Spencer's birthday, Daniel's officially a toddler, and Lizzie's pretend

Spencer's birthday was a lot of fun.  It was in the middle of the week so he still had to work, but Lizzie had so much fun picking out things for his birthday like his favorite cereal and dart guns.  Every kind of celebration is always centered around food.  This year Spence opted for cheese fondue and banana splits.  Lizzie gets so into fondue nights.  It's funny to see her race over to get the fondue fork things.  Yeah so we may eat it a lot, but I don't know official terms for things. :)  Spence was so grateful for the presents he received.  Even Lizzie and Daniel got some much needed clothes from the Scanlons.  It was such a fun day to just play, at least for the few hours we had between work and bed.  Spencer finally got today what he's been waiting for since then, the new Batman game I pre-ordered for him.  I was impressed.  With how stoked he's been to play this he still waited until the kids were in bed (which is our typical rule, even though I would have exempted him for this).  He's still working three ten-hour days a week, taking care of kids, and doing side commercial competitions.  I love how much he really just wants to be with the kids.  He's even been debating a Master's because he doesn't want to be so busy he misses out on spending time as a family. 

Although Daniel started walking toward the middle of September, he's waited until now to fully become a toddler.  Now he crawls very little if at all.  With how he jabbers I'm fairly sure he knows a lot more words than I'm understanding.  The words I can understand are cat, woof, dog, Lizzie, ball, and Mommy and Daddy when he feels like it.  He doesn't say the last two often, but he does say them.  I try to respond every time I hear it so he starts realizing the connection between words more.  This Fall Break comes another milestone for him.  The pacifiers will be gone!  I want him to start having the opportunity to talk as much as possible, aside from the fact that he also seems to get sensitive skin in the winter time from it.  We were just waiting for him to be adjusted to the new schedule of Spence and I working so now that there's a short break, they're gone!  I know it'll be hard for a couple days, but I'd rather get rid of it now before he's old enough to start getting too attached.  With learning to walk I think it's a perfect time because he'll be more tired from the walking (ready for sleep) and occupied with fun things to do.  He and Lizzie are still so obsessed with music and performing for people.  I'll get Spencer to help me upload a video of Daniel dancing.  We can't get enough!  In Macey's he followed a lady around because she smiled and laughed at him.  He'd follow her, wait til she looked at him, and dance or giggle to get a reaction.  Lizzie was not left behind and got in on the action too.  Those two just make me laugh so much. 


Lizzie and her imagination, what can I say?  I love hearing her stories.  The latest one was on a car ride home from the Scanlons house for twenty minutes.  I know I can't do justice to her stories, but here it is.  Our car was apparently spooky, creepy, and scary altogether.  When we asked why she said a ghost was standing by her.  This ghost attacked each of us with water.  The first regular ghost was followed by a mom ghost, a regular skeleton, and a mom skeleton, all of which attacked with water.  When the mom skeleton attacked the car with water, Spencer thought it would be funny to clean the windshield.  Lizzie went nuts.  She loved it!  This was the only part we played in the whole story, aside from being attacked.  Lizzie just kept going and going.  Finally to save on wiper fluid we asked her where the skeletons and ghosts would go to get water.  Sometimes they went to Macey's or Fresh Market, but the last ghost went to our house to wait.  Apparently this ghost was quite mischievous because not only did it steal Lizzie's blankets, it filled our whole house with water.  Lizzie said we had to race home to stop him.  One of my favorite parts of the whole thing was her giggle between everything she said was happening.  I love her sense of humor!  One more Lizzie-ism from today came when I asked her about using the Ipad at preschool.  When I said I might get one for birthday/Christmas she got so excited and said "Then you could be a teacher!"  Not really sure what I've been up to this point, but if an Ipad makes me a teacher I'm all for it. :) 

Right now I'm just trying to make it through the year.  Mentally, Spencer and I really struggle with not having one of us home with the kids every day.  We're both looking forward to April when our new little one will join our family and I get to be home with all three.  Yay!!  I know, most moms would be thinking yeesh I'd like a break, but I know what that does to me and the kids.  I'm so excited to be home with them again.  Lizzie's super excited about getting a "little baby".  She thought the heartbeat was fun and got mad at Spencer when he tried to imitate it.  I guess he doesn't make the right sounds.  She wants another little brother and Daniel could care less about anything besides escaping outside, eating, drinking, and music.