She never stops.

(December Photo Project)

Adelaide’s hair has been driving me more and more crazy. Finally tonight I pulled out the scissors and took care of business.

She looked in the mirror and goes “oh, that’s cute.”

The back…

Okay, I feel better now.

December Photo Project

Today Adelaide starts PreK. She is soo excited. (Remember when she brought me a pile of change – “money so I can go to school, Mom”?)

Dress is Matilda Jane, shoes are Simple. (When she got dressed this morning we found about 20 little sticky burrs inside her dress from the last time she wore it – good thing we noticed before sending her off! That would have been one miserably itchy first day!)

(For more mini fashion, visit Small Style at Mama Loves Papa.)

I’m guessing she drove her Sunday School teachers nuts this morning.

When Adelaide’s hair grows out it starts driving me crazy with all it’s scraggly thinness. I tried to put little piggy tails on her but she wasn’t havin’ it. I’ve been warning her all week “we’re cutting your hair on Thursday!” And Thursday we did.

Much better.

(Although, poor baby, she smashed her nose on a friend’s playground yesterday so her nose is more on the purple scabby side now.)

I usually don’t let my kids bring toys into stores. You can imagine why. This time I’m not really sure what happened or how she snuck it past me, but Adelaide brought in a little (cheap) jewelry box she got for her birthday a month ago. All fine and good, whatever.

Problem is, she ended up wanting me to “hold” it, but then decided to put it in the little velcro pouch on the outside of the Old Navy cart. I didn’t pay it that much attention and, unfortunately, it wasn’t until we were picking up the big kids from my sisters’ apartment that I realized that box was still in the (now abandoned) cart, 20ish minutes away.

The other problem is, I had no idea what was actually IN the box. It could have been anything. The kids are not typically allowed to play with my jewelry but sometimes they still do. I had no idea if there was anything valuable in it and that alone forced me to figure out how we could get it back. I called the store and the VERY SWEET manager found it and put it up at the counter for us. We were going to be out that way again later that day so it wasn’t too much of a hassle.

Take a peek:

Yeah. I sure am glad I went all the way back for a broken Nerf dart, a knob off one of our glass-doored bookshelves, and a stroller clip. I’m sure my life could not have gone on without such treasures in it.

Andy was reading to the kids one night this week and discovered Adelaide calls this particular character The Crack Head.

(Yeah. Dare you not to laugh.)

We made pancakes and bacon for breakfast (fresh strawberries, too!) and then we let her open some gifts from my parents.

Watching the street, waiting for my sisters and Ellen to come over… (found the matching headbands at Target.)

We had the worst time with these cupcakes! From Publix and yummy but SO top-heavy. One toppled off the cupcake stand into Madeline’s hair when I was carrying them to the table. She was sportin’ a thick streak of sugary pink.  Whoops, sorry! And that was only the beginning – icing was everywhere by the end of the party.

Don’t try this at home, kids:

FOUR!

But, sometimes during a project like that the real blog fodder gets forgotten. So, a couple of things I wanted to jot down… (for record keeping and grandparents and such).

Like, we were running into church Sunday morning and behind me Drew yells “my tooth came out!”

Fourth one. (Ew.) I thought they weren’t supposed to look awkward until junior high. ;) I think it got lost somewhere between the “just put it in your pocket” and changing at home. (Hope Arianna isn’t the first to find it.)

Oh, and a little conversation I had with Adelaide… “Mom, why’s Arianna eat our food now?”

“Well, because she’s a big girl now.”

“She’s not a boy anymore?”

“No, she’s always been a girl, she’s just not a tiny baby anymore.”

“Yeah, she’s a BIG, FAT BABY!”

(Nice to know what the sisters think.)

