sleepy eyes

C: Sylvia, you need to go to sleep, you have sleepy eyes.

S: I don't want to sleep a lot, just a little. 

C: That's fine, just sleep a little.

S: Not my mouth?  Only my eyes will sleep, I don't have a sleepy mouth.


Yup, that's about right. 

are you ready for some...

CUTENESS!

GO TEXANS!!

she knows

D was sitting on the floor of the dining room and Sylvia spontaneously walked over and gave him a hug.

D: How did you know I wanted a hug?

S: Because you love me!

manners

D and I are big proponents of teaching our kids manners. Possibly a little OCD about it. Sometimes I wonder whether the words themselves are so important when my child is clearly exhibiting the desired attitude. But then I still make them say, "please."

So, our hearts melted yesterday when our nanny was leaving for the evening and Rafa shouted out, "Thank you for the surprises!" (She had brought little birthday gifts.)

Ever since teaching please and thank you, Rafa either 'got it' faster when to say thank you or he just was better at remembering to do it. I excitedly think he might really understand what gratitude is, although of course he wouldn't label it. I'm not as certain about Sylvia. She might just say it because she's a rule follower. Of course, it may just be that Rafa has better identified the group of settings when we give thanks and really not be grateful within.

Whatever the motivation, even if it's just a rote expression, we hope that we have already laid some groundwork for recognizing gratitude, which I believe is critical for joy.

And if nothing else, it is one way that we have let them know who's in control. And as a parent, that's really the name of the game.

three

We have had kids for 3 years, now.  I know this isn't really about me and everyone just wants to hear about the kids, but it's a little hard for me to believe that I've been a parent for 3 years.  THREE YEARS.  There's sometime about 3 years that sounds like a really long time.  We've been doing this parenting thing for a long time, now.  They're also more like little people now,--we don't have babies anymore.  We have kids.  It's probably a part of me that's in denial about growing up.  A little like Wendy in Peter Pan, which we read with the kids today. 

We celebrated SylRafa's birthday today with a very low key and for us, wonderful, day.  It was all about being together as a family today.  We did little things to make it special for the kids, but really focused on spending quality time together, without being too distracted by making things fancy.  I thought it was beautiful and I hope they did, too.  And I'm not just making excuses for being slacker parents.  They already had one party with the D's family, they'll have a simple party in school next week, and we'll have a party with extended family, godparents, and possibly a few friends at the end of the month. 

I made pancakes with chocolate in the shape of their initials for their birthday breakfast.  Sylvia got up early and had fun stirring the batter and be a little helper in the kitchen.

 Then came the presents...

 And a ride on the train in Hermann Park with the primos and tios.

It wouldn't be a birthday without a sweet treat and after an afternoon outdoors, popsicles were a hit.

 

cousins

I have some really fond memories from my childhood of hanging out with my out of town cousins.  They were a bit older, but always loved playing with and entertaining us.  Or, if they didn't, they at least pretended to and we were none the wiser.  The only thing they didn't like was when we would finally get permission to wake them up to come play in the morning.  They didn't like that.  I think I was always a little bit in awe that they would want to spend time with little rug rats and always felt a little cool when they would include us in their fun.  And, of course, since I try to make my kids relive all the wonderful things from my childhood, whether they want to or not, I want them to have the same fond memories of time with their cousins.  I don't think I'm forcing this one on them, though--they adore and worship Scooter, Skeeter, and Squealer. 

school days are here again

It's the first day of school again!