B-E-E-R

Gracie and Ani are very close.  She loves her dog. It's a symbiotic relationship, as she loves to feed Gracie as well.  Both Grace and Ani know that this arrangement is taboo, and if caught, Gracie will be banished to the corner of the room and Ani admonished for feeding the dog.  Yet most meals, if you look closely, you will see Ani subtly slipping Gracie a piece of whatever-it-is-she-doesn't-like, and Gracie gently pulling it from her hand.  I will admit that I let them get away with it because it's pretty cute to watch.

The talking report is still somewhat slim, though Annah now correctly identifies her belly button and her head when prompted.  She has made it clear she loves kitties, and now says "kiddie" when she sees one.  And she always is smiling.  She is so happy.  She's also full of energy.  She is completely different from her brother.  She loves dancing and music, and loves to talk and sing.  It's hard to get her to sit still for a book, but climbing the stairs is the best way to spend the evening.  

Gavin has been learning his letters.  He can identify quite a few letters, and he has started asking how to spell words.  The first word that he asked about was beer.  Ryan told him, and for the rest of the evening, Gavin walked around saying "beer... B-E-E-R... beer...." as if prepping for the Alcoholic Toddlers Spelling Bee or practicing his recertation for various daycare and dept of Human Services personel.  Dinnertime is the best time for Gavin proclaimations and newsflashes.  Which is where this week's best quote came from.  The Gavin quote of the week is... (drumroll)... "Mommy, when you are a three year old boy, you like avocado and shrimp."  he also told us that he wants to be a teacher.  Just like his daycare teachers, Miss Justine and Miss Vicki.  I'm not sure he knows Ryan is a teacher.  

The kids are both asleep now - they went to bed at 6:30, which Is pretty early, but last night we stayed with friends of ours several hours away.  They have a 4-year-old little girl that gets along well with Gavin.  When I was putting him to bed last night, he whispered to me that she "looked really pretty today".  Oh, how that made me ache.  How sweet can one kid be?  I do not want to be one of those moms who says that no girl could ever be good enough for her son, but I can see his heart getting broken some day.  And he's too young to think girls are pretty.  You are growing too fast, little Gavie.  I also love to do that little nighttime cliche move, and sneak into their bedrooms at night to watch them sleep.  They look so perfect, and they smell so sweet and sound so peaceful with their slow, relaxed breaths.  Its those moments every night I want to freeze in time.