Proud Mommy Moments...

Tonight, as we were headed to church (they had an Advent "kick-off" event for the kids) Maggie piped up from the back seat: 

Maggie: (loud sigh) "I just don't know what I want to BE when I grow up." 

Me: "I wouldn't stress too much about it. You have some time to decide." 

Maggie: "But mom, there are just so many choices. There are so many things I want to do!" 

Me: (realizing the desperation in her voice- this girl just needed to vent!) "Well Maggie, what are some of the things you are thinking about?" 

Maggie: "Well, I really want to be a cheerleader. And a ballerina. And, I really want to work at a shop. Oh, and I really want to help people, too." 

Me (intrigued): "Help people? Like a nurse or a teacher?" 

Maggie: "No mom- like a... I don't know... helper. I want to get things for people who can't get them." 

Me: "Oh?" 

Maggie: "Yeah, like if someone needs mashed potatoes for their dinner, but they don't have enough money for the potatoes, they can call me on a phone. It will be on my desk, and when I answer, they can tell me what they need. Then, they can give me their address. I will go to the store and buy them a WHOLE BAG of potatoes, and bring it right to their house and they won't have to pay me back or anything!" 

I love this kid. 

Hattie Eats Puffs

Nothing super new and exciting to post here. Hattie was eating puffs today. I always try to stay pretty close- she's been known to "gag" on them every now and again! Anyway, as she snacked, I grabbed the camera and started snapping pictures. She makes the most ridiculous faces!

 She likes them... really- she does!

 Hmmm.... picking them up can be hard sometimes. Damn fine motor skills!

 Ahhh! Look what I got, momma!

 This picture reminded me of a little old man with a cigar, playing poker... 

 She was telling me the BEST story... 

"What 'cha lookin' at mom?" 

All I Want for Christmas...

Maggie lost her first tooth! 

GODZILLA!

The past few days Hattie has learned lots of new "tricks!" 

She's figured out how to climb up the step from the family room into the kitchen. 

She can pull herself back into a sitting position from crawling. 

She *can* crawl, but still chooses to "army crawl" all over the place- it's sooo much faster! 

She's eating more and more "real" food and had puffs for the first time this week. 

This morning, I found her on her knees, trying to pull up to a standing position in her crib. 

Oh, and she LOVES the dollhouse. 

Little Learner!

Maggie loves school. This does not surprise me at all. Tuesday is her "homework" night, and I am amazed and impressed week after week at the books she brings home to read to Dan and I. She has always been an eager learner, but the past two weeks, everything has just "clicked." She gets it. Letters make sounds. Sounds make words. We can read words. We can write words. Agghhh! So exciting! 

As a teacher, I have to say this is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite parts... when you can just see the light bulb go on for a student, and they suddenly realize they have this amazing superpower- they can READ! And, maybe because I'm a nerdy, teacher-mom, it is 400 times more exciting to watch this transformation in my own kid. 

Tonight, while Hattie army-crawled all over the world, and Lucy put on a show with her "loo-ka-lay-lee," Maggie was hard at work in the kitchen. This is what she was working on: 

Allow me to interpret: 

The Zoo ("that's the title, mom! It's a story about the zoo!") 

One day, a little boy went to the zoo. He went in and passed the lion and monkeys and tigers and the... 

This is where she stopped. She wanted to write "cheetahs" and came to ask me what made the "ch" sound... She got distracted by the "loo-ka-lay-lee" show and told me she would finish her story tomorrow. 

In the meantime, her proud mama snapped a picture and wrote a blog post. :)

Spooky! Spooky! Spooky!

Halloween was a blast this year! Since the actual holiday fell on a Wednesday, our town had trick-or-treating hours on Sunday. Here's a few pictures of Wonderwoman, 

a "fwend-wee" witch, and Franken-Hattie!

 (please note Lucy's idea of "witch shoes." I think this just *made* the costume!) 

 Franken-Hattie inspects some leaves... 

 Wonder Woman!

 Lucy- the friendliest witch in town!

 "Hurry, Mom! We have lots of houses to do before 'twick-or-tweating' is done!" 

 Lots of goblins out and about scare even the brave Franken-Hattie!

 Trick or treating is all done... Boo.... 

 What a silly goon!

Halloween was a school day. Everyone was excited and up early- dressed in their Halloween duds. The girls had their coats on and were ready for school before I could snap a picture- but I did catch a quick one of Hattie!

 

 Dinner's ready!

 Jack 'o Lantern Pizza #1 (his face kind of melted!) 

 The girls show of their Frankenstein pudding!

 Jack 'o lantern pizza #2 turned out a little bit better... 

 Yeah... so we were one of *those* families- you know, the ones who don't actually carve their pumpkins until Halloween night. Maggie insisted on washing them first... 

 ...so of course, Lucy had to follow suit... 

 Scooping out the guts!

Finished! (Hattie got a pumpkin, too... It's just not in this picture!)