Arwyn continues to be really interested in dancing this week. She likes to do her version of the Funky Chicken, with her arms curled up under her arm pits like wings. It's pretty cute. She and Leia had a great time dancing to all the traditional Germain music at OctoberFest. She's drinking way less milk and eating a lot more food, which works out ok since I'm trying to wean. I just hope we don't have too hard a time getting her to keep drinking enough milk! She's been loving playing in the sprinklers this week. She and Leia seem to constantly end up naked in the front driveway running through the water while Josh waters the garden. Arwyn has been trying to play with her sister Leia more, whenever Leia will tolerate it that is. Unfortunately sometimes Leia is just not in the mood, and then Arwyn's attempts are seen as annoying. It was a big haircut week for both girls. Leia loves Stephanie, so the haircut thing is no problem. Arwyn was a little harder. She wasn't scared or pissed so much, just really distracted. She kept trying to turn her head to look at what Stephanie was doing. The only way we got it all done was that I just gave her millions and millions of little cheek kisses or cheek raspberries, which kept her laughing, distracted, and mostly still the whole time. Arwyn is starting to want exactly what Leia gets, and makes a stink about it if she doesn't get the same. I used to be able to give her the plain cereal in the same shape that Leia was getting, and Arwyn would be happy with it (ex. plain Cheerios instead of Apple Cinnamon or Corn Chex instead of Cinnamon), but now she's starting to figure out more and more that Leia has something a little different and she makes a fuss until she gets it. In fact, she's getting really pushy about anything that she really wants. Definitely starting to be her own little person, asserting her will and independence. She likes to try to do stuff herself, so this week, she was marching around the house enjoying her squeezie like a big girl. All of a sudden, Josh noticed she didn't have it anymore, so he went searching around to see where she had randomly tossed it this time. Oddly, he couldn't find it anywhere. After awhile of being completely perplexed, he finally checked the trash can, and there it was. She figured out on her own what the trash was for, and so when she decided she was done with her squeezie, she tossed it in the trash. Of course, it wasn't totally empty and it had this special top on it that we clean and reuse, but still, smart little cookie that one is! Especially because she's never really shown too much interest in the trash can before; this was definitely new.
Leia had a better week in general, but not without some issues. She's started getting up earlier and earlier, and she comes up to our room to wake us. I told her she needed to stay in her room until her "Sleep Owl Alarm Clock" goes off, but she doesn't listen. She keeps telling me she can't sleep, and I tell her she doesn't have to sleep, she can have quiet play time in her room by herself or she can lie in bed with us until 6:20. She doesn't like these options so she gets upset and tries to pull me out of bed. So another of our fun Active Ignore sessions starts at 6 am...not the nicest wake up, let me tell you! I spent the next 15 minutes lying there, getting totally pummeled by a three year old, and trying to pretend nothing was happening to me. She did finally get frustrated and moved on to tormenting Josh, and unfortunately he wasn't able to ignore that torture (he actually still wanted to be sleeping while I was just trying to make a point, acknowledging that sleep was done.) Anyway, the alarm finally ended the torture. In the effort to be consistent, we are still having to do stuff like this, but it does seem to be less frequent, or she calms down and concedes the loss faster. Baby-steps. And now when she does happen to sleep to the right time, she always brings her Sleep Owl to prove it. Leia and Arwyn had a funny playing moment this week. They were hanging out in the little house at the park, and they seemed happy and quiet, so Josh let them do their thing. He kept hearing all these little giggles, and finally his curiosity got the better of him. He peaked around the corner of the house and found Leia pouring water out of the water bottle into a little cap and then dumping it on Arwyn's head. "He he, he he." Luckily they both were giggling about this, and it turned into a fun sprinkler session when they got home. We've been trying to get Leia to clean more, and the other day she ran into Arwyn's room and cleaned the whole thing up without any problems, saying "That's what big sisters do, they help their little sisters." It was very sweet, but then when I tried to get her to clean her own room, oh no, "I can't, it's too hard!" Technically it's not hard since pretty much everything gets thrown in one junk box, but her room is pretty messy and overwhelming, so I do have some sympathy. And I agree, sometimes it's easier to clean up someone else's stuff than your own, but still not a good enough excuse Leia, more cleaning please! We had the Shirley's over for dinner one night, and Leia was so excited that Audra was coming to play, but she spent quite awhile listing out all the things she didn't want to share that day. It was pretty much everything, which I said wasn't possible, just pick a few very special things and that's it. But it was funny, because for how concerned she was and how much time she spent fussing over it, in the end, she was so happy to have them all over that she pretty much shared everything without issue.
