Green=Grouchy

Dakota has somehow mixed Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street, with the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

They now have one name... Oscar the Grinch. :)

She's also combined Snoopy and Scooby Doo... Snoopy Doo

Rock Salt

We were headed into church the other day for a family baby blessing and had our first frost the night before. So, the parking lot and sidewalk had been sprinkled with salt.

On our way into the building, Dakota exclaims with an adoring tone to her voice, "Awe, look Mom... it's snow crumbs!"

I didn't have the heart to correct her. I thought it was too cute.

Hope we have a full winter of 'snow crumbs' before she grows up too quickly!

A few of my favorite fings...

Dakota is pretty darn smart and talks a lot and has a huge vocabulary. However, there a few things she still doesn't pronounce just right that I just adore. So I don't even try to correct her. They grow up too fast!

Anything that has a soft "th" sound she replaces with "f" ie:
fings, fank you, anyfing, norf pole, fink... etc.

theatre=feeter

Theodore (Alvin and Chipmunks)=Fidiore... LOVE that one! So cute!

Alvin=Alavan

Muppets=Muffets

Caterpillar=Calla-pitter

Will add to this later...

Santa

Well Dakota was super excited to see Santa this year and had her list of toys to ask for that keeps changing daily.

Oakley was scared of Santa at first and screamed but finally relented when we gave him a rice krispie treat.

Ryden loved being held.

After pictures were taken, we headed to the car to leave.

Dakota started panicking...

"Uh-oh. We forgot our stuff. Our Barbie car and Repunzel..." (what she requested from Santa moments before)

I had to explain Santa doesn't just hand over the presents. We have to wait till Christmas morning.

The next morn we had the opportunity to see Santa again. This time no kids cried. But Dakota walked up to Santa and exclaimed, "Santa, you forgot our fings!"

I had to explain things to her all over again.

Calm Down

My first day out running errands after the baby was a long one. I took Dakota with me and promised if she was good for the few hours we were out, she could pick out a redbox movie.

She was good and picked out a Barbie movie.

When we arrived home, she popped it in immediately. I sat down next to her to feed Ryden and this conversation ensued:

Dakota: "Maybe we should watch the Shrek movie."
Me: "You want to watch Shrek? Why did we rent the Barbie movie if you wanted to watch Shrek? We already have Shrek."
Dakota: "Calm down, calm down, calm down, Mom. I mean, AFTER we watch the Barbie movie, we should watch Shrek."
Me: "O... K... then." :)

Welcoming Baby Ryden

Ryden was born on Monday in the early afternoon. The kids came to see him that evening for the first time. They reacted pretty much exactly as I expected. Dakota first entered with Betty and came bounding in the room with a huge grin on her face. I watched her eyes scan the room, looking for the new baby. She climbed up on the bed to see me and then I pointed to Ryden laying in the hospital bassinet. She stood up on the bed to look at him. She exclaimed, "He's out! Your baby came out! He's got red cheeks!" I explained that his name was Ryden and she repeated him name perfectly and asked to hold him.

She sat down on the bed next to me and Betty place him in her lap. She held him so gently and just stared at him quietly for a full 3 or 4 minutes. She kissed him and stroked his head and after those minutes of silence, she looked at me and quietly asked, "Can I keep him?"

It was so cute! She continues to be a good big sister. She sings to him, gives him binky and tells him stories. She likes to hold him and talk to him and mimic everything I do with her baby doll.

Oakley is a different story... He hasn't shown an interest in babies ever. Period. We tried to prepare him for the birth and he just did not care. His reaction to seeing the baby for the first time was pretty much the same. He did not care. He didn't want to be at the hospital and was being difficult to start. When he came in, he didn't want to say hi or see the baby. He just ran around and grumbled, and was being destructive.

Finally, Dakota wanted Daddy to see the baby and tried to carry Ryden over to him. Doug took Ryden and finally Oakley was curious. He walked up to where Doug was sitting and got on his tippy toes and checked him out. He pointed at first (a little rough) and then got frustrated and starting swatting at him. He lost interest and walked away. Ryden was returned to me in bed and after about a half hour, Oakley again showed interest in who was taking my attention. He climbed up on my bed and and looked at the baby. Finally, he pointed again. He showed me his eyes and his cheeks and his mouth. Then when I tried to get him to say "baby", he got mad and jumped down. That was about the end of his interaction that night.

Today, we brought Ryden home from the hospital. Dakota showed immediate interest again. But again, Oakley was distracted and irritated. But after about an hour of running around, he finally walked over to where I was sitting and checked him out again, pointing and looking at me with a curious face. I tried to get him to say "baby" and he just jibbered at me, but it was a positive response.

After taking a nap, Oakley came into my room where I was feeding the baby. He climbed up on my bed and gently approached him again. He pointed to his face again and then he said "Bayba". I smiled and encouraged him and he said it a few more times. Since then, he has tried to push the baby in his swing and has shown a little more interest. I think it will get better with time. The first time he heard Ryden cry around dinner time, he stopped eating, turned and just stared at him in amazement. Aunt Melissa came by to visit and was holding the baby for a bit. When Oakley entered the room and saw me without the baby for the first time, he came running over and jumped into my lap. He was so happy to have his own mommy time. I think I will just need to carve out special time for him every day.

We love having a new baby brother in the house and I look forward to all the cute ways my kids will bond over the next few weeks and for the rest of our lives!

Big Sister and Sibling Rivalry

Dakota has always been a good helper and a pretty good big sister. She wakes up before any of us, and so we are in the habit now of leaving the TV on her favorite cartoon channel. When she wakes up, she usually sneaks out of the bedroom and comes in to say good morning, then goes downstairs, turns on the TV and helps herself to some breakfast while the rest of us are trying to get as much shut-eye as possible.

As soon as she hears Oakley wake up, she comes back up and lets him out of the room. The other morning, she let him out and then proceeded to open a package of pop tarts and gave one of them to him. Such a nice big sister! Always taking care of her baby brother.

For the most part, they play really well together and are pretty great friends. However, lately Oakley has started to learn how to get a reaction out of Dakota.

The other day, Dakota had some toy animals all lined up, playing. Oakley ran in, grabbed two animals out of the line-up and dashed out of the room. After she cried for him to return them, he finally brought them back, dropped them on the floor near her and as she reached to pick them up, he grabbed two more out of the line and took off again! What a stinker!

He also has been pulling her hair just to get a reaction.

Let the rivalry begin!

Disclaimer: I do have to admit that often he does just go up to her and give her big hugs and loves her so so much.