September Toddler Talk

Lydia's favorite new phrase is, "Stop it!"  She says this multiple times a day, whether it's when she's getting dressed, getting her diaper changed, sitting in her high chair, or taking a bath.  Pretty much any time she doesn't want to do something, she says, "stop it!".  She also likes to say it to Makayla when Makayla is horsing around!

Makayla doesn't necessary have a favorite phrase, she just tends to say comical things...and they are usually forms of things Chad or I say.  For example, we were sitting at dinner one day and she was telling me what she wanted to do after dinner...things like ride her bike and play downstairs, etc.  After she recited off everything that she wanted to do, she says, "That's my plan, Mom!"  I think she got the "plan" from me!

Another night, I was giving the kids a bath.  Most nights Makayla doesn't want to have her hair washed and I was afraid this was going to be another one of those nights!  All of the sudden, Makayla says to me, "Mom, let's just get this done!" and then she laid back to have her hair washed!  Hmm...I think that's Chad's words coming out of her mouth!  :)

We were up north having a camp fire and making s'mores!  Makayla walked into the cottage and said to me, "Mom, I need a smoke!"  (She meant a s'more)

Lydia has decided she likes to count!  She walks around the house saying, "three, four, five, nine!"  If she is counting something, those are the 4 numbers that she uses!

One day Makayla noticed a green bottle in our vitamin cabinet.  She asked me what kind of vitamin it was and I told her it was a fiber pill.  She thought for a minute and then she asked me, "Mom, when I am five, can I have some fiver?"

One morning it was pretty cool in our house.  Makayla and I were eating oatmeal and I said to her, "Mmmm, this oatmeal is tasty and it warms my belly!"  Makayla said back to me, "My oatmeal is tasty too and it warms my arms!"

One day after a rather long bath, I was putting Lydia's PJ's on.  She happened to look down at her hands, which looked rather prune-like from the tub, and she got a horrified look on her face!  She showed them to me with her horrified look so I was trying to explain to her that it was okay, but quickly realized distraction was probably the better bet until her hands got back to normal!

It amazes me the random things that Makayla remembers.  One day she was very mad because she wanted to take the highway home from school and I had taken the back roads.  She sulked all the way home, so I needed to distract her when we got home.  So when we got home, I gave her a little piece of paper and I wrote "highway" and "car wash" on the little piece of paper.  (she had also been asking to go to the car wash)  I told her to go put the paper on her car seat so that it would remind her to ask me right away after school to swing by the car wash and then take the highway home.  Sure enough, when I picked her up the next day, she remembered exactly what the paper said!

Another day, Makayla was busy doing little art projects.  She told me that she was making a card for Aunt Rheann (which was very nice of her, but totally random of her!).  When she was done with the card, I asked her if I could hang onto it so that we didn't forget to take it over to Rheann the following weekend.  Makayla said, "no, I'm going to put it by the back door so that I don't forget it!"  Sure enough, it sat on the bench by the back door all week and then she remembered it when it was time to go over to Kevin and Rheann's house!  Wow!

Well, that is about wrapping up my fun September stories of the girls!  In general, they are both doing well.  Makayla is hitting the age where she is not napping everyday, which can make evenings a challenge!  She is also old enough to purposely be defiant and push our buttons, just to see what happens!  Again, that makes for a challenging time with her...although she quickly ramped-down her "button-pushing" after she sat in numerous time-outs!  Phew!  But she is also incredibly entertaining and it's amazing to watch her learn and grow and realize all that she comprehends at such a young age!  She is still a very independent little girl!

Lydia continue to be a happy baby who loves to follow her big sister around and wants to do and have everything that Makayla does!  She's even starting to be more adventurous with her food...mostly because she wants everything that Makayla has!  Luckily, Makayla is a very good eater of healthy foods!  Lydia knows tons of words and can usually get her point across via her words and pointing.  She's starting to throw a few tantrums, but only when she's very frustrated about something (like me taking away a choking hazard!).  She is pretty good at playing with all of Makayla's little toys and not putting things in her mouth but once in a while I have to take something away.  Lydia does know how to ham-it-up sometimes, especially when Makayla accidentally bumps her or when she accidentally bumps herself!  I have to try to play-down her "owwie", otherwise, she'd be running to me for every little bump!

They are both doing pretty good at sleeping through the night, which has been nice for Chad and I.  They are also old enough that I have been venturing out to the grocery store and even the mall by myself with both of them.  As long as I make our trip pretty quick, it's not bad!  (Not sure if it's the kids getting older or me getting wiser...lol!)  We've had fun picking the cucumbers and grape-tomatoes from our little garden.  Lydia LOVES picking tomatoes and would pick every single one, green or red, if I let her!  Now that the weather is getting cool, we're transitioning back into long pants and jackets.  It doesn't seem to phase the kids, although I am bummed about the cooler weather!  Speaking of cooler weather, we're hoping for some nice weather for our outdoor family photos in October!  We're also excited for a quick trip back to Michigan to visit my parents and grandma and as many other family members as possible!  I do love the fall colors, so hopefully we have a nice drive through the UP.  The kids also helped me decorate the house with my fall decorations, so ready-or-not, here comes fall!

The rest of my photo-posts are all separate blog posts and follow this long-winded blurb!  Enjoy!  :)

Beach Fun

Here are some photos boating and hanging out at the beach that is across the lake up North.  We discovered the beach this summer and the kids just had a blast hanging out there.  They especially loved getting their kiddie cocktails!  :)

Sprinkler Fun

This was one of the last warm days we had!  For some reason Makayla was very excited to play in the sprinkler, so we hauled it out for some last minute water fun!

Lydia

Just a super cute photo of Lydia!  :)

Sunset

Here are some photos of an absolutely beautiful sunset and moon-rise over the lake!  The photos are not nearly as beautiful as the real thing!

Wrapping up the Fun Up North

Here are a few pix from our last weekend up North.  We might take 1 more fall trip up North, but we'll definitely be bundled up!

Here's Addison and Lydia!

Here's some family hanging out in the living room relaxing!

Here's Chad with the girls...snuggling up one morning!

Here's Addison, Makayla, and Papa!

Here's Chad with the girls on the 4-wheeler!

One more photo on the 4-wheeler!  Both girls love going for rides!

It's Photo Time

One night I wanted to get a photo of the kids in their matching PJ's.  This series of photos shows how unsuccessful I was at getting both girls to sit nicely next to each other on the couch...Oh well, better luck next time!

A few weeks later, I was a bit more successful at getting them to sit still.  Here's a few pix right after bath time!

Playtime Fun

Here are a few pix of the girls playing.  In the next 2 photos, Lydia is trimming her baby doll's toe nails!  :)

Here, Makayla is doctoring Lydia.  It was quite amazing that Lydia sat still for this treatment!  :)