"I'm going to sleep a one, NOT a two, ok Mommy?"

Lola doesn't usually fight bedtime anymore. We go through the usual round of "I have to go pee" or "I need a drink" or "Just a few more longers?" but usually bedtime is pretty quiet. Book, blanky, bathroom, brush teeth, and bed.....in that order. Lately though, when I have been putting her to bed, even for naps, she informs me that she is only going to sleep a one, not a two. No way, no how, not a two, just a one. That is that. I have noooooo idea what she is talking about. I just nod and say "Ok, honey, that's fine, a one will be just right." The only thing I can think of is that she has made the connection that since a two is bigger than a one, then sleeping a one must not be as long as a two. Who really knows. If I spent a minute trying to unravel the mysteries of every three-year-old thought process, I wouldn't have time to do anything else. Cute though.

So we are now the proud owners of a baby guinea pig. Wil thinks that the guinea pig must have been a really bad person in a past life, and is now serving out some kind of moral life sentence as the pet of a small hyperactive child. Of course, Lola is not allowed to play with the guinea pig without one of us hovering right over her, but still. On any given day you can find both children plastered up against the cage, making the kind of noise that would make any small animal curl into the fetal position. Rowan loves to poke toys through the wires, which the guinea pig has finally decided to ignore. Today his name is Buddy, but since we got it, it has been Banana, Lenny, Sabbo, Wil (Daddy loved that one), Sophia, and Guinea Pig, we will see how long the name Buddy lasts. Buddy recently received a big hamster roller ball, which we feel provides him some kind of armored protection from the kids and cats as he rolls around the living room. Poor thing...he must have really been naughty to deserve this! Just kidding, he doesn't have it all that bad.

A few days ago was the annual St. Patricks Day Dog Parade. Now, I love dogs as much as the next gal, but seriously. This parade tickles me so much. I have to laugh at the people driving by during this little ramshackle parade of kids and dogs dressed in gaudy green attire, skipping along behind a man playing a fiddle. The whole ensemble parades down Main Street, where maybe 10 confused onlookers watch from the sidewalk in front of the grocery store. The whole thing is wacky, but really really fun! Lola had a blast, getting to walk the dog all by herself for the first time. Rowan liked riding in the waggon, but really had no clue what was going on.

We recently got to go to the jumping place again, and Lola had a great time there. Rowan was big enough this time to enjoy the baby jump land, and he totally figured out how to climb up the rungs and go down the little baby slide by himself. He did not figure out how to go around again, instead fretting about trying to climb back up the slide, and causing a baby-slide traffic jam.




We got to visit some friends that we haven't seen in awhile, and got some cute pictures of the kids. Well, cute pictures of her kids. Mine decided to give us her very best cheesy smile that she saves only for those occasions when I would like her to smile nice. Oh well, it was fun nonetheless. Here are some pictures of the kids past and present. They are all very close to the same age.

On that same trip we went to the Gem Show, which I admit, I thought would be a complete drag. Wil was very excited to go though, so I sucked it up. It was really fun! Lola had so much fun looking at all the "jewels" and she got to pick out a geode and help the man break it with a special tool. When it broke, the guy realized that it was kind of a special one with these little pokey things inside that Lola shouldn't touch. She was bummed that she couldn't play with the pretty rock, but soon forgot about it after she got to "dig for gold" and found all kinds of shiny rocks to put in her little rock pouch necklace.



Overall, the weekend was very busy, and very fun and relaxing. I love it when we get to spend some good quality time together as a family. Well, I am going to bed. It is late and I have work tomorrow. I am definitely going to sleep a two, not a one.