Springtime Treats

This week we are soaking up all the springtime we can! We spent two hours at the park on Monday morning - searching for dinosaur teeth. We didn't come across any teeth, but did find lots and lots of mud on our adventure. Tuesday we headed to Zilker with friends to soak up the sun and go for a ride on the Zilker Zephyr. The train slowed around a bend and a sweet man with a guitar called Levi "red". I loved it. Today we had friends over for a "pancake party" complete with all the fixins, pancake races and a reading of "If You Give a Pig a Pancake." All in all - it has been one of the best Spring Breaks I can remember.

Today's Tiny Treasures: Eden "read" Goodnight Gorrilla to me this afternoon. When she came to the page where the Zookeeper's wife had turned off the lights - she made different voices for each of the animals as they all said "goodnight". Absolutely adorable. She is also doing this little fake laugh these days that I can't help but find completely endearing. I also wonder if it might be the beginnings of her take on the nervous laugh habit that seems to run in our family.
Levi is doing this little shrug that I wish I could describe perfectly in writing. Basically he just shrugs with his hands, not his shoulders. But, he keeps them low - down by his hips and gives a sweet sideways grin when he does it. He usually does this gesture when he has just proved something really fantastic - like his ability to jump over something - "without it touching his toes." That boy knows how to steal my heart.

Blocking Bad Guys

On our way home from MOPS yesterday Levi told me, "We have to buy one." I was curious. "Buy one what, Levi?" He then went on to explain that Eden, Levi, Daddy and Mommy all needed shields to "block the bad guys". So as soon as possible, Levi and I were cutting up pizza boxes, decorating them and adding a pipe cleaner handle to make the perfect little shields for my two munchkins. He was so proud of the finished product and couldn't wait to show Eden her shield. It was fun for me - since this is the first time Levi has specifically asked for a prop to support his imagination. He's getting so big!

This Week's Tiny Treasures: Scott took Eden to school yesterday, so when Levi and I got into the car to go to MOPS, he looked over at her car seat and asked where she was. When I told him Daddy had taken Eden to school, Levi said: "But, I love Eden." Such a sweet boy!

Eden collected a Rolly Polly village from the backyard on Monday. She had about 20 in an old coffee can on the back porch - with some dead leaves for their beds. The next morning the village was wiped out. Turns out rolly pollys can't live on dead leaves alone. But she handled it all in stride - dumping out her village and making a note to add grass instead next time.

Good-bye Zephie Boy

Yesterday Scott and I said good-bye to our very first baby. Our 14-year old Australian Shepard mutt that we bought from a family with a teepee in their front yard - somewhere outside of College Station. Zephaniah had a huge heart for those that he loved.
Before Zephie, I had never met a dog that smiled at you when you came home. He loved to rock climb, swim, roll in the grass on his back, snuggle up with me on the floor, and perform a multitude of tricks. He was a good dog and an even better friend. Becuase he was my first dog, he will always hold a very special place in my heart. I will miss him.
We told Eden and Levi that Zephie had to go up to doggie heaven, where God would feed him and take care of him. In doggie heaven, Zephie would be well again and he would be able to run and play forever. I hope that's true, Zephie. I hope you are chasing bunnies again. Good-bye, Zephie boy. I will always love you.

How Fast Can You Eat Eggs?

I sometimes wonder if I am putting too much pressure on my kids to be little future athletes! Today they are practicing their swimming in the bath tub. And, just this morning I was telling a friend that Levi has some serious ball control (I'm convinced he will one day play in the MLS - no one is that good at age 2). Eden is quite possibly the most competitive 4-year old I have ever met. Everything is a race to her. She challenged Levi to an egg eating competition at breakfast, "I bet I can finish my eggs before you can." But, both of them seem to really enjoy sports and as long as they are the ones initiating the interest...I'm all for it and will certainly encourage it! That said, I might need to play down the egg eating competitions. Seems a tiny bit excessive!

Call Me Crazy

If you can believe it, today was the first time Eden and Levi watched an entire episode of Sesame Street. It's not because I don't let them watch TV. We have been big Disney Playhouse fans for many years. But, for some reason I never turned on Sesame Street.

I think in my days before kids I was a bit turned off by the crazy mob of parents at the Toys R Us - in search of the last of two Tickle Me Elmo dolls in the entire universe. From that point on I drew a correlation between crazy parents and Elmo. And who wants to be a crazy parent, right? (Although I am learning that you can't really have one without the other.)

But as the three of us sat on the couch this afternoon and watched a show that was brought to us by the letter "R" and the number 12, Sesame Street won me over again. I say again because I'm pretty sure I once loved the show. Even today, after a near 25 year absence, I knew all the words to the theme song, giggled at the Cookie Monster and got really excited when Ernie sang about his Rubber Ducky. What can I say, it was a sunny day. Everything's A-OK!

Today's Tiny Treasures: Levi's Cookie Monster impersonation and Eden's cute little voice singing, "Can you tell me how to go to Sesame Street?"

We're Havin' a Heat Wave

One day left in February and it's near 90 degrees! We spent the morning at the park, made a quick stop at Little Gym (where Eden did her first unassisted grip change) and then back home to play in the "pool". All this sunshine made me realize why Texas and I are so perfect for each other.

Today's Tiny Treasures: Having Eden do a high knee jog with me at the park. That girl loves to get her exercise. It was too cute. Later, Levi really wanted to play peek-a-boo with Eden (she was lying in the grass and hiding under the little pool), but kept getting distracted by my apple. He would start to move towards the pool and then stop quickly, turn to me and ask for a bite. That boy never met a piece of fruit he didn't like. He never did make it under the pool.

My Basketball Blessings

Eden came running in this afternoon and informed me that she and Levi were playing a game of basketball. "Would I like to watch?" Absolutely. I grabbed my camera and headed out to the garage.

All the joys of watching the Kings nearly steal the Western Conference from those horrible Lakers (back when the Kings were actually good) don't even come close to the joy I found watching my sweet kiddos show me their latest basketball abilities. I was impressed by their dribbling, their "double shots" (where they both shot the ball at the same time) and especially impressed when they turned the basketball hoop on its side and "drove their car to Sea World".

Basketball quickly turned to circles on their plasma cars. They would zoom by me and smile up as they went by. Delighted that I was watching. Such a simple, happy life today. Who knew that such a blessing could be found in a basketball game!