Tricycle outings

In effort to wear Marielle out before bedtime, I've been taking the girls out for a late-afternoon jaunt around the neighborhood pond--Marielle on her tricycle, and Genevieve in stroller. These trips begin so idyllicly, the sun shining down on the girls, my admiring eyes gazing down the sidewalk as Marielle speeds ahead, so full of her delighted determination. These trips, (as they so often do with a young child), sometimes also end in tears -- Marielle's that is -- mostly since we are teaching her that she can't give up and leave her trike two blocks away from the house and walk the rest of the way home. And this mom pretty much refuses to try and push a toddler in stroller and tricycle at the same time. And yes, I've tried shortening the trips, but it can pretty much happen no matter when we turn around. :-)

Nonetheless, we all look forward to these outings, and I am seeing this little girl grow in maturity and cheerfulness during them.

"Look, Mom, I'm using my muscles to push the pedals, and not screaming!", she informs

me proudly. :-)

I knew she was smart when . . .

at 15 months old, she learned how to do this:

I'll set the scene for you: Genevieve is politely eating her lunch, (Pb and J and mango), while Marielle is playing outside, not quite ready to eat her own. A tablecloth is down, both girls' seats have plates of food in front of them....This is how I left it at least. When I return, Genevieve has consumed her entire lunch, and deftly pulled the tablecloth toward her until Marielle's full plate of lunch was now within reach. She begins eating....

And somehow, I dont remember exactly how, we end our scene with this: crying baby eating her sister's lunch..I know, it doesnt make much sense.

Growing up...its complicated

The past week Marielle has begun talking incessantly about when she grows up....

"When I grow up to be a mommy, I can sit in the front seat, JUST LIKE YOU, MOMMY!"

"When I grow up to be a woman, I can walk down the aisle in a wedding dress!"

"When I grow up to be a baby, I can sleep in a crib whenever I want."

(You might infer here what is the constant conflict in this girl's heart--do I want to be an independent big-girl, or a baby who gets cuddled by mommy all the time. We are straddling that line on any given day.)

"When I grow up to be a woman, I can get married. The sun will be beautiful and I will walk down the aisle, and it won't be scary!"

"When I grow up to be a woman, I can wear lacing beads like a necklace whenever I want!"

"A brown tree grows up to be a purple tree! And then I'll climb up the tree to the top with my markers, color the tree, and fly away in a helpicopter!" . . . This is no joke here, friends. Either this girl has an imagination, or her father is telling her some crazy bed-time stories (both very likely).

But the real highlight of the week was when our neighbor told Marielle in her very neighborly southern-drawl,"My, what a big girl you're becoming!"; to which Marielle promptly answered in a solemn whisper, "I'm growing up to be a woman." It was all I could do to not blush, and promise said-neighbor that this was not something that we were emphasizing at home. :-)

This chronicles one of our most peaceful mornings (i.e. this is rare)....Sister bonding over oatmeal. Sigh...It was very sweet. Marielle has taken an interest in feeding Genevieve her breakfast, since Genevieve still basically refuses to take this on for herself. :-) Marielle is surprisingly adept at getting the spoon gently into Genevieve's mouth. This is a great blessing to her mother, since I can be cleaning up the kitchen or get dressed while Genevieve is still happily being fed.

I know the soft morning light filtering in is giving this quite an angelic-looking aroma, so just in the spirit of keeping things real, below is a picture that was taken just hours later during lunch!

Youre probably wondering what happened to my happy little baby!? Well, you'll just have to read that in the next post. :-)

Nature-girl

Her father is teaching her well! MK loves climbing our magnolia tree, laying in the monkey grass, and laying on her belly watching ants and whatever insect she can find. . . .

Funny Sayings

Marielle's famous house-hold sayings: 3 years, 2 months


While contemplating the wind from the view of her car-seat: "The wind is blowing like a carousel."

"Mommy, I love you so much, I cant even tell you how much I love you!" (She took this from a children's song we listen to sometimes, but she probably tells me this at least 7-10 times a day.)


"Pushing green beans is NOT allowed!" (We assume in response to our oft-repeated reminder that pushing her sister is not allowed....

"Mommy, will you help me be a peacemaker?"....Also, in response to the often-reminded truth that she must be kind and gentle with her sister. :-) Ahhh, there is much at work in this little girl's heart!

Genevieve's favorite sayings (17 months)

"Buck, COME!"--our dearly beloved dog must hear this 20 times a day from all of us around here.

"Bi-Backkkk"--Translated "I'll be right back." She tells me this pretty much every time she leaves the room. :-)

"Chsssse"--everytime she sees me with a camera.

Genevieve's favorite new word is of course the name of the girl whom she looks up to and adores with reckless abandon--Marielle.

Farm Days at NC State

Our First Field Trip! We went with some other preschoolers to explore the farms at NC State University, and meet lots and lots of sweet farm animals. . . .

Not pictured here (though indelibly written in my memory) is Marielle holding a baby chick and proceeding to squeezing it to near-death...needless to say, she had no idea that she was NOT being gentle. :-) What can I say--Marielle is a fierce lover of animals!