Some of my favorite things

I keep a little notebook that I write my blog ideas in. I was just looking through it when I noticed that there was one post that I meant to write a LONG time ago and never got around to it. It was entitled "favorite things." This is just going to be a bulleted list of some of my favorite things about my kids. As I was looking through it, I noticed that they don't even do some of these things anymore. Time is really flying by. This serves as a good reminder as to why I started this blog in the first place.... I hope and pray that I can remember each and every little thing about my kids during each phase in their lives.

Austin:
Here are some of my favorite things about you when you were 18 months old:

• I love it when I am brushing my teeth and you look at the mirror and wave at me.
• Anytime I kiss you, you automatically say "love you."
• When I whisper, you whisper.
• It's the middle of summer and I pick you up and put you in your car seat. You start waving your little hands all around and say "hot, hot."
• I love when you are through with your food, you simply say "all done."
• You love your noise machine in your room. When it's time for bed, you run to it and turn it on.
• When I pick you up to get your out of your crib, you bring your paci and blankie with you to the changing table. But before we leave the room, I have to take you back to your crib for you to throw them back in. However, you are quickly realizing that you can simply walk back into your room, reach into your crib and pick them up any old time you want to later in the day!
• When you want to be picked up, you hold up both of your arms and open and close your right hand frantically.
• With you, "yes" means 'no' and a frantic "NO!" really means 'no.'
• You love to put on every pair of shoes that you can find in our house.
• Most of the time when I hand you something, you say "dank you."

Hannah:

Here are some of my favorite things about you when you were 4 years old:

• You LOVE to ride your scooter. You ride it like I would imagine a rough and tumbly eight year old boy would ride it. Very rough and VERY fast!
• You often just run up to me and squeeze me and say "I love you, Mom." Completely out of the blue.
• I love how you help your brother down the steps. You are so loving towards him.
• You are also a great protector of your him. You look out for him and make sure your friends share toys with him too.
• You have learned to tell time, simply so that you can figure out when it is FINALLY five o'clock (the precise time your next door buddy, Jason, gets home).
• You are extremely competitive. (I have no idea where you got that from either - wink, wink).
• You love makeup. Especially your blue eyeshadow that often ends up on your eyelid, below your eyelid, beside your eyelid...
• I love how you can be so competitive, rough, fast and all business when it comes to playing outside and getting dirty. And, in the very next breath, you are my little girl who loves sparkly things, high heels, princesses and makeup.
• You love to dip your food. You have even been known to dip your carrots and apples in ketchup.
• I love your love for your blankie. It was such a huge part of my life and it gives me joy to see you with it. I also love how when I am sick, you are willing to share it with me.
• I love how you race your daddy up the stairs every night.
• I love even more how he came downstairs out of breath the other night and said "She honestly is beating me now. I'm not letting her win anymore!"
• Every single night, I tuck you in and hug and kiss you. As I am closing the door, I send you a kiss (mmmwwwah!) and a big hug (grr!!) This is something that we do with both you and Austin and I love the tradition we have started. I hope it never fades.