Girl Lessons

This morning, overheard in the Hottman house, Lyla and Cade were upstairs, working on “Girl Lessons”. Lyla told him she was going to teach him to be a girl and how to listen through her “Girl Lessons”. Step one: Put him in one of her dresses. This is one of their favorite things to do together - they think it’s so funny. And it really is. 

Here, she brought him downstairs in his dress and decided to put him in some of her pink shiny shoes. Overheard: Lyla - “Cade, I can’t believe I’m putting your stinky feet in my favorite shiny, pink shoes."

Those shoes apparently didn’t fit, so they decided on another pair of pink mary jane’s instead. 

Here’s my favorite - Cade decided to pick up his toy chain saw and saw Lyla in half. I explained to her that sometimes you just can’t take the boy out of a little boy. Her response, “Well, I’m just going to have to keep trying, Mommy."

Hilarious days, these are.

Life Today

The weather was beautiful today - hard to believe it’s July in Kentucky. It feels more like the later days of September, fall-like. It feels a little unnatural for this time of year - seems more like we should be avoiding sweltering temps, eating popsicles and running through sprinklers.

But, we’ll take the simple pleasures of a day like today. Lyla went to summer fun day this morning at her school, and Cade and I went on a few errands of our own while she was there. Immediately after our grocery trip, he was ready to pick her to show her the new cupcake sprinkles he conned me into buying. 

After lunch and a semblance of quiet time (we don’t do naps around here anymore…there isn’t much break in the action from 7:30ish a.m. until 9 p.m.), we tried a very successful new egg-free cupcake recipe for Cade as we will need a plethora of egg free cupcakes to keep up with our August birthday party schedule. 

We spent some time outside playing - Lyla thumbing through a doll magazine she received in the mail today and Cade playing with moon sand and intentionally knocking over any ant hill he could find, saying they’re “dirty”. This is when we took this picture - it was one of those moments when all is right with the world - the clouds beautiful overhead, skies all blue. I love these two so much I can’t stand it. 

This photo is actually from earlier in the day - I jokingly sent it to Lance at work saying that this scenario lasted approximately 2 minutes. It was a great photo opportunity, though:

Lastly, and remarkably, - our sweet girl is getting more and more like me every day. She was watching a television show tonight while Lance and I were deep in discussion after dinner. We have become so accustomed to being interrupted that I’ve started working with the kids on saying, “Excuse me” prior to railing in on all of our conversations. This time, she stood there - “Mommy, did you see my tears?” I looked down at her as she looked up - and she had tears in her eyes. The moment I realized it, she broke into sobs and ran to me, arms outstretched. She had been touched by something that had happened in the program she was watching, and I think she was more shocked by her emotional reaction than anyone: “Mommy, it was just so sweet when he hugged his little brother - it was just so sweet! It made me think of Cade."

I love this little girl - I know she’s ours, but I think she tremendously special in so many ways. Beyond her years and child like, all at the same time. 

Another day of summertime magic. 

Lyla & Cade - Summer 2014

We’re still here - we just don’t blog much anymore. I’m sad about that - it’s just so hard to find the time for anything anymore. But, I’m looking up right now and realizing that Lyla is almost 5 and Cade is nearing 3…time is flying by, and I want more than ever to capture who these beautiful little beings are as they grow. They grow into more amazing little people every, single day. 

So, here are a few fun facts about each of these sweets, off the top of my head. 

Lyla. She really is 4 (and a half) going on 10. Well, sort of. I love her passion for life and her happiness…she has this amazing ability to be an old soul and an impassioned child all at one time. I love her little personality. 

Last night I let her stay up late with me, which means a movie night with mommy and her choice of dessert. Last night she chose sugar cookies with purple icing and sprinkles. We try to keep these nights a secret from Cade, and when he asked for a treat after dinner, she whispered to me, “Mommy, I’m not going to have an after dinner treat because I know I’m going to have cookies later. That’s just too much sugar for me.” She stuck to it, too, even with Cade offered her Hershey’s kisses. 

