happy birthday katie!

Little Sug is 4!! How is this possible? Kindergarten in another year?! What? Now I'm one of those old people saying 'Where did the time go? It just goes by so fast.' Katie made a paper chain to count down the days to the big event. 'Now how many sleeps until my birthday?' Her excitement was contagious. Now she's ready to make a chain and start counting down to Alex's birthday.

We went to the Children's Museum in Denver for the festivities. Some of the hits were the fire engine to explore, a 'nature area' with tunnels for worms and a tree to climb around on, and a 'little kid exploration area.' The boys spent a fair amount of time playing with the trains, while Katie painted. Hummmm . . . and how is that different than being at home?

Katie chose 'berry rainbow' for her birthday cake - three layers of jello poke cake with pudding and whipped cream in between. Pink was the big hit of the birthday - now we have TWO pink tutus to dance around in. Katie chose to have her party at Oma's house, and had a grand time calling all of the shots with 'Well, since it's my birthday, I choose . . . ' She's such a treat to have around, and is more fun every day.

why katie is awesome

It's fun to observe and guess which of Katie's personality traits/quirks could have come from which parent. She's definitely her own person, but the 'nature vs. nurture' debate can't be avoided at times.

Who could these traits derive from?

When I came out into the living room one morning, Katie had been up for a while. This is what I walked out to. (Poor Prince Charming did not make the cut, and is off by himself on the side of the chair.)

While all the kids in our house love to play with the pegs, Katie actually likes to create pictures out of them - and sometimes arrange them by color - and not just spray them all over the floor.

She - and her com padres - loves to bake. (Now to only find someone willing to cook . . . )

She loves to climb and jump from rock to rock like a mountain goat, and shows no fear near the edge.
The battle of the pants is so on!

why max is awesome

For breakfast, he usually eats 2 bowls of cereal - and often finishes Alex's on top of that. And still the ribs are showing. Last week independent Max has really started shining through. Here, he had to feed himself entirely on his own - no help. He actually got more of the pudding in his mouth than I expected.
After dinner, Katie wanted to paint. I naively thought that Max would let me at least hold the paint for him. Again, independent Max appeared. It's fun to watch this little creature master new skills almost daily, but for crying out loud slow down little buddy! (Apparently green paint is tasty, but not nearly as delicious as chocolate pudding or dirt.)

birth of a wardrobe

Presenting the best Christmas present ever:
For Christmas, Rog build me a wardrobe to fill the space next to the linen closet in our room. It turned out even better than I imagined. The only - and definitely not immediate - problem is what to do with it if/when we move from this house! The finish job is not perfect (moi) but it is already a family heirloom in my book.

It was so cool to watch it being formed out of a pile of lumber and sheets of plywood. For Christmas Rog gave me the dove tail jig, and then got sick for a week. In January he busted this baby out. This of course included cleaning out/rearranging the garage to make space to build and then a 'paint room.' If you want your own custom furniture, you're going to have to go find your own carpenter, because this one is taken!

It has been reported that, in true Kat fashion, I waited an entire day before I came up with another project. In all fairness, there also more jobs on my own list now. I'm the one who has to strip and refinish the doors of the neighboring linen closet because of the now glaringly terrible original finish job I did on them.

In the mean time, we are taking votes on the following issue: to handle or not to handle? There are currently handles on the drawers of the dresser portion of this operation, but there has been much discussion as to whether the doors of the closet portions and the skinny jewelry drawer should also have handles. What's your vote?

why alex is awesome

#1
Last night Roger and I prepared for battle: Operation 'Adios Blue Plug.'

My mouth dropped at how easy it was.

'Alex, if you give me blue plug, I'll trade you for Jack (a front loader engine).'

Alex, without hesitation, said 'OK!' He opened Jack, Jack and the mini-excavator had some conversation in greeting and discovering the magic button that raises Jack's front loader, and he went right to sleep.
Today, nap time showed that the battle might not quite be won.

When he hopped into bed, he immediately asked about blue plug.

Me: You traded blue plug for Jack.

Alex, handing me the engine that has literally not left his fingers since last night: But I don't love Jack.

Me: You're a big boy. You don't need blue plug anymore.

Alex, with tears streaming: I don't want to be a big boy. I want to be a (l)wittle boy.'

I somehow convinced him to take care of Jack for me, letting him keep the mini-excavator company, while he napped. Tonight might require fancier maneuvers.


#2
Numerous times yesterday Alex announced to Max that he was his 'best friend,' and then proceeded to tackle him and give him a smooch attack. Max was understandably not excited about being repeatedly flattened, but Alex looked so happy and was so sincere in showing his brother he loved him. I need to get faster with the video to capture proof for the future when the body slams are NOT for smooch fests.

#3
To cap things off, he also discovered the word 'WHY?' I think I need to come up with a reasonable number of responses before I resort to 'Because I said so.'