Speaking of Adelaide. Yesterday – actually the day before that – I ran to get a paci for Arianna, came back to the kitchen where Andy and Adelaide were. I kept trying to stuff the paci in Adelaide’s mouth – WHILE she was talking to Andy. I kept thinking “why isn’t she taking it?!” and she’s spitting and trying to move her head and Andy is looking at me like “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I finally realized: WRONG KID! He goes, “uh, we officially have too many kids.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only mom that has lost her mind. No offense!” – Gretchen.

(Sympathetic friends I have, I know.)

The kids had their Christmas program last night and, well, CUTEST THING EVER. Adelaide… so hilarious to watch her sing and do all the hand motions with her over-the-top enthusiasm and spirit.

(May have to bribe her with candy to get a video clip of a song or two. So worth it.)

Here’s some of my not-great photos, just because.

(Adelaide’s right to the right of the director, front row.)

Sing it!

Hope your yesterday was as beautiful there as it was here.

Also, I cut Adelaide’s hair again last week. I thought we’d try growing it out some but then it just got thin and stringy-ish and drove me crazy. So back to bob it went. This photo isn’t a great shot of the cut but I love it anyway. And you can still see the little braid my sister put in her hair.

Hope everyone has a good week!

My kids call this playing “hosing.” I rarely let them do it but Andy was off yesterday and gave them the green light. (Yeah, as long as you’re still around to pick up the pieces, Mr. Daddy.)

(Alternate Title: Brothers.)

You Capture: Get Outside!

Much as I wish I was, in fact, shopping in New York. Sigh.

Today is going much better. I broke down the co-sleeper that has been residing in our room for the past 9 months and got it carted up to the attic. She hasn’t slept in it in about two weeks so it was high time and I cannot tell you how nice it is to have the space back. I feel like I can breathe in here. There’s one tub of cloth diapers left and once that’s gone, there won’t be any baby traces left in my room. (But there’s PLENTY to be had in the girls’ room. So I’m okay with that.)

CHANGING GEARS.

Occasionally I blow-dry Adelaide’s hair, usually after I cut it. She brought me the hairdryer last night after her bath, and then Madeline begged me to do hers, too. I was wondering if her it would look terrible since I don’t take that great of care cutting her hair – waves are SO forgiving. But it didn’t look half bad! She LOVED her super-straight hair.

Of course, Adelaide had to have her picture taken, too.

(in her ruffle pants!)

because I ask her ALL THE TIME if she’s my sweet Adelaide.

We gave her a Fisher Price dollhouse (consignment sale find for $8, yeah!) and my mom gave her a few rooms’ worth of furniture (buy-one-get-one at Toys ‘R Us – yeah!):

Sometimes I wish y’all could know Adelaide like we do. Even at three she is such a unique personality, full of lively energy and free spirit. Marches to her own drum, that one.

You know that old saying, ‘girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice’? Undoubtedly in this house, Madeline is our sugar and Adelaide is our spice. She sort of flits around; skipping, hopping, dancing as she goes. She’s also our resident entertainer, loving to be silly and always trying to make us laugh.

And her singing! Her Sunday school teachers all have commented on her wholehearted approach to “deep and wide” and the other five favorite songs. She sings plenty at home, complete with proclaiming “good job!” to herself at the end. She will not, however, perform on demand. (She can be a stinker that way.)

She can be so caring and sweet (“can I pet your face, mama?”) yet so full of mischief (sneaks in the fridge to dig her fingers in the butter). She will eat ANYTHING doused in ketchup, is my hungriest kid in the mornings, and won’t go anywhere without her “lanket.”

I love how she calls teacups “tea parties.” And while Madeline loves to talk about princesses, Adelaide is certain that she IS a princess. (But only if/when she’s wearing a dress.) She totally fits her pixie haircut and bright red shoes.

Happy birthday to my enchanting, delightful, lively girl.

I finished it last night. Just in time, too. BRRR.

Still posting with the December Photo Project.

(Alternate title: Why yes we have a two-year-old in this house. How did you know?)

Still posting with the December Photo Project.