You didn't really think that was all the pictures I had did you?  Really I have a problem when it comes to pictures.  I love to take them, but rarely have time to do with them as I'd like.  For the blog I simply crop, resize, and post with an occassional edit out of red eyes.  I'd love to get fancy, but ha! when would I do that?  I will also remind you that I post additional pictures in the photo gallery.

Here are some of the kids recently at a park.  It was a little cold and damp that day, but they were able to get out and stretch their legs for a short while.  Then the rain started back and we headed home for dry clothes (and a nap).

And their all time favorite at any park - the swings!  For a little boy that didn't really care for the baby swing he sure loves to swing now.



She has always loved to swing even as a baby.



Puzzles are another favorite of these two.  The problem there is that they are at different levels.

He proved to be a real pro at his new puzzle.  Which might mean he is ready to move up, which I'm sure will lend itself to more "help" from his big sister.

And here he is busy being cute (and without his "cheese" face which I appreciated)

(For some reason my children put their feet and / or legs up during some photos, but oh well.  Sometimes those are the ones that I end up liking best.)

I know that at least one person feels that I am behind on posting pictures.  I can hear her thinking that she needs a picture fix, so this one is for you.  :-)

I've said it before and I'll say it again it warms my heart to see the two kids really playing with one another.  They both loves books, so it is nice when she will sit down and read to him.  Here she is using her Tag, but other times she will "read" it herself.  Sometimes she knows every word of the book and others she will just tell the story.  Sometimes I wonder if she really can read, but isn't letting on.  

Other times they are both into their own individual things and they do not care to share.  As long as they are nice about it I don't mind.  They are intitled to be individuals after all.  Here is our princess busy being a princess.

I understand some parents not wanting to buy a costume their child will only wear once.  But really to our princess they are a part of her everyday life.  So much so that he has decided to see what the fuss is all about.

He walked the walk and then promptly put the shoes back.  I guess a princess he is not.  :-)

Then in pj's and ready for bed they were back to being sweet and sharing a story.

But her love for books is longer than his attention span, so it usually ends like this.

And one more of them together since it can be so rare.

So while on the way home from a birthday party yesterday for a school friend, my daughter and I were having a sweet conversation.  Somehow the subject got to loosing teeth and the tooth fairy.  She was excited to tell me all about how it works, which I found interesting as we've never discussed it before.  So I figure she's heard all about it from one of her friends.  As she's going along she concludes that the only problem is that none of her teeth are loose.  So I pointed out that she will likely be 5 or 6 before she looses a tooth.  Complete silence for a moment or two.  Then I hear this "But 6 is old!"  Seriously?  6?  Oh, man I'm in BIG trouble!

We decided to take the kids to the fair yesterday for a few hours.  We aren't serious fair goers, but we did go spend a little time.  He was a little indifferent to it, but she was excited.  They saw animals

 

and exibits (including some they would have preferred not to have gotten so close to).

She rode rides including the merry-go-round

the swings

the strawberries (though we thought they were apples at first)

and the balloons.

He was very happy NOT to ride the rides.  For some reason he is terrified of the merry-go-round as of late, so he was worried that he was getting on.  But once he realized he was just going to watch, all was good.

They got to taste the fair food as well.  We decided to give the fried oreos a try this year.  Not bad at all.

And then for a final treat we let them have cotton candy.  Just the thought of getting some was more than she could handle.

(Notice that he feet aren't touching the ground.)



Yes, she loved the cotton candy.  He on the other hand wanted to know what cruel joke of a food it was.  He was NOT impressed and passed on the treat.  No complaints here - did we really need both hyped on sugar?  :-)  Yes indeed it was a fun time at the fair. 

Our little boy loves food in general.  But there have been some foods that he has traditionally not been as fond of.  Meat falls into this category from time to time, but beans area always ok.  Blueberries are a favorite, while strawberries have always been turned away.  So the other day when we were unloading groceries and he saw the strawberries and decided that he needed some I dismissed him.  After all he's never taken more than one bite and made a face.  But he was persistent.  So I finally gave in figuring a snack of fruit is ok and I'm tired of listening to him ask knowing he won't eat them.  So I sat him down with two clean nice looking strawberries.  And do you know he ate them?  In fact, he wanted more. 

I'd like to say it was because they were so tasty, but there is part of me that thinks it was just to prove me wrong.

At least that was my impression of this cutie.  But either way he ate a few and enjoyed every moment of it.  With half a dozen or so berries he managed to get a path of juice down the front of the bib so good that it covered the front of his shirt.  At least it seems to have washed out.  So maybe the trick for him to eat some foods is to say no.  Sigh.  The bad news is that now when we have berries I have two thiefs.  :-)  Next summer should be interesting around here.  Wonder how much I'll end up buying just so I can have some too?