Like Mother like Daughter

The picture below was taken of me when I was in first grade.

This picture is of our daughter at 2.5 years.

Same attitude. Boy are we in trouble...

Conor's first haircut

Those of you who have multiple children may be able to relate to this post. For our first child, Kate, we photographed every moment of her life. Her first coo, her first smile, her first roll, she raised her hand. We took so many pictures of her that when I look at pictures now, I am not sure what the picture is showing. Was she twitching her nose? Rubbing her arm? Why do we have ten pictures of the same photo? I remember sqealing with delight after every move she made. We would clap with encouragement after her first attempt at pulling herself up, dance around her and sing "patty cake" when she first learned to clap, and march to a salsa beat singing "Pee pee in the potty" following her first attempt at using the restroom.

Poor Conor, on the other hand, is lucky if we can locate the camera, much less think to grab it for a photo opportunity. Similarly, Conor doesn't always receive the entertainment his sister did for the same wonderful first moments. Hence, this post. Last night, instead of taking Conor to the salon for his first haircut, complete with certificate and cartoon draped smock, we opted for the bathroom vanity and my husband's set of shears. Conor sat in the basin, Katie on the toilet (to cheer him along), I made funny faces at Conor in the mirror, and Daddy did the deed. "You look handsome, Buddy," Katie kept saying. "Daddy is handsome" (giggle, giggle). Thankfully, she didn't cry out "my turn" when we were done!

So, I apologize dearest Conor, for the lack of fancy certificates and cartoon draped smocks. Please know we love you dearly, and that I will always remember the location and fun that came along with your first haircut! You are truly, "so handsome!"

GrandMom's Friend

I know I have written before about our nightly bedtime routine. So this time, imagine that we have already been to the bathroom, brushed our teeth, gotten some water, read two stories, taken our pants off, put some socks on, tucked Minnie in, given Joe Dog a good night kiss, and have turned off the light. Despite all my efforts, little Kate still had one last request...a good night kiss from her Daddy. I took a deep breath and sat on the bed to explain that Daddy was on the phone with "Pop" and would come give her a kiss good night when he was done talking to "Pop".

In the sweetest voice, she innocently asked, "Pop? (pause) GrandMom's friend?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but quickly broke into a smile instead. After all, she was right. I tucked her in and left the room silently laughing so hard that tears filled my eyes. I could barely relay the story to "my friend", Joe.

Thank you, Hershey.

Since old man winter is showing no sign of leaving, we decided this Saturday we would take the kids to Hershey Chocolate World in Hershey, PA. Taking the trip to Hershey allowed us to leave the house during a time when going outside is rare (although much needed), and brought a lot of laughs to our chilly Saturday. Having said that, we offer the following thank yous...

Thank you, Hershey, for teaching our children that milk is indeed "Moo-tricious".

Thank you, Hershey, for offering FREE entertainment to our children. With the end of winter and the end of the slumping economy no where in sight, FREE is very much appreciated.

Thank you, Hershey, for the gift of Chocolate. We left with enough kisses to last through the end of Summer.

Thank you, Hershey, for Gabby, Harmony, and Olympia. Also known by our daughter as "The Princess Moo-Cows". Next to the two pieces of chocolate offered at the end of the ride, they are the reason we rode "The Chocolate Tour" not once, but twice!

Thank you, Hershey, for a fun and chocolate filled day! It shows on their faces...literally.

Yellow and Blue make Green

I have said it before, and I will say it again. We are lucky. Our oldest was potty trained at 2 years. There was no sticker chart or reward candy offers. We simply gave her some Princess panties, and that was it. However, yesterday it happened. I received a phone call requesting a change of clothing. She had an accident. This has only happened a few times since her second birthday, with the last being over four months ago. So, I grabbed a new pair of pants and headed over to Ms. Marci's.

When I arrived, I asked, "What happened, Kate?" I peed in my panties, she said. "Why did you pee in your panties?" I replied. "Because the water was BLUE" she mumbled. That is when it hit me. Ms Marci had put 2000 Flushes in her toilet, and the BLUE color in the water was too much for little Kate to handle. She opted to hold her bladder and pee in her pants instead of peeing on the toilet with the BLUE water.

So, like any mother would have done, I proceeded to explain how Ms Marci has "Magic water" in her toliet. When you pee in the magic water, it turns from BLUE to GREEN. "Magic?" she asked. "Magic!" I replied. And with that, our Science lesson was over and Katie proceeded to visit (and giggle at) the toilet at least once an hour. I am so glad I was paying attention in Middle School Science class. You really do use those lessons later in life.

Tell me how you really feel...

Over the last two and half years, little Katherine has entertained us with her many faces. Most of which, I should add, can come and go before you can snap your fingers. Last night while watching "Lie to Me", I got the idea for this post. Katie hasn't yet (and I stress the word yet) learned how to lie. So, when looking at her face, one usually gets the full truth and reaction for what she is feeling. With that, I introduce you to the many truths of Katie....

The "Just look at this face" face. This one usually shows itself when she does not want to be scolded or really desires something. We see this when she wants a prize at the Disney store, or when she went to the bathroom and proceeded to unwind the entire toilet paper roll into a "mountain" on the floor. Yes, as she suggested, "It was pretty."

This face usually appears when her friends come to our house, and it is suggested that she share her toys.

The "You can't be serious" face.

The "I am silly and incredibly cute" face. Similar to the first face, she uses her "funny face" just as she has discovered she may be getting punished. We saw it last night as she was banging her drum outside her sleeping brother's room. Yep, as you bend down to look her in the eye and deliver a stern face, she pulls this one out to remind you a hug would be a better option. At 2.5 years, she is not only incredibly cute, but also incredibly clever.

"Stinky Boy" is on the move...

