a BRIEF update

This is going to be short...I'm exhausted tonight!

Austin and Caitlin are hanging in there waiting for daddy's long trip to be over. The past couple of days have been really bad with Austin's mood/behavior in particular. Very defiant and physical...soooooo, not our normal little guy. After he had about a 20 minute phone chat with daddy tonight he was much better. Gotta be more intentional about doing that for the next couple of days....it really seemed to help a lot.

Caitlin has been very devoted to writing her name...anytime the urge hits, she hops on the kitchen chair, grabs her crayon or marker and goes to town. It's very cute to watch!

She has also been OBSESSED with eating peanut butter (thank goodness...a protein source!). She eats at least a 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of the stuff each day. Not on anything though. She just uses a plastic spreader and eats it from a bowl. Bizarre, but I'll take it. :)

Last night she informed me that "Hoops' breath smells like icky diapers!" (she's right on the money with that one!).

Caitlin has a fascination with my diamond cross necklace. She asked if she could have one and I told her maybe daddy and I would get her one for her baptism. Then I tried to explain what baptism was and she looked at me and said, "So Jesus will fly one down to me?" I swear, I could NOT stop laughing at that one!!!

As I watched Austin at school today, I had to laugh. He is the kid who sings at the TOP OF HIS LUNGS but is always a step behind on the words. But, dang it, he's having so much fun singing! He discovered that 2 brooms and 3 cardboard dress up chests work great as a drum set too. He is also making up songs...some sample lyrics..."I love to vacuum!" & a duet with mom, "I like to rock" to which I sing, "I like to roll" and we play air guitar with toy brooms.

He was trying to clip a clothespin onto some paper yesterday morning and was having trouble. He looked at me and said very seriously, "dis is bery difficult". :) Then this morning he took all of the clothespins off his "countdown to daddy's return" chart & said "Daddy come home now?" Wish it worked that way buddy! ;)

Both kids have been enjoying that I've moved their big calendar down to their height. Austin has been counting non-stop and singing the days of the week song. They use "pointers" (a toy broom handle & a turkey baster) to point to each day/number and it is very entertaining! I was worried that they would rip all the numbers off and just ruin it, but they have been great so far. No damage to report! Which means no trip to the "teacher store" is necessary....darn it!!! ;)

Just a sentimental parental observation...after nap Austin came out with his usual greeting, "HI MOM!" (said with such excitement and almost, surprise that it melts my heart every time!) and he ran in and snuggled next to me in the quiet room....in those moments I was struck by just the pure, simple needs that our kids have...to be completely loved by us and to feel secure. Caitlin needed the exact same thing when she woke up. They didn't need a toy or the tv or milk & a snack or even each other at that time...I'm so glad that Ryan and I can provide that for them & pray that we stay in this phase for a loooong time. I am also glad that I get moments like that to reflect on what a blessing they are, even when they are having an "off" day.

Okay, longer than expected...