One of my favorite primary songs.
One of my favorite times of the day.
Especially when he takes Stinks and Sweets on a walk around the neighborhood.
I’m So Glad When Daddy Comes Home
Man Hands
Ever since Icka was born, I thought she had “man hands” (but now I call them “paws” because I am trying to feminine her up). I think they are so big for a little girl, but I absolutely love them. When she will let me - which isn’t very often - I just hold one of her hands in mine, and rub the top of it with my other hand. I could do that for hours. I also love doing this to Scout, and Scout will let me for as long as I want. And it is just lately that he is getting out of the phase of wanting to do everything by himself, and will finally hold my hand again. There is something about little kid’s hands that is so sweet — I think it’s that they always are the perfect fit.
I love how this picture of her hands is full of sticky, grime and fuzz. Just like usual.
Flower Fields
I thought that a lovely afternoon date with my two kids at the flower fields would be awesome.
I thought wrong.
They were NAUGHTY!
So very NAUGHTY!
Our first stop was the little park.
Scout thought he was super cool when he went past the caution tape.
All of the much bigger kids looked on in amazement.
I think that fed Scout’s ego.
I think I deflated his ego when I scolded him.
And these few minutes at the park had a detrimental effect on the rest of the day.
Because these were the minutes when he got a few minuscule grains of sand in his shoes that were there to stay for the day.
Icka liked the park. And as of right now — I still really liked her.
Until one of the sweet geriatrics who volunteered had to return her to me and give me a little talking to. I guess she couldn’t hear me when I hollered, “She will make her way back to me….don’t worry.” I couldn’t go and get her myself, because I was helping shoes become sand free.
The rest of the day consisted of a tractor ride where every Asian tourist just kept staring at the main attraction — US. As Scout was trying his hardest to clean out his shoes for a fifth time, he tumbled over backwards and started bawling at the feet of our tractor mates. On the other hand, Icka was completely doubled over the side of the tractor as she yelled, “OUT…OUT…OUT!” I had a good grip on her, but if I were to let go, she would have fallen over the edge.
One of my main points of being there was to get a decent picture of both of them together. I am working on a project, and need a duo shot. SO mid way through the tractor ride, I figured we and the tourists could use a break, so we got off. I found a nice background for a picture, and started to snap.
The gutter wasn’t going to be in our shot, but when Icka decided to escape, I had no choice. I told Scout to grab her, and this is what it became. She ended up with a muddy face and scrapes along her arms and legs.
She didn’t care.
I tried to have them just stand together for a picture, but as soon as Scout would get next to her, she thought it was “tackle time”.
That is where they wrestle all night, and Scout stands still while Icka hugs him and uses her strength to take him to the ground.
So here she is taking him to the ground.
And yes — they ended up on the ground.
The rest of the tractor ride was crazy, and Scout was the main offender this time. I mean — who cares about sand in your shoes that much?
We finally got to a nasturtium display, and I tried for more photos.
Better — but still junk.
Why won’t Icka hold still?
I wanted to leave, but I was determined to get my moneys worth, so we headed for the Sweat Pea Maze. Besides the fact that Scout cried for me to hold him from one end of the field to the other, it was getting better.
Amazing how he was running through the maze without one complaint. But the second he was out — that darn sand showed up again.
Her one saving grace.
I kept smelling the fragrant sweet peas, and when she saw me, she walked 1/2 a step and smelled….another half a step and smelled again. it was a long maze, but at least she redeemed herself a touch.
Our way out was more crying from Scout about sand in his shoes, Icka trying to back bend her way out of my arms, stares and more stares, me telling some spanish workers, “Yo hijos son loco in las cabesas” and them laughing (at my spanish or kids — who knows), a stop at In-N-Out where I told Scout that he could have a hamburger bun with cheese melted on it…to which he was excited…until he saw a hamburger bun with cheese melted on it and melted down, and a few other cool things.
It was miserable.
Completely miserable.
But I kind of thought the whole day was funny.
I am heading out to the U-Pick strawberry field later this week for another potentially torturous adventure.
I’m crossing my fingers.
An April Walk
It was a perfect day to go on one of Scout’s favorite walks. Icka hasn’t been on this one too many times, but after today….it is a definite favorite of hers too. We started off on some big hills, and Scout always has his gun along so he can shoot at things we walk by. Icka was as content as can be in her side of the stroller — even though she did rip off one of her shoes that I luckily found on our return trip. Then we stopped by one of our favorites — the gardens. We have come to know some of the “farmers”, and like to visit them and their crops every once in a while.
