See saw

See this horrible first black eye? (It was worse than it looks!) I'd like to say it happened with some dangerous story, or playing on that fancy see saw, but it happened while she was walking. I can't even feel guilty - short of staying in a constant hover, I couldn't have helped. 

Good morning Emily

A normal morning moment that I don't want to forget

Playtime

Under the weather 2016

We had a few extra snuggle days in February.

Daddy with all 3 at the Harbor (this was the weekend before the kids got sick)

Emily joined the fever club 3 hours later

Ice cream is what the doctor ordered!

Emily @ 18 months

Emily tries to repeat nearly everything, is adorable in her fake "coochie coochie coo" tickle motion, and gives kisses freely and with dramatic flare. Except for when she doesn't want to give kisses a then she tried to pretend like she can't see you. 

She is wearing some 3Ts, and she loves Millie (we nanny share). 

After we are all ready for school, Quinn crawls in Emily'ss crib nearly every day to read to her and sing to her and start their day. Like all 18month olds, she's crazy about Papaw.

I can't remember life before Emily.

This isn't an Emily pic, but we're in Kentucky and the bigs wanted Aunt Jen to sleep on the floor with them. She did. Such a sweet memory.

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.