Birthday Countdown

In one week Millie will be 6 years old. Here is what she has to say about the matter:

Mom, I am almost a lady. I know that now.

This is a photo of her giant lady foot all prune-y from the bath

My intent here was to post another picture of her very-small-in-comparison,-yet-gigantic-for-a- newborn foot. But then I remembered she was born before we had a digital camera. She is that old! So it looks like someone needs to do some scanning.

Happy Valentine's Day

Good news! They've moved my dad from ICU to intermediate care. While I was at the hospital yesterday he was awake and alert. He ate, walked and joked with us. His ICU doc was really on top of things and has come up with a new plan of action to try to avoid future meningitis infections (this is his second go-around). We are optimistic that he will recover yet again.

Dad, please get better. We love you.

Remember When It Was Warm?

To see a slideshow of the girls and their cousin Isaiah being themselves on a lovely end-of-summer day click here

Mom, don't forget to click on play when you get to the slideshow.

The Funny

When Millie saw the rain today she said, "It's a good thing it's raining today, mom. Umbrellas are my passion."

A few weeks ago Jason brought 2 identical stuffed lions home for the girls. Millie immediately started cooing over hers and named her Crystal. When I asked Laney her lion's name she said, "Hair." Then she tossed him out of her crib.

Potty Talk

We are in the midst of potty training Laney. It's not going well. Here is a sample of tonight's attempt:

Me: Good night Laney. Love you.

Laney: I need to go potty.

Me: [knowing nothing is going to happen and she's just trying to prolong bedtime, but then what if she really does need to go and this is our big breakthrough and I miss it by ignoring her request...] OK! Let's go potty.

[We head to the bathroom sans diaper. First she sits on the big potty.]

Laney: I going potty!

.............

(nothing is happening)

Laney: I go on little potty!

[We switch to the little potty]

Laney: I tan do it!

[she's not doing it]

Me: You can do it!

Laney: [yells loud to Jason] Daddy I going potty!

Jason: [yells from the kitchen] Yay Laney! You can do it!

[She's still not doing it]

Laney: Mommy, I talking on the potty! You have a beard?

Me: No, I don't have a beard. Stop talking and go potty. YOU CAN DO IT!

Laney: O-tay. Oh, no beard, mommy? You have legs?

Me: Yes, I have legs. Please go potty.

Laney: O-tay. I love potty. I taste the potty?

Me: NO! Never taste the potty. The potty is dirty!

Laney: [sticks her hand in the potty and then her mouth before I can stop her and exclaims:

B-icious!

(Luckily she's on the little potty; there is nothing in it and it's relatively clean, but still...ewwww)

We wash her hands and that's that.

Favorite Moment

These are important photos. After my dad's accident doctors gave my mom a list of possible problems he could have for the rest of his life. She was told, among other things, he may never speak or be able to care for himself. Here he is playing Sleigh Ride with my mom, a duet they played together when they were dating and still play together once a year. This is the first time since the accident that I have heard them play it.