When Lisa and I were little, we always met our parents at the door when they drove into the garage. We would hear the garage door open, and we'd drop whatever we were doing, race downstairs, and open the garage door and stand and wait. I knew my parents liked this - our smiling faces.

Emma started doing this, probably 5 months ago. And it just warms my heart, to know that she is excited to see me, and wants to open the door and wait for me to come in. This is one of the best parts of my day.

This is what I see.

waiting...

HI MOM!!!

Brandon being silly

a few months ago, Anh An got glasses at Costco. Brandon loved the look.

do you think these glasses make me look intelligent?

Or am I cuter without glasses?

watch me push up these glasses. I'm a pro at it.

Happy Monday!

Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this, my mama said..

sigh.

Emma does.

Last Saturday, in the gorgeous sunshine, I was weeding the front garden. Emma and Brandon were running around, throwing pebbles. As I weeded (with gloves), I saw a few worms. Thinking that this could be a good scientific moment to describe what the worm does for soil, I called the kids over.

me: Look, Emma and Brandon, a worm!

emma: ewwww...a worm!!! a worm!!!!

brandon (duplicate voice): ewwww...a worm!!! a worm!!!!

me: the worm helps our garden. remember on Sid the science kid (Sid the Science Kid is a PBS show with a young 4 or 5 year old main character who has daily questions about the way things work, and every question turns it into a science lesson.) Sid saw a worm, and the worm eats and poops out good soil for our flowers.

emma (not listening), runs and grabs a little stick. I thought she might want to prod it, since she didn't have gloves on.

Emma starts to repeatedly stab at the un-offending worm.

me: Emma!! What are you doing? Don't hurt the worm! The worm helps us!!!

emma still trying to stab a worm, but a different worm this time.

me: EMMA. stop that! (I'm now trying to cover the worm with my hand.)

me: EMMA. Would Sid the Science kid stab the worms???

emma: No. (pauses). BUT EMMA DOES.

A picture of my cute worm stabbers:

* photo by Auntie Lisa, in San Diego, 3/2012.

Ban-dan ho.c (brandon's studying)

Brandon is such a fast learning little guy. He loves learning his letters and numbers, can operate the computer, internet, find his favorite learning website (starfall) and open them).

He also thinks that every time he writes something, has a pen in hand, he's studying. "ban-dan ho.c. ban-dan ho.c." He'll write a line on a paper and say, "I"! "ban-dan ho.c. ban-dan ho.c." Recently, I heard his little voice yelling, "Uh-OH,ban-dan ho.c! Uh-OH, mommy, ban-dan ho.c!" I find that he's been writing on things. walls, couch cushions, random papers around the house. So when he yells that phrase, I run.

Brandon: "Uh-OH, ban-dan ho.c!"

me: Brandon! what did you do? where's the pen?

Brandon:"ban-dan ho.c!"

me: WHERE?

Brandon: right HERE!

me: What did you do, Brandon?

Brandon: "ban-dan ho.c on tummy! see?"

me: what's that on your face?

Brandon: "ban-dan ho.c some more!"

Princess Daddy

Brandon is still on the bottle for milk. Juice, water, smoothie - everything else is from a cup. But for milk, he likes to get the bottle and then he runs to his dad to get into position. He also likes to still pull dad's ear lobe for comfort. This night, Brandon is in position, Anh An's arms were occupied, when someone did this:

Who made daddy a princess?? here's the culprit:

(p.s. i don't think daddy was too pleased to have his picture taken!)

Presenting: Doctor Emma and Baby Rock Star Emma!

now..to offset that glum picture from the previous post. Today, I went in to emma's school, to look at some pictures they took a few weeks ago. Apparently, a picture company came in, and dressed the kids up a few weeks ago. Since it was a school fund-raiser, I was slightly more mollified to pay an arm and a leg for the next two photos. You'll have to admit that she looks more comfortable here.

(by the way, when I saw the notice that parents were to come in to view the photos, I asked Emma how/IF she smiled. She said she smiled, and then pulled her lips over her teeth in a wide grimmace. I have to admit I wasn't completely reassured..)