Current interests: kindergarten (which she won’t attend for another year) and Sophia the First (an 8 year-old Disney princess). She loves kindergarten readiness activities and books, folders, books, pens and pencils. She loves crafting and pretending. And, she especially loves toys and playing. Tonight we played a game of monster between the four of us, and it was so funny the way she directed each scenario: “You be this, I’ll be that…"

Here, she won a contest at the neighborhood cookout in which she pulled the only yellow balloon out of a cooler full of water balloons. The girls running the contest really didn’t have a plan for the “winner”, and in seeing her excitement at winning, I told them they were going to have to think of something for her. They ran into their house and came back with this little purse. Lyla acted as if she’d won the lottery when she saw it: 

She loves putting her brother in dresses and surprising Lance & I. They’ll get really quiet upstairs and you can hear the vague commands in her voice - “Do this with your arm, Cade; put your leg here…” The next thing you know, they run out of her room, roaring with laughter and Cade is in one of her dresses, an old recital costume or something equally ridiculous. I love how they both think it’s just so funny. 

These two really are the best of friends. She worries over him, talks all the time about trying to include him with her “big” friends, although she usually forgets all about him the moment her friends arrive. But, they’re happy to see each other most mornings, and they really love spending time together. Watching this relationship evolve has undoubtedly been one of the most magical things I’ve experienced my whole life. 

Cade - aka Cade E. Bugg. This boy is all things boy that I never understood as a girl, having grown up with 2 sisters. He loves trains and trucks - I now am more versed in trucks and construction sites than I ever dreamed I would be. He loves big rigs, concrete mixer trucks, and dump trucks. Today, he asked Lance & I if he could stop at a construction site and watch the “mans” work. 

Here he is with his good friend, Sam. They were watching a truck load and unload a dumpster in Sam’s neighborhood. It was great summertime entertainment for them both - they were completely transfixed. 

We had our driveway re-done this summer (which has been a most painful process in our less than 3 year old home), and it was nonstop entertainment for Cade. He was so excited to see the concrete mixer truck come to his house. He heard it coming, looked out the window and yelled, “Mommy! It’s a concrete mixer truck coming to my house! It’s white! My favorite color!” Here, he took a picture with the man in the truck - I know he was scared in this photo, but he was determined to get inside the truck when the man offered: 

Cade E. Bugg is all things 2. Lance & I laugh at our text-book 2 year old. He is everything you expect from a raging 2 year old. He’s sweet as can be, but the tantrums sure can be trying. He climbed out of his crib a few weeks ago and has since refused naps. He often falls asleep in the car now in the afternoons, which is always a bedtime recipe for disaster. He also wakes up at least one time per night, usually at 3 a.m. and wants for us to lay beside his bed while he goes back to sleep. He is sweet. He is wild. He is just amazing to me. I love having a little boy. 

So, I would like to say that I’m going to blog about these beauties more consistently, and it is definitely my heart’s wish to do so. I just don’t want to miss a moment, and I want for all of us to have this to reflect upon years from now. I’ll keep trying.

Life is pretty trying these days - it’s hard to have a conversation with Lance, and I constantly hear my name being called throughout the house: “Mommy!” I try to remember that someday I will miss these days, because they really are magical. 

Some days it’s easier to imagine than others, but I know that I am the luckiest Mommy in the world to get to spend my days with these little miracles. 

Music to My Ears

So, the primary purpose of this blog, to me, is to remember some of the magical moments of these beautiful children of ours. Here are a few gemstones of the last week or so - a few things I just don't want to forget: 

Lyla really is the center of Cade's universe these days. She's the first thing he thinks of in the morning and the last person he wants to be away from at night. He's repeating every little thing that comes out of her mouth - from a clear as a bell version of "raspberry" tonight at dinner to his own version of Knock-Knock jokes, he is copying every thing she does. He really does think she is magic, and it's the sweetest development of our summer. 

