Rough Rider Days and Rodeo

Nana and Bopa are coming!!! Wahoo!!!! 

They were supposed to get here a day early as a surprise to the kids, but you never can trust weather around the Denver airport! Their stinking plane got delayed so long, they only got here a couple hours earlier than planned. Oh well, we're happy to have them either way! They got here right in time for our 4th of July parade, which was on June 28th. We just roll with it. Girls looked cute on the chamber's truck and dude semi-enjoyed watching and gathering candy (and his special flower). That is except for whenever any semi or other large vehicle honked their horn, which was about every 5 minutes. 

And then it was "free kids night" at the rodeo! Pretty happy about that!

Sure, the heavens opened and dropped a flood on our heads but as long as you stayed facing one direction, only one side of you got wet! Regardless, not even that much rain and mud can bring Baby L down:

Also, turns out the front row is not the best place at a muddy rodeo as our mud-splattered frontsides can strongly attest. 

Not that we could complain. The cowboys that fell off their bucking broncos became mud. Or at least you couldn't tell them apart. One poor guy's horse slipped and fell backwards on top of him. It was insane. People do this on purpose! Not totally sure what that says about them. 

3 year-old wisdom

All things I've been told by our little man lately:

"People with mustaches on their heads and sound-makers don't have names."

"The gymnastics place is made of brick so that dragons can't burn it down."

"Baby L's bones are moving."

"Will you miss me? My brain doesn't think so but I do."

"I wanted you to read when it was dark over in Australia!"

"I want to do no fun stuff (said upon waking up from a nap grumpy)."

"Mommy, my tongue is not like yours. Because mine has milk spots (he'd just taken a drink)."

I said something to Baby L and ended with, "eh?" Dude: "She's not A! I'm A. I have two A's in my name, but one belongs to the ABC's. The other belongs to me!"

"Mommy, [Baby G] put a BOBCAT in this little thing and now it's stuck in there!"

"Mommy, changing Ferbys into boys? That really happens!"

"[Baby L] has a big fat tongue."

Sitting next to me on the couch, he very abruptly leaned forward and grabbed his foot with a look of pure horror. "MOM! What is that (pointing at his ankle)?!?!" Me: "It's your ankle bud." Dude: "Do you have one too?!"

Dude: "[Baby G], you have to stomp and roar like this to be a T-Rex." G: "Banana?" Dude: "No, [Baby G]. Monkeys eat bananas. Not T-Rexes ... You can be the banana monster?" Me: "[Dude], please come put on your pants." Dude: "But Moooommm, dinosaurs don't put on ANY clothes. People do! And I'm pretending I'm Stegosaurus Rex!"

Dude(sadly): "I don't have a trunk." Me: "Me neither." Dude: "You could wear an elephant hat! Then you'd have extra eyes too!!!"

Me: "I is for Ice Cream!" Dude: "Ice Cream that chameleons lick!" Me: "What?" Dude: "Yes. They have tongues. But not goats. Goats don't. They like me. Goats do. They kind of like me because they licked me at the zoo." Me: "Well, if they licked you, then don't they have tongues too?" Dude: "No. They just licked me with their mouths. No tongues. Chameleons have tongues."

Me (quizzing J for her science test): "What are 3 types of fossil fuels?" J: "Oil, and coal, and, um.... Dude: "PIZZA!!!"

Mama's Buddy

Proud to be a big brother (these moments last for about 10 seconds):

 T-Rex Face:

 This is what happens when I say, "Smile for the camera":

Or if I'm lucky, sometimes I get this:

Or this: 

 "Give me your best kissy face":

 Art is serious business:

 Totally obsessed with TMNT, even though he still thinks they're bad guys because they fight with swords:

 Man oh man, is he a better 3 year-old than he was a 2 year-old!

Catching up with G

Even her pigtails don't cooperate:

 At least she looks super-cute in hats:

This is close enough to "going to bed," right:

Learning how to "ROAR" from the best: 

 She never lets the fact that she can't reach the pedals slow her down:

 Contemplating the least-safe way to get down:

 "You're a lot smaller than my previous stroller-buddy":

 All ready to go:

 A very rare moment of restful reflection in the best seat in the house:

 Since the bigs are practicing gymnastics, "I do it too":

 She loves her daddy:

Baby L is for keeps

 Flying high, defying gravity:

 I hold "it" by myself (She gets lots of love):

I LOVE HER SMILES:

 And her bug-eyes too, even if they look a little creepy at times:

 She ALWAYS sleeps like this. Me? My neck would never be the same:

 Put 'em up, put 'em up:

 What is this delightful thing I've found to suck on? It's comes whenever I want it to:

 A little help here guys? Oh sure, take a picture first:

So happy to be sitting up to see all the action:

 Sisterly Lovin':

 

Obligatory darling baby in a hoodie towel picture:

 I've got my eyes on you mom:

 Life is so tough: