HOT FALL DAYS

Since fall is still refusing to show up around here, we made up a game to play in Gage's room in the A/C. We all tried on every hat in the house and acted as silly as possible. Can't remember why Bella was crying so much...it was fun! The pictures are a good sampling.

Here are some random things and quotes from the kids. I realize after reading through these again that they won't be nearly as cute and interesting anyone else as they are to us. My apologies for the torture. I have officially become one of THOSE moms I used to make fun of.

Bella was playing with my makeup compact today and shut it and said, "The End."

When asked how she is doing, Bella responds, "Goog". Yum.

Bella L-O-V-E-S makeup and shoes. She is obsessed. She is always walking around in my mismatched shoes that she's tripping over with lip gloss in one hand and lotion in the other. She loves to stand at the sink and play in the water. She is also obsessed with brushing her teeth. If she doesn't have makeup in her hand, she likely has a toothbrush and toothpaste (whoever's she can reach). She does not easily relinquish these items. She is soooo independent and strong-willed. (Isn't it funny how a mother uses the word 'strong-willed' while the rest of the world uses 'spoiled brat'? But she sure is a cute spoiled brat.) She does not give in easily to ANYTHING. Gage was much easier to manipulate (for lack of a better word) at that age. Bella makes me appreciate that Gage really wasn't so strong-willed as a toddler after all.

Gage had a friend over to play and I was helping him put his shoes on and I said, "Come here, buddy." Gage said, "Hey, you can't call him Buddy, only I'm your buddy."

I was tucking Gage in and having our nightly talk about the day and making up stories. He asked me if Daddy loved him (he wasn't sure because Daddy made him go to bed early for being disobedient). I explained that Daddy had him go to bed early BECAUSE he loves him so much and wants to teach him to choose the right. I started to tell him stories about when he was a baby, that Daddy would hold him for hours and sing to him and make him laugh. I told him that when he grows up and is a Daddy that he will have to teach his son how to choose the right, too. He said, "Daddies don't have babies!" I agreed and explained that he will be married and he and his wife will have babies. He said, "Oh, well when I grow up I want to marry you and we can have a son and we'll name him Gage." Precious.

Gage was outside playing while Bella and Paisley were napping. Bella woke up and immediately went outside to play with Gage. As soon as Gage saw her, he ran over to her and gave her a big hug and said, "Bella! I'm so happy you're awake! How was your nap?" Bella said, "Goog" and they waddled off together holding hands.

At the library getting out of the car, Bella spotted a woman walking away from us with white hair that was similarly styled to Grandma LaDuke's. She said, "Bye, Grandma!"

Paisley is becoming so much more aware and is trying to scoot her cute fat behind to reach toys out in front of her. She also likes to put her hand on my face, which I love. She started to have a little trouble napping (staying awake longer than half hour without waking up crying) and I remembered reading in one of the many books I read when Gage was a baby to try giving the baby an article of clothing of yours to hold on to so they can smell you. I thought, "What the heck?" and I gave Paisley a blue-and-white striped shirt I had worn to bed the previous night. Worked like a charm and she's been sleeping with it since, naps and bedtime.

Gage wants desperately for Bella to play with him, so much so that he's literally dragging her by the arm across the hard grass and pool deck to force her to play. She has the scratched up legs and shoulder to prove it.

Gage's fear and emotions took over preventing him from giving his part, "I love our prophet, President Monson" in the Primary Program. And he didn't sing either. He stared at me the whole time and fought back tears until he didn't have any fight left. Poor little guy. He was so disappointed (he had been SO exicted to give his part) and so were we.

Bella is so expressive in her voice and she gets so happy when you tell her thank you for doing something. She just beams, "You're welcome!" And you have GOT to hear her say, "I don't know".