Leia had a better week in general, but not without some issues. She's started getting up earlier and earlier, and she comes up to our room to wake us. I told her she needed to stay in her room until her "Sleep Owl Alarm Clock" goes off, but she doesn't listen. She keeps telling me she can't sleep, and I tell her she doesn't have to sleep, she can have quiet play time in her room by herself or she can lie in bed with us until 6:20. She doesn't like these options so she gets upset and tries to pull me out of bed. So another of our fun Active Ignore sessions starts at 6 am...not the nicest wake up, let me tell you! I spent the next 15 minutes lying there, getting totally pummeled by a three year old, and trying to pretend nothing was happening to me. She did finally get frustrated and moved on to tormenting Josh, and unfortunately he wasn't able to ignore that torture (he actually still wanted to be sleeping while I was just trying to make a point, acknowledging that sleep was done.) Anyway, the alarm finally ended the torture. In the effort to be consistent, we are still having to do stuff like this, but it does seem to be less frequent, or she calms down and concedes the loss faster. Baby-steps. And now when she does happen to sleep to the right time, she always brings her Sleep Owl to prove it. Leia and Arwyn had a funny playing moment this week. They were hanging out in the little house at the park, and they seemed happy and quiet, so Josh let them do their thing. He kept hearing all these little giggles, and finally his curiosity got the better of him. He peaked around the corner of the house and found Leia pouring water out of the water bottle into a little cap and then dumping it on Arwyn's head. "He he, he he." Luckily they both were giggling about this, and it turned into a fun sprinkler session when they got home. We've been trying to get Leia to clean more, and the other day she ran into Arwyn's room and cleaned the whole thing up without any problems, saying "That's what big sisters do, they help their little sisters." It was very sweet, but then when I tried to get her to clean her own room, oh no, "I can't, it's too hard!" Technically it's not hard since pretty much everything gets thrown in one junk box, but her room is pretty messy and overwhelming, so I do have some sympathy. And I agree, sometimes it's easier to clean up someone else's stuff than your own, but still not a good enough excuse Leia, more cleaning please! We had the Shirley's over for dinner one night, and Leia was so excited that Audra was coming to play, but she spent quite awhile listing out all the things she didn't want to share that day. It was pretty much everything, which I said wasn't possible, just pick a few very special things and that's it. But it was funny, because for how concerned she was and how much time she spent fussing over it, in the end, she was so happy to have them all over that she pretty much shared everything without issue.
Taking a load off with their tea and their TV...two peas in a pod.
Password = Leia
It's the whole family's favorite song these days, and Arwyn and Leia really get their grove on!
Leia loves getting her hair cut with Stephanie!
She especially loves to have Stephanie give her a braid!
Cool cat taking in the crazy scene at OktoberFest.
Both of them were pretty mesmerized by the traditional German dancing show.
Clear the dance floor, here come Leia and Arwyn!
Loving these crazy tunes!
Audra decked out in her proper German attire.
Password = Leia
Arwyn and Leia feeling the rhythms of the band at OktoberFest.
Fun with sidewalk chalk!
Arwyn is just starting to get her art on!
Nope, we never have any fun around here!
Daddy breaking out the fancy hopscotch footwork!
Arwyn quietly inches her hand in for the sneak attack on Leia's food, but clearly Leia's onto her!
Arwyn's looking pretty excited about her great ride on this hike.
Family hike up Mtn Meadow Trail.
Gotta keep Leia motivated or instantly she thinks she's too tired.
Can't live without those squeezie breaks!
The girls!
NOT interested in leting me take a picture of her post-braid curly hair!
Looks like someone grew...last time I checked, the top of her head was at the level of the handle bars!
Password = Arwyn
Arwyn learns how to master the game of Cornhole.
She successfully got all the bean bags in the hole, that's how you win right?
Password = Arwyn
Leia and Arwyn have some fun Daddy Day park antics, and Arwyn shows us that she's learned how to hang!
Sprinkler fun!
Arwyn loves to get right up close and get pelted!
Goofy grin...apparently this is fun!
Scary how good she is at imitating her teacher...leg crossed, head cocked, bossy...is it time to start pursuing an acting career??
School day fun and games with her friends Julia and Jennifer!
Uncle Cody's little fox.
Homemade prom dress by Daddy and Leia...maybe they'll end up opening a fashion company together!
Aggghhhhh, bubbles taste good!
Looks like a bubble kiss.
Nice beard, maybe you should start competing with Daddy!
Have you ever seen such a great big happy smile?
Smash face, I see you!
