Al-uh-buh-NAN-nuh!

Lily has taken to singing a new song she must have learned at school. It goes a little something like this:

"OHHH Buh-NAN-nuh (banana), dontchoo (don't you) cry for me!  Al-uh-buh-NAN-nuh on my knee!"

I have been singing this version (along with the real version) in my head for a few weeks now and it makes me smile every time. I actually took Lily to see the Steven Foster Story when she was a baby (like maybe 6-7 months old) because my cousin, Jessie, was singing the lead. Maybe it's stuck in her head from back then!!

Lots of little things have gone on in the last few weeks.  Just after Tyler's birthday, we turned his car seat around!

Lily's pretty happy that they are facing the same way now but she was disappointed that she still couldn't reach Tyler's hand. 

Tyler "graduated" to the toddler room full time last week.  I nearly forgot to take his picture on his first day!  But I did get a couple shots - he was way more interested in playing with all these new toys than paying attention to me for a picture.

 

 

The kids got their fall school pictures taken a couple weeks ago.  The picture are in which I'll try to post soon but here are some pictures of the preparations.

 

 

 I worked so hard on hot rolling Lily's hair.  She was being so good and patient, which she NEVER does, and I was really excited for how cute her hair was going to turn out.

And then I took it out of the hot rollers and you pretty much couldn't even tell I had curled it.  Her hair is soooo baby fine and soft, it didn't take the curl AT ALL.  Sigh.... Oh well.

 

 

Lily was wearing a new dress and all morning she was pulling at it and complaining about the tag itching her.  So I cut the tag out... but then the leftovers tag bits were still itching her so I had her in the green room (aka "mommy's office" according to Lily) using the seam ripper to get the rest of the tag out.  Meanwhile, Tyler was in the living room "playing."  Next thing you know, I hear a big crash and I look out from the green room and see this:

 



 

We had this plant on a stand in the living room and normally it's pushed up against the wall out of the way, but I had moved it when I was taking the kids' pictures and didn't put it back.  I guess Tyler tried to pull himself up on the plant stand and knocked it over.  Thank God, he didn't get hurt.  The pot fell just right in order to miss him.  Poor baby was so scared! 

Last week I travelled for work for the first time since Tyler was born.  I was in Chicago for 3 nights and I got soooo homesick!! 

 

 

 

After two nights of big fancy dinners and $50 steaks, I decided on the third night that I wanted a little something specific to Chicago and a little less fancy.  Stuffed pizza and a some kind of girly martini thing.  YUM!

 

I also got my hair cut last week!  This is the first time ever that someone other than Mom has cut my hair! 

Here's a picture but it's not the best shot.  This was at the end of the day after my hair was a little less than fluffy.

I got a new (to me) car last week!  Yay!!

 

The Pathfinder has just presented one problem after another after another and something was going goofy with the brakes and that was the LAST STRAW.  Mom said she was considering getting a new car and so while Joel and I drooled a little bit over brand new cars, neither one of us wanted to spend that kind of money.  So buying a used car from someone we knew took care of it was a no brainer!  Thanks Mom!!

And then.....one week later.....

I get rear ended in my new car.  REALLY?????  The damage is minimal but I've had a stiff neck every since.  Both Lily and Tyler were with me when it happened.  They both seemed to be fine but in shock immediately after it happened.  I turned around to check on them after impact and both of them looked like their eyes were bugging out of their heads in surprise.  Lily said, "Mommy, who bumped us?"

So now we have the annoying process of dealing with insurance and the inconvenience of getting this fixed but I'm so thankful the babes are all right. 

For Tyler's birthday, both Lily and Tyler got tricycles!  Lily is really starting to the hang of it now, but here she was on the inaugural trip around the neighborhood.  She is REALLY concentrating!

 And lastly, I'm finally making progress on the quilt for baby girl Elsass!  She just might get this blankie before her first birthday after all..... I hope.....