January Snippets

And here's the rest of January in a nutshell:

Logan got to get off school for two whole days for the snow...

Of course we had lots of time with Claire's BFF, Maya. Look at them cooking together!

Maya killed me dead when she propped the giant Elmo up at the kitchen and proceeded to "feed" him.

And I love how she and Cookie Monster matched perfectly on this day!

There's Claire, shoving food into the microwave, the only cooking mechanism of her toy kitchen that she used at the time. I did catch her using the stove top today, so that's progress!

I'm not sure what's so shocking/exciting, but it cracks me up.


Claire, for about two weeks you carried around apples and ate them during every waking moment. When I broke down and bought a big bag of them, you suddenly didn't want them anymore. Of course.

mmmmmm

Photo Shoot

From time to time when you are feeling particularly cooperative/hammy/tolerating I like to whip out the camera for a photo shoot. On this particular day you completely stole the spotlight from the baby girl I'm babysitting. Oh well. She wasn't feeling any of those things at the moment so I switched gears.

You are kinda cute when you want to be.

I got a weird angle on this one. It sort of makes your head look like a big balloon hovering over your body. Sorry. I'll try harder...


At first I thought you were flashing me gang signs. Then I realized you were just trying to tell me to "hang loose" and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Love you, stinker.

Snips and Snails and......Ginormous Goose Eggs?

Dear Logan,

I would like to thank you for the heart attack you nearly gave me yesterday afternoon. Apparently, 424 warnings NOT to put all your weight on the keyboard tray of the computer desk were simply not enough. So when it finally gave way and you ended up slamming your head into the desk on the way down, it must have come as a total shock.

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I'm sure if I had warned you for the 425th time, this would not have happened.

Right. My fault then.

In all honesty, I had never seen a goose egg the size of this one. Even you knew it was remarkable, because you didn't even want to see the doctor for the stated reason: "I look ridiculous!"
The doctor said this may eventually lead to two black eyes and several different colors. This will be interesting. In the meantime, let's work on your active listening skills, shall we?

Love,
Mama

Good Eats

Dear Claire,

It is such a relief to have a good eater in the household. Both your brother and your father are notoriously picky at the dinner table. Yet here you are, happily chowing down on your broccoli. Mommy is so proud.

Dig in, little girl!
Love,
Mama

Playing Dress Up

I confess. One of my favorite things about motherhood is being able to dress you guys up. There aren't a whole lot of things I DISlike about motherhood (aside from public tantrums, which you are BOTH guilty of), but I've always had a weakness for a cute kid.

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(Now before you two get all worked up about having a mother who is THAT shallow, note that I said it is ONE of my favorite things. Not THE favorite thing. Not even in the top 5.) (But it does make the top 10.) (Maybe I'm shallow after all?)

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(Nah....)

Anywho.....Claire, look how cute you are in your fall colors. Nevermind that it's January. It might not fit you next fall and it's too good of an outfit not to wear a couple more times, at least.

You wear glitter well. You love your glittery high tops.







And here we are heading out the door to church. Never mind that we go to a jeans-wearing church. Everyone dresses up their little girls anyway. You don't stick out too much.

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Of course, for the second time in a row we were called out of service to attend to you in the nursery because of the major hysterical fit you were having. Seriously, you were supposed to be my mellow child. What gives?

Oh well. If you can't BE good at least you can LOOK good!

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(Hopefully that will not become your life's motto!)

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Love,

Mama

Under "Things We Are Currently Hiding From Your Father"

So Claire got a set of these magnetic "paper" dolls for Christmas, and guess who was the first one to want to play with them?

Obviously Claire disapproves of your fashion sensibilities, Logan.

Later that same day you were dying to watch The Little Mermaid. I say it's never too early to get in touch with your feminine side.

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Now go throw your dad a bone and toss a football around, will ya?

Family Ties

Now here's a post for posterity. How about some blasts from the past?

Kids, this little boy is my dad and your Pappy,

pictured here with his first girlfriend, Cookie.

Is that cute or what?

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This is my grandmother, Pappy's mother, Elizabeth Pride with her nanny. They were at Pride Station, a plantation in northern Alabama. In fact, there is a little town called Pride which was named after the family.

What a couple of sour pusses!

Makes me wonder who was taking the picture and why they were so annoyed about it!



This is Elizabeth's mother, Betty Coe with an apparent boyfriend. She was my great-grandmother but I never got to meet her.

Here are Betty and Elizabeth, mother and daughter.

Climbing Claire

Oh Claire, you are sure a climber these days. Every time I turn around you are somewhere you shouldn't be. Check yourself out. Here you are casually standing on the counter, going through some mail.

Who, me? Oh, I'm just looking for a wine glass....

I have to give you some credit for your technique. You don't even ask for help to get to the places you shouldn't be going anymore. See the chair at the side of the counter? You drag that thing around - and it probably weighs twice as much as you do. As much as I hate this new stage in your development, I have to admit you've got some resourcefulness.

But not a lot of sense. Like last week when I discovered you swinging --literally, swinging --from the chandelier? I could use a few less of those moments, okay? We cool?

Right, then.

Love,

Mama

Show Week at The Little Gym

Today was Logan's semester-end show at The Little Gym. He has been practicing very hard at home on his gymnastics. And by this I mean jumping on every piece of furniture that has the slightest amount of spring to it, and cartwheeling down every hallway. Sometimes in public even. Like in the middle of Wal-Mart or while waiting in line at the grocery store. It's awesome.

So here it is, a play-by-play of the big event:

Warm up

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Look at those feet go! I'm gonna get you!

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The floor exercise consisted of a forward roll, which

I have to say that Logan does exceptionally well...

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a cartwheel....

(okay, so this one could use a little work)

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and ended with a hand stand.

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Ooops. All that flipping around was too tempting for Claire.

Here she is trying to get in on the act. Ugh, little sisters!

She and Skip spent the rest of the show watching through

the windows!

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Casting on the bar

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Practicing a hand stand during play time.

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Next was the balance beam routine, which started off with

a "vee." Now, I'm not one to brag, but Logan

had the best "vee" in the class. No kiddin'.

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...followed by some scoop kicks

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...and ending with some high kicks.

He's practically a Rockette! (He gets that

from his Grammy)

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At the end of the show, the kids all got medals.

Logan was the first one to be called. He was so

excited to get a medal! He said, "WOW, I never

got a medal before!!" Everyone laughed. He

was too cute.

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Here's the class snapshot. Check Logan out giving me

the thumbs up. Check the teacher out, trying to

rein him in. Par for the course.

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Ah, the token "silly face" picture.

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We all had a ball!

No, really.