summertime

It’s 115 today. Too hot for anything, I think. We’ve been working on our summer bucket list together and these two kids keep me busy.

Lincoln is 2 1/2 now- but it feels like he is older. Maybe because he insists on doing everything that Isabelle is doing. Isabelle insists on doing everything Madilyn is doing so it’s like a group of pseudo-six year olds.  As always, he is very opinionated. Dislikes pants. Refuses to ever share his toddler bike. We’ve had to put his sleep sack on inside out because he kept unzipping it and proclaiming nap time was over when in fact it was not. Go to sleep. Once I pop him in his crib he throws his arms up and asks for a hug because he knows I’m a huge sucker and will pick him up again. Often lets me cuddle and hold him even though he is so big, and for that I am so thankful. He still has his three paci’s in bed, and you can see the grey owl in the above picture… it’s his “olivia.” He sleeps on it like a pillow and wants to carry it around a lot.

His sentences are becoming clearer and it’s getting easier for him to communicate what he wants or needs. Says WHOA a lot. Mimics what we say or what Izzie says. My favorite thing he says is “no sank you NO SANK YOU” like when I am forcing him to brush his teeth, or get dressed, or present a pile of food that is less than satisfactory. NO SANK YOU he says, the perfect combo of polite and insistent. If I’m talking to Isabelle he always answers “me too!” except it sounds like “me too-ay!” Morgan thinks he was really born in France and needs a tiny mustache and a beret. He says “ok” all drawn out like “oh tayyyyyy” and kind of hangs his head in defeat. Randomly he will see me and say “heyyyyyyyy mama” like he is keeping tabs on me. Linc is sweet about baby Max, always wants to go to “bay max park!” or look at my locket. He always says “miss you max! luv you!” and of course I cry. Brothers.

Isabelle is four going on fourteen. SASS should be her middle name. But also sweet and thoughtful. She was SO excited to have baby Quinn here for a week- she wanted to hold her and feed her and pick her up and drag her around the house. (Sorry sabs.) It breaks my heart a little bit because she was so excited for us to have a new baby in the house, and I know she would have been such a good helper. Someday she will be, it just feels so far.

Recently she shot up a whole bunch and needed new clothes. I reorganized her closet so she can reach everything and now she insists on picking out her own outfits. It’s always fun to see what she has put together, and if in fact she can leave the house wearing it. Isabelle and I have been reading Charlotte’s Web during nap time and we are just about through it. She is constantly asking me if Wilbur gets eaten for Christmas. I’m so torn over school in the fall- we have transitional kindergarten here for children who will turn five before the end of the year. She qualifies and would probably do great! It’s exactly like kindergarten though- five days a week, full days until almost 2:00. It’s a big jump from doing a preschool two days a week for three hours, you know? She is smart and catches on quickly, I’m sure she would love it…. I think I’m dragging my feet because 1) I don’t want to be tied to a school schedule already! I know I will be eventually but she is only four. And school gets out exactly during Lincoln’s nap time. Awesome. 2) Lincoln will miss her. Not a good enough reason to keep her home but still. They are best friends. 3) Uh she is four and my baby forever so basically she can’t go anywhere ever. I’m teasing. (60/40).

Isabelle is a chatter box, always thinking ahead. She asks me, “whats today” so she can get the schedule in her mind. When she is talking about “last night” she calls it “the day before tomorrow.” That one is my favorite. Comes up with some great ideas and says, “I was thinkin….” or “I have a gweat idea!” then proceeds to tell me some situation where she can live with Madilyn forever. Actually she wants to have “drop off parties” all the time where the parents drop the kids off and the kids stay and play. Our special tea party last week was a “drop off” party and she asked me to drop her off at our house AND THEN LEAVE. Sorry kid, not happening. She says stuff like “oh you are frackin me up” and “mom I am going to freak out” and “yes indeed.” Sometimes she talks out the side of her mouth and covers it with one hand like she is telling a secret she doesn’t want anyone to hear.

Izzie is always including “Baby Max up in heaven” in her prayers. She talks about him a lot. When I’m sad, she knows it is about Maxwell. She often asks questions about when we have another baby, if we will get to keep him or if he will have to go to heaven too. We were talking about Max’s headstone the other day, and why we are putting one on his grave etc and we had the best conversation in the car and I just don’t want to forget it.

So thankful for these two that really do keep me busy.