Things they say sometimes...

You never know what's going to come out of these kids' mouths!
 
Baxter, while Dad's helping him finish up after a potty break: "The buckle [on his favorite shorts] is just a decoration."
 
Madeline, upon being told by her babysitter that she's a good big sister: "[Sigh.] Sometimes it's hard."
 
Baxter, entering the kitchen at 7:30 one morning: "Mommy, smell my breaf!"
MK: "Your breath? Why? What does it smell like?"
B: "It smells like M uh Ms!"
MK: "It does?"
B: "Uh-huh. I found one on the table. And I ate it!"
 
 

A Birthday and a Birthday Suit (sort of)

Jon took last week off to get ready for Madeline's backyard birthday party (more on that later), and he was out front Thursday with the kids while they played t-ball and he did yard work. He turned around in time to see Baxter zipping up behind our big cottonwood tree.

"What are you doing, buddy?"

"I peed on the tree, Daddy!"

"Baxter, we don't pee outside. We ONLY pee on the potty, okay? Where do we pee?"

"On the potty."

The next day, they're out front again and Baxter whips it out and pees on the grass. They go through approximately the same exchange, and throughout the day Jon rehearses him: "On the potty, Daddy!"

Saturday. I'm sitting at the kitchen table, by the glass door to the backyard. Jon asks where Baxter is and I say he's outside. I follow Jon's eyes to the back door in time to see Baxter letting it fly on the grass just beyond the back patio.

Sunday, after Madeline's beach party, Madeline & Baxter got back in the kiddie pool we'd set up in the back yard. Jon and his brother Chad are out there with them, and Chad looks up and says, "What are you doing, Buddy?" Baxter has his bathing suit around his ankles and is about to pee IN THE POOL.

As far as we know, he has not peed outside in two days. (The key phrase is, "as far as we know.")

So, on to Madeline's party. We had two pools, though the inflatable one leaked air and, consequently, leaked water through most of the party. Most of her buddies came (though one mom called an hour before the party to say that her son had decided he wanted to stay home!), and there were pretzels, pizza, smiley-face cupcakes (in rainbow hues), and ice cream. We have a new playset, complete with fort and three swing positions, and that was a big hit, too. See photos...

Madeline enjoys the magic show by Grandpa Jim (Jon's dad, a professional children's entertainer). 7/13/04 

The birthday girl & her balloons. 7/11/04 

Ice cream at Woody's. 7/8/04 

Baxter & Uncle Chad (Jon's brother) enjoy Madeline's birthday dinner at Woody's Pizza. 7/8/04 

Recent Adventures

We try to go to an "activity" (as the kids call it) every Sunday after we go out to breakfast. A couple of weeks ago we went to the Colorado Railroad Museum, which we thought would be thrilling to Baxter. He loves Thomas, and trains in general, so we were caught off-guard when, entering through the gift shop, he wanted to just stay there and play with the big Thomas model railroad setup rather than going to see the real trains. We dragged him out anyway, though, and he had a good time.

On the 4th we went to breakfast as usual, with Jon's brother Chad in tow, and ran into friends of ours. They have kids the same ages as ours (yes, three of them), and they were going to a neighborhood Fourth of July parade. We went, too, and the kids enjoyed marching behind a decked-out car (with speakers blaring patriotic music), wearing their red, white & blue finest. The parade ended at a park, where the local fire station brought a truck for the kids to climb on, and there was watermelon, cookies, and games. Baxter & Madeline each won an orange ribbon for participating in the sack race (Baxter still doesn't really jump with both feet, so it was a bit of a challenge for him). That was enough for Mary Kay, who was hot, and Sophie, who was covered in watermelon juice, so we all went home and took a nap. Well, all but Baxter, who "played trains" in his room while the rest of us slept.

I wish I had pictures, but we forgot our camera. Maybe next time. Watch this space!