Pumpkin Patch 2010

It's fall photo dump time. You've got to love that golden autumn light.

Millie

Laney & Me

Jason & Laney

Grams & Gramps Bullough

Cousin train

Millie & Jada
Grandpa in background

Corn Box!

Mia + corn box

The corn box is awesome!

Pensive about pumpkins

Millie

Unpredicable

So Laney ate a jellyfish while we were in Ocean City, NJ. You probably heard about it already so I won't elaborate. But, guys, A JELLYFISH. Ask her about it some time.


At the end of the Ocean City trip Laney met her uncle's brother and his brother's girlfriend. She decided to introduce herself to them and in a very Laney-like solemn way she stood in front of them and said, "Hi, I'm Laney. I'm 4 years old." And then she bowed deeply at the waist. That's how we do introductions here in SLC. All formal-like.


You know how Laney is always moving and talking and is generally loud? I just heard her approach Jason, who is listening to some music at a moderate volume, and say, between foot stomps and door slams, "Dad, can you quiet down please. I have a song to sing." 


Oh, that kid.

mmmm, broccoli

Artist

Millie has been taking an art class from Jason J., a friend and local artist.  She has always had artistic aptitude, but I was not expecting this. It kind of blows me away. 

Wha...?

Laney makes up words that aren't really words and toys that aren't really toys. This is especially troublesome because her birthday is fast approaching and she wants some things that don't exist anywhere except her mind. 


Thing One: A Rosalina doll. Rosalina, as in Super Mario Brothers, Rosalina. As in a video game character that has an action figure out there somewhere, but not a Barbie-size doll.  I realize this is not her fault. There is a doll version of just about every cartoon character imaginable.  She sees advertisements and just assumes that's the way it is for everything. Not so for Rosalina, though. I am tempted to buy some other doll and try to dress it in a Rosalina-like way to see if it will suffice. But I know she has a very specific image of what it should look like in her head and this deception will only result in tears. Probably mine. 


Thing Two: A Green Cabaline. I'm not sure I'm spelling this correctly because Cabaline is not really a word so how would I know how to spell it? Green Cabaline was  a name she used to name stuffed animals and dolls, but it has recently morphed into an actual thing that she wants. When I ask her to explain herself she gets very frustrated and says, "You know! A Green Cabaline! Oh right, now I understand.

Thing Three: Tentacle chips. We were grocery shopping and she got so mad because she wanted some of those tentacle chips. (?)  We walked up and down the aisles looking for them. Me, pointing to different bags saying, "Is this it?" Her, getting more and more frustrated with me saying, "NO! The tent-acle ones!" over and over.  Finally we stopped in front of the Pringles. Pringles = Tentacle chips. Now how did I not know that?

Adams Canyon Hike With Jason

Sideways

Today is a walk-sideways-one-step-at-a-time-down-the-stairs kind of day. That's how sore I am. I wouldn't mind it so much except when the girls are fighting and I need to intervene it's hard to get there fast and even harder, I imagine, to be taken seriously when I'm hobbling around like this.

"Oh, look, here comes mom down the stairs. She looks really mad..."

[5 minutes later]

"We're in trouble. I bet she's gonna kick our asses.

Wait. She can't! because she's too sore.

Let's just keep fighting."

I need to stretch so ass-kicking is an option if it really needs to be done.

'Cause, you know, that's the kind of mom I am. The ass-kicking kind.

(sorry, mom, for saying "ass" so many times)

Ass.

Millie

7 is an awesome age. I ask Millie to do something and she does it! Happily even. I think I can officially say she is a bookworm. We were at Costco the other day and she was practically swooning over a chapter book that's probably too advanced for her right now, but how could I not buy it for her when a) it's book and she wants it b) she wants it bad c) hello? it's a book!

Jason has been reading the Harry Potter books to her nightly. They are on the last book of the series, which also happens to be the darkest, most grown-up book. I think this is one of those cases of know your own child because there are definitely 7 year olds out there who would be scared of some of the stuff that happens in the book. But Millie is not one of them. She can't wait for the next chapter. And the next and the next.

When there is a word or plot development she doesn't fully understand she is quick to ask about it. Jason is patient; he always stops to explain and doesn't move on until she grasps it. There are a ton of characters in the HP books and she knows them all by name. She remembers the charms and magical creature's names and everyone's peculiarities. I love it!

7 is an awesome age.

3 going on 65

Recently Laney has taken to talking like a 65 year old grandma. No one knows why, but here are some examples:

I

Laney: Mama? Do you miss my daddy?

Me: Yes. Do you?

Laney: Yes, because he is so adorable.

Me: [laughing] He is pretty adorable, isn't he?

Laney: Yes, he is and I want to squeeeeeeeze him.

II

Sugar booger. She calls people sugar booger.

As in, "Bye sugar booger daddy."

"Goodnight, sugar booger mommy."

"Oh, you are such a sugar booger."

??

Nutella, Anyone?

Getting Laney to eat has been a chore lately. In this photo you can see how desperate I am for her to eat something. Calories in! They make you less grumpy! So yes, I resorted to a bowl of Nutella. Or as Laney sometimes calls it, "chocolate peanut butter". It was a very small bowl. Now stop with the judging. At least I didn't let her eat it straight from the jar with her fingers.

Spring!

Millie is out of school this week for Spring Break. We're (I'm) looking for some old-school (cheap) entertainment. Remember sliding down the stairs in a sleeping bag? Well, we just mastered that one. The only problem is my heart is in my throat every time I hear that thump, thump, thump down the stairs. It might be a long week. I'm hoping for sunshine in spite of what the weather report says. And a girl can hope, right?

Happy Spring, everyone. (Yes, I know that photo of Laney is bleary. You try getting her to hold still for a second.)

Thank you Easter Bunny

In case I don't make it back here before Easter now I'm ahead of the game.

(Thanks, Jessie, for this photo)

Christmas 2009

Fall 2009 was awesome and I've got the photos to prove it!

Going for a ride on a shovel. What? You've never done that?!

This pretty much sums up Millie.

And this pretty much sums up Laney. :)

COW TRAIN!

Fearless Laney!

The girls in the corn box.

Laney climbing the robe wall to get to the big slide at the pumpkin patch.

Laney, the fierce T-Rex

J and the girls.

Loving the sunshine.

Millie, the devil princess.