Dads Rock!

I meant to write this for Father's Day, but didn't get it done in time. Here are a couple of reasons why Ben and Molly's dad ROCKS so much:)



Yes, this is actually a picture of him jumping over Ben's head. We were having a great time at the park as a family playing tag together. And one time, Ben was "it" and was running right toward Aaron, so Aaron just ran toward Ben, and then jumped right over him. Ben was so amazed and delighted, that then we spent the next 20 minutes with Aaron jumping over Ben...talk about a leg workout!



Daddy knows how to teach good dental hygiene! Molly used to be really resistant to brushing her teeth, but after a few times brushing with Daddy, she has finally come around. Thanks Daddy!



This is a "selfie"...a picture taken by Aaron, trying to capture the image of him with the kids, sitting on a bridge, watching trains go by. One morning a few weeks ago, I was trying to get to some gardening, but couldn't find any time to myself. So Aaron just packed up the kids and left for some special trip that he had planned. It turns out that he had noticed a while before that there was a bridge near our area that overlooked an active train yard. So he just drove there, parked the car, and they got out and sat on the bridge for almost 2 hours, watching with fascination all of the activity in a real train yard. Praise God for Daddys!!



Is there a more beautiful sight in the world for me than this??!! I don't think so! A happy Daddy, holding his very happy kids...what a blessing in this life to have a loving family! Aaron had just spent the previous 10 minutes dancing like a crazy person, while holding both kids, who shrieked with joy the entire time...it was like their own personal Six Flags ride!

Happy Belated Father's Day!

"Magic" Time

Life really is starting to seem a little magical these days. Now that Molly is truly a toddler...walking well, "getting" so much of the world around her, and talking so much more...and that Ben is a happy 3-yr-old...mostly dressing himself, expressing his needs well, and finding joy in everything...life is so good!!

We can go so many places and have so much fun together, just me and the kids. It's not completely without stress. They are still quite young, and have to be watched with my total focus, but still, we are having so much more fun these days.

And they are having so much more fun together, as siblings and playmates.

Here are some pics from a very fun (though tiresome) day at the Magic House recently!

The Second Boss

Ben has been in a wonderful stage again lately...really loving to all the rest of the family, and so much more focused in his language and play. He has taken to, from time to time, walking in to the room, clapping his hands together, and announcing, "OK, Family, time for snuggling and tickling!" And just tonight, he snuggled up to Aaron and announced, "Daddy, I call you the 'Tickle Machine!'"

He has also been really interested in loving on and helping Molly. When she goes to bed, he has to give her kisses and hugs goodnight, and often says, "Go to sleep, little sweet pie. I hope you have good dreams!" And when we are out and about somewhere, and she starts walking away too far (which she does OFTEN), he runs to get her and pulls her back by the hand. It's so cute. She totally lets him guide her back to me, as if she was just waiting for him to lead her back.

One by-product of this sweet, little situation, though, is that I think he is starting to think of himself as sort of "in charge" of her, when he wants to be. Recently, he told me matter-of-factly that I was the boss of Molly, and he was the second boss. Hmmmmm....gonna have to keep an eye on this situation!

ZZZzzzzzzzz

Yes...this really is how Aaron found Molly and I sleeping one morning in April:) It's not like this most nights. In fact, she is usually across the bed, but every now and then, we apparently need some snuggle time!

And in regards to sleep, I've been meaning to mention another difference between Molly and Ben...Sleep!

These days, Ben sleeps very well, but he is not what I would describe as a big fan of sleeping. He goes to bed without a fuss, but would never choose to go to bed, if given the choice. And he also generally wakes at the first ray of light coming into his room in the morning.

Molly, on the other hand...this girl likes her sleep:) She's not flawless in her sleep patterns, and, in fact, has a nasty habit of occasionally waking at night and deciding that, since she's awake, it might as well be play time.

But generally, she sleeps so easily and so deeply. Just today, for example, she and I got home from a long and exciting morning at Forest Park. We walk into the house, and instead of any of the infinite other choices she could have made, she walked directly to her room, all the while chanting "nigh-nigh, nigh-nigh, nigh-nigh!" I had to wash my hands quickly, so I couldn't put her in the bed right away. So after a second in her room, she came out to me, still chanting "nigh-nigh" and then proceeded to get down on the floor to lay on a towel that was sitting there. It was as if she was thinking, "well, if you won't put me in the crib to sleep, I'll just put myself down right here!".

I quickly scooped her up and put her to bed. She was asleep instantly:) Imagine that...a baby who actually asks to be put to bed!!! I love it!!