Brynny hasn’t quite learned to pucker up, but she has just discovered how to make kissing sounds. Putting her to bed tonight, I gave her Lambie to snuggle and it was just delightful to hear loud smacks being bestowed upon Lambie as I left the room.

Here’s some pictures for faraway Oma’s who mentioned today that they were longing for new pictures. A few interesting updates. Brynny has suddenly entered a new state where she is much less possessive and shares more. When Elijah was getting a hug and snuggle yesterday from Mama, she came over and laid her head on him instead of whining and attempting to push him off my lap. This is a big improvement! She was also bringing toys to another baby at the library today.

Today I was calling her my little “Bumble Bear.” I just love this cute age where they are busily bumbling about with their tummies sticking out in front of them, climbing everything very clumsily- little bumbling baby bears. So lovable and adorable. I can’t help but sweeping her up and kissing her soft cheeks (which receive probably upwards of 500 kisses a day).

Here’s a funny Elijah story. At church on Sunday, the lady in the nursery was telling me how all the kids were smelling her necklace- which had a big flower on it- and saying what they thought it smelled like. When Elijah smelled it he said “it smells like a head bursting into FLAMES!” Yep, he’s a boy.

That's Elijah!

The baby garden at Storyville.

Is this a real bunny?

Brynny and Elijah have opened their own grocery store!

This kitchen was just the right size for young 'uns. Mama had the bizarre feeling of being a 9-foot giant in this room.

Aunt Katherine comes to visit! Hooray!

Aunty Katherine had plenty of attention for everyone.

Katherine was a hit all around.

-Signed “down please” from her high chair today and said “down” at the same time.
-Insisted quite clearly on wearing her pretty shiny shoes with her dress instead of her pull-on slippers.
-Helped Mama stir the mixing bowl for the first time today.
-Helped Mama clean spots on the dining room floor with a wet rag.

My sweet baby Boodle is turning into a big girl!

Here’s a couple-a cuties for your cutie fix! Right now the kids are nicely occupied. Brynny is sitting on an overturned basket very intently trying to figure out the secrets of a wind-up dinosaur. Looks like she managed to get the tail off. Elijah is lying on the couch watching Bugs!, and educational sort of film that is pretty cool, following the lives of several bugs in the rainforest. It’s pretty good- and now Elijah will be happy to tell you all about what amazing hunters preying mantises are. This is the 4th or 5th time he’s watched it since we got it out of the library earlier this week, so he’s pretty much an expert now. I love how kids get totally into things. He loves to pretend to be a mantis sneaking up on a fly. There’s a pretty gross closeup of the mantis biting the head off a fly but that hasn’t made it into Elijah’s nightmares and hopefully it won’t!

In other news, I am happy to report that we are enjoying a breather in the naptime battles. I finally just switched Brynny over to one nap a day and that seems to have done the trick. She goes right to sleep (most of the time) without the standing and caterwauling. She was grumpy in the late morning at first, but seems to have adjusted. Elijah is still taking a nap, technically, but a lot of times he doesn’t sleep. His nap days are probably numbered.