Little Tidbits

1. I got the nicest surprise in the mail yesterday. A Mother' Day card from a dear friend arrived totally unexpectedly. It was so sweet and really made my day. She doesn't even have kids! (cuz' other moms may be more apt to do something like that because they are probably more keenly aware of the typically thankless nature of the job [the job we wouldn't trade for the world]) Good friends are priceless.

2. We got Hershey Park season passes today for Nat and me. Luckily, another sweet friend was there with her 3 children and they held our hands (literally and figuratively) as we manuevered our first day at an amusement park. Nat started out being a little clingy and gripping her white stuffed puppy with all her might. By the end she was waving to me as she went by. A special thanks to our special helper, Meredith!

3. Speaking of riding, here is a pic of both of my little stinkers riding Nat's rocking horse. It was Julsie's first time and I think she loves it.

4. Here is a picture of Jules that daddy took. His caption: "Look mama, I can put things on my toes and drool at the same time. Oooh, I can multi-task."
Poor Julsie is getting MORE teeth. She had about 1 week of rest between her last cutting and this one. Luckily the break was the week we were on vaca. She has never drooled before... ever.... and now she can soak a shirt.

5. So our neighbors upstairs totally spoil our kids.... Easter baskets, birthday and Christmas presents and now new bike helmets! Either they really love my kids... or they think I'm a unfit parent not having a helmet for Nat last summer (she just has a trike and didn't pedal then. oops) Nat loves it and had to try it out right away; despite the drizzle.
6. "Wash your hair Julsie!" The other day I was washing Nat's hair and looked over to see Jules doing the washing motion to her own hair. Now, when we say it, she puts her hands to her head and "washes." Here they both are, washing away. Oh, and she can high-5 now too!
7. So we're at preschool on Friday and afterwards, Nat asked the host mom if Nat could play the piano (a real one.) Mom said yes, so I help her up on to the bench and she opens the book of sheet music (uh, duh mommy!) The other mom and I were talking when we stop to secretly listen to the concerto going on in the other room. Nat was "playing" the piano and singing "Twinkle Twinkle" and various songs along the lines of "La LaLaLa." Maybe the boldness was because I told her earlier that week, "Nat, we love to hear you sing, you sing so well." She said, "I sure do."

8. NO MORE MOVIES!!!!!!!! Well, not quite, but just one 'movie' (tv show) per day. We had always been so proud that she wasn't really interested in the TV, but as she grew, so did her love of "movies." After we came back from the beach daddy and I decided it was a good time to start fresh and get the TV watching under control. As Toby said, "we're the parents." It has been AMAZING. They both have been sleeping like logs and falling asleep fast, and Nat is so much more obedient and pays so much more attention to us. We have really had a good week and I feel like such a better and more competent mom. Try it!