M-A-G-N-O-L-I-A

She did it! She wrote her entire name, all 8 of those very important letters! I helped a wee bit with the G, but that was it! 

Wordless Wednesday

Warning! NO KISSES!

It's true. Magnolia has said "absolutely no more kisses!" She shares that she just doesn't like kisses, just hugs. Do you know how hard this is??? I mess up at least five times a day. Occasionally she'll forget to remind me that she doesn't like kisses any more (not very often though), the rest of the time she'll give me a very serious look and ask if I need to write it down so I remember for next time...

I guess River is going to get absolutely smothered in kisses until Miss Magnolia decides she likes them again.

What's UP with Moo

She really, really wants brother to play with her, and gets kinda frustrated when it never really works out quite right.

She really is starting to get a little too opinionated about her clothing. Best quote ever..."Mommy! It doesn't have to match, it just has to be fancy!" (Caitlyn, I know you are sympathizing for me!)

She is slowly starting to do things independently. During story time she will occasionally leave my side to go grab a musical instrument. At the co-op she will occasionally leave my side to go put her cart back.

She's waving at strangers, then hiding behind me.

She still loves the Nutcracker ballet.

She really doesn't want to move again, no matter how exciting I try and make it sound.

 (most likely because I can only muster up so much excitement myself)

She is completely obsessed with counting. She counts everything! 

She still loves to spell out her name. She's been playing around a bit with her nickname as well.

She still has Enzy. More stories about Enzy now though, than actual playing with Enzy.

AND

She's so damn Sassy! 

 

Your Mama loves you Baby Goose!

Wordless Wednesday

On Being Pesce-pollotarian

I knew it would come up sooner or later, but finally Maggie and I had "the talk." Not that one! The other one, about our family's semi-vegetarian ways. I don't know the exact number of years I've eaten a semi-vegetarian diet, but it's around 17. Zac decided (for different reasons, which is why he occasionally will eat beef or pork, like when a pepperoni pizza is shoved in his face) that he was going red meat free about 9 or so years ago. When we had Maggie we decided mutually that she would also only eat poultry and fish until she, and we, felt she was ready to make an informed decision to do otherwise.
It was lunch time the other day and we were eating a leftover chicken dish. Maggie asked me if we were eating chicken's bodies (children are obviously very, very literal). I said "yes," because I do believe in honest answers to honest questions. I then added that we also eat fish bodies. She then told me that some people eat horse and dog bodies...she thinks. This is when I knew we needed to discuss the meat we eat. I explained that although people have eaten horse and dog, it doesn't really happen very often. That's when I shared that many people do eat cows and pigs, and other animals like deer (four legged kind) but our family chooses not to. There was a look of astonishment for a moment, most likely due to her love of cows. And please, don't get me wrong. I know many, many children and families that love cows and eat them too, lovingly and deliciously so, but we don't, and this was something unique for her to think about. This isn't the first time I've explained to her that we do things a bit different either, so she didn't seem too surprised. She asked if Aunt Sara, Uncle Brad and Sagey eat cows and pigs and I said "no." I think she's already realized that if we're a little different they probably are too.

Overall she seemed quite content with not eating pigs and cows. She did add that she does really like to drink cow's milk. When Zac got home she ran through our entire conversation with him, adding that when she's big, she can choose if she wants to eat cows and pigs, but for now, she'll just eat her hummus, strawberries and pasta.

Breathing Again

Every year there is that day, that first day you step outside and breathe in warm air and sunshine. We celebrated this beautiful day by staying outside all day. We did a little spring yard clean-up, dug in the dirt, ate the dirt (oh wait, that was just Brother), we danced, we ran, we opened up the sandbox and dug some more. We tended to our pond, anxiously trying to count fish. And of course, we swung away on the swing set, face soaking in the warm sun.

Boston...enjoying some sunshine.

Our busy Brittany Spaniel is certainly starting to mellow. 

She prefers finding a cozy spot and watching us play now.

New interest: Hip-Hop Dancing

This interest was sparked after a discussion on the different types of dancing during a large group at pre-school.

Here's her hip-hop moves...

Beautiful blue sky

Miss Mags

It was certainly a great day. Tomorrow of course, in true Moscow fashion, I hear we should expect rain and snow. I do believe however that we breathed in enough sunshine to get us through until the next beautiful day spent outside.

Scattered Thoughts of a Mama's Mind

Can't keep it wordless today, must share...

Keeping her mother earth clean, in memory of her great uncle, was beautiful.

Her persistence overwhelms me and inspires me.

 I must turn to Vivian Gussin Paley once more, this time to understand the world of my daughter.

She loves books. Not all the time though does she completely fall in love with one as she did this one, especially considering it doesn't even have a pink cover.

I could have watched her dance all day.

I wish River didn't love power cords and electrical outlets.

And with that, my very tired Mama mind will say "good-night."