Smarty Pants

We were on our way home from the store when Clara asked me in a very grown up voice full of attitude, "Are you sure this is the way home?"

Seriously, I guess now that she's 4 she already thinks she's smarter than everyone else. Of course, no amount of telling her that it was in fact the way home could convince her that I knew what I was doing.

Zoo Birthday

She's four and look at her roar!

My wild and crazy four year old spent her fabulous birthday at the zoo. She woke up announcing that birthday princesses have to wear fancy dresses on their birthdays so there you have it, complete with stockings and ballet shoes. My birthday girl wanted to see the lions first so we spent quite a while in the big cat area, Clara roaring at the tigers and pacing with the jaguars.

Then we spent the rest of the day milling about checking out the rest of the wildlife. We spent a nice chunk of time in the reptile house looking at snakes and alligators. After lunch, Clara was quick to tell me that she was still hungry and might want a little vanilla ice cream with toppings. So, yes, we did that too.



It was a beautiful day and I really enjoyed spending it with my little girls, even singing kids' songs all the way to Philly and back, in traffic. I really can't believe my baby is four. Really, where did time go? I was choked up all day watching her run around and tell me all her little observations and cute statements. I really am very proud of the little girl she has become and look forward to seeing her grow to 5 and beyond.

As Clara clearly stated to Hazel this morning. "I'm four now, Hazel!" Yes, yes you are.

The trouble maker getting in on the action.

Baby Abigail, with mom always close by.

The comedian

We have a budding comedian in our family. Clara has taken a sudden interest in jokes. A few months ago Bryan told her this one "Why was 6 afraid of seven? Because seven ate nine." She still doesn't quite get it but it spawned her interest in the idea of telling jokes. I have gotten her to tell this one but sometimes she gets it a little mixed up. "What's black and white and red all over? A skunk with a sunburn." She will sometimes repeat with "What's red and white and black all over? A skunk with a sunburn." She has tried many times to make up her own. Many involve just silly phrases like this. "I'm going to tell you a joke. A banana with a shopping cart." And then she giggles. At least she finds herself funny. And of course I can't help but giggle along with her silliness.

La,la,la,la

Being a typical two year old, Hazel wants to make her own decisions about everything now. Only problem she can't ever make up her mind. "Blue! No, Yellow! No, Blue!" Drives me crazy! I wonder where she gets her indecisiveness from :P

Hazel decided after much deliberation to wear her pink Elmo socks today. On our way home from storytime she was singing, "La,la,la,la. La,la,la,la. Elmo socks."

My little ballerina

Clara is very into ballet right now. She pulled a pair of ballet
slippers out of a bag of hand-me-downs I received a few months ago.
Since then she has been doing ballet all over the house. She also
loves reading books about ballet and watching Angelina Ballerina. This
weekend I hit up a local consignment sale and came across an extremely
cheap ballet leotard. She is in heaven.

( Of course no outfit is complete without a green bead necklace ;) )

Thoughts

When I found out we were having our second child the most common
comment I got from other mothers was it gets better once your youngest
turns two. As I immersed myself in the craziness that was my new life
of a mother of two, I wasn't so sure. Life took on a whole new level
of chaos. Now, two years later, I'm finding out it's true. Things are
quieting down. The girls frequently play together or on there own
without me and the level of chaos is subsiding. Of course, we have our
moments or maybe I'm just becoming immuned to craziness. However, I
really feel like life is pretty fantastic right now. So for all those
moms out there with a toddler under one arm and a baby in the other. I
know how you feel and on those bad days I'll tell you it does get
better.
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