Sunshine's Rationale

for not driving a Ford Mustang when she is a grown up.

"I can't do that because I want to have a lot of babies and their carseats won't all fit back there. Plus, it would be hard to get them in and out because there is no door there."

Speech Assistants in the House

Overheard in the playroom:

Car. Yup, that's a CAR. It's BLUE. BLUE! BLUE CAR!!

And later from another kid:

First dinner. Then cars. Don't cry, Eagle. First dinner. Then cars.

Eagle is busting at the seams trying new words. His "talking" light has come on and the kids are having a blast with it. They can get him to copy many many words and delight in anything he says. It is clear that he understands a lot more from us as well.

He calls us all Mommy, though it seems to really be his word for help.

He labels purple as purple, and blue as purple, and yellow as purple.

He occasionally says something like Stubby.

And has mastered MINE!

Sunshine and Speed are pros at talking at his level, interpreting any grunt he makes into one word, and modeling a single word for practically everything they do.

Only if they are mad at him do they say something like: Eagle, you can't touch my stroller because I don't want you to have it because it's my turn.

"Uh-oh Sunshine, try again. He won't understand all that."

Eagle, first Sunshine, then Eagle. Ok?

They are such good teachers...

The Pretend Toothfairy

Speed lost his tooth on Tuesday night but refused to put the tooth anywhere for the toothfairy. Not even the front porch. On Wednesday, he took the tooth to show and tell at daycare. Someone must've pressured him about putting it under his pillow because he came home in great angst. He wanted that money sooooo badly, but was too afraid of the toothfairy "coming over" to see us.

The kid had to be put out of his misery. (and honestly the rest of us sort of needed that too).

"Do you want me to just pay your for your tooth? I can pretend to be the toothfairy if you want."

Um, ok.

So upstairs I went to dig out an old bridesmaid dress. Chickadee brought me her wings and wand and we'd just purchased a 24 pack of glitter.

"HERE COMES THE FAIRY!!!!" announced Chickadee.

And then all hell, or fun, broke loose. Glitter, money, running, sharing wings....

Way more fun that sneaking into his room at night to find a teeny little box hidden somewhere under a pillow on the top bunk.

Family Portrait Summer 2015

Love Wins

My three amigos and I went to a wedding today. A wedding for two friends who have been together since NINETEEN EIGHTY ONE. That's 1-9-8-1. Two friends who were not able to marry until the Supreme Court said they could back in June.

The kids were sooooo excited to go to a wedding. They had never been to one before and this one was perfect. We were able to sit in the second row for great viewing. There were STRING INSTRUMENTS 6 feet away and oh my word is one kid a little enthralled by string instruments. The six-year-old children of the couple sang an adorable song about love coming and knocking on your front door, and (drumroll) we got to see two grown ups kiss. I had a preview tonight of the pretend play that will be taking place for the next week in our living room. Speed and Sunshine are already married, have already kissed, and even had a wedding cake.

I can't decide what delighted me more about today. That my friends were finally able to marry...to have each other's last name...to have the same last name that they gave their children....Or that my kids will never know a time where a wedding like this was not possible. Probably both of those things.

A Month with Our Eagle

Tomorrow will mark a month with the bald eagle (whose hair, thankfully, grows pretty fast). I am thankful that he has settled in as fast as he has and that he has about 1/3 the amount of energy as Junebug did. Eagle can be a bit tricky during transitions and bedtime...his screams are off the charts..but he is otherwise a pretty happy guy who wants to play with cars and balls day and night.

He has learned a few words...beep, go, and yum. He knows a few signs...all done, eat, more and sometimes milk. And when a month ago, he couldn't follow a single direction, yesterday I told him to "Go ask Speed to help you" and off he went.

Speed and Sunshine still love on this kid like he's a day old infant that fascinates them. Chickadee could still really care less. As with Junebug, as long as she gets to be held and babied, who cares if there's another "baby" in the house.

We farmed Eagle out today to go to a wedding. Multiple times throughout the afternoon, Speed or Sunshine asked what I thought Eagle was doing. I am so lucky, so so so lucky, that these guys are so on board with accepting another kiddo into the fray.

P.S. We finally got around to taking our feet picture. Eagle's feet are just as cute as the others.