Stephen Points

Papa: OK, who wants to go outside?

Stephen: (Points to self, index finger towards chest, with a big beaming smile)

Christmastime

Mama: Sarah, it is going to be Christmastime soon, honey.
Sarah: (With excitement, gasping:) It's gonna be Chriiiiistmastiiiiime? (Eyes wide and beaming). (Pause). What's Christmastime?

Doctor's Office

This morning we went to see the doctor for both Sarah and Stephen. Sarah started flashing back to last time she got shots, about a year ago, and didn't want to participate much with the doctor.

Sarah, trying to forestall the inevitable: "I feel fine! I feel better. I already ate something."

Lucky for her, the P.A. found some signs of strep throat so she got off with a prescription for candy-based oral antibiotics instead of the five shots she was scheduled to receive.

Try It!

Sarah, offering naked, already-finished lollipop stick: Try it!

Delicious Apple Cake

Mama made some delicious apple cake the other day, which we enjoyed very much. It's mostly apples with some breading that comes from a recipe of Grandma's I think. She used some huge sweet/tart green apples we got from Food City.

Sarah Sings

Sarah likes to sing and does so surprisingly well for a 3-year-old. Favorite songs of hers to sing recently:

I Like to Move It Move It (Madagascar)
Dat-dat da-da-da-da dat-dat Circus (same)
What's this? What's this? (Nightmare Before Christmas)
This Is Halloween, This Is Halloween (same)
Da-dah da-dah, da-dah da-dah, Elmo's Song (Sesame Street)

Sarah and Snoopy

Sarah: I wanna see the movie with Snoopy go peepeepoopoo and dancing.

Bread Dough

"One of the things that I love most about making homemade bread is kneading it, because it always gets my fingernails nice and clean."

Line best delivered while guests are enjoying hot slices of your homemade bread.

Stephen Says

Right now Stephen can understand a lot of speech but not vocalize much. He uses a couple of signs that we taught him mixed with a couple of simple words.

Dah! (With hand gesture down, to get down from the highchair, crib, or other place).
Papa! (Papapapapapapa). Used for Papa and sometimes Mama.
Fffff! Ffffff! (Blowing sound with hand waving by face, to say something is hot. He came up with the hand wave himself). This means something is hot, such as food or his carseat.
Ba! Perhaps Stephen's first and favorite word, means "ball". This also includes anything else circular or spherical, including peas, blueberries, balloons, apples, and etc.
Aaaaaaa! (Followed by pointing, nodding, and moving eyebrows.) May I have that, please?
Nahnahnahnahnah! (Often accompanied by vigorous head shaking). No no no no no no no!
Yayayaayaya. (With hand over ear). Pretend talking on cellphone.
Wawa/awa. Water.

Signs:
"Please" (Wipes hand across chest).
"More" (Touches fingertips together).
"Water" (Three fingers on chin).

Sarah on Nursing

Recently when offered milk, Sarah refused it for the first time.

Papa: Sarah why don't you want the milk?
Sarah: I'm big. I'm so big! I'm not little. I'm big!

Later she confirmed to Mama: It's no good. I no like it.

Sarah hugging her new teddy bear that Grandma and Grandpa recently sent her.

Stephen Teething

So Stephen is teething right now. He has a fever and the drool runs down his chest. But he is still smiling and playing, especially with the ball, any chance he can get.

But unfortunately, it hurts too much to eat, or even to nurse. He is only accepting water, broth, and yogurt.

Now Sarah has a little bit of fever, too. Luckily both have doctor's appointments tomorrow morning.

This is Stephen's "my moth hurts" face.

Sarah on Obama

Sarah: Papa, who is Obama?
Papa: (Tries to explain in Sarah's terms).
Sarah, shortly after, talking to self: Obama needs to be nice. Obama needs to obey. Obama needs to go peepeepoopoo.

Sarah Loves...

By her own words, Sarah loves:
Papa
Mama
Stephen
Dora
Candy
Dora candy
Tablet

Three Dog Night

We had the chance to see Three Dog Night in Phoenix and had a really fun time! Friends watched "the kids" for us so we were able to go on our first kidless date in a really, really, really long time.

Big or Little?

Papa: Sarah tonight you are going to have to start going to sleep by yourself.
Sarah: Why?
Papa: You're big now.
Sarah: I'm little!
Papa: Ok, well just us big folks are going to have some ice cream now.
Sarah: I'm so biiiiig!

Sarah Playing With a Calculator

Sarah, found the other day playing with a pocket calculator: "This is a fun game! I like this game!"

Stephen Smiles

Stephen was all smiles this morning! Well, actually, that describes Stephen most of the time.