Holiday meaning fail

One of our neighbors went all out in Halloween decor. A graveyard. Lots of spider webs. 7 or 8 lifelike mummies and zombies on the deck. We were on our regular bike ride through the neighborhood. 

Cora: look! He decorated for Christmas!

****

Tonight Cora was looking through a Fisher Price toy book, stating everything we "need". She has a little people princess castle. She saw a boy pirate castle, said, "we don't have that cause that's for boys... Too bad... We need to get one for daddy!" 

Then she saw the fisher price manger scene. 

Cora:"oh look it's the little baby Jesus".

( making a high pitch talking-to-baby voice)

She's so cute! She's such a cute little baby she is."

Me: Cora you know Baby Jesus is a boy, right?

Cora: yes, he is. And here he's all wrapped up... like a mummy!

****

Landon, checking out a worm. The girls, attacking daddy.

Quinny giving a pre bath hair style.

She took it real seriously!

"I don't want to talk about that anymore"

Quinn was having her Sunday nap. Cora was hanging with Landon and I for sandwiches at the table. If you know us, you'll be shocked to know that Landon was watching a Tennessee post-game interview and filling me in on the future potential of Tennessee football. Shocked.

Cora: I don't want to talk about this anymore. I want to talk about dog, cats, and spiders.
Landon: OK. Well, let's do it. What about dogs, cats, and spiders.
Cora: Sometimes dogs and cats and spiders are in the road and they get smushed by cars.
 

She proceeded to tell us a big tale.

"One day my dog got ran over by a car. And I have a cat, hopey cat, and hopey got ran over by a car. Spiders get ran over by cars, too!"

Then: "and all my books got ran over by a car, too". 

Wait, what?

"When we were at our old house, Quinny went up and got all my books and brought them down and put them all in the road and they got ran over by a car. One day at our old house, all my books got ran over. They did. She did it!"

Later at a neighbors, she walked up and announced, "one day I had a doggy and a cat, Hopey, and they got ran over by a car".

They were mortified. Did that really happen? Of course it didn't!

She repeated her tale to Mia and Papw, too.

We've tried to talk a lot today about the importance of looking both ways when crossing the street, not playing in the road, etc... I'm going to need to email her teacher a warning that Cora's on a morbid kick!

 

On our way to church today Landon did comment casually on a dog on the side of the road. It was one of those grown-up comments said, then quickly hoped the comment flew over the heads of the toddlers in the backseat. 

The comment clearly wasn't lost on Cora.

At least she doesn't seem genuinely sad. She's usually pretty excited to announce the demise of the fictitious dog, cat... And spider.

1...2...3....

Here or not, here I come!

3-year-old, hide-and-seek.

Some pics with Groeber friends.

When I started grouping old pics together for blog posts, I realized we'd made some great memories with our Groeber friends. Actually, we've made way more memories than we've bothered to document, but these kids sure make great playmates.

Quinn, dressed up for a playdate.

Annalisa. This is one of the first times Annalisa was sitting up and ready to play.

Look at the ears on these two girls! Especially Quinn. I forgot about this phase where her ears looked like they were growing faster than her head. Cute little things.

Quinn got to join the big kids for dinner.

All lined up outside after dinner at the Groebers. I love that James stripped down to his undies after dinner. Funny kids!

An all-out family wrestling match.

Why are my kids dressed in Groeber kid clothes? Who knows.

Someday, when James & Cora get married, this will be on the front of their wedding book.

Oh goodness! How cute are these two?

This began the phase of the french braids. First it was Erin. Then it was one of Cora's college student helpers in her classroom. Now, Cora wants her hair in "two braids" every single day. I'm surprised by how quickly I've gained french-braiding proficiency when forced to learn on a wiggle 3-year-old every day.

All of the kids were loving on Annalisa at our house.

Oh these babies!!!

James turned 3! Look at these two cuties hanging on the blankie together.

At this party, I clearly remember what happened when we arrived. Cora & James have always been great playmates. We met the Groebers when I was full-term with Cora; they had Sean (2 at the time) and James (6 months old), but still offered to bring a meal to us. So we arrive at this party and there were already other friends there. The next thing we know, Cora & James are sitting off by themselves for a few minutes on the back porch having a conversation. Seriously. It looked like they just needed a few minutes to catch-up before all the hoopla. 

Brunch at the Groebers last week. That Erin! She braided Cora's hair 6 months ago; this visit, she put Quinny's hair into pixie ears. She looked so stinking cute! To be a mother of two little boys, she's clearly going to have no trouble dolling-up Annalisa.

Both girls are now toddling best-buddies.

They play shockingly well together. I can't think of having to referee these two yet. 

It's hard to see here, but Quinn was making the cutest face as she examined Annalisa.

Same is true for James and Cora. For as much as we play together, we spend very little time in dispute settlement. Here, they are having pancakes while perched together on a piano bench. 

Great friends!

Quinn's favorite perch

This summer, Quinn has discovered that she can sit in their baby doll stroller. We find Quinny sitting there any chance she gets.

Watching sports on the back porch with Daddy.

Eating a snack in her diaper while watching Mickey Mouse.

Asking for a little push from big sis.

Coming back from a shopping trip.

Such fun!

Kentucky... 3 weeks!

We couldn't have asked for a better three weeks in Kentucky. 

We watched the deer. We fed the ducks. We chatted with grandma. We went to the park. We were so loved!

Here are some more pics from our stay in Kentucky.

I've always been a fan of the Wizard of Oz. There really is no place like home...

Grandparents fill a void that parents just can't fill. Every single time anyone spotted any sort of wildlife while we were there, my kids were grabbed to go and sit and watch. Seriously. Even if Grandma Iris saw a rabbit in her yard, she'd call to say, "Oh CARRIE I wish Cora Jane and Quinn were here to see this!" (If you know Grandma Iris, you can hear her saying it).

Grandma Iris pushing Cora on the swing at the lake. We really had the best time.

Quinny became a fan of Papaw's "tractor".

Helping with a monogram job.

Cora was really impressed by this machine.

Feeding the ducks at the lake.

The other day, we passed the lake on Lockwood Blvd on our way to school. 

Cora: That's a lake!

Me: That's right Cora, that is a lake.

Cora: I have one of those at my Papaw's house!

Great memories were surely made.

Breakfast with Princesses

While in Kentucky, my friend Amanda Jo and I decided to meet-up to take our daughters to a Breakfast with Princesses fundraiser for local theater.

Ava June was really excited.

Cora remained unimpressed the entire time. 

No, seriously, this was the face she made the entire time we were there.

There was this one moment when she realized that by "breakfast" we actually meant a pink cupcake surrounded by candy at 9AM...

But otherwise, this was the face.

Except for when she looked around, with this inexplicable look of concern.

There were princesses and princes on the stage telling stories and singing songs. 

Other little girls wanted to get close to the stage and meet the princesses.

Cora decided to return to her cupcake.

Other little girls wanted to dance with the princesses.

Cora preferred to make this face.

This was a very beautiful Belle. Cora hesitantly stood next to her.

Ava was so excited she couldn't even decide which dress to wear. She had to wear both dresses.

And, Cora remained unimpressed. 

Cora sat on Cinderella's lap.

But she wasn't happy about it.

Not even after Cinderella played the "I see a smile" game. Nothing.

Cora didn't break melancholy, even for a goodbye hug with Ava June.

Thank GOODNESS this was just a little (though well-executed and for-a-good-cause) breakfast at the Carriage House, and not some Disney World character breakfast that cost hundreds of dollars!