Adele Turns Two

Adele turned two this month, and two-year-old Adele is an absolute delight. Yes, she is strong-willed like the rest of us in this house, but I am utterly smitten. I probably spoil her too much, but I get  excited when she wants to try something all by herself (even if it makes a huge mess), or when she communicates something new (I can't NOT give her candy when she says please so sweetly). She is a mommy's girl, and while it makes it hard for me to leave her sight sometimes, I really love to be loved by her.

Holding Jude's sucker for him during T-ball practice

Adele is starting to learn colors, shapes, the alphabet, and can count to ten. She tells me when she needs to use the potty and can climb up there all by herself and go. I'm still so startled that she can do this so early that I haven't officially tried to train her, but she's ready! And she loves panties, even Superman-style.

Adele loves "Ring Around the Rosie" and persuades the boys to play it with her daily.  She rarely walks, but prefers to run, dance, or gallop. She likes to wear her scooter helmet around the house and sometimes in the car. 

Protective helmet necessary for yoga

She is getting used to cold, rainy weather. She thinks pockets are the best thing ever, and walks like a big kid with her hood up and hands in both pockets. Sadly, she face-plants on the sidewalk more often than not, and can't catch herself. 

She wears rain boots everywhere so she can take advantage of puddles. Puddles are what keep her moving when we have to get somewhere. I just say, "Let's go find more puddles!" and she runs to the next one on our path. One day after some long weeks of rain, the sun had come out long enough to dry up the ground. Adele got out of the car and suddenly stopped on the sidewalk with a worried face. She gasped and said, "Oh no! Puddows! Puddows? Weh ahh yewww puddows??" She was so sad and confused. The girl does not remember what a dry sidewalk looks like!

 She loves playing on Snapchat.  

 And she really loves her handsome daddy.

She loves lotion, soap, chapstick, makeup, necklaces, hair ties, shoes, soft blankets, and clothes. I love it when she tells me I look "so pweddy" when my hair is down or I'm wearing a dress. She asks to paint her own nails almost every day, but she is still a super tough wrestler and surprisingly coordinated.

Sometimes when you're the little sister, you have to get your nails done whenever you can. Even if that means calmly painting them with a marker while your brother body slams you.

A little owie from running into Jude on the slide

Mommy's necklaces fit so nicely.

 I love that she always wants to help me cook and clean. Give her a butter knife or a spray bottle and she'll stay busy for twenty minutes.

She loves fire, and begs me to light candles so she can blow them out over and over. This was a little practice session on her birthday morning, so she'd be ready for birthday cake.

There is so much love inside this little girl. She gives hugs and kisses liberally, especially when anyone leaves the house. She has at least seven special stuffed animals that go in and out of her crib whenever she does. (Blue bear, bunny, elephant, mouse, puppy, baby, and pony.) It's quite the ordeal if we ever forget anyone on our way to bed. She has gibberish conversations with them in her crib at night, and reads to them in the morning until the boys or I come get her.

She's starting to talk more and is so dramatically expressive with her love and excitement. She has the biggest facial expressions ever, and it is my mission in life to capture each one of them on camera.

She wants to do everything the big kids do.  She sings along at bedtime and in the car to Taylor Swift and Adele. She dances with feeling, and I can't wait to put her in a class and a tutu.

This was a few months ago, but Matt was so excited to give her pigtails one day that he made this little picture collage to brag to his family.

Adele always asks to take pictures on my big camera. Makes me proud!

I can't get enough of this sweet girl. We are buddies for life!

  

Christmas 2015

Christmas vacation in Arizona was as bright and warm as we needed it to be. The boys were in shorts, T's, and sandals all day eryday! I even made them take their toys outside so we could soak up more Vitamin D while they played.

Family walks in the sunshine were necessary. We even walked to Matt's favorite cat meat Mexican restaurant for lunch together one day.

The cuteness of these three demanded to be photographed excessively.

Grandma got the girls matching dresses for church. They were the fluffiest little snowflakes around.