"Cade-isms"

Cade has a language all his own, beginning with "owl" his word for his sippy cup. His words are becoming more complex now, and we are often struck by the hilarity of his view of the world. The latest is "Ackle", which seems to refer to any source of water - the water hose, a watering can, water from the sink. We also love that "Out!" is his preposition of choice, primarily used when he wants to be picked up and held. 

Our first stirrings of Cade each morning consist of screaming for whomever put him to bed the night before. As soon as we enter the room, he demands a "Nack" (snack) and "Lyla". He also says "Uh-Oh" for any door that we've forgotten to close as he is typically barred from most areas of the house due to his tendency for destruction.

Cade's latest past-time is the "Cheese!" game - he loves to have his picture taken while he stands there and says, "Cheeeese!". Then, he wants to look at every picture of himself over and over again. Here, he insisted on using an accessory he found in the laundry room. Yes, I know someday he'll kill me for this one, but it's just so funny, I can't resist. 

Cheeesse!!

He is definitely ALL BOY - he loves to wrestle on the floor, and there is nothing funnier to him right now that his own burps and gas. We've also started laughing at his "disappearing lips", a sure sign he is getting ready to tackle someone or engage in some other naughty aggressive behavior. 

Miss Q. 

And, then, there's Miss Q., aka Lyla. She also, finds great humor in gas and burps and, she talks about poop so much that it's a bit unnerving (especially in public restrooms). 

Lyla is truly a Big Sister these days - often requiring gentle reminders that she needs to include Cade even when her friends are visiting. He is the center of her universe, however, when her friends aren't around - she's really enjoying having a playmate. She's always concerned for him - making sure that Mommy remembers to buy him a suitcase for vacation too - as soon as she's selected her own, of course. 

Lyla continues to love the mud and dirt, aspects of her personality I am relieved to see are still very much a core of her little being. I think it keeps her small, and I'm glad that princesses and pink haven't entirely taken over just yet. 

The other day as we were leaving swim lessons at the YMCA, she looked up at me and said, "Mommy, when I get big, I want to exercise just like you."

More Music. 

This girl never ceases to amaze me. Today at her last swim lesson, she volunteered answers to numerous questions from the teacher and has started to try and swim out on her own - all she needs is just a little more confidence. She ended her final lesson of this series by asking Miss Judy to come to the Beach with us next week.

Yes, on Sunday we are headed out for our first Family of 4 adventure to Panama City Beach. More pictures and stories to follow.

I can hardly wait. 

 

Our Best Friends

Above anything else, the greatest joy in my life right now is watching these two beautiful kids become best friends. They laugh together, fight together, run around the house together…they are growing closer each and every day. 

A few of my favorite things right now: 

-Watching Cade imitate anything Lyla does. If she runs and jumps, he wants to do it too - and he's always willing to give it a try.

-Watching Lyla try to do everything Cade does…from uttering a rudimentary "PEEAAZZZ" (aka "Please") to running away from Mommy, if Cade does it, Lyla wants to try it too.

-Lyla's latest nickname for Cade is "Donnie". We think she got it from a show she's watching a lot these days (Doc McStuffins - she also refers to herself as "Doc"), but it's hilarious to hear her announce to Daddy that she has a little brother named "Donnie". 

Here are some of my most prized photos ever…captured with my iPhone. We were in the backyard, and Cade and Lyla discovered a ladybug struggling to take flight from a blade of grass. Here, Cade is trying to pick the bug up with his hand. I love how Lyla sat back and let him try, all the while thrilled to watch:

And, here is my all-time favorite. He managed to get the ladybug on his hand, and they watched it for a split second before it took flight and was gone as quickly as we discovered it. I love the jubilance on Lyla's face and the concentration on Cade's.

I pray that they will continue to grow to love and care for each other. The sibling relationship is an amazing gift. 

I'm so happy they have each other.