Tid-Bits

We have started to combine bedtime routines by allowing Ellie to join while we read Addie her books. I'm really enjoying it. REALLY. It just seems like an essential part of having a sibling, right?

I love how sometimes, even if she's in a quite calm mood, Addie will hide behind Bun Bun Bear and playfully peek her eyes out from behind the bear, just waiting for someone to notice that she's hiding.

I love playing hide-and-seek with my girls. Ellie is getting much better at hiding, though she still hasn't grasped the concept of not letting me know where she'll hide. Addie will sit on the stairs with me and count. She holds up random fingers as I count to 10. Then when I say "Ready or not, here we come!" she pops up, excited to go find her sister. Then she follows me around the house, looking for Ellie. "Is Ellie around this corner?" She goes around to look and looks up at me confused, moving on. When we finally find her, Addie stomps her feet and runs back to the stairs, excited for more.

I love that Addie shakes her index finger whenever I say "One more book."

Ellie's quote of the day: "Poop now or forever hold your pee!"

I love that when Addie scoots down the stairs she has to go ALL the way down until she's sitting with her butt on the hardwood floors. Then she stands up and continues on her way.

I love how proud Ellie is when she finishes a Maze Game on the back of children's menus at restaurants. She's pretty good at them and she knows it.

I love that Addie seems to think that "running" means you put your arms back behind you and "fly" around the room. Don't forget to lower your head for maximum speed.

I love how recently Ellie has decided she loves all colors. "Gween was my favorite color when I was a baby. But when I'm a big girl, like I am now, I like purple. When I am Mommy's size, I like red. I change colors all da time."

I LOVE reading Addie books. When she hands me a book to read, she opens it for me, though rarely to the first page. If a page has a picture of a baby (person or animal) she leans in for a kiss or a hug. Every time. If she is done with a book before I'm finished reading the words, she reaches up and closes it for me. Then she hands me the next book.

There is something just perfect about laying side by side reading Ellie stories (longer, chapter books now). Perfection, I'm telling you!

I love how Addie gives herself a mini-celebration whenever she does something that she knows is good or something to be proud of.

I love how in the mornings Ellie and I have started to get back into a similar routine as we had before Addie was born. I go in and rub her back a little. Then She gets up and sits on my lap for a couple minutes while snuggle. But we've added one fantastic step... she announces that she wants to wake up her baby sister all by herself. I love the silliness I hear after Ellie goes into Addie's room.

I love how often I get feedback about Addie. "She has to be the most gentile, sweet, easy-going little girl EVER" or "She is always so easy and cheerful and so eager to play games" or "I can't believe how easy it is to put her to sleep!!! She knows the routine and practically does it for you!"

I love Ellie's sense of humor. Her latest jokes seem to be focused on pretending that yucky things actually taste yummy. "Mmm... yum skunk! Mmmm... yum dirt! Mmmm... yum bus!" She'll laugh and laugh at how silly she knows she's being.

I love how often I'm told by other adults how sweet Addie is and how she always gives them whatever is in her hand when they come to pick up their children.

I'm so excited that Addie is getting so close to talking. She says "Ga" for cat and "Da" for dog. Occasionally she'll say "Ba Ba" for bye-bye and "Mo mo" for more. But the most consistent word she says is "Zdis" for "this." She points to a book and says "Zdis" to say "read this one" or she'll point to a pillow to point out "look at this."