daddy's home!

At 6:30 on Tuesday night Daddy came home - sporting a new haircut no less!  (Thanks for the peer pressure applied in South Dakota!)  I wish I could have videoed the kids faces when they saw him for the first time after a week... their eyes lit up their grins stretched wide... they looked like they got a personal visit from a disney princess - and then they tackled him to the ground.  Daddy had an equally giddy grin on his face.  His ultimate hugs, kisses, and patience of a saint lasted until about 5 am the next morning.  (I lost the bet - I thought the whining would wear him down by tubs).

going on four

On Sunday the girls built with blocks for the first time.  Is that shocking?  I suppose I should clarify... because they've "played" with blocks since they were less than 1.  And by playing I mean that they gnawed on, dumped, crashed, stacked, and occasionally sorted.  But they never deliberately built with blocks until this past Sunday.  It was so cool to see them work together to develop a plan.  "We're being architects, mommy!"  This structure features a small forrest that leads to a road.  The road moves into steps that take you through an archway into a "patio".  The patio was surrounded by a small wall, decorated with "pretty plant towers" and enclosed with a small gate.  There was a plan from start to end and they worked together to realize their vision.  They had the patience to see it through and the dexterity to make their vision a reality.  This - to me - is all part of the pre-four package.

going on two

Oh man oh man - we are in the throws of what I've affectionately dubbed the pre-two blues... With the girls, I found the even number years to be particularly enjoyable (0 - so sweet!, 2 - how adorably curious, 4 - we're just getting there, but the independence is inspiring to watch) - it was the second 1/2 of the odd number years that have you thanking natures ability to make children cute - because if they weren't you'd have sold them to the Gypsies long ago.  The boys are following in the same footsteps as their sisters, mimicking this pattern, but as the boys are want to do, they've taken the pattern spun it around in circles, built a tower with it, smashed it to the ground and then dissolved into tears.  They are the girls on speed and there's no break peddle on this bike.

proof

I forgot to open their door last night...