Spring is comi-- Nope. Just kidding.

It got up to the 50s this week. Not kidding. It was my turn to teach preschool on Wednesday, and I entertained thoughts about taking the kids out on the grass for a water balloon fight. I ended up deciding against it because I didn't want them to drip on my hardwood.

Then the polar vortex came back and was like, "Psych!" Besides that, things are starting to look up around here. This week is . . . finals week! Woo!

Yeah, it's not that great. Mike is pretty much always downstairs in his cave, and if he ever comes up to talk to us, he's twitching and muttering the names of body parts and diseases under his breath. End of this week, we're going to slap him really hard and make him take a nap, and then maybe he'll go back to normal.

But after finals week, life will be great. He's got a whole week off between quarters, and then spring quarter is supposed to be not nearly as hard as winter quarter. Not to mention, at the end of his week off . . . MY MOMMY IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just a little bit excited.

To illustrate how much the cabin fever is getting to us, let me tell you about some of my and Katie's conversations recently.

*Note: Every Friday we make homemade pizza for dinner. Yeah, I live with a bunch of pizzaholics.
Me: Hey Katie, do you know what day it is?
Katie: Um, Tuesday?
Me: No, it's Friday! And what do we have for dinner on Fridays?
Katie: . . . Fries?

Katie: *Singing during lunch* I love you so much, that there were tears, and then there were some good giraffes that helped me get away my tears. And then Jesus came and made me happy and gave me a super coloring book that I love. And then there were some ducks and Jesus said, "I'm going to make you a magic toy" . . .
*Note: we are now having more discussions about Jesus.

My favorite, though, is one that arose because my brother, Parker, forgot who he was writing to. My family sent Katie a Valentine's Day card, and all of them wrote a little note. Parker's said, "I'm going to get you a pony and a castle. Happy Valentine's Day." Yeah, guess who believes every word her uncles say to her?

So the other day, Katie was with me while we were out running errands, and we were passing one of those super ritzy neighborhoods, where they were building a new house that had turrets.

Katie: Is that a castle?
Me: It kind of looks like one, doesn't it?
Katie: Uncle Parker is going to get it for me.

Parker, you are in trouble. (Also, if you get super rich with your patent, and actually get us a castle, you should put it in my name. Just a thought.)

As for the boys, I don't even know where to start. Okay, yes I do. I have written often about how Josh is a bottomless pit, haven't I? Because he is. He will sit in his high chair and shovel until you stop giving him food. Result: he's a super tank. That kid is SOLIDLY built. Okay, so he's still pretty skinny for his age, but compared to Peter, he's a giant massive chunky kid. (Who is still pretty barrel-chested.) Peter, on the other hand, does occasionally get full. And when he does, I know he's done because he starts very delicately plucking up bits of his food and dropping them, one by one, over the side. It's adorable and infuriating at the same time.

They've also started pulling themselves up to stand on pretty much everything. And they love to dance, especially Peter. Even when it's just Katie making what is supposed to be beat-boxing noises. Peter's little bum will go up and down, side to side. It's so adorable I could cry. Now I just need him to catch up to Joshy in the hair-growing department. And potentially stop shrieking so loud. I think my ear drums are about to their breaking point.

Oh, is it seriously 5:30 already? Geez! Here are some pictures, but then I need to go make dinner.

"Okay, girlie. Smile at the camera."

"What if I told you you could eat all of the chocolate?"

Helping with the groceries

Yeah, right, Peter. Nice try.

Happy . . . less Winter than it used to be!

The New Girl in Town

Hey guys. So, it seems that PepperJohn is no longer Katie's alter ego. He was her imaginary friend for a while, but things are getting a little weirder. Enter Baby Loogy.

So, the other night, Katie was pretending to be a baby, so I held her that way and was joking to Mike that we had a new baby.

Me: What should we name her?
Katie: I'm a new baby!
Mike: How about . . . (channeling my dad) . . . Rabobaluga?
Katie: Bobaluga?
Me: We could call you Loogy for short. *Really mature giggling*
Katie: I'm Baby Loogy!
Mike: Um, Katie, do you know what a Loogy is?

