Our Family Metamorphosis, Braylen's Old Man Ways, and Freakus

Lately Alisa has been making up stories about when she was little.  Stories that most likely never happened, but clearly linked to the people of her past.  Mostly silly, nothing-type stories, but we would indulge her anyways, not wanting to sound negative about her previous life in any way.  The other day at lunch, she started in on something that happened "when she was two" (which is an improvement because she used to say "when we were all two" as if once upon a time her, Mia, and Braylen were all the same age:).  And something in me decided to go a different route than the usual placating, "oh really?" or "hmmm".  I felt like God gave me a word that she was searching for something.  So I just randomly started telling her about things she did when she was "younger", like her strong country accent she had as a four year old or how she mispronounced words (which we framed in a way to make it sound like "look at how cute you were, you couldn't say 'girl'" even though we met her when she was four and a half :).  Usually we can see change by looking way back into a few months ago and trying to remember how different things were and thus evaluate change in the kids.  But sometimes there is a palpable change that occurs, where just a few minutes ago, she was in this middle place- between two families.  And then, just shortly after our lunchtime conversation, she seem to totally be a part of our little family, making up stories about when she was little and asked to see my "diamond necklace (actually a peridot- my birthstone), remember?   I think I was two or something."  Yes, that did happen, but she was almost five- the age she is now.  But I cherish the fact that even her memory is becoming more a part of us, of me.  And I thank God that he gave us this bit of wisdom the other day at lunch time!

I caught the girls in a rare moment of sisterly love ;)

Braylen resembles an old man.  It is so uncanny how our little two year old seems like such and old soul.  He's even cranky at times (I know...hard to believe a two year old would be cranky and cantankerous! :)  You will often hear a very loud "No!" said when anyone in our family asks anyone else a question.  It's not a defiant toddler "No!", but rather a "Naw! And leave me alone Ethel!"-type "no".  I don't know if I am conveying the hilarity of it.  You will just have to come and visit us to find out :)

Braylen is also the friendliest kid I have ever known.  Except for maybe a little boy named Warren that some of my college friends would nanny for.  He was the one kid who might be friendlier.  We walk around the Marietta square and Braylen says "Hello" or "How dooowin?" to everyone he meets.  The other day at the library, Braylen walked right up to a 50 something man and said "Hey Man".  Which, I was glad of not because he was being nice, but because he didn't call him "Daddy".  We had been working on how not all men are called that!  The man said, "Hey little buddy, how you doin?"  To which Braylen replied, "How dowin man?" and then I guess he was done because he said, "Bye, bye Man- I lob you towmut" (I love you so much)!  It cheapens it when he says it to everyone.  He even says it to choo-choo trains :)

Bubs and Daddy at the Zoo

Mia likes to give "granny kisses" or "great aunt margaret kisses" as we sometimes call em- the kind where she pulls you in and plants one full on the mouth and there is no getting away from her tiny little lips :)  The other day she gave one to David and then she smacked her lips a bit and said, "Hmmmm... what we havin?"  Meaning "I taste something yummy on your lips since I just gave you a full on granny kiss.  What yumminess is it?"  To which David replied, "We're not having anything.  I'm having chocolate" :)

Whole family pic at the ATL Zoo recently, apparently the elephant was doing something cool since all the kids are looking at it instead of the camera!

Mia has taken up the position of being my tape recorder quite faithfully!  Everything I say or do ends up coming out of her mouth eventually.  "Oh be careful little ears what you hear"...especially if that is Mommy saying something akin to a curse word.  NOT a curse word, mind you, just sounds like one :)
The other day, I told her to put away her toys and she was frustrated.  Then she became further frustrated by not being able to fit some toy into the toy basket in the living room.  That's when I heard her shout, "FREAKUS!"
Awesome.
I guess it could have been worse!
Yes, I have been known to say "freaking" on occasion.  Not thinking much of it, but I'm now reconsidering my ways:)