winter what-nots

My kids.  They drive me crazy.  They make me laugh.  I utterly adore them.  With Jackson still Tracked Out, the freezing cold weather, and an ice storm, we have had a LOT of time together indoors.

They may be 4.5 years apart, but they certainly know how to pester each other.  Going for the full sibling experience, I guess.  One minute they are chasing and giggling... the next they take toys from each other and scream out.  Hannah is not so sure about having Jackson at home with us during the day as she definitely acts out when my attention is centered on him.

Jack is wii-obsessed.  He would happily play all day long if I let him.  I took cue from my friend and set up new parameters for his play:  However long he spends on homework or reading, he gets that same amount of time to play wii.  No more arguing and he's more motivated than ever to get school work done.  He is really impressing me with his reading abilities lately.

Caught!

Hannah has entered into a new phase I call the "stinker phase".  She is quite mischievous and active!  The girl is ALL over the place and very sneaky...  Hides my hair brush.  Sneaks candy.  I went upstairs to grab her shoes and in the 30 seconds I was gone she had climbed onto the kitchen table, grabbed and pencil and decorated my notebook.  She is testing the limits in virtually every area.  Where is my sweet, docile little thing??!  :)

For all her recent rambunctiousness, she has become the extreme snuggler.  She often leads me to a chair, tells me to sit, and gathers all her beloved objects (usually nite nite blankie, sippy cup, doll, and magnadoodle) for a lengthy snuggle time on my lap.  I love this!  However, she does have a knack for picking inopportune times - like when I'm cooking dinner or helping Jackson with homework.  Hannah gives me hugs and kisses all day long, and often tells me "lub you".  Melts my heart!

Her vocabulary has really multiplied and she will chat up a storm.  She will sit on my lap and go on and on with real words mixed with babble.  She's putting more words together: "Mommy, cups.  Juice.  Peeeez.  Yummy Yummy"  (translation: I am thirsty. Please give me yummy juice.)

doesn't she look like a stinker?

Other cute quotable moments:

Hannah calls the Chewbacca action figure, "Lion", and makes it roar.  It's a new favorite for her.

At a blended service our church had with another church that is primarily African American, Jackson said to me, "Mom, they say AMEN alot."

Jackson: "Well, I love Beauty and the Beast.  It's not a girl movie.  They do lots of cool battles."