Little Miss Mischievous

 
The only connection between this photo and my post is the look in her eyes. At our house we always keep the bathroom door shut, or at least we try. We are trying to be even more diligent this week due to Gabriella's current fascination with the toilet. If she spies the bathroom door open, she darts for it, grabs a washcloth from the open shelves and throws it in the toilet. She managed to do it four days in a row last week- how is this possible?! All but one time we got there in time to watch it, but not stop it. That time I heard a strange splashing sound that had me running for the door-yuck. Yesterday she stood outside the door with a burp cloth in her hand, armed and ready for her next opportunity and trying to figure out the doorknob. Little stinker.

Who me? Owsiiide?

 

Outside Girl

 
 
 
 
With the warmer weather and sunny days, we have been spending more time outside with Gabriella who has discovered that she is a "bye-bye out-cy" girl. She loves to swing, to go down the slide, play with seed pods, roll a big ball, and get on and off the deck by herself. She has a little pair of white velcro shoes for outside that she just loves. She brings them to me, she wacks the front door with them, and she even brings me my shoes if I don't get the hint. Our conversation yesterday went soemthing like this.
Gabriella brings me her shoes. "Shall we go outside?" "Out-cy?"
"Where did you put your socks Gabriella? We need to find your socks...." (found today in Josiah's rainboots)"Sooocks?"
"Let's get another pair. Now we cn put on your shoes." with a squeal, "Shus!" She sits down and lifts one foot in the air to help put her shoes on.
"Let's put on your coat."
"Okay, are you ready to go outside?" "Bye-bye out-cy!" Then we played outside and swang until she started singing "Ni-ni", and in we went for a nap.

Little Josiah

 

I found this picture of Josiah today and was reminded that yes, Gabriella looks a lot like her brother when he was her age...

Gaberzilla Attacks!! (The Comic Strip)

Gabriella really started to mobilize in late fall 2008. In fact, by December she was really getting around! Her mobility brought with it a new level of "involvement" in Ben and Josiah's world. Unfortunately, her involvement usually meant knocking things down, messing them up, or trying to eat the toys at hand (e.g. matchbox cars).

Though they were very patient with her, in joking conversation Lisa and the boys referred to our dear, sweet baby as....

G a b e r z i l l a ! ! !
by, Ben T

page 1 - click pic to enjoy ALL the detail

page 2 - click pic to enjoy ALL the detail

Sleazo, Evil King of the Universe

 
 
 
You may remember that Josiah's birthday involved the Space Grizzlies from the Bearenstein Bear book. Tuesday morning Josiah decided to be Sleazo, Evil King of the Universe, while I was Hero the Magnificent. He turned his shirt around, rummaged through the kitchen and craft drawers and came up with this costume for himself and one for me. We also built a little castle in the living room. Gabriella enjoyed lying on the drawbridge with the sun streaming in the window while we played.

Little Laundry Helper

 
 
 

zzzzzzzzrrrrrrbbrrrrrrRRTT!

Another photo from our mid-March spring fling!
.
.

God loves animals too! (Theological concerns of a 5-year-old at bedtime)

Tonight we enjoyed our normal routine, reading a bible story, singing bedtime songs, saying prayers and engaging a bit of end-of-the-day discussion. I had just completed a variation on"Whole World," emphasizing how God has us all in his hands and Josiah asserted that, "God loves the animals too!" I, the sagely father, always on the lookout for teachable moments, corrected him gently, "I'm sure that God cares about the animals and all of His creation, but he made us in His image..."

"And we rule over everything in the world," Ben interjected.

"But God loves all the animals! I want all the animals to live!" Josiah exclaimed.

Ben and I continued in our effort to assure Josiah of mankind's God-ordained position in the world, to which Josiah responded, his voice pitched with growing concern, "but I don't want my stuffed buddies to die!" and then he burst into tears, "I want my stuffed buddies in Heaven! I don't want to go to Heaven without my stuffed buddies!" The poor little guy was completely overwhelmed at the idea that he'd ever have to leave them behind. I pushed on in hopes that I could help him logic his way out of this ordeal...

And then Ben jumped back in, "And we'll visit the customer service desk and ask God why it rains right after we wash the car!" Imagine the sound of a young boy crying as he transitions to delightful, silly laughter :) The jokes bounced back and forth and in short order they were both laughing. At one point Josiah suggested hopefully, "At least I'll get to see God's face in Heaven!"

At some point during this kinderplation Josiah also explored the realities of growing up, "Grownups don't cuddle stuffed buddies." And in I dived! "But when you're a grown up and have kids then you can buy them stuffed buddies to love."

"Or maybe I'll get stuffed buddies anyway," he decided.