Squeezin' Time

Dear Zellie, 
This past Thursday we took a trip to Greenwood to get your glasses (will post more about this later) and to visit with your birthmom, WW.  We
had a really nice visit with her, her son J, your half birth brother, and a couple of his friends who were spending their spring break at WW's.  He wasn't too sure about baby holding time but I caught him sneekin' looks at you.  Her new house is as cute as ever.  She showed me some more pictures from her past.  I always enjoy seeing those.  We left her with a hundred plus photos of you from the last couple of months.   

She gave you a dolly from her and one from her mom that she forgot to get to you our last visit in February.  So cute!  She also was so thoughtful of Henry and got him a cute Cars truck, which the two of you played with together yesterday on a big rug in the garage.  (You kept pulling Henny's hair when he drove it past you.  He patiently uncurled your fingers from his tangles each time.)  WW looks great and is still hopeful to find a job.  She has applied endlessly and has had a couple of leads to no avail.  I hope she finds something soon!   In other news Mama realized that the message she sent your birth father JM in December hadn't been seen so I sent it again.  We got a response!  It was short but it is a start.  So much love for our lil Zell.  Love, Mama 

Easter 2013

Dear Henny and Zellie, 
You were two pretty lil Easter eggs.  I took some lovely pictures of the two of you on our back deck.  On Saturday we went to Grandma LaJeans for a yummy lunch with Krispie, Currie and Anne.  The Easter Bunny found his way there to drop off some eggs for you to find.  

Henry you were a great big brother and took out time to bring a couple eggs to your sister.  So sweet.  

You both really enjoyed the hunt but REALLY enjoyed getting your Easter baskets.  The day was gorgeous for some outside play so we spent some time in the back yard.  

Then we spent the night with Grandma P and Bahboo.  The next morning we went to church with Grandma LaJean.  Hazel was as sweet as pie but Henry, you were a little challenged to sit still so we went and chased each other in the basement.  Afterwards though you both had to do a little meet and greet so people could ooh and ah over your cuteness.

We then went back to Bahboo's and Grandma P's and played with dominoes, building towers and paths to tip over.  Zellie you had a great snuggle with Grandma P.   

In the afternoon Mama, Bahboo, Henry and Grandma LaJean laughed our way through The Croods.  It was a fun weekend with lots of sweets.  What more could you want? 
Love, Mama  

How Much Art Can You Take

Dear Hazelita Kahlo and Henry Matisse, 
We've been having some pretty awesome art times lately.  A few weeks ago we created the greatest chicken legged monster with Henny and Hazelita hands for a tail.
We also explored color, mixing and learning warm colors and cool colors.  

Just noticed I bent one of the tail feathers.

You did the green tree and red fire

We tested how color impacts the way we see things by making drawings of things we love in the opposite color pallet.  We made red trees and blue green fire.  To my surprise when I asked you to write the words hot and cool on the paper I spelled them and you wrote it.  HUH!?!  We have worked on letters since day one but holy shock to see you knew all these letters and could write them down with very little direction from me.  I was so proud!  Last week we looked at different line types; zig zag, straight, wavy and curves/arcs.  

We went on a search of the house and yard to 
find these lines then we drew them ourselves.  We enjoyed looking at a painting by Juan Miro, The Man and the Dog and The Purple Robe, by Henry Matisse and talking 
about their lines and how they represented the people. You really liked finding the dog, took pride in discovering the different line types and seeing an entire new image by turning the painting upside down.  We read a little thing about what illustrators do for stories and picked out some of our favorites from your large book collection.  Then you picked a favorite toy to draw, thinking about the different lines as you went and here is the awesome result...It is a dinosaur and you on the bottom far left.

You had me stand up and model my arms.  Your first more than a line arms.

Learning about lines really improved your representational drawing skills tremendously.  This week I started off with the plan to read two versions of The Three Billy Goats Gruff and watch three versions on You Tube (a traditional telling, a horrible rap, and two kids using Legos).  We had a funny conversation about the worded descriptions of the troll and how the various artists depicted the troll.  Then I wanted you to become the artist and draw or sculpt your vision of what the troll would look like.  We planned for about five minutes and set to work on a red bodied blue armed and legged sculpture, reserving the plans for the head for after we saw the results of those. Then our plan got derailed when we were waiting for our red toilet paper roll, the trolls body, to dry we started painting.  I asked you to tell me a story while you painted and you did as I wrote it down.  

