I don't know

Quinn just said "I don't know" instead of her standard "I not know". Baby girl is growing up!

Mommy, I thought we might wake up as ninjas today

Jack (an ECDC fave of Cora & Quinn) turned 4 on Saturday.
Jack's backyard is one of our favorite backyards of all time, thanks to the crazy sturdy tower of playhouses designed by Jack's dad (Jared, the Professor of Sculpture) and safety-checked by Jack's mom (Jennifer, the Architect), with a crazy cool old pay phone attached.

Quinn, who was barely 2 the last time we were at Jack's party, asked on the way over, "He has a telephone in his backyard?"

Cora, Evan (blonde), Seth (Brunette), and Quinn

Ya'll - they are really high up!

I included a pic of the phone because it's something my kids will likely remember. On Monday, randomly on way to work, Cora heard me say to Mom something like, "I'm going to hang up the phone now" (who knows? that sounds like an odd thing to say, but I must have said it, because...) she asked, "Wait, hang up the phone? What does that mean?" - Jack's phone helped them understand.

I did a pinata at Cora's party, so as I say this, I'm totally not being judgey because I did it too, but...
I never realized how stressful pinatas are for parents. Goodness gracious. I had to walk to the other side of the yard. I couldn't stand it.

Quinn's outfit: a dress that Sharon sent in March, a purple hand-me-down shirt from Presley, and a pair of pajama pants. And she refused to wear shoes. I don't know, folks, where she comes up with it. Life is too short to try to talk her out of it, though.

On Sunday morning, as I was carrying a sleepy Cora down the stairs, she said frankly, "I thought we might all wake up as ninjas today after eating Jack's cupcakes".

Yep, kid. That's what kept me up last night with worry, too.

Overheard by June's mom:
Jack: Which ninja turtle are you?
June: I want to be April.
Cora: June, you can't be April. April is a month.

Oh wait, the irony of that just hit me. June is a month, too. That's even funnier!

Quinn always goes straight to the food table. My dad would say it's because we deprive them of sweets, but I am happy to report that her plate was full of veggies and fruit (mostly), so it's just that Quinn Messal likes to eat. 

Fashion statement

Ran around house, then ran errands, all day like this. Outside in. 3 children is too many children to care...

Quinny want an apple?

Me: Quinn, mommy bought apples last night. You want one?

Quinn: I could eat apples all day long.

I walked into this today...

Crawling with teeth: Emily Messal

And Emily is pivoting from rocking on her hands and knees to moving forward. She's not fluent yet... But anyway. Watch out world...

And she finally has a tooth. 8.5 months. Bottom right tooth has poked through. No drama.

8 months Emily

Emily Francis, 8 months. 

A quick run down.

Toothless! Still!!!

But eating everything but meat. Most of Emmys meals now are just a blend of what we're eating, and she's slowly gaining more finger foods. Today she's had:

Breakfast, applesauce with oatmeal

Lunch, yogurt with mushed banana

Dinner, a huge bowl of butternut squash

Last night, carrots with an applesauce cereal blend

Snacks, watermelon bits, spaghetti noodles, puffs. 

I promise we feed her greens, too!

Other than for travel, Emily has never eaten store bought baby food. People think I'm being creative, but I swear it's easier to just throw our fruits and veggies in a blender. 

This week Emily started getting herself into a seated position, and she's able to be mobile without rolling (think sitted-scoot or army crawl). This weekend she's pulled up on my desk, the bench in my office, a book shelf, her push toy. She's not on her feet, but she's figuring out that there's more to see above her eye level. 

She continues to be delightful, especially with her new wave. She pops that little hand up in the air when she sees someone new. 

She'll be crawling any day. 

She just completed her first week with nanny Kacie - a real gem!!! How did we survive before Kacie?!??? Kacie, I'll give you my blog password so you can post Emily posts??? I know you get done great pictures. 

8 months later, and we can't remember life before Our Emily.

Big eyed Messal babies

Easter 2015

 This was the year I COMPLETELY forgot to color the eggs (boiled a few weeks in advance)... They seemed satisfied with "painting" eggs on Sunday Easter night :)

Emily's first Easter Basket.

