Jeffrey Talks

Jeffrey spoke a few words around age 2 and then not much more until age 4 when things started picking up.  I remember when he was 3 and 4, my friends with kids his age would post messages of cute things their kids had said to them.  It would break my heart every time I read them because it became overtly obvious to me how far behind Jeffrey was.  These kids were saying more and more complicated things and Jeffrey was still the same.  These kids were also saying funny and endearing things.  I wanted to know Jeffrey better, to hear what he had to say, to understand how he thought.  Jeffrey is talking lots now, although there are definitely still some language delays:  problems in grammar, telling a story in order, expressing complicated ideas, etc.  I must remember rather than getting discouraged by what he's not able to do yet, to appreciate what he is able to do, and to remember how far he's come.  These days, Jeffrey says funny and endearing stuff all the time!  Here are some recent ones:

• Jeffrey wanted to watch a show on Netflix, and instead of his normal cartoons popping up,  "Hoarders" was on the screen b/c I had been watching an episode.

           Jeffrey asked in an accusatory voice, "Mommy, why were you watching that garbage show     again?!"

• (As we were riding down the road) 

          Jeffrey: I see an American Flag!  And a Beagle Flag!
          Me: a beagle flag?
          Jeffrey:  yes! a beagle flag!
          Me: what's a beagle flag?
          Jeffrey: You know!  The bird!

• Jeffrey brought home a card from Church with the word "worship" on it and different ways that we can worship.  I was trying to talk to him about it and explain it to him and Jeffrey said, "I already know mom!  A worship is what the aliens come in on!" 

• Jeffrey, after flipping through an American Girl Catalog, "I don't like all those cute girls." (I was wondering if he was talking about the dolls or the child models?)

• Jeffrey must have had a particularly interesting primary lesson because after Church on Sunday he kept asking me about Death, Resurrection, and the Spirit World.  He asked me about the Holy Ghost and where he was.  I said he is all around us, we just can't see him.   Jeffrey said, "Oh, so he's in invisible mode."

• Jeffrey brought me a Deseret book magazine and pointed to a picture of Elder Eyring:  "Is this President Monson or President Thimble?" he asked.

• Jeffrey (to Charlotte):  Baby, you're stinky!

          Me: That's not nice to say Jeffrey.
          I walk out of the room and hear Jeffrey saying in a nice voice, "Charlotte, you're so strong. You're so handsome."

Once Upon a Runny Nose

John's 33rd Birthday

Arabelle was really excited about helping make the cake: Double Layer German Chocolate Cake with Butter Pecan Icing Drizzled with Dark Chocolate and topped with Fresh Raspberries.  We had 5 birthday candles, so John got 5 birthday candles.

Is it just me or are all these guys starting to look alike?

Halloween 2013!

Jeffrey wore his Hulk costume to the trunk-or-treat, but decided on his Space Suit for trick-or-treating ( his grandma made it).  Arabelle is Tinkerbelle, Charlotte is a unicorn, and Superman is Wesley, a little guy from Church who is two days older than Charlotte.

Jeffrey was full of awkward poses that night, but the leaves are gorgeous!

Charlotte insisted on 3 pumpkin pails, and wound up getting triple the candy.  Weird thing is Arabelle insisted on the exact same thing when she was that age, but with just 2 pails.

Charlotte cut above her lip on a toy metal whisk at 5 pm on Halloween evening.  I thought I'd be spending Halloween night in the urgent care with her instead of trick-or-treating (thinking it was possible she might need stitches), but John and the local pharmacist agreed that a butterfly bandage would be sufficient. 

Arabelle Halloween Photo Shoot

I really wanted Arabelle to wear this dress to Joy School on Halloween, but she said she "hated it", so our compromise was that she wear it long enough for a quick photo shoot.

I wouldn't say she was super cooperative, but this is Arabelle we're talking about.  Her bangs are finally starting to grow out.

Arabelle has been really obsessed with Elsie lately, and is always trying to hug her and carry her around.  Elsie of course hates it. I keep thinking of that Looney Toons character Elmyra.  Arabelle will see a cat and go chase after it, or see a squirrel in a tree, and throw a fit, "I want that squirrel!"

Little Pumpkin Photo Shoot

I couldn't choose between these (Can you blame me?!)

Kids Talk II

From a Couple Months Ago:

Charlotte was wearing a somewhat androgynous outfit (plain white shirt, jeans w/ fur trim).  Jeffrey peered at her, looked a little closer, and then looked at me and said, "Oh. So Charlotte turned out to be a boy!?"  

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(In the car--Charlotte is eating raisins.)
Arabelle: Baby, can I have a raisin?
(Charlotte hands her a raisin.)
Arabelle: Marvelous!

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(At home, Charlotte and Arabelle are coloring.)
Suddenly Arabelle shrieks and then yells angrily, "Baby!!! You ruined my avatar!"

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(At dinner).
Arabelle: Can I have the custard?
John: Do you mean the mustard? This is mustard.
Arabelle, with an air of superiority:  I call it custard.
John: Why?

Arabelle: Because I'm a girl.

More Recently:

Uncle Phil spent the night and changed his contacts on Arabelle's little toy table, spilling a little of the solution.  When Uncle Phil woke up, Arabelle immediately ran up to him, saying in an accusatory voice, "I discovered the water that  you left on my table..." (funny mainly to hear a 3-year-old use the word "discovered."

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Arabelle:  Mommy, I need to speak to you.

Me: Okay (Arabelle makes me kneel down so she can whisper in my ear."

Arabelle: pshpshpsh (making whispering noises)/

Me: Oh, you better go tell your dad.

Arabelle:  (whispering in her dad's ear)spspshpsh Then she adds in a creepy whisper, "Baby is an alien".

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Lately whenever we get ready to go anywhere, Arabelle likes to go through an elaborate ritual where she uses my make up brush to pretend to put blush on her cheeks, etc.  The other day she came down the stairs w/ polka dot sunglasses on and a small purse over her shoulder.  She said in the funniest little voice, "Mommy, do I look fabulous?"

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I was trying to get Arabelle to do the dance to the "Busted" song from Phineas and Ferb, so I tried doing the dance myself to get Arabelle to join in.  As I was doing the move, swooping my arms to one side, Arabelle said, "No, Mommy, that's not how you do it.  It's left and right." She demonstrated the correct dance move.

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 first words out of arabelle's mouth this morning: "Mommy, I don't like the couscous."

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(For fun one night Phil and Danielle and John and I "over-painted" a thrift store painting--John and I added a scary clown emerging from a classic ocean landscape. Phil and Danielle added a spooky hand reaching for a boy fishing.  Arabelle came downstairs a few weeks ago and saw my painting again and said, in exasperation, "Oh brother! i HATE that clown!" then she covered up the clown w/ Phil's hand painting, which evidently didn't bother her.

Kids Talk

This is a draft post that I never published.  It is from January of this year (hence Charlotte just learning to walk):


(As Charlotte pushed a little walker toy for the first time while standing)  Look!  Baby can do it good!  Baby can walk with her foot now!

Arabelle: Let's go to the carnival, but no dogs!

Arabelle: I just want to get some sleep.

I was feeding Charlotte and she managed to bite me.  I said, "I don't know how she can bite so hard with just two little teeth.  Jeffrey said, "Charlotte is like a beaver!"

Dance Kids