The Age of Information

A few weeks ago we told the kids that we are expecting a baby. Later Avery asked, "Is it going to be a boy or a girl?" I replied, "I don't know." With a mixed look of curiosity, exasperation and 'duh-mom' on her face, she asked, "Can't you look it up on Daddy's cell phone or laptop?"

Below is baby's first photo, taken this week. Everything looks great.

Mainly Madeleine

Can't you just see how pretty she feels? No, those are not black-eyes; Abigail has a makeup box. I think Avery did the job. Madeleine is so full of fun. Last week as she leaned out the window, she said, "I'm don't falling!" and was so proud. Another time, the children were playing together outside when Madeleine came in alone and matter-of-factly reported to Andy: "I hit Avery." "Oh," he replied, "Do you think you should have some uh-oh time?" She yelled out, in perfect imitation of some older sisters, "I'm going!" and stomped off to her room. A few days later, Madeleine hurried past me in the hall into her bedroom, explaining she was going to time-out and just seconds later, Avery began crying at the table, "Madeleine bit me!" Maybe she will begin to exercise the self-control before she hits or bites next time.

Madeleine loves music, and she sings very well. If we are driving without music on, she calls out, "Music, momma." She often starts singing songs I didn't know she picked up, but I was still surprised when she sang in Spanish last week, "El gallo se murio ayer. Ya no cantarra, 'cucuri, cucura.'" When I ask the other kids to identify a solfeggio pattern I hum, more often than not, Madeleine eagerly responds first--with the right answer.
This is Madeleine's best friend. I put this picture in not just for archival purposes, but because it reminded me of something. Madeleine gets her binky at night, naps and sacrament meeting. She loves it dearly. So sometimes when she sees another child not using a binky that he/she is attached to, Madeleine can't understand why they would pass on the opportunity and tries repeatedly to stuff it into their mouth.

Beside all the other times we pass the Westwood football field, we also pass it every Sunday on the drive home from Tutu's. Our kids usually call out, "Go Westwood!" This soon evolved into the same script every Sunday evening:
Child 1: Go Westwood!
Child 2: They don't play on Sunday!
Child 1: It's not Sunday! (though sometimes it is)
Well, recently Madeleine and I drove by the field without any other children in the car. Madeleine carried out the whole "conversation" herself. "Go Westwood! They don't play on Sunday! It not Sunday!" She even varied the inflection in her voice.

She loves her gold, sparkly shoes and putting on her shoes by herself. Now that I am improving at doing the older 2 girls hair each morning, she comes in the bathroom right after, climbs on the step stood and says, "My turn, mommy." She often dresses herself in the morning before I am even out of bed; the only complication is the only drawers she can open are Abigail and Avery's, so the outfits she puts together are usually too big, as in the picture below. Last Saturday the girls decided to give up their own "special drawers" so Madeleine could have 2 drawers she could reach in the room they all share together. It was Avery's idea. Abigail, especially, got a kick out of teaching her which drawer was "tops" and which was "bottoms." I was so proud of them.

Not to be forgotten

Avery: "Do you think Santa will take my binky if he sees me with it?"
Andy: "No."

A few minutes go by and Avery is calling "Dad!" from behind her closed door. Why?

Avery: "I don't want my binky anymore. Put it on the shelf because I'm 4."


Thanks to a nice lady from church, we had pre-made cookie dough in the fridge. So when Abigail asked if we could make cookies for Santa as I was making dessert for the family party and cleaning up, I said yes. She was SO delighted. She said, "Now I will find out if Santa is real or not. If the cookies are gone, he's real."
Warren wrote a note: "FOR SANTA ONLY!!!" and Abigail wrote: "THANCYOUFOOTHETOOS" (Thank you for the toys). Then she asked me, "Do you think other kids have left out cookies and soda for Santa?" I think she thought it was her original idea.

It's Dr. Jennings to You/Just to Get a Binder?

It's official! Andy is a full-fledged Ph.D! It was a really moving, rewarding experience to attend Commencement. It never occurred to me that I would shed a few tears, but I did. Either Andy or I has been in school our entire 8.5 years of married life, so this is really the end of an era. I am so proud of Andy and grateful he never put our "real" life on hold to achieve this dream.

This is one of Andy's committee co-chairs, Dr. Barcelo. She was instrumental in getting us to Paris a few years ago. Thank you Helene!

The big picture! Afterward, we went out to dinner at Monti's La Casa Vieja with Andy's parents, my parents and Sarah. Good food, good company and good conversation all around. Thank you Gordon and Lindy for dinner and to ALL of you for coming.

Here's the "after-party" picture! We got Blizzards at DQ and ate them on the rug together (the table is covered in my Etsy mess.) Then Andy got dressed again and walked around the room ceremoniously/silly while I played "Pomp and Circumstance" on the piano. The kids loved it. Then he acted out getting his diploma and his picture taken. Warren took the diploma cover, looked inside and said, "You did all that work just to get this binder with only one folder inside?" Yep, Warren, he did.

Avery Avery Avery

This picture was taken Avery's first day of dance class. Oh how she is loving it, then and now! Several nights a week, she and Abigail put on "shows" on the rug/stage. They dim the lights, usually turn on "Ordinary Miracle" or "New York" by Alicia Keys and fight over who gets to dance. They are actually quite good; I mean, they use a lot of what they are taught in ballet.
This next story is totally unrelated to ballet, but definitely worth sharing about Avery. A few weeks ago, Avery excitedly and proudly announced to me, ''Mom! I am going to have 3 nipples!" I was stunned, and trying not to laugh at what she found to be so wonderful. I asked, "Really?! Where?" She pointed out her 2 exisiting and some spot/scab/bump on her chest that she took to be a blessed third one growing. LOL! I replied, "Oh, sweety, you just want 2. Two is the best amount to have." Avery looked a little happily-sheepish and said, "Oh, okay" with a smile on her face, like, "Phew, either way, I'm covered."

(Sometimes I go to Picasa and find my kids have been photo editing, as is the case with these last 2 pictures. I thought it was funny, so I left them for you to see.)