Gumdrops for Everyone!!

Last night I enjoyed rocking my babies (both of them) on my lap while we watched the 'Polar Express' for the 2nd time that day, It's Drue's ALL-TIME favorite! They were both being so good and I was just cherishing the moment... I didn't want to put them in their beds andwhen we finally did go upstairs, I layed next to Drue until she fell asleep...ok, I don't know when she fell asleep, I think I beat her. My intention was to post something after she fell asleep but when I woke up it was 1:40 a.m. Didn't feel like it then...SO...I have to catch up on what happened.

Aug. 2nd, 2006! =) We had made a big deal that Tues. Drue would no longer be 2...but 2 and a HALF! She came into the kitchen yesterday morning and said, "Mom! DD 2 half now!" How exciting! She doesn't get it though...kind of a birthday, not really, no presents, not 3...BUT there was going to be CAKE!!! Early Tues. morning, Ryan called and asked if we could take him something...I don't know what it was, it was for work, stored in our machine shed...don't know...don't care, I guess. Anyway...We had to drive way to Clarion/Latimer...ok, I don't even know the town but it took about 45 mins. to get there and it was off I-35 and we met him at a truck stop called Dudley's. I decided to make an outing of it since I wasn't going to get what was on my "to-do" list done anyway. On the way home the kids and I stopped and had lunch at McDonalds. Drue loves the play area and being the organized, think ahead (sometimes!) mother I am...I even remembered to pack a pair of DD's socks so she could climb on the toys. (They're required!) Drue ordered her 4 piece chicken nugget happy meal, no fries, instead, apple dippers and carmel, AND a "cheese-hamburger." The cheese was a surprise, usually it's "DD no like cheese on hamburger!" She took a few bites, ate one nugget, a lot of the apples and wanted "ibiss" (ice-cream) So...I know this is wrong, but I let her play on the stuff while Lane and I went to get the ice-cream. When I returned, the noisy toy area was dead silent. Except....for my daughter screaming, crying, "MOMMY!" She had got to the top of the slide but didn't want to go down the slide and a line of kids had formed behind her and she didn't know how to get down that way, either. I strapped Dig in his stroller, kicked off my sandals and quickly climbed my way to the top...(yeah, that was fun) and then told her we had to go down the slide. Drue proceeded to scream, "ouchy!" until we got to the bottom. We got off the slide and she turned to me and said, "DD go home RIGHT now!" She didn't even touch her ice-cream. She had had enough drama for one day!

Once we got home we made her "half-birthday cupcakes." The day before we had purchased a confetti cake mix and frosting. We added a pack of tropical punch Kool-Aid to the frosting, making it bright red and SOUR! Drue helped stir the cake and clean the whisk,(all-be-it, with her TONGUE!) she frosted a few cupcakes and put gumdrops on them and her cake. Some cupcakes had 1 gumdrop, others had anywhere from 3 to 6! I have pictures I will share here soon! =) We also had to make it very official...I put 2 candles on her cupcake and cut one in 1/2 so she had 2 1/2 candles...she had me light them 5 or 6 times just so she could blow them out again and again! It's pretty hard blowing out candles with your teeth touching your lips...Do this for me say the word "frog," the "f" sound...that's how DD blows out candles, but hey, she got it, eventually. =) All in all, I think Drue had a pretty good half-birthday. Dig even ate an entire cupcake! He's totally excited for his big day in September!

Oh...a funny COKE story...Today, Drue was sitting at the table having breakfast and told me, "Coke owey (sp??) on foot. Coke freaked out! Said 'Where's DD?' DD say, 'Coke want a snacky?' Coke say, 'Oh yah!' She has used the words "freaked out" a lot today??? Didn't know she knew them.

Exciting Lane news, too! As most of you know Drue used American Sign Language before she was able to speak. I had taken a few courses in college and even once since Ryan and I were married. I love it! Drue could sign...more, please, thank-you, milk, cookie, hungry, thirsty, blanky, um what else??? I don't remember off hand, but it's all written in her baby book. BUT... today....DIG signed "more!" He was sitting in his walker and Drue was having a snack (if you call spaghetti at 4:00 a snack?!) and was sharing some sweet potato puffs with him. We've been working on it and actually, I think he was trying to do it last night, but...Drue was signing and saying "more, Dig?" and he started copying his big sister! He did it and just smiled. I honestly about cried. I had the goose-bumps! I am so proud of him! He did it over and over, such smart kids we have! :) Tonight Lane did one more thing for the first time...Dishes! When Drue was just little I'd always stick her in the other side of the sink while I was doing dishes, she'd splash, fill cups, etc... tonight was Dig's turn! He loved it...I have pictures of that as well...Lane is also practicing standing without holding on to anything. He can do it for a few seconds, his balance is pretty good.

Ryan had a call at 9 that another cow was out, 2 nights in a row now. When he came home, both of the kids were asleep on my lap in the recliner. Drue didn't take a nap today and was pretty tired. A man was spraying the bean field next to our house this afternoon, in his airplane. We sat out in our yard and watched for about 15 mins. Drue thought it was pretty cool seeing a bright yellow plane that close to our house!

I had to leave there and nurse Lane...better go get in the tub before he wakes up again and doesn't see me! ~kabl