ArtPrize #3

For the first ArtPrize I was approx 37 weeks pregnant.

For the second ArtPrize we had curious one-year-olds.

For the third ArtPrize we have hot-dog-lovin' crazy, still curious, tantrum-throwing almost-two-year olds.

I think I may always see ArtPrize as a milestone of sorts.  They certainly fill up their strollers much more than they did last year.  They are easier to feed, just as uninterested in riding along rather than walking as they were...So this year we added shoulder rides to our modes of transport.

Evelyn's "handle bars" were not prompted in any way.  This is simply how she chose to hold on.

 T-Rex!

Pretty cool.

Family portrait on the bridge.  I see that a combinations of summer, the end of Body by Vi, and the energy-suck that two two-year-olds provide has made it high time mommy steps back on the treadmill...   :(

Tubtime Terror

What does the sum of the above three images represent?.........................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
Elijah's new Worst Nightmare

Yet another thing to record for posterity to share with him when he gets older- we have entered the age of irrational fears.
I was warned of this by Nana and Andy but last night got to experience it for myself.
Elijah is absolutely terrified that his bathtoys are going to drown, at least, this is our best guess.
It began last night when we entered the bathroom to start the tub; all of the bathtoys were scattered across the bottom of the bathtub and Elijah began to point and scream.  Tears followed.  I turned on the water and the screaming got louder.  Andy suggested I pick up all the toys and put them in our toy basket.  As the last toy was deposited in the basket- the screaming stopped but Eli continued to sniffle until I hung it on the hook safely out of harm's way.

Upon getting the kids in the tub I tried to offer them a few toys and the screaming began again as he scrambled about trying to pick up every toy and rescue it.  I swear I've never seen him so distressed!  Apparently he is afraid that any of the toys he cannot hold onto will either disappear down the drain or drown. 
We finally settled at a cup and scoop for Evelyn and a boat and spongy star for Elijah.  As long as all the toys were in someone's hands Elijah was fine but the minute Evelyn let go of the cup, Elijah began to yell: "Evie, cup!  Evie, cup!" as he tried to pick it up while holding the boat and star under one arm.  When a washcloth was added it could. not. be. set. down.  Otherwise I got a soaking wet washcloth whipped at me by a frantic Elijah.

Thankfully this seems to be "normal."  I had heard of such things (remember my fear of Jack Frost mom?), but goggled it anyway and found that other kids his age have such weird fears as "buildings with high ceilings" (one mom said anytime they went somewhere new her son would ask if it had high ceilings), a sibling's striped shirt, round food (plate, peas, nuggets), cake being squashed (another mom said it happens a lot in cartoons and her daughter runs from the room as soon as she realizes the cake is doomed), flies (Evie had a momentary problem with them as well: "Bugk!  Bugk!"), and my personal favorite: the song "to market to market to buy a fat pig" because the child insisted the pig did not want to go home, it wanted to go to the sand pit...

While it's a bit inconvenient and makes me sad because I wish I could help him not be so terrified, it's also very cute in it's own way and will hopefully pass quickly.  I only wish I could figure out what the trigger was...did he sit on a toy and it hurt so he doesn't like not being able to see them under the bubbles?  Did he lose one down the overflow tube?  I know a couple have dissappeared down there...I doubt we will ever know.
Oh toddler-hood, what a trip!

Big Kid Beds and Bless You

Two big things over here lately...Big Kid Beds and Sentences!

I put off big kid beds as long as possible, but Elijah was climbing out constantly and I was worried about his breaking a leg or arm or neck.  He also kept falling asleep on the floor, right. in. front. of. the. door.  Which means he was effectively a giant doorstop that squeaked when you bumped it.
Evelyn on the other hand could get out, but being the lover of sleep that she is, stayed in (and still does!) quite well.

Off we went in search of beds (which means, I turned on my computer and opened craigslist and my fave fb garage sale group).  We picked up two very cute twin beds and headboard/footboards for $55.  Then it was on to mattresses which we got at Sleep Doctor along with free boxsprings from Bradi's friend (Thanks Brenda!).  Because I'm a girl and a planner and occasionally a bit Type A...oh and I like shopping...the next week of my life was devoted to finding the perfect bedding.  Let me tell you.  It wasn't easy.  I wanted something that would grow with them, or, at the very least, I didn't hate so I wouldn't hesitate to use it for guest bedding when five years from now they beg and plead for bieber bedding or something like that (which is another story because my daughter is not sleeping with a boy that she's not related to until she's 35 and married so why would I let her start with the giant face of one at 7?). 
Of course, as all things are, girl bedding was the easiest- I found something I loved on the first day out.  For Elijah the search took longer but I finally found something I really liked and that he can truly use until he graduates if he wants (we might have to switch out the sea turtle and alligator sheets but who knows?).
Now it's been a fun struggle of staying in bed...Elijah still doesn't want to...but I am really enjoying being able to lay down and cuddle with my cuties before bed or pile on the bed to read books at night.  Evelyn stays in her bed for the most part and is loving her new freedom to sprawl.  At Nana and Papa's this weekend when I tried to put her in the pack n play for bed she said "No, bed!" and pointed to the king size monolith.  She got her way and promptly took up the entire thing with her little 32" body.  It was pretty precious.

In addition to the big beds, Elijah has begun to use sentences.  His first one (that I know of) was "Daddy inside sleeping" one day when Daddy was sick from a bad toothache/headcold.  Today however he took the cake when his cuteness when Evelyn sneezed and he responded quickly with "Bless you Ebie."  Sigh....even though he pushed every button I had today, those three little words completely made up for it!