chipper chatterbox, happy feet, and other girly fun

Jada Cakes is outgrowing some of the moody-two's lately and putting on a happy face once in awhile...here she is with her much-craved PB&J banana:

She's been her usual chatty self lately and has been cutely communicating with her little toddler words:

Bankley (blanket), Nuggles-Bunny (Snuggle Bunnies, the popular book), Rubby-bubby (roly-poly), Luh-luh (yellow), Han-ga-burr (hamburger), Baup (pop), Hobby Bobbie (Hobby Lobby)

 

And her little tootsie after a spontaneous craft session broke out in the kitchen...never mind the layer of dirt (everyone lives barefoot in the summer, right?)



While she is peachy some of the time, she can still be a fireball--especially during naps.  Whether she's truly outgrowing her nap, or has just found playing more desirable, she's been sneaking out of bed and causing all sorts of disasters.  She once found a jar full of peppermints and spent what I thought was a quiet nap eating about 10 of those.  When I came back an hour later, surprised that she was up so early (but rather spritely so I naturally assumed she got her required z's...) I let her get up and continue on with the day.  Until the meltdown, when it was too late for a nap.  A few other times she's torn things apart, getting into Big Sis's things and spreading them all over the room.  So she's been having a lot more fun that usual in the afternoon hours.

Here's my other chick-let mid-practice session on the piano.  She and her brother have proven quite responsible in this department:

Her latest work: Dragon School and Teacher Troubles



This was me trying to be the fun/cool mom and do a little learning experiment with the kids...which was supposed to be part of our "C" week in preschool--a rain Cloud in a jar.  Here is the raincloud not doing what I wanted it to do:



And this is the point that I quick went to google the correct way to make it--water, shave cream and diluted food coloring...

A cute little crafty toy Jada came home with from church the other day--a magnetic stick to attract colorful pipe cleaners inside an empty water bottle.  This cool toy was hijacked by 3 older siblings and 1 interested mom.

And my little domestic darlings on dishrag duty:

The little angelic things were happy to help.  But the boys?  They're keepin it real around here...I overheard them talking, matter-of-factly about the following:

Calvin:  I only eat daddy long legs, that's the only kind of spider I eat.

Jude:  Me too.

And, disturbingly, I witnessed firsthand this week Calvin's toothbrush doubling as a belly-button brush.  At least that part of him has good hygiene.  Maybe.