The kids and I had such a great time last night playing in the basement. So much fun, I caught a few of my favorite moments on video, and could not decide which to share with family and friends. Therefore, I am sharing two...


The first is a video of our "stinky boy". The clip says it all. It doesn't take much to entertain his big sister.






The second is our little "stinky boy" on the move after. What a difference a quick diaper change can make. I am so in love with this little two foot tall man.


Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We miss you Daddy, and have lots of cookies for when you get home!

Happy Valentines' Day to all of our friends and family. XOXOXO

Valentine gifts from Daddy...

After the passing of our beloved Bailey (Joe's dog of 15 years) in the fall, we decided a second dog was a lot of work, and therefore opted to get a replacement for Bailey in the form of a turtle (Cecil) and a fish (Sparky). The maintenance is easier, and they are a lot cheaper to feed and clean up after.

Yesterday, Joe brought home three new friends for the kids for Valentine's Day. Being the elder sibling (and independent personality that she is), Katie took the liberty in naming all three of the new fish.

Introducing our newest members of the Clark family:

Bubbies: This is the name of Conor's fish. We think she was going for Bubba, and then tripped on her words. Whatever the reason, she cracks up every time she says the name, so I am afraid it is staying.

Red: This is the name of her fish. He is a little Red and White fish (get it? Valentine's Day). I guess "Red" just felt appropriate. He wears it well.

Whiskers: This is the housekeeper of the bunch. Joe bought him as a bonus to keep the tank clean. He is a little algae eating fish, with whiskers like a catfish.

The kids were so excited! Katie kept pointing saying they were "coming" (swimming) to her, while Conor decided yelling and banging against the glass was the best way to get their attention. We love you, Daddy!

New Eyes

If you have (or have had) toddlers, you can understand they will use every trick in the book to get out of bed at night...

...I need some water...

...I need to get some socks...

...I need to go to the bathroom...

You get the idea. These are just a few of the common (and nightly) requests. Last night, we untucked our little one, marched behind her to the bathroom (for the second time), plopped her up on the potty, and waited. Since it was after 9am, and she had been rubbing her eyes in exhaustion for half an hour, they were red and swollen. The conversation that followed was as follows:

Kate: Mommy, my eyes hurt.

Mom: It is because they are tired. They are red and need some rest. When you close them, they will feel better.

Kate: No, Mommy. I need new eyes.

Mom: We only get one pair, Dear. We have to take care of the ones we have.

Kate: Hmmm... (deep in thought). Yes!

I love the logic of toddlers. If it is broken, fix it. If it is not working, get new batteries. If your eyes hurt, get new ones. If everything was so simple. Too funny...

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus...

In the early 90s, John Gray published the popular book, "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus," which offered suggestions for understanding the different communications styles between men and women. The book's title suggested men and women are as different as if they were beings from other planets, hence the difficulty in communication. Yesterday, our daughter hurled a toy across the room at her brother's head. I immediately scolded her at the wrong doing, while my husband responded with, "good arm!" Perhaps there needs to be a book written about more than simply the difference between communication styles.

Girl Talk

The night before last, Joe and I watched the girls next store for a couple of hours. The three girls range in age from 2 1/2 years to 4 years. When they arrived, they sat at the kitchen table for dinner, and the conversation was observed as follows:

Kate: I like your tights (dance), Addie.

Addie: I got them at the mall.

Anna: Giggle, giggle..

Kate: You did? You got them at the mall? At a store?

Dad (Joe): Did you get your shoes at the mall, too?

Anna: Giggle, giggle...

Addie: No, not at the mall. I got them at the shoe store.

Katie: You got them at the shoe store? Giggle, giggle, giggle...

My husband and I were in hysterics over the young conversation and interest. Tights and shoes at 2 1/2 and 4? Either we are in trouble, or they are speaking in some mischevious code we don't understand (and giggling about our stupidity).

The comedy followed us to the basement for princess dress up and dance class. Then, it continued upstairs to the bathtub. The kids had a great time. Even little man Conor...

"Notes from Nana"

Unlike families of previous generations, both my husband and I went the college route right after high school, entered private universities to obtain our Master's Degrees, and moved as far away from home as possible without leaving the continental US. As a result, all of our family members (except one) live more than 75 miles away and technology has become essential to our staying in touch. We send monthly slide shows to the family via e-mail, have created this blog to showcase our daily happenings, have unlimited wireless minutes, and receive lots of goodie boxes from out of state. In fact, we receive so many boxes that every time we do get a delivery, Kate thinks it is for her and from either "Mom Mom" or "Grand Mom".

The picture above is a sampling of notecards Kate has received and collected in the mail from her beloved Nana. She refers to them as "Notes from Nana", and doesn't dare share them with her brother (probably because he chewed the corner off of one, leaving me to tape it together and hold off the water works that ensued). Although each card says something different, Kate has them all memorized as follows:

Princess Katie-

This is NaNa. I liked your house. I miss you so much. Hi to Conor. Love Nana

Please let me add that this is not what the card says, just her interpretation of the words. Despite the content, watching her read every card with such joy and love is beautiful. We have made a box (wrapped in princess paper- surprised?) especially for her"Notes from Nana".

Thank you to all our family and friends who always remember to call, stop by, and endlessly give to simply love our children every day. Even as far as the miles seem some days, your love makes the distance transparent, and we are so grateful.

Lefties Rule!

I am going to make a prediction.

I already knew our son favored his left thumb. However, after reviewing this clip of him hammering a set of nails, I am going to predict we have a little South Paw on our hands. My husband would be thrilled, as he recently declared, "Lefties Rule!". I can see our future now...girls against boys...lefties against righties. Let the fun begin!


Yes, I know. I will no longer talk while holding the camera. Deep breathing is not attractive.