Today

Today, Reese locked herself into her Daddy's office.  Both exits, locked.  Daddy tried to pick the lock but finally just decided to talk her through how to unlock the doors.  Thankfully Little Miss was able to understand and follow the directions and let herself out.  And then she found her sister's lotion.  And covered herself in it.

But then she came huffing down the stairs, 'backpack' and babies in tow, to tell us: "Mommy.  Love you.  Daddy.  Love you."

And I was blessed.

Today, Kate didn't like the new yogurt we got for breakfast.  And she couldn't eat her oatmeal because it was too hot.  And the smoothie just... well, it just wouldn't do.

And then she fell.  About a hundred times.

But then she asked me at bedtime, "Mommy, why are you proud of me?"  She knew the answer; her eyes told me so.  But I told her: "Because of everything that makes you who you are.  I'm proud just because you are you."  And she shrugged her little shoulders and involuntarily flung her arms around my neck.

And I was blessed.

Today, Avery took an hour and a half to try to pull out her lose tooth.  She needed a drink.  Then she needed to look at the progress of the lose tooth in the mirror.  And then had to be held down while the tooth in question was finally yanked from her mouth.

But then after lights out, we heard singing.  She was, in her innocent and wholehearted voice, singing The Earth Is Yours.  Praising her Jesus loud and honestly.

And I was blessed.

These girls.  They're real life.  And they're unspeakably more than I could've ever asked or imagined.

And I am blessed.

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Birthdays (dictated by Kate)

 We had two birthdays.  I liked it.

The most fun of Amelia's birthday was eating the cake.  I did monkey bars.  Then I swinged by the rings.

Then we had Nana's birthday.  We goed out to eat.  I made a cake and played in the sand.  The special thing about the cake is that there were so much sprinkles.

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Stages of Party

Much like the Stages of Grief, a two year old party has it's own stages.  Here are mine:

1. Excitement - Days before the party, there is a lot of pointing and giggling when party supplies are brought in.  Excitement rises when cake and decor begin to take shape.

2. Denial - The day of the party, general denial sets in.  "Are you having a party, Reese?"  "No."  "Are your friends coming over?"  "No."

3. Happiness - At the party, when very few guests have arrived, things are fairly calm and there are a lot of fun things to do.  Enjoyment and happiness set in.

4. Shock - When lots of friends arrive all at once, it may become overwhelming and shock often sets in.  Cuddling, hiding in grandparents or parents, and loudly saying, "no!" are all effective coping techniques.

5. Acceptance - After the crowd stops trying to give birthday wishes, things calm down again.  The festivities become fun and no one is trying to separate children and their guardians, as one might have feared.  Full acceptance, and even giddiness, may result.

Click here for pictures from Reese's 2nd Birthday party

Scenes of Summer

Summer time this year means a handful of big events (road trips, trips to Cali, and a handful of birthdays), but mostly it means downtime and togetherness.

From playing seamlessly as a trio of McClinton girls to personality clashes, summer this year means being together.

Here are some glimpses of our "summer normal":

Spa Day.  What mom doesn't want to read books while soaking her feet in a mini-tub?

Daddy Fort

Chick Fil A Face Painting Day

Texas Family Road Trip, by Avery

Before we left for our family trip, Avery made a little booklet for her to fill out each day.  On the trip, she completed the book.  (The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...)

I present to you, Texas Family Road Trip, by Avery:

Click here for pictures of the week