Someone around this house is giving us a run for our money.

No, it's not him this time. I mean, he is probably instigating something 90% of the time, but this girl stands up to nothing. She has the "nooooooo" (insert high pitched screaching) down pat, and she will push as much as she's being pushed. Oh, this sweet, sassy girl.

Right up there? She's saying "hello, hi." Everything is a phone. A barbie doll, a kitchen timer, the remote control, the radish from the kitchen set. They are all telephones.

Quinn was under the weather last week and clingy doesn't even begin to describe how she was feeling. By 5:30, when Ryan walked through the door, I would gladly pass her off and hide just to give my arms a break. As long as she couldn't see me, she was fine. She had some restless nights, one of which she spent the better part of two hours crying inconsolably. After a few rounds of garlic oil in her ears and some motrin before bed, she was feeling much better in no time. But the clencher, and there always is one. Clingy days, restless nights spent nursing always equal more clingy days and nights waking to nurse out of habit. And that's where we are right now...

Isabella is in a serious "teach me, I love to learn, teach me" phase. She can't get enough of her preschool worksheets, spelling words, rhyming, opposites, coloring the 'perfect' picture, reading stories, you name it, she wants to learn it. And it doesn't stop with the 'preschool' activities. She's also a little obsessed with learning to ride a bike, with training wheels of course. Ryan finally rigged her little bike so that she can pedal more easily and she's mastered the turn, the braking, and the speed, so now she just wants to ride. Unfortunatly we have a very long, very gravel filled driveway...not conducive to bikeriding...

It doesn't stop there, no, no. She can also drive a lawn mower like nobody's business. On Sunday, Ryan cut down a few small trees at my mom's and Isabella "drove" the mower around, collecting branches, unloading the wheelbarrow, raking leaves, piling them into buckets, tossing them over the fence, and declaring it 'the best day ever.' I love it when the most simple days are confidently voted 'the best.'

And Ryan was awarded the amazing dad award. I mean, he totally cut that branch, strategically creating a heart shaped stump.

On Saturday we went downtown to the Veteran's Day parade and to take Declan on a trolley ride. Declan loves the trolley downtown and every time he sees it, he begs to ride. Granted, last year when we actually did take him on the trolley, he clung to either my mom or me, holding on for dear life and asked the whole time, when it would be over.
This year was a far cry from last.

Even better for him, the trolley dropped us off right in front of Split Banana and Declan was carrying around a dime in his pocket all day. According to him, just enough money for some ice cream.

Mom had a flashback moment in a great store downtown. She found a handmade wool hat that looked similar to one she had as a child. It had long braided pieces on each side and she said that, as a little girl, she would pretend that the braids were her actual hair. Guess who got the hat? And guess who walks around pretending she's Rapunzel?

Sorry, person who owns this yellow bike. It entertained my kid for 15 minutes while we waiting for the trolley. I hope your chains are still intact...