The deer is the yellow line on the right and you are the left just under the red line.

    "This is a forest.  This is a creek, that is at the bottom 
    of it.  There is a little boy who is hunting for a deer.  He
    wants to be friends with the deer because the deer 
    talks.  They meet each other and they being friends 
    now."  
You were really excited to use some different brush techniques, including scratching some paint away to make a fence along the creek and rolling the brush loaded with paint across the page to create the moving stream filled with mixed up colors.  As you painted and mixed colors you happily said, "Wow!  We are like REAL artists!"  

It was a great time together.  Hazel loved watching then trying finger painting herself.  Zell, you squashed your fingers up in the paint and I'd help you splat your hand on the paper then you'd scratch and stretch your fingers out and quickly spring them back in a fist over and over.  

I think you were unsure if you liked it or not, but you seemed to love your finished results.  

They both live on the fridge now.  Henry congratulated you on your first painting on the fridge and made sure I wrote the date and your age on the back as I have with him time and again.  The red toilet paper tube was forgotten, as were our poor troll's legs and arms but we had a simple, great time.  I love learning with my babies.  I can't wait for art time this week. 
Love, Mama

How I love all of the very simple things of life

Dear Peach, 
Since spring is being stubborn we are inside listening to the Morrissey channel while you rock your Morrissey onesie.  You enjoyed dancing with me and would pat your leg or move your head back and forth.  You're soooooo sweet!  Love my blossoming dancing queen.  There are many more genres and songs for us to get down too. Yeah!
 Love, Mama

4 ! Shazam!

Dear Peep, 
You turned four this month!  Four!  One day in the car I asked you how a four year old differs from a mere boy of 3... You gave me a long explanation with your little hand cocked out like you do of how a four year old has to do things he is told and they get to play with friends more and you have to get your close in the hamper and so on.  Your last day of three I squeezed you lots thinking of how our time at home day in and day out would be giving way in a year in a half to rides to school and activities that will take you closer to the independent person we've watched you take steps toward this year.  

You can be very helpful all on your own.  

You put the silverware away each dishwasher load, you put your clothes in the hamper and your shoes on the shoe rack, you potty all by yourself and make it dry through the night, you keep a regular bed time and initiate your tooth brushing routine ending with Daddy clonking your back saying, "Hey, how ya doing?!" so you can spit.  You're a funny dude with a STRONG will.  You can reason us up and down with out flinching.  Just a couple of days after your birthday while riding in the car you said, "Hey, Mommy, now that I'm four I think I should have four books at bedtime instead of three."  That evening you negotiated with Daddy and we all agreed that it made sense.  This also means time outs are 4 minutes too now, oops that one may have backfired a little.  To celebrate your big day we met with Grandma P, Bahboo, Uncle Gary, Grandma LaJean, Krispie, Currie and your best buddy Jonny Cakes.  Daddy made you a special birthday t-shirt with Black Flagesque candles on the front.  We met up at Zaharako's in Columbus ate and enjoyed an AWESOME R2D2 cake that your aunties made.  

You couldn't contain yourself.  You had to see the greatness under the foil.

It was marble and delicious, good looking too.  

After lunch we walked across the road to the indoor playground so you and Jonny could get all sweaty.  You had a great time.  

You were so excited about the walkie talkies Daddy and I got you, later telling me, "OH! Thank you mommy for getting those walkie talkies. I've always wanted some!"  It was a fun time finished off by you and Jonny playing at Grandma P's and Bahboo's and hittin' the hot tub. 

So happy to have our family join us for your big number 4!  Later that day you enjoyed a video sent by JoJo singing happy birthday.  We are still trying to make plans to get together but with her school schedule it isn't as easy as it onces was.  We love her the same and our gratitude for seeing in us the parents that would be right for you is immeasurable.  Bahboo also made sure he documented your height.  I can't believe it has been 4 years since you became our big bag of lovin' (as you like to say).  

I love ya so much, our little dude full of energy and bursting light.  Maybe this year you will tame down.  I doubt it and I don't think I'd really want to.  To many more years, from what you tell us you're never leaving to go anywhere and you will likely just marry us, so we will get that wish.  
Love, Mama