back to the beach

April is flying by.  I think it's the good weather.  I continue to skip out on work to go be outside.  We went to the beach this week and had a blast.  I went with a friend that is actually Tucker and Whitney's friend, I think. They both smile really big when they see her and love to play with her.  For example, Whitney found all these huge rocks at the beach.  She would point to one and ask her to chuck it in the water for her, to get a bigger splash than Whitney can get herself  (big splashes are called "big bloops").  Once Whitney got tired of bossing her around (she found clam shells to dig up), Tucker took over.  He liked throwing a clam shell in, waiting for the water to clear, then pointing while saying "right there!" to the clam shell in the water so she could go fetch it for him.  The water was freezing, by the way.  She's really good to them.

They have been getting better and better at imitating.  This must be the phase when it is embarrassing at times, for a parent, because home behaviors are also publicly displayed, bad or good.  So far I haven't been to humiliated by seeing a reflection of my private self in public, but I'm sure it's to come.  There have already been loud, play-by-play discussions of Mommy needing to poop and the result in the bathroom, but I usually go out in public to stores during quiet times of days when other moms would also be present, so I've been lucky thus far.

Some of my favorite imitations are long phrases.  One time  Whitney asked for a "different spoon".  Not so cute the sentence itself, but the way she imitates adult behavior and fluctuation of voice in such a little tiny body.   Tucker and Whitney have also started playing the game of repeating a phrase I often say "Mommy will be right back, ok?"  Tucker goes around the house saying either "Tucker will be right back, ok Whitney!" or "Papa will be right back, ok Tucker" when he goes in another room to get a toy or when Papa leaves for work.  Another favorite is when we go down certain roads that have playgrounds.  They start saying "buscamos el playground" repeatedly until we pass the playground.

Some other imitation behaviors that are really cute involve putting on lotion.  Whitney puts lotion on my face after her bath while I put lotion on her back.  Tucker helps me put lotion on my legs after bath.  They are pretty good at it.  They also finally figured out how to give each other boo-boo kisses.  It's super cute.  They both figured out kisses to Mommy and Daddy, this week, too.  Whitney and Tucker ask Daddy for a kiss before he goes to work.  If he accidentally kisses me first, they instruct him to give me a kiss after they get theirs.  One time I left the house, only planning on being gone a half an hour.  I started to leave with my keys in hand and Whitney let out a big howl.  It took a few seconds for me to figure out she was saying "kiss!".  Once I figured it out, I turned around to give her a kiss.  She immediately stopped crying, gave a huge sigh, then said "bye-bye Mommy"

They are also rapidly building their song repertoire.  They added row row, row your boat, london bridge, I know my Father lives, and Listen to the Still Small voice, Patty cake, and Insy winsy spider, all without cueing from me.  There are also many other songs that they have names for and request that I sing.  Sometimes it's a bit confusing and frustrating, though.  Whitney will do this most often.  She requests a song, so I start singing it, then she screams for me to stop.  Don't worry.  I won't quit my day job to sing.

Toward the end of the week I decided to stay home and get some stuff done outside.  I don't think we could have been happier as a family.  Tucker and Whitney threw rocks, dirt clods, dog dishes, swept, raked, dug in the dirt and played "around and around" name game with everything (blossoms, plants, Sammy, Rocky) while I weeded and dug a hole for the apple tree.  It was great.  They were worn out on those days.  It did get a bit frustrating at one time in that they wanted to snuggle in the pit and jump to the "island", but once I wrecked their fun, it was ok.

after the water

I love my hat and towel.  They are so cute!

I'm really cute, need I say more!

Me trying to capture the cuteness of their swim stuff.  All for under $5.  Even better

Rocky was snuggling with my strawberry plants, but he moved to here by the time I got the camera.

Tucker was holding this pull toy saying "Big Snuggle Woof Woof", all while walking around the moat/pit I made for the apple tree

In the pit

Tucker snuggling in the pit and Whitney jumping on/off the island

Everyone has a place to work

Sunshine is the best.

The videos are of just them being at the beach.  If you listen carefully (over the background noise of the tractor clearing the boat ramp) Tucker is saying "right there!" to Lorena, then chucking the clam shell back in the water.  Whitney is working hard.