After church, we joined the Funks for a bit at their house, then joined a crew from St. Benedict's for brunch. There were 2 "tweens" for every toddler. Cora was in heaven. Quinn was exhausted. Emily was passed around like a football and took it in stride, as always.

On Sunday evening, at bathtime, I walked in to find Cora in the mirror, trying to figure out how to twist her hand to make a second wrap in order to put her own hair in a ponytail. I tried to teach her. She isn't far from mastering the task.

Later, as we were getting on PJs, I asked, "Cora, did you have fun today?" 

She whispered with such sincerity, "Mommy, I felt like one of the big kids."

Doing something right

On Friday, we were at a neighbors. 5PM. Time to head home for dinner. Landon was cooking.
As we pedaled out of driveway, ice cream truck came around bend. Usually the moms make a call together about whether to go yes to ice cream. I indicated no as the other moms said yes.
I would have been swayed, if it weren't for...

The all out fit thrown by Cora Messal. In the moments before my no became a yes, she threw such a shine that there was no possible way she was getting ice cream. I in fact had to declare ice cream after dinner to reward Quinn for her resolve, and to make clear to Cora we would not tolerate such a spectacle on the neighbor's drive.

So we go home. We did dinner. Everyone ate well. After dinner, Cora asked if she would get ice cream. We said no (we did NOT enjoy this. Parenting is so hard).

Landon took her upstairs so she could be heartbroken. I turned to Quinny.

Me: Quinny, you ready for your ice cream?
Quinn: I'm allright.
Me: You don't want ice cream? You earned it! You were so good when mommy said no to popsicles.
Quinn: Nah. Sissy can't have any.
Me: OK, Quinny, you can have a bowl, and if you want to eat it, you can.

Bowl served. Quinny marched straight up the stairs to share her bowl with Cora.

Bicycle riding, and other signs of independence

March 25, 2015

We got home from school a bit early.
The girls kissed Aunt Feather goodbye (she was heading back to California).
Cora insisted on getting out her two-wheeled bike while Aunt Feather was here. A couple laps around the driveway with Aunt Feather pushing. Aunt Feather left for airport.

A couple more laps around the driveway with me pushing. I was still in my heels from work.

And that was it. She was off.

So free.

Too good to eat

I was at an event tonight; Landon had the girls. We've been struggling to get the kids to eat the healthy part of dinner. Tonight, garlic chicken and quinoa (from Lindy; we've been trading meals each week).
Cora ate her cheese stick, corn kernels, and fruit, but refused the quinoa. Landon was coaxing her. Cora got super enthusiastic. Here is her dialogue.

Cora: Mmmmm mmmm. This chicken is so good, I'm going to eat it up. (took a bite).
Yep, it's so good I won't be able to eat it. It's just too good.

Landon: That doesn't make any sense, Cora. If it's so good, why can't you eat it?

Cora: Yep, just like you all sometimes say that you are so happy that you could cry? That's how I feel about this chicken. It's so good I just won't be able to eat it.

Suess Spotting

It's Suess week, and it's also spring break at the college. The girls are at Aimee's. Yesterday, a field trip to the library. Which resulted in this convo:

Me: was dr. Suess there?

Cora: no.

Me: the cat in the hat?

Quinn: yeah

Me: You saw the real Cat in the Hat?!??

Quinn: Yeah!!!

Cora: no you didn't.

Quinn: nuh-huh (translation: yes sissy I did)

Me: the real thing?!?

Cora: no you didn't! (Frustrated)

Quick side note. Quinny is probably at the age that it's time to talk about lying, but her language is developing slower than Cora's so instead of having a learning moment I instead... After hearing the conversation continue with Cora adamant there was no cat and Quinny adamant that there was...

Me: Cora what if there WAS a cat and you couldn't see it because you don't believe?

Quinn: yeah Corda

Cora: I believe in Santa Clause!!!

Me: but do you believe in the cat? Because it sounds like Quinny saw him and you didn't.

(I mentioned teaching Quinny not to lie... The irony just hit me).

Mother of the year. And this, folks, is how I entertain myself when Landon works late...)