this truck, the animals chew the gum and blow a big bubble that,

"Floats them toward the sky as the truck zooms by"

Caleb's comment?

"It's a good thing they moved the buggle gum so the truck didn't get stuck!"

Yes indeed.