As you are right now, and original jokes.

Well, we've officially been back to school for about a month now. It's been fun, and it's going to be a good year. I can feel it in my bones.

Claire...

At 6 years old, you are now in first grade and I am actually not old enough to have a first grader. You continue to be the most logical, forty-year-old six-year old that I have ever met. You are doing great with your reading and math. You graduated to chapter books over the summer and you love reading early chapter books like Junie B Jones on your own. But you still prefer for me to read to you, which I am happy to oblige. Right now we are reading through the Orphan Train quartet, which I read when I was a little older than you, and you love them every bit as much as I did. You are in your third year of Classical Conversations and you love being in a classroom other than mine! You especially love hanging out with your friends.

AK: I think Claire's going to be a grown up before me because she's six and I'm four.
Claire: You're right, she is.

This is you trying to make up a joke...
C: Why is our water always moving around in our cup?
Me: I don't know, why?
C: Because we have to take our cups around with us wherever we go, so the water moves around while we are holding them because we are moving too!

AK...

At 4 years old, you are "officially" starting pre-K. You are excited about school. You are in your first year of Classical Conversations and while Claire loves being away from me, you get me for your teacher at CC too! Thankfully, you love being in my class. You almost always wear your clothes backward, and you are adamantly opposed to shoes. You use the word "otherwise" instead of "anyway," and it's so cute that I just don't want to correct it right now. You also always put "right?" on the end of your statements, and you keep repeating it until I agree with whatever you said.
You say the funniest and off the walls things...

Me: You are so cute.
AK: No I'm not.
Me: What?!?! Then what are you?
AK: Salty.

Me: What do you want for lunch?
AK: Little sleeping bag people.

Things you said while I was painting your fingernails...

• Mmmm, does it smell good in here? (big, long sniff) It smells so good in here.
• I know not to put my finger in my nose right now, right?

This is you trying to make up a joke...
AK: Knock knock.
Me: Who's there?
AK: Banana orange moot toot.
Me: Banana orange moot toot who?
AK: Banana orange moot toot puppy poop!



Owen...

At 22 months old, you are SO MUCH FUN. You try to repeat all the words that we say. You sometimes get angry, and when you do your eyes get wide and you let out an intense yell or scream. If it is accompanied some kind of hitting or throwing an object, I will get down and say, "Look at my face, Owen. Be gentle with your hands, or do not throw things when you are angry, etc." And you will look at me and say, "Yes ma'am" and then run off like nothing ever happened. I would like to think that it will always be that easy, but alas, "two" is coming very soon. You get soooo excited when you hear certain noises, like a train or a fire truck siren or the doorbell. You will look up at me and make an "oooh" with your mouth, and I've got to catch a picture of it because it's so cute. You have the loudest laugh that you use to join in whenever your sisters are laughing at something. At nighttime when I put you to sleep, I always have to say goodnight to all your "friends" first...Goodnight octopus, goodnight bear, goodnight giraffe, goodnight doggie, goodnight Owen. Sometimes as I walk out of your room and close your door, I hear you say softly, "Night night, mommy." Then in the morning, before you will let me get you out of your crib, I have to line up all your friends in the corner of your bed and then hang your 2 blankets on the side. Maybe you'll keep this habit of wanting to have your bed made up? If we are at home and I don't know where you are, I know where to look - on top of AK's bed, jamming to her music. You two are hilarious together. You play and fight like champs. You love to wear things on your head. I never know what you will have on when you walk into a room - usually sunglasses, or a hat, or a knitting loom. You are fairly quiet and thoughtful, and you always like to study a situation before you jump in. You still like to say "bye bye" to everything and everyone, including inanimate objects.

You love playing music with your daddy.

Well, let's face it. You just love your daddy, period.

Me: Time to go! Let's get in the van!
Owen (waves at the basketball goal): Bye bye, shoot.

Me: What are you thinking about, Owen?
O: Raisins.

This is you trying to make up a joke...
O: Knock knock.
Me: Who's there?
O: Boat.
Me: Boat who?
O: Knock knock.
Me: Who's there?
O: Boat.
Me: Boat who?
O: Knock knock.
(and on and on and on...)