"But HOW do mommies and daddies love each other???"

Dear Jaya,

I love this face. This face is your serious face. The face that precedes the most precocious of questions and sentiments. This is the face (sometimes accompanied by tears) that you make when you come to a crucial realization, like that not everyone has a mommy who is alive, or that someone might be mean to Raja for no good reason. This is the face you make when you wake up at 3 am urgently in need of "rice and curry." The face we see after the gears have been turning for a while, or after you digest an explanation we've given you and want more. You wanted an explanation of how babies were made the other day. We gave you (what we thought) was an age-appropriate explanation - and that made you mad. You knew (how?) that it wasn't the whole story. And the face, we saw the face. So we tried again and gave you a J-bugs explanation, which was better. (You did go around the rest of the day classifying everyone you knew firmly in the appropriate category based on genitalia). You are growing up so fast, so responsible and mature. When Daddy works at night, and I need to put Raja to sleep, you are so responsible that I can trust you to read one book to yourself, and then turn out the light and go to bed. Never once have you taken advantage of that, although I know the temptation is there, since you spend hours poring over books. I love watching your insatiable curiosity and your voracious appetite for learning. You are a curious little delight, my girl. I love you.

Love,
Mommy

1 2/3 cups (years) of sugar (joy)

When Raja really wants something, he grins that huge grin, nods enthusiastically, and says, "Peeeeease!" (please) He's already learned how to get by on charm. It is nearly impossible to resist him.

He loves to be obedient. If he is 'naughty', he makes a guilty face and whines remorsefully - he even willfully puts himself in the corner for a time out. (And I don't even use time outs on him).

Raj the referee - If two kids don't want to share, or someone takes something from his sister - he marches right over, points his finger, and sternly says. "No! NO!" He stays mad until the situation is resolved to his satisfaction. He will wail and gnash his teeth if he thinks Jaya has been treated unfairly.

Teething is not his specialty. When he teethes, his normally excellent sleeping ability is disrupted, and he wakes every 20-40 minutes - and yells angrily, every time. He has gotten 4 new teeth in the last 10 days. Nightmare. But luckily, it means he'll finally be able to chew nuts and all the crunchy foods he's always trying to steal from his sister.

Raja has always hated to have his nose wiped. Detested it. He protests, limbs flailing, spewing angry growls and grimaces, EXCEPT when his sister does it. When she comes at him with the tissue, he peacefully submits. So sweet!

6 years and counting!

Yesterday was our anniversary. We're still best friends, and still pretty different, but here is one more thing we agree on.



Organized laundry = domestic bliss.

I am so glad to be married to a man who appreciates the pure delight of sorted laundry. I love you honey! Thanks for the anniversary gift! And thanks for letting me pick it out myself!
*There is no sarcasm involved here. I really would rather have an organized laundry station than diamonds or roses. Seriously. I'm not kidding. I don't think I have a single romantic bone in my body. I'd rather Marei clean the bathroom than write me a love note. In fact, cleaning the bathroom is a kind of love note for me. Is that odd?

What did we miss most about cold weather?

Brisk breezes? Snowfall? Boots? Snowboarding? Mittens? Sweaters? Hot cocoa? Nostril icicles? All lovely, but nope. The one winter thing that left a gaping hole in our lives last winter was the absence of the footie pajama.
Is there anything more endearing than the footie pajama? Anything? I couldn't wait until fall weather. I took advantage of the low predicted for tonight (53 degrees!) and suited these babies up.






*The random patches of color on the walls in recent pictures aren't mold or fungus or fingerpaint. We're trying to choose paint colors.

My favorite pics of the week

Visiting Mamman:

A fun free activity - go to Home Depot and let the kids "drive" the car cart everywhere.

A refrain I keep hearing: "Mom, I want a baby sister. I don't want to send Raj back, let's just get a baby sister."

We had our first harvest - this is the kids enjoying a meal with our homegrown tomatoes and yellow crookneck sqaush.