And now she's Baby Loogy all the time. ALL the time.

As for her imaginary friend, it's getting a little creepy. She calls him Jack, as in Jack and the Beanstalk, but she acts like he's really there. For example, she came downstairs today and said, "Can me and Jack have a snack?"

Me: Oh, you brought Jack with you?
Katie: Yeah, he's right there. *Points to a spot on the floor*
Me: Right where?
Katie: Right there! *Points quite vigorously* Don't you want a snack?
Me: . . .
Katie: See? He says yes!

I'm getting a little weirded out. I think Jack's a creeper.

In other news, here are some random things Katie has said to me.

"Don't get up, Mom. You were like a big, giant whale!"

*Stroking my hair* "You are my beautiful, I love you so much, don't snitch the popcorn! You are my beautiful . . ."

Before things get any more creepy, let's just put up a whole bunch of pictures, shall we?

This is the normal state of my children.

Joshy the heartbreaker

Using up leftover frosting :)

Peter: What? Are you taking pictures? *CHOMP CHOMP*

Peter Lashes

During Katie's allotted computer time

Joshy's ready for his close-up

Can you see his cape? It's shiny.

Hey all you Blairs - This is my son. He's related to you.

Peter's coming for me.

Joshy got chocolate Cheerios

Happy Valentine's! (Pre-baked)

And . . . baked. Or half-baked.

Strawberry cheesecake with oreo crust. You know you're jealous.

So, that's the last couple of weeks. AND, guess what?!?!?!?! It was like 40 degrees today!!!!! Sorry, I just remembered that and got a little bit excited. Maybe we'll be able to go outside without getting immediate frostbite! There is light at the end of the tunnel. Crossing my fingers.

Hurricane Boys Strike Again!

My sons are 10 months old today. (AAAAAAAAAAUUAUAUAUAUAAAAAAGGGHGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I was just sitting here, having a rare moment of quiet as the boys nap and Katie watches Mulan (yeah, I'm a good mom. So what?) and realizing that time goes by so ridiculously fast. For Valentine's Day last year, my mom took Katie, and Mike and I stayed home, ate pizza, and watched a movie and cuddled because I was too dang pregnant to go out and do anything. Now those abdominal tumors are almost walking. You heard me.

Okay, so they've still got a ways to go. But Joshy's pretty adept at climbing stairs and unplugging things, and Peter pulls himself up to stand on anything and everything, and more than once have I seen him let go. GACK!

Also, the boys have learned the power of teamwork. You should see how fast they can empty a bookshelf or the diaper bag. Or how fast they can spread one bagel's worth of crumbs across the entire house. And if they find something I mistakenly left out that they're not supposed to have, one will grab it and crawl over to the other, saying, "Hey, look what Mom forgot! How fast do you think we can get it open?" At which point they both start pulling and pinching and whacking, trying to open whatever it is (wipe box, desitin tube, etc.)

It's quite terrifying. Lucky for me, they are also starting to show signs of musical tendencies like their sister. Joshy, for example, is ALWAYS singing. Whenever he's just sitting there, playing, in his high chair, whatever, he is singing. Just humming his own little tune to whoever happens to hear. And Peter has got the moves. I'm not kidding! It won't happen if he's cranky, but if a tune or a beat comes on, he starts bouncing. Oh my goodness, I forgot how much I loved little diaper-shaped hippie wiggles. I'm going to try to get it on video, don't worry.

In other news, Katie is a never-ending wealth of humor and wisdom.

Me (after Katie had been quiet for a while), "What's in your head, sweetheart?"
Katie, "Um . . . some bones."

Totally out of the blue at breakfast: "Fish and whales and dolphins live in the water. But camels don't live in the water."

When I asked if she wanted some lunch: "I'm a princess. And Princesses don't fly."

And my favorite: "I drive people peanuts."

Yeah, she's super cool.

I don't have any good pictures today. Sorry, team. Unfortunately, we've spent the last week huddling under blankets trying to beat whatever poisonous germ got into the house. It was bad. Luckily we're on the way up now. Happy Valentine's!