Bowled Over

Emmy went bowling last week for a preschool fieldtrip. She was hilarious as she would roll the ball and 5 minutes later it would hit the pins. Surprisingly hers never stopped half way there (which another little boy from her class can't claim!). Half way through she realized that she'd rather kick the ball down the lane and didn't seem to mind when I reminded her this was bowling, not soccer. I don't remember her score but it was a little misleading because if the kids fouled (crossed the black line - with either feet, hands, ball, or any other body part) they got a zero for that roll. She did great - she must have tapped into her bowling genes back in the family tree.

Family Home Evening

Tyler was in charge of the song this week for FHE. We'd all expected him to pick one of our family favorites but he surprised with an original song he taught us all and then had us sing (is anyone else thinking he might have gotten some of Derek's 'make up original songs' genes?) There wasn't any tune, it was more of a chant. It was so funny that we had to have a time-out while I wrote down his song - here it is:

We all tickle Mom
We all tickle Dad
We all tickle baby
We all tickle sister

We have a tickle party
With ribbons and fun
We have a tickle party
And tickle everyone

Tickles can get tired
When you tickle too long
Then they go to sleep
And then the tickles are gone

Kindergarten Fieldtrip

Tyler had a fieldtrip today to Planet Kid - a big play place (I know, the educational aspect is missing, but they were selling it as excerise). My kids are great with a lot of things - super outgoing in new situations doesn't happen to be one of them. We'd never been to Planet Kid so I could see this be a little overwhelming for Tyler and Emily. Tyler kept asking me what we should do if kids don't stay with their class - see what I mean about we could have problems? So I'm telling him that we're there to play, not stay with his teacher. I told him that he needs to play, and be brave, and not stay with me the whole time. So we get there today and he did great. He checked in with me a lot, and wanted me to watch him climb, and slide and all the rest, but that's great for us. Even Emily's comfort zone grew and grew while we there. Then there was Bay, in the toddler ball pit loving it too.

My Bay

My little Bay is full of accomlishments lately. First, and most importantly, she can walk! I know it's shocking, but it's true - she really walks all the time now! She's didn't break any land speed records, though she did break a new family record by making it officially to 18 months to walk! But crawling is a thing of the past - she's a full-fledged upright little girl!
I have to tell you about Bay at Tyler's school party - she was hilarious. I was running the Valentine party and there were 4 stations the kids were rotating through. Emily stayed at my station the whole time and did great just sitting in her chair and watching the kids file through. Bay, however, was out on her own. She walked (really, she walked!) from my table to the table next to me, and climbed up the chair. My friend was running the station and it was a coloring page - she just gave Bay a page and crayons and Bay colored away (surprise, surprise). Then when she was done with that, she walked to the next table - cookie decorating. Climbed up another chair, got a cookie handed to her and started digging in. It was so funny to see her walk from table to table like she owned the place! I had to keep asking Emmy to look around and tell me where Bay was. It was the funniest.
Last Sunday was big for little Bay - her first day in nursery. Our other 2 kids have done reasonably well with nursery, certainly we've stayed for some weeks with them, but we got them to the point of indepence. Then there's Bay. Derek took her and stayed for a while - he left to fill up the pitcher of water, and expected to find Bailey crying when he got back, but she was just fine. So he stayed for a little longer ane then left to go to Young Men's. I went to nursery as soon as singing time in primary was over - looked in and saw my happy little Bay. So I stood there in the hall in complete amazement - I didn't even know what to do! So I went back right before church was over to pick her up and she got rave reviews! I couldn't believe how great she did her first week.
Then just a side note, Bay loves to wear capes. I think it's the funniest thing - what does she know about capes! - but she loves them. She'll go into Tyler's closet where his is hanging, rip it down, and bring it to me. After I put it on she always walks around the house like she's pretty big stuff. I can't post a picture because our camera is having huge problems - but trust me, it's way cute.

Baby Picasso

I have a budding Picasso at my house - Bailey loves to color! My older two kids color, they might even like to color, but certainly not love to color - but Bailey loves to color. She can color all day long - as long as I keep switching her paper and giving her new colors she'll keep coloring (which comes in mighty handy when fixing dinner, doing dishes, etc.). So I've known that she loves to color but yesterday it hit me how much she loves to. While I was emailing yesterday she was trying to type with me, so to get her off the computer I handed her a book to look at. She took the book, then searched the computer desk until she found a pen, sat down with book and pen in hand and was about to be completely entertained until I put an early end to it. Then she goes downstairs - me still at the computer - she opens up our art cupboard, drags out the box of crayons, dumps them out, grabs two, pulls out a coloring book, and takes her two crayons and her coloring book into the family room (crawling, and dragging) and commences to color. This is where I find her yesterday! Now this is a little girl at 17 months who isn't sure walking is for her, but coloring - now that is worth some work and determination!
Just a side note of how busy she is - yesterday while I was in the shower she gets into my makeup - takes my lipstick into the family room and proceeds to get it all over her hands and clothes - now it's all over her hands, and she crawls everywhere -so imagine my joy when I found a trail of lipstick covered hands from my family room to the stairs! It's everywhere! And isn't coming out too well I might add. Then I find her later with my eyeliner - don't worry, I am getting smarter and stopped this when it was only on her hands and clothes! Do you think it's possible I need to keep a closer eye on her?