things my kids say: part one

This is the March edition. Meaning I wrote this at the beginning of March and somehow forgot about it.  Obviously A LOT has changed since then, and an update will be soon to follow

Avery is quite the little chatter-box-bossy-pants.  She identifies objects and demands objects around the clock.  But she almost always follows it up with a please; and if you aren't quick enough to grant her demand, then several pleases (and if you're still slow about it she may add in the hand signal for good measure).  She's started to say thank-you but no one else on this planet could decipher it.  It's still a really good start on manners though.  Many words are easily understandable (like when she said "ticker please" to the cashier at the grocery store yesterday and received a sticker) but here are a few that are not*:

Pasta = pa pa
Soother = ish
Avocado = cado
Snack = nack
Crouton = ton
Happy- appy

She's also been singing a lot lately which is funny because often she'll only know one work of the song but she can still carry the tune.  That's the best way to identify the song, listening to the tune not the words. Happy birthday is a favourite right now in which you can only identify the words happy and you.  The clean-up song is also a popular one right now.

Jake has some pretty charming moments.  And when he's not busy being too competitive, has some of the sweetest, out-of-the-blue compliments...

"Sweet mommy princess"

"You're an awesome cooker mom"

"Mom, I love your beautiful heart"

"I love you so much as big as the world"

"I love you Avery as big as the Eiffel Tower"

* speaking of mispronunciations, Jake has two that I just love.  He calls parkades, park-caves - because, duh, its a cave where you park your car - and he calls Parmesan cheese, farmesan cheese - just because.        

june according to my iphone

The blur that was June...

^^ picnic dinner at the beach ^^

 ^^ first time on the tire swing ^^ 

^^ the "friendliest-snail-ever" which they named treehouse ^^ 

^^ hug-around-the-neck ^^ 

^^ no turtles by the bridge today just flowers ^^ 

^^  birthday smiles :) ^^ 

^^ mom, jake, dad (while avery naps) ^^

a cake in the making

What's better than eating cake?  Well when you're four, and you're Jacob, the answer is making the cake.  He was a supreme helper.  Helping measure.  Emptying the cracked eggs.  Braving the noise of the mixer...  

And here he is, helping with the clean-up*

*Note -- although Jake did a bang-up-job cleaning the beater, I was tasked to clean-up that chocolate face. 

birthday party

On the weekend, following Avery's actual birthday, we had a little family party; because what's a birthday without a birthday cake!?  When I asked her if she wanted chocolate or vanilla, she said she wanted chocolate AND vanilla.  Smart girl.  At that point I'm not certain she even knew the difference but she does now.

She was sweet, shy and excited about the whole thing.   

And decked out in her new purple cape, she happily blew out two candles.

  We did the wishing for her.  

May there be many, many happy and healthy birthdays to come and may she always know how deeply we love her.