Trick or Treating

We were inspired by our new home in the One Acre Wood.

Our new next door neighbors, Dixie and Gene. They've lived in their home for 46 years. We have been enthusiastically welcomed by them with sandwiches, and two batches of chocolate chip cookies.

Zoe had a great time. She opened 20 (we counted) lollipops, and gave each one a single swipe before tearing off the next paper.

Piper sampled all of the candies that come in packs. Both girls exhibited good strategies in tackling more candy than their tender minds could conceive. Alas, their inexperience with refined sugar bested them and they left this pile uneaten, to fall straight asleep.

Meanwhile, Noah had a Celebratory Bottle of Milk.

And was severely cute.

We bought this crazy house

Then we sold ours and moved. I'm serious. That's why I haven't posted.

We are in the process of remodeling - kind of a major remodel. We gutted the master bath, leaving only the tub. We've been in the house a month and still have no master bath or bedroom. We have our bed in there, but can't spend any time in there because of the construction and things that make it difficult to let 3 children 3 and under in a bedroom. Did I

mention I'm trying to raise 3 tiny kids too? I've been so busy unpacking and cleaning and planning that I haven't thought much about the results of the renovation and that I will have a beautiful new room and bathroom. I think it will be like a surprise. "Hey, you've lived here for six weeks, and you've never even been in these fabulous rooms! Come on in and put your stuff

away." (that's the narrator speaking to me).

I've been in boxes for about 6 weeks too. Its driving me a little crazy. I can't find my flat iron or

jewelry. I feel like I'm camping a lot. I mean, I dress like I'm camping a lot. This week so far, the cabinetry has been painted. So, a lot has changed. I've got pictures. Somewhere.

(looking for pictures...)

Boo. I can't find a before picture just yet. Maybe its still on a flash card somewhere. Here's a shot of the bathroom during demolition. You can see the bathtub in the first picture. All of the yellow tile and closet framing came out after these photos were taken.

The doorway in the above picture was closed in. The plumbers came and fixed things, electricians, new windows were ordered, it was reframed and sheetrocked, and the cabinets have now been built and painted. And that's just the bathroom.

We also had the air conditioning completely redone (new furnace, new return air, new ducts, new grills, los todos). The girls room has two of five new windows installed. Its been painted a LOT, now has a ceiling fan, and new carpet. It was the room with the door that got closed off and we pulled out a giant built-in bookcase, so it also had sheetrocking, and texturing work done. Noah's room has been completely painted. I do have pictures somewhere. I'll post them in my next post - before and afters shots.

All that to say we've been busy. Lots of stories to remember. On a night when I can type more.

Here's a cute little girl story though, to end the post.

Every night we tell Piper one story that we make up on the spot for her and lately she's been helping decide what happens in the story. Tonight the story started like this:

Ari: Once upon a time...
Piper: No, not that one.
Ari (laughing): Okay which one would you like?
Piper: The one about a princess named Me.
Ari (still laughing): Okay, there was a princess named Me.
Piper: No, no. A princess named Piper.
Ari: Oh, okay, there was a princess named Piper...

and we were off. She directed the rest of the story as well. It was about a royal family getting new ladybug boots. Just because I know you were wondering.

according to Piper

You sing it like this:

A B C Ds K F G

H I J K ewhoawhoawhoa P

Q R S T U V

Number U X Y and Z

now I sang my ABCs,

next time won't you sing with me.

Z

Zoe is our caretaker. Often, if she can't find Noah or Piper and there is some situation that she feels like might put them in danger, she frantically alerts me.

Once I was bringing groceries in, so I set Noah in his infant carrier, on the garage floor so that he could watch me walk back and forth from the car to the house. Zoe thought that I'd forgotten him, and on one of my trips to the back door starting crying, and tugging at the handle of the car seat yelling "baby! baby!!!"

Today Piper was asleep in my bed and Zoe was up. There was a bit of thunder for a few minutes and Zoe again was trying to locate Piper to make sure she was safe. I was able to keep her from storming my bedroom and waking Piper.

Then tonight (I was in a meeting), Brandon told me that as he was giving Noah a bottle, Zoe came over and wanted Noah's burp cloth. She walked over to a spot on the floor and began cleaning. Brandon put Noah down to check out what Zoe was doing (much to Noah's dismay) and discovered that Zoe's diaper leaked and that she was cleaning her own pee off of the floor. He got her diaper off of her and she took herself to the potty and sat.

It is a lot of fun watching these little ones grow.

"Sesame Street has been brought to you by"

We watch Sesame Street. Over Here we do.

So that means that the "Letter of the Day" and the "Number of the Day" are practically people. They are celebrities. So imagine the surprise and delight for Piper, sitting right in the middle of the bench seat behind me in the car, when we turned the corner of the parking lot and came across...the Letter O!

She greeted The Letter O very cheerfully and then said "Mommy, where is the Letter D? Let's see The Letter D next!" We apparently had entered into a Letter Safari.

Letters Later:

And my Zoe takes her shaving cream straight across her back and then through her hair in one smooth wipe. That move produces this look. She's got something there I think...

Piper dreaming about summer.

Zoe's baby

Some things to remember.

This week Zoe intended to brush Piper's hair. This morning I finally was able to describe their play. It is interestingly like a pack of feral dogs. They love each other, stick together, and yet if one gets too close to a toy there is an immediate and viscous reaction indicated by shrieking, screaming, and potentially flailing and teeth baring. I intervene, or the situation resolves itself and we go back to a happy wolf cub pack. So, Zoe went at Piper to brush her hair. Said viscousness erupted. I was washing my face and remembered that earlier Zoe tugged her doll out of her crib and was mothering it. So I instructed through soapy eyes, "Zoe, go brush your baby's hair."

"OOOOOOOtay!" She said. I went back to washing my face.

A few minutes later I heard sleeping Noah stirring in the monitor. I'd just put him down to nap and the 20 minutes wasn't a long enough sleep for him. I went to check on him and discovered Zoe had opened his door, climbed up the side of his crib and was reaching in with the brush and combing is nearly bald head. He was arched up as high as he could be from his tummy grinning wildly. I laughed and then Z and I had another talk about not going into her brother's room when he is asleep. My freshly groomed Noah skipped the rest of his nap.

Our day today has not been so eventful, little girl wise. Zoe is currently napping. Piper is playing with the Little People city. She has some quarter sized plastic lady bugs that are taking turns swinging on the Little People swing and riding a motorcycle. She is talking in her pretend voice which is really high pitched and they are saying "okay, now its my turn." Noah is laying under his play gym blowing bubbles and cooing at the monkey. He started rolling over from his stomach to his back yesterday! That's the hard one for our babies Brandon is helping with the garage sale a street over and I am taking it all in. This is August so far.

justice?

baby lemons, I hope they are growing in this 104 degree June

Noah, almost 4 months.  He is definitely growing.

A little photo essay.  

The heat calls for vigilante justice.  Apparently.