Baby snowman hug

This morning found me scavenging snow off of cars. We got less than an inch last night and everything on the ground melted promptly. What was left was very slim pickings but I had to get a bowl of the cleanest snow I could find.

How could I resist when Henry, looking out the window, asked for a baby snowman hug - which totally reminded me of Lucy hugging her first snowman.

So I got you some mostly clean snow. And we made tiny snowmen and poured juice over them and sprinkled pomegranate seeds on top and ate it with spoons.

And then we piled into the stroller with blankets and hats and gloves and coats and hot cocoa and lunches packed with as many vegetables as I could sneak in. And we strolled to school, Lucy singing a vibrato-filled song about snow bells, and Henry asking "what's that" about every 5 seconds.

It's the kind of morning I want to rewind and do all over again - the kind of morning I want to wrap up and put in my pocket so I can relive it tomorrow and next week and ten years from now when you are totally different human beings than you are right now.

I love you - my sweet, adventuresome, and ever-changing children. You may not remember this day, but please, never forget how much I love you.

Love,

Mama

Happy birthday Henry!

Oh my dear Henry - you are 2! We had a weekend of fun for your birthday.

We rode Thomas at the convention center. Followed by hamburgers at Red Robin and a good nap (very needed after the excitement of the train show!).

Birthday morning was surprise decorations and pumpkin pancakes. Oh my happy boy! You loved it.

And evening brought friends for a birthday dinner. It was great for everyone as the kids ran off to play and the adults got to relax and enjoy the mayhem.

I can't believe you are two. In only 730 days, you've grown 3X your size, learned to walk, talk, run, swim, and dance. It is absolutely amazing.

And we absolutely adore you.

More photos here.

Love,

Mama

Life's an adventure with Lucy B

Yesterday, you didn't wear pants to school. We could have had the "that shirt is not a dress" argument but let's save that for when you are 16, shall we?

Today, you are wearing 2 complete outfits stacked on top of one another.

All in all, since you dress yourself and always look adorable, I'm not one to get in the way of your fashion adventures.

I do, however, get in the way of your mischief adventures. That is, unless I'm changing Henry's diaper and can't move. Here's such an episode this morning.

Mama: "Lucy, what are you doing in the kitchen?"

Lucy: "Nothing. I'm not troubling." (Trouble as verb - love it!)

Mom: Walks into see Lucy standing on the counter, hunting through cupboards.

Lucy: "I'm just looking for cupcakes with sprinkles on them." OK, with that imagination, I don't blame you for looking in the cupboards!

Mama: "I don't have any cupcakes. How about a cracker with butter and sprinkles?"

Lucy: "Sure mom, that would be great." How cute is that?

Certainly never a dull moment with you around.

Love,

Mama

"Checking ears"

Henry, you are on the mend from your second double ear infection!

You were acting sick yesterday morning and luckily we had your 2-year checkup scheduled for the afternoon so you got some medicine for your ears along with the usual measurements and immunizations.

Part of your annual exam is to fill our forms assessing your development. One of the questions was about typical speech so I wrote down "Henry going to doctor, checking ears." and "I wanna try that." – sentences you said while I was filling out the form and nothing unusual for you. You've been talking in full sentences for a while now, conjugating verbs, using this/that correctly, switching persons (I/you/she) etc. You are a talker just like your sister.

Dr. Ruden was quite impressed with the form and may not have believed me until he watched you stack their testing blocks – ALL 11 of them. "I've never in my 36 years seen a 2-yr-old do that."

So there you have it, my sweet boy. Medicine to "fix a ears" and confirmation that you are thriving and growing in amazing ways.

I love you sweet boy. Feel better soon!

Here's a little video of you walking to school this morning, pushing your stroller. Note the veering to be sure you go through every puddle – and interest in identifying all the plants along the way.