We Love You So

This morning we celebrated my dad's parents' 65th wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful brunch party with lots of laughs and good memories. The girls love parties, especially if they get "three desserts! Chocolates (on the tables), cake AND ice cream!"

I want to remember the little moments sprinkled throughout this house renovation, so I'm here tonight to jot down three sweet things our three kids said (or did, in Peter's case) today. As we were leaving the brunch with my dad, Cora said "that was a fun party." My dad said, "Yeah! I'm glad you could make it." Cora's response, very matter of factly, was: "I was invited."

After the party we went back to my parents' house to take naps and quiet times. Nate was lucky enough to borrow a car so he could get back to Madison to get back to work on the house. We were going to leave after naps, but at 4:30 pm the lake was too inviting to leave, so we stuck around and went tubing. Lou enjoyed performing the hand motions for faster, slower, ok and cut it and after a short ride with me on the tube, asked to go by herself. Cora enjoyed watching from the boat, but Peter wanted in on the action too, so took his first tubing ride at 17 months.

We left Oconomowoc around 7 pm and Cora, having only a quiet time instead of nap, was a bit out of sorts, so I rolled the window down for her, telling her that when we get on the highway we'll have to roll it up. That got Lou's brain going and she asked, "Mom, where does Oconomowoc end? When we get to the highway?" Essentially, yes, so I said "yes." Then she wanted to know if Madison starts when we get to the highway. She sits in the third row and understandably has a hard time hearing me, so when she didn't hear me say that there are actually lots of little towns in between Oconomowoc and Madison, I told her we'd have to talk about it later. "Okay," she said happily. Such an easy going child, LouBear.

Peter's funny moment was once we got home. We swung by the new house to pick up Nate so he could help me get the kids in bed. Peter was beyond tired (or so I thought)...too tired to even brush his teeth, which is normally something he finds quite fun. So I sang him song - Go to sleep my baby, sleep now little you, go to sleep my baby and dream of powder blue. Flowers in the sunshine and boats upon the lake, dream my little baby, I'll see you when you wake - and laid him in bed. I was giving Nate a haircut at least 30 minutes later when we heard him slapping his crib rail. No wining or talking even, but clearly awake. After Nate took a shower, he went in to get a shirt (Nate's dresser is in Peter's room because it doesn't fit in ours), and Peter sat up in bed, took out his pacifier and offered it to Nate. This is his routine every morning when he gets up. Nate said "No, it's time to sleep," so he put his pacifier back in his mouth and laid back down. It's so fun when babies really start to show that they understand most of what you say.

Kids, kids, you can be a handful, but we love you so.