Icka just followed Scout everywhere. She is SO in her element when she isn’t contained. Little does she know that I locked the garden fence when we got there.
When I caught a lizard, Scout stayed cautiously at arms length.
Then there is Ickity Dickity. She wanted to hold him and eat him for dinner.
A lot of times, some of our farmer friends will give the kids some taste testers. Today, Scout and Icka feasted on some huge sugar snap peas. They both loved them. Considering my son, the self-appointed vegetarian, is the pickiest eater on the planet…I was thrilled to see him love such a healthy treat. He also tried mint, and liked it too. I told him it tasted like gum, and he was totally into it!
On our way home, we were excited to see the Honeysuckles in full bloom. I showed them to Scout last year, and he developed his love of the sweet nectar then. So we stopped and picked a few, and found that the nectar was more plentiful than I have ever known, and it was as sweet as anything I have ever tasted.
Look at those little droplets of sweet nectar. Delish!
Scout was sucking every last drop of the goodness. Icka watched carefully and then said, “Pease!!!” And then when it took me four seconds to get another flower, “Pease, Pease, Pease, Pease,!!!”
Poor girl didn’t get the technique totally right as she just bit off the bottom.
Finally we got home, but right before we hit our house, we walk through the “Walk of Roses”. We named it that two year ago when the roses were in full bloom. It was so fragrant, and smelled like Heaven.
Not bad for a morning walk — straight from our house.
The best part — both kids are down for naps! They are both tuckered out from the gardens and the sun. Or maybe those Honeysuckles have a little sleeping agent in them.
Too Quiet
When it gets too quiet in my house, my kids are either napping or getting into trouble. After I finished getting ready this morning, I was putting laundry in and noticed the sudden silence. After calling out for the kids and nobody responded….I started looking for the hooligans.
When I walked up to Scout, this is the return look I got:
He knew he was caught, so he started explaining. According to him, “I was just getting some powder on my face to look pretty like you.” Nice charm, but he knows he isn’t supposed to be in my makeup.
He had the technique down, minus putting powder all over his back.
I told him that makeup is pretty, but it is only for girls. Then to illustrate it in his mind, I said, “You never see Daddy putting powder on…do you?” I was taken back a little when he answered, “Yeah…..I do.”
I was going to take the blame for this one, but it looks like Micah is responsible.
Sentences
Little thing thing has been talking in sentences for quite some time — I think she started her sentences at about three months ago. I am sure she does it way more than I even know, but half the time, I can’t understand her. I can usually catch the best ones in the morning while we are getting ready, and as of the past couple of weeks, she has said, “I want a bath”, “more cereal please”, and “no,no Scout”.
Sometimes she copies directly off her brother. Like just this morning, Scout and my mom were talking. She said she was going to the doctor this morning, and Scout said, “I want to go with you.” Directly afterward Navy said, “Go with you!”
But other times, she comes up with them on her own. When they were in the bath this morning, Scout wasn’t sharing his two fishies. After two failed attempts at trying to get them, she looked at me and said, “he’s being mean.”
Megan — I guess Cade wasn’t the only brilliant baby who was speaking in sentences at a year.
Stolen Goods
Ickity Dickity Dock apparently has a style of her own that I am not representing.
I guess she saw a swim cap that was to die for, and used an intresting technique called:
The Five Finger Special.
I am going to nip this little swiping problem in the bud.
She was even good enough to hide it under her bum until we were across the entire mall and buckling up.
YES — she will be going back to the store to apologize to the manager.
NO — she isn’t happy in this picture, as I completely expose her.
One question — isn’t 15 months a little young to develop a shoplifting problem? Scout waited until he was over two!
Hands Off!
When my dad gave us the gift of Fruit-Of-The-Month, for Christmas….I was thrilled.
I had looked into it many times (along with pickle-of-the-month and candy-of-the-month) but passed because of the expense.
So every time my box comes, I am so excited to open it and see what delectable little treat awaits.
This month — long stemmed strawberries that look like a million bucks!
Interesting how nobody in my family can read the name on the package, because within five minutes…the strawberries I was so excited to dip in chocolate and make beautiful, looked like this:
Weasels!
Bed Head
Based on the hair, he either had a REALLY good nap…..or he was fighting off dragons.
How Can I Be So Lucky?
Sissy AKA Sassy must be going through some sort of growth spurt. She has slept in until 11:00 for the past two days, and she still sleeps this morning at 9:45. I thought she was making up for Uncle Ray’s house, but three days straight is maybe a bit too much make up. More than likely, she needs a few extra hours to get geared up for the day with her latest doses of spit and vinegar.
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