Family Pictures

Before Curtis left, we made sure to get some family pictures taken.

We found a photographer on the web and she ended up taking some nice photos.

(Deanna Johnson at "A Day to Adore")

Xander climbed this tall fence all by himself without being bribed or anything!  He was rather proud of himself.

 Tayla was not cooperating at all that day!  She was really grumpy and refused to smile.  But Deanna still got some beautiful pictures of her.

 

You can look at all of our pictures at http://www.adaytoadore.com/photo/christensenfamily.

From one apple to another.

I wanted to spotlight Tayla today.  I feel like she gets left out too often.  Maybe it's because she's two and a half and hasn't had a lot to say yet. 

Here's how it went down.  We were eating apple slices at lunchtime and she got a build up of two of them and seemed to be just playing with them instead of eating them.

 Me: Tayla, eat your apples.

Tayla: No, I don't want to.  They're talking.

We repeated that conversation and then Xander decided to chime in.

Xander: Tayla, eat your apples.

Tayla: No, I don't want to.  They're talking.

Xander: If you don't eat them I will.

He gets up to supposedly go take her apple away and Tayla quickly takes a bite of one of her apples.

Tayla: (chomp, chomp) Ah, you're eating me!

I love that she is becoming so vocal!  Her imagination is certainly blossoming well.  She gains confidence as she learns how to express herself.

Fun in a box.

In case you didn't know, we moved to a bigger better apartment this summer.  We've been gradually moving stuff out of Curtis's parents' basement and into our new space.  This is what my kids thought about it...

I'm actually AMAZED that, not only did they both fit, but they managed it happily and comfortably.

It's just more evidence of how well they play together.  They really are the best little buddies.  I hope they never grow out of it!

Just when I thought this was going 'over easy'...

...and I'd adjusted to the single-mom business: the other day, I had a lot of stuff on my to-do list and it all had to be done before I left for symphony at 6:00pm.  Needless to say I had a lapse in child-supervision for a moment.

These pictures are curtesy of my daughter.

If you look closely you can see little footprints fleeing the scene.  (What you do not see is the bottle of water dumped out on the couch.)

The good news is that I was planning on going to the grocery store that day, but had procrastinated until just after this mess was cleaned up.  I'm still wishing someone would install a lock on my refrigerator before I 'crack'.  Another to-do list another day.

Tough questions

Setting: dinner table

Xander had a particularly interesting line of questioning for the dinner table conversation tonight.  Curtis was gone, so I was stuck answering all the questions by myself.  It went something like this...

X: Mom, where do carrots come from?
M: From the ground...they are plants.
X: Oh!  They are?!?!  (he was thoroughly amazed by this fact)

X: Cool!  Where do beans come from?
M: They are plants too.
X: Oh!  Cool!

X: But where does steak come from?
M: Cows.
X: But what part of the cow makes steak?
M: Cows ARE the steak.
X: Oh.  But why?
M: sigh...When cows get old, we kill them and cut them into little pieces like THIS! stabbing my steak with my fork

~long silence~

X: Oh. Okay.
M: Do you like steak?
X: Yeah.  (as takes the last bite of his third helping)

X: We're big kids.  We need to have another little baby.
M: No, we're not going to have another baby.
X: But, why not?
M: Because there is no baby in my tummy.
X: Oh.  But mom, where do babies come from?
M: deep breath Babies grow in mommies' tummies.
X: Mom, grow a baby!
M: No I'm not going to grow a baby.
X:  Why not?
M: Well for starters I need daddy here.
X: Why?
M: Daddy has to plant the seed.  Mommies can't make babies without daddies.
X: Oh.  Okay.  But I think I will help daddy plant the seed when he gets home.
M: NOOOO WAY!  You are too little.  You can't!
X: Why not?
M: You have to be married before you do any of that!!!

Moral of the story:  4-year olds ask a lot of tough questions.  And mommies get tired of answering tough questions all day.  So mommy has gotten direct with her answers in hopes of ending the line of questioning.  Too much information for a 4-year old?  Maybe...but don't judge me until you've spent an hour with this kid.  He never shuts up!

Overheard at the Christensen house...

(8am; I was still in bed; kids were awake downstairs.)

Xander: Let's play a game.
Tayla: this one (I think it was "Trouble")
Xander: No, Tayla, that one is too noisy.  It will wake up Mom.  How bout Jelly.

I came downstairs to see them playing the "Peanut Butter and Jelly" card game.

Aren't they the BESTEST!

Cleaning out my photos and I found these random stragglers...

Future blackmail.  Yes, my son likes to play dress-up as much as the next kid.  For him, it just involves sequins and hula skirts.

Since we've moved to our new apartment, Tayla hasn't been sleeping well.  On this occasion she fought to stay awake until 9:50pm, then I found her on the couch in her room with the light on at 10:00pm. She's been known to sleep on the floor in various places around the house too: the living room, her bedroom, my bedroom, etc.

This is what happens when grandma gives the kids a sticker book.  I had sticker all over everything for a week straight before I finally made the sticker book a "supervision only toy." I know I'm a mean mom.  (Pretend you didn't see my bed unmade.)