Avery
"threef" = third
Big brother taught Aileen how to blow a "zerbert" on his tummy. She tries when he encourages her to do so, but she is still learning to blow and ends up spitting on his stomach.
I asked Avery if he thought that the Easter bunny was real. He said, "Well, no. Bunnies usually make a 'boing' sound when they hop. I've never heard a 'boing' sound on Easter night."
(Avery) "Mom, I want to get a gun to go hunting and stuff. I want to catch rabbits and birds and stuff to carve out their muscles and eat them. If we catch a moose, we can use their horns for a project."
Avery is beginning to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. He said that the Cookie Monster "doesn't really eat the cookies. The crumbs just fall out of his mouth. He is just a puppet." He also said, "Come here mommy. I've got a secret for yah. Some people think that the elves make the toys, but the elves aren't real. They are just gifts from other people."
(Avery) "Mom, I un-littered at school." (His class picked up trash.)
(Avery) "FAST LIGHTNING BOLT BLUR! That's the name of my team. Does that sound FAST?"
Our little inventor decided that he was going to invent a popsicle that has a zipper on the end of the top of the tube. That way, it is easy to open and you can zip it up and save it for later.
A babysitter came to our house to watch Avery and Aileen while we went on a date. We overheard Avery tell the babysitter "I'm gonna warn you that I'm a talker. I love to talk. I get into trouble a lot at school and have to stand on the playground for minutes. I've even gone all the way up to five minutes before." He also mentioned that he has "CP" (which we figured out that he meant "P.E.").
We also noticed that Avery is showing signs of what he believes. When we practice saying his Bible verses, he will not say the Lord's name. I asked him why, and he wouldn't answer. Then I asked if he was doing it to show respect, he nodded his head. One time, he was talking silly, and saying a book character's name in different ways - Mrs. Goodman. He used a short "o" vowel sound, and then immediately stopped, and then said "I'm sorry for my bad choice. Please forgive me." I assured him it was OK since it was an accident and that he was sorry, and he felt better and went back to being his silly self.
Lately, Avery has loved Amelia Bedelia and Curious George books. We've been learning that in a lot of jokes and and in Amelia Bedelia's books, words are funny when they have a double meaning, but when the meaning is used in silly ways. This has helped him understand the humor in his joke books a bit more. Avery also pointed out that in the Curious George books, it always says "George was very curious" before George gets into mischief. He thought that was really funny. Then, he started saying several scenarios (of things that I think he secretly wishes he could do out of curiosity but doesn't because he knows he would get into trouble for them) and then says "Aileen was very curious" as he proceeded to construct a plot which she caused mischief.
Aileen
She still has her wavy strawberry blonde hair and crystal blue eyes.
Sometimes she naturally pushes in her chair or puts items back where she found them without being told to do so.
At 18 months old, she tries to repeat "I love you".
She is starting to assert herself more by disobeying and then pausing to see what we will do about it.
Some of her laughter is squeals and cackles when she is taunting her brother.
Aileen is showing us more of the playful and ornery side of her personality.
As parents, we have laughed together and thought that we would have never imagined having two kids with such funny personalities.
