Catching Up

All right. Let's catch up on some stuff I've had back-logged.

First, back in early January was Anne's birthday. It was on a Thursday, and Thursdays are usually the morning Sydney and I go out. We go to her class/play group if there is one or, like that Thursday, we go out and run a few errands.

I explained that it was Mommy's birthday. I told her that we were going to get Mommy a birthday card. Sydney could sign (scribble in crayon) hers. Then when Mommy got home from work we would say, "Happy Birthday, Mommy!" and give her the cards (and presents that were already bought). Sydney didn't think that sounded very fun and said she didn't want to do it.

We went off to the card shop anyway and picked out cards. When we got back in the car Sydney had changed her mind. She could now hardly wait for Mommy to get home so she could tell her, "Happy Day, Mommy!" (Her way of saying happy birthday.)



Toward the end of the football season our friend Kyle would come over on Sundays and watch some of the games with us. He is self-proclaimed to be not much of a reader. So when Sydney corralled him and had him read with her I had to get a little of it on video.



Sydney has discovered a little music box that Mommy keeps on her dresser. It plays Masquerade from Phantom of the Opera. She likes to dance to it.



And the last video of this update involves Sydney getting tickled silly. I assure you that despite the screams (you may want to turn the sound down for the first bit of the video) she is having a great time and thoroughly enjoys being tickled my Mommy.



In Sydney's Christmas stocking was some Play-Doh. She enjoys playing with it and squeezing it. This was one of the first "sculptures" she made with it.



When we were buying autumn/winter clothes for Sydney we got a pair of pants with a belt. Sydney liked the belt and would carry it around and play with it, but didn't really want to wear it.

Over this past week she starting wanting to help me get my belt down when I was getting dressed for work. I would pick her up and tell her if I needed my brown or black belt and she would grab it.

Well, except for the fact that she calls it a "seatbelt".

Then later in the week she remembered her own seatbelt and has wanted to wear it everyday when she gets dressed. So, pink outfit or not (it's a pink belt), she's had on her seatbelt all week.

A couple weeks ago I got out of the shower while getting ready for work. When I went out in the bedroom Sydney jumped up off the floor and said, "Look, Daddy. A playhouse. I built a playhouse."

She had taken all of the toys, stuffed animals and some books we keep in our bedroom and arranged them in a circle on the floor. She sat with her back against the bench/sofa thing at the end of our bed and was encircled by the toys.

I offered appropriate praise at the wonderful playhouse she had built.

The next day I got out of the shower while getting ready for work. When I went out in the bedroom Sydney once again had all of her toys, stuffed animals and books in a circle around her and she sat with her back to the bench at the end of the bed.

Of course, I knew it was a playhouse, but with the level of excitement she had shown the day before I figured I would ask and let her tell me what it was.

"Wow, Sydney. What's that?" I asked.

Sydney looked at me, looked at the circle of toys and said in a rather matter-of-fact way, "It's a mess. A big mess."

And last thing for today, here's a nice picture I just took today of my two beautiful girls.