5 OR Stop?

Tonight after dinner time I was singing a song (to the tune "Barbara Ann" with the words changed to "Amelia Ann"). Gemma was laughing her head off - clearly she appreciates my talent like no one else does.

Amelia mentioned several times that she wasn't a fan of the "loud singing" and the "bad singing". However, Gemma was still laughing her head off because I am H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S. And I am a sucker for my baby girl's laugh. I'm willing to do just about anything in order to get her to do it.

Finally, Amelia stood up and put her hand out with the palm facing out. Fingers were tightly pressed together. STOP she said with her hand out.

John and I looked at her and tried not to laugh. She took the biting of lips and escaping giggles to be that of confusion.

Amelia: This means STOP (palm out, fingers tight)

This means 5! (palm out,fingers spread wide apart.

This looks the same, but it means something different. It means STOP singing! (palm out, fingers tightly pressed).

Sent from my iPhone

What?!

I was just informed this is called the pillowcase game. The top picture shows the two big kids each wearing two pillow cases each. What? After disclosing this information, I was ceremoniously escorted out of the room by a child who still had their lower half in a pillowcase. He hopped me to the door.

The joys

1. Yesterday I had to use stain remover twice on our poor carpet. First, a curly headed someone found a bright blue sucker and discarded it in a pile of goo after awhile. (Suckers and other treats usually live on top of the fridge. They haven't found their way back home yet). Later, the same little person found a full diet coke to upend on the carpet. Keeping up is a full time job.

2. Today I noticed Gemma has discovered how to remove the covers from the vents. And also how much fun it is to put stuff into them. I got the vacuum out to clean up the bits of paper she was storing inside. The big surprise came when I removed the other vent cover in the room (figured I should vacuum that one out too since I was doing it). Hello friend!

Grafton ferry

It's that time of year again! This morning we set out and boarded the first ferry to Illinois to go apple picking. I prefer a lower temperature (low 90s was a little warm for me while toting a 20+lb toddler a camera and several bags of apples.), but one of our favorite apples was in season (honey crisp). So it was a hot one, but we came out with a big pile of apples and a considerably smaller pile of peaches. The kids enjoyed running around and looking for the perfect apple.

Gemma was enthralled by the boat ride and spent most of the trip with her little finger pointed out the window as if to say "hey guys? Should there be water all around the car?" I was totally taken by surprise by her fear of the orchard transport tractor, she spent the whole ride firmly about my neck.

Meet Betty. She arrived on Thursday and has been making delightfully small ice cubes and has produce drawers that won't slice your skin when you open them.

((shivers))

There is a game we've played with every baby/child in our house.

The rules:  Any time there is a railing with slats in it, you stop and push your face through (not all the way through, it wouldn't fit.)  Any family member standing on the other side of the railing is obligated to stop what they are doing and kiss your face until you remove it.

I was coming up the stairs and I saw Gemma's face pushed between the slats of the railing.  "Mmmmm..." she hummed, which is her way of saying she is waiting for a kiss.  I reach on my tiptoes and cover her chubby cheeks with kisses until she giggles breathlessly.  I press my face between a different set of bars, which is consistently the most hilarious thing ever ("Hey look!  You were here....and now you're over there! Unbelievable!!")

Gemma leaned over and to allow me to kiss her (although the rules of the game dictate SHE kiss ME, she never does.  She just leans in and waits for me to do the kissing.) when she suddenly leaned away with a confused look on her face.

She looked down at the vent (the air had just kicked on).

Then she blew out with her mouth (like blowing out a birthday candle) and shivered while saying "oooohooo".

This girl is hilarious.

Ball

Can you hear it??