Day 2493

Lizard has started dictating recipes for us to write down. They never have an ingredient list and they always seem to involve lots of whisking.

Tonight I got to try banana grape lemon bread.

Day 2492

*Nesting intensifies*

Day 2491

It was an early end to movie night when Lizard abruptly burst into tears and announced she was too tired and wanted to go to bed. And then chastised us for choosing a movie option that was too long.

Apparently her parents were being irresponsible. Luckily, I think she wasn’t mad.

...just disappointed.

Day 2490

Chinchilla, putting veggies in the salad bowl for me: “Look at me go!”

Day 2489

Teaching our kids to make chicken noises in the car to entertain themselves. What could go wrong?

Day 2488

Our Lizard might be a planner like her mum. She’s already asking us questions about what her Gramma knows how to do so she can identify any holes in her abilities in advance. It would be terrible to find out at the last minute that Gramma doesn’t know how to make peanut butter and jam sandwiches- although Lizard has announced she is ready and willing to give lessons on that.

Day 2487

Before we left the house this morning, Chinchilla put away his pretend vacuum cleaner and wished it sweet dreams.

And the children decided that while it’s unacceptable for their gramma to call them duckies, they’re totally fine with “goosegoose”.

Day 2486

A long weekend of productivity and fun and relaxation, and I’m beginning to suspect I should take vacation days more often...

Day 2485

That feeling when your two year old startles an old lady by talking while little; and both kids disconcert her further by being quiet and patient in the store. And then you flabbergast her by being much more pregnant than she expected.

Day 2484

Chinchilla climbs onto my lap with a book. “You read me pout-pout fish. Put down your phone!” Then he grabs my phone from my hand , puts it down beside me, snuggles onto my lap, picks up my hands and puts his book in them. “You read me pout-pout fish.”

He is perhaps a little more hands-on than his sister was about getting what he wants...

Day 2483

The kids got their first taste of pop. I let them try some after it had been sitting in a cup for a while. Lizard decided it hurt her mouth and gave up on it immediately; Chinchilla went back for more. Lizard did discover and appreciate the glories of ketchup chips, so she’s not a total loss.

Day 2482

It’s hard to believe that someday my little monkeys will be too big to sit on my lap and snuggle while I read to them.

Day 2481

Lizard has become obsessed with Halloween. Today she drew her grandma in a Halloween costume; the other day she drew a Halloween parade and a nightmare.

(A pink squiggly figure, in case you were wondering).

Chinchilla is obsessed with reading books and snuggling.

And helping cook dinner. And sampling chopped vegetables.

Day 2480

That feeling when your kids ask you to stop reading your book so you can read their books to them instead...

Day 2479

It shouldn’t be this much fun to walk beside tiny humans learning to ride bikes. It is.

Day 2478

Lizard has apparently reached the age where she purposefully gathers an audience so she can perform at them.

Day 2477

This morning Lizard was disappointed that her brother did not follow her good example of getting dressed quickly. “He should have! I followed my own good example!”

Day 2476

Chinchilla has reached the age where it is possible to give him something and no matter how recently he asked for it, you will still have been devastatingly wrong to give it to him.

Day 2475

Lizard told me very sincerely to take my sweet time, and I find it so incredibly adorable that she has entirely missed the context for the use of that phrase.

Day 2474

A day that you’re feeling old, tired, and very pregnant is definitely the right day to run errands, make ridiculous dinner, and plant a bunch of the garden. And then clean up after ridiculous dinner.

Day 2473

Sometimes surrender is the most successful strategy.

Day 2472

Someday we will have children with proper palates who will appreciate wonderful dinner... in the meantime, I get to have really superb leftovers for lunch.

Day 2471

For the first time in over two years, no one in the house is sleeping in a crib tonight.

Day 2470

Metaphorical storm at work passes; actual storm threatens.

Chinchilla watches a lego movie and gets very excited about the idea of taking his own head off.

Day 2469

When the little one offers his big sister one of his last apricots with his sister, even though she has some of her own...

*heart explodes*

Day 2468

Watching a second kid growing up, and seeing the bond growing between the two kids is wonderful. Chinchilla went to check on his sister while she was having a bath. “Hello! Are you having a good time?” And then came and stood with her to hold her hand when she got out of the tub. So stinking cute...

Day 2467

Lizard drew a picture of two mountains and asked me whether the little one looked smaller than the big one. I acknowledged that it did.

“That’s because it’s further away.”

Boom.

Meanwhile, Chinchilla advised me not to ‘talk to my mouthful’.

Day 2466

I goofed. Our son has now adopted the phrase “you ruined it!”

And childcare providers continue to be astonished by how little and wordy our daughter is.

Day 2465

This morning Lizard and Chinchilla put two diaper boxes together and put a pillow inside. He got in, and she tucked him in with blanket and a stuffy and brought him a pretend plate of snacks. Then she pushed the “stroller” around the hallway.

This afternoon they fought over who got to mash tuna in a bucket.

Day 2464

Chinchilla announced his intention to poop on the potty, so his sister started teaching him about noises she makes to help her poop. Chinchilla liked the concept, but decided to run with his own variation: hoots and buzzes.