Take my picture, Mama

Around age 2, each of my kids has reached the "take my picture, mama" phase.

Birthday fairy

Ella was very excited to help set up the table for Dash's (6th!!!) birthday morning.  She was dubious about my idea for Pokemon flowers but her execution was fabulous.

Sherman

Without really being aware of it, I apparently call Max "Bucko" quite frequently.  As in "Here, Bucko, come here and eat your waffle!"  or "Hey, Bucko, come put on your shoes."

Tonight Dashiell came to me and very seriously said "Mom, you call Max Bucko a lot but there is a very bad character in the Lego catalog named Bucko so I don't think we should call Max that anymore."  And then he showed me the picture of the bad guy who is, in fact, named Bucko.

Then Dashiell continued and said, with total sincerity "I think instead of Bucko, we should call him Sherman."

I managed not to laugh and agreed to change Max's nickname from Bucko to Sherman.

Then bedtime was upon us and I called out "Hey, Bucko, it's time for books!"  Max came running but so did Dashiell who admonished me. "MOM, it's Sherman, not Bucko."

So I said "All right, Sherman, time for books!"  and then as I tucked Max in, I said "I love you, Sherman!  Sleep tight, Sherman."

Max lifted his sleepy head up and said "I NOT Sherman.  I Max"

Kitchen obstacles

I really think Max sits up at night to come up with new ways to make cooking dinner an obstacle course. Tonight: boxes awaiting recycling.

Someday

Someday (sooner rather than later, I hope, but who really knows), we will gut this old and outdated kitchen, and we'll put in fancy new things. But I also know as time passes and we get the fancy things, Max will keep growing up and my new fancy kitchen floor won't be covered in long long trains.  He might not want to hang out with me every second while I cook dinner when we get to Fancyville. Parenting emotions are never simple.

Preschool fashion

Waking out the door to school, Max stopped to rummage around the bin of hats and gloves. He pulled out this sweatband and said "I wear this today!" Right on, little dude.

First soccer practice

Dash started playing "real" soccer this season (ie a separate practice and game each week) and he could not be more excited. 

Since he and Ella both play soccer now, I am enjoying the start of season newness of a bin full of matching soccer socks, clean cleats, and functional shin guards.  I predict by the end of the season, we will still be scrambling around before games for any clean and available piece of equipment.