Grandma also got a bounce house for the living room, because she is amazing at thinking of everything kids (and adults) could ever want. Now guess what they want me to buy for their birthdays...

We finally got to meet Baby Jack! And he is the cutest little bald baby anyone has ever created!

Andrew and Alicia made sugar cookies for us to decorate for family night. The kids did a few, and then Murray, Alicia and I finished the job. We got real creative by the end. I think there's a sea-llama in this picture. Or an aquatic dinosaur? Alicia, help me out?

This is Taylor, and I had to keep myself from gnawing on those cheeks every day.

Adele, Emmy and Piper. The twins are about ten weeks older.

Emmy is my playground buddy.

These three are major book worms.

Every time I sat down at the piano, my little helpers would climb up to sing songs with me. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

We took the boys to see the new Star Wars with some friends. Everyone loved it. This picture is from the night Grandma and Grandpa took them to the circus. Lucky bums!

Cheri had tons of ideas to entertain the little ones. This pic is from a quick trip to the children's museum.

On Christmas Eve, the Snows hosted their traditional dinner and Christmas program with old friends. Everyone participates. They added a nativity this year, and Matt and I got to be Mary and Joseph. I think Josh was my donkey at one point. It was very cute.

Then, for our family talent, we performed a "Twelve Days of Christmas" Star Wars version that we wrote together in the car while we were looking at Christmas lights in Seattle. Josh was our head writer, and we're very proud. Here is the long video of the performance.

At bed time, all the kids got special Christmas pajamas. The only way we got all of them to hold still and look up was to sing Jingle Bells. I think they were stunned by all the adult attention.

Jude asked for a picture with Alicia in her cool Star Wars shirt.

The boys wrote letters to Santa and left them out with cookies, milk, and carrots. I love that at the end of Josh's, he makes a last minute apology for saying "s-t-u-p-i-d" in his jokes with Riley that night.

The next morning was beautiful madness. Adele didn't really appreciate the help opening her presents.

I got a new lens from Cheri and had to try it out immediately.

These are the famous "Merry Christmas" blocks that get rearranged all month to say ridiculous things.

Adele got a playhouse from Grandma and it was quite a popular place to hoard the wipes.

Matt consistently puts his gifts on his head as he unwraps them.

This girl got my favorite outfit from Andrew and Alicia -- unicorn leggings and a girly TMNT shirt. I wish I had one to match. She's also wearing her new princess high heels here.

We got the Steeds a new complicated strategy game, which we finally figured out by the end of the trip. Josh loves to try to play with the grown ups.

A friend stopped by with her tiny pony that morning and it was adorable.

We went to the park before dinner and played until it got dark and cold.

Josh is trying out his Santa gift here -- a Minecraft sword/pick axe.

Then it was off to Denny's for dinner. I forgot to mention that people were dropping like flies. Sickness spread through almost everyone that week. Murray had stayed home sick that night, and we left the restaurant after cleaning up a massive amount of sudden Josh puke. Jude and Adele both got sick in the following days, but Matt and I didn't get our turn until we were back in Seattle. And even then, it was more of a supercold than a flu.

But sickness didn't keep us from getting outside and having fun. Here we are at the zoo.

Singing "Wheels on the Bus" here

My boys and I love maps.

Josh was very sweet with his little cousins.

Fighting for the position of tallest sibling, as usual.

Shaking her finger at a suspicious turkey

One afternoon, we took family pictures and ate delicious barbecue. I set up my camera on a tripod with a timer for the group, and shot individual families as speedily as possible before melt downs could occur. Here are a few.

Our little family took some quick trips to visit friends nearby. This was a party at Jake and Jen's house, where we ate Someburros and the kids decorated Christmas sweater cookies.

This night we visited James and Patrice in Surprise. I stole James' roommate from him when I married Matt. It's been almost ten years since we spent any time together, and it was really fun.

Another night, we visited Jake and Holly in Queen Creek. I also have cousins in Gilbert, who were out of town at the time. There are so many cool people in Arizona. It would be really easy to move back. 

And, you know, grandparents nearby would be a double bonus.