i meant to post this long ago...

...but the phase ended and I forgot.

And suddenly today, Maya reminded me. For a brief moment, she brought them back into circulation.

For quite a while, Maya was obsessed with using a couple of nonsensical words. These 'words' could mean anything and everything. They could be used as verbs, nouns, names, adjectives... or just for 'filler.'

I had completely forgotten about this phase; it lasted about 2 months, I think.

But tonight, Maya slipped into her
"Doop-doop" and "Dub-dub" language.

For example:

"Um, I forgot to...ah get my doop-doop....so ah.....(dismissively) ehh....dubdub."

"..annnnd ah. ya know (funny twisted face), dub dub, & stuff."

"Um Sophie. you tant dub dub, o-tay???"

"Dat's my doop doop."

We'd ask all the time about their meaning and origins. But we'd usually be answered with more "doop doop" and "dub dub".

the glass house

On Saturday morning, after our breakfast of oranges, toast, and scrambled eggs with sausage, mushrooms, and cheese, we packed the car with sippy cups, snacks, diapers, an umbrella, the camera, and 2 strollers. Maya was very excited to see the 'glass house' with gardens and butterflies inside. The Frederick Meijer Gardens did not disappoint her high expectations.

When we arrived, it was warm but the air was thick and wet. We hurried through the parking lot and just as we walked in the doors, the rain let loose. Forceful, sideways rain. We weaved through the indoor gardens and sculptures until we arrived at the 'detox' chamber where we had to 'check' our sealed juice boxes before entering the butterflies domain. When we left the butterflies, the rain suddenly cleared... just long enough for a sunny visit to the whimsical outdoor play area and gardens. A giant bird's nest with eggs, a little 'Goldilocks table', a garden maze, bridges and forts. Maya was shocked and delighted to see the 'Little House' log cabin (she was certain that it was Laura, Mary, and Carrie's). She has asked to go back inside that cabin several times in the last few days.











But the butterflies themselves were the biggest hit of the day. She got to bring home a little plastic butterfly, her little 'Mariposa', from the gift shop which she has not slept a night since without.

Sophie slept all the way home, while Maya, on the other hand....

Sophie's expanding Vocabulary...

...now consists of:

Bah (Ball)
Bah (Balloon)
Bah (Banana)
Bah Bah (Bye-bye)
Bah Bah (Bampa Bill)
Papa (Papa Corbin)
Mama (Mama) or (I WANT SOMETHING FROM YOU!!!)
Da-Da
Ayah (Maya)
Ehh!!! (I don't like what you're doing)
Ahh! (I just took a drink, and it was refreshing...and I know I'm cute)
Howww? (Hello?...when holding an object up to her ear as a phone)

and new this week.....

Wa-wa (water)

Maya this week.

All week she's been 'Frank' and I've been 'Buster'.

Sophie is 'Koala' and Ryan is 'Ratchet'.

These characters are all loosely based on a show she watched when she stayed home with Nana and Papa while Sophie went to the ER. Though I think 'Ratchet' is a video game character? from a game Ryan has played a few times in the last month?

Frank and Buster are brothers who help each other a lot.

She's really strict about staying in character....though her 'Director' whims can be hard to predict or understand.

Tonight I told her a 'Frank and Buster' Story about Buster helping Frank who was stuck in the mud. The story ended with the brothers arguing "No, you're the best brother ever...."

(Don't judge me. I was tired...and these stories are requested aout 30 times a day.)

So of course, that's how we said good night, Frank and I. "No, you're the best brother ever." "No You are." "No You are." To which she finally replied with sparkling eyes..."Okay. I guess I am."

************************************

In the car last week when it was just the 2 of us:

"Dear Jesus. Please help 'Do Do' to have a baby. Amen."

That's 'GoGo'...grandma Gloria.

And she's pretty serious. She wants to give GoGo our baby bath, since we're done with it now...and she'll need it soon..."Cause Jesus is dunna dive her a baby! Remember Momma?? I prayed for Jesus to dive her a baby."

Watch out, Mom! :)

****************************************

While Ryan and I slept in the hospital with Sophia, Maya stayed one night with each set of grandparents. The second morning, she told Go Go with big eyes and a lot of importance "Momma slept with the DOCTOR!!"

****************************************

Earlier last week while Sophie was sick:

Maya: Momma. Sophie's ALL BETTER!!

Me: Well, she's getting better....which is good.

Maya: (thinking hard) Wwwwwich is good. Wwwwitches. good? Witches. Wwwwitches are yucky. And sometimes MEAN! ((I honestly have no idea where this opinion came from!))

Me: (laughing. To Ryan.) I'm gonna write that down.

Maya: What? What Momma?

Me: I'm going to write some of your words in my little book, Maya. I like them.

Maya: No! Don't do dat! I don't like it when you do dat. Don't take my words down.
I like them UP!

(sorry Maya. I took them down.)

oh. and...

...I always forget to mark these things down.

Sophie has teeth. Just last month...3 came popping through!

March 5 was the first one (on the bottom)....it showed up as we traveled to Ohio to celebrate Uncle Andy's birthday. And the matching (also very crooked) tooth popped through about a week or two later. Now she has the two middle teeth on the bottom...so crooked that they form a little "V."

And one on top.

I always forget how new teeth change her appearance so.

...her appearance....and her mood!

It really must hurt.

note to self. remember these things.

• the way that Sophie wrinkles her nose and laughs by blowing in and out through her nostrils (especially when I'm trying to catch her!)
• that Maya sometimes just randomly (and quite articulately) expresses gratitude for something we did long ago. And you can tell she's been thinking about it for a while.
  
• the way you just want to smell and soak in the feeling of your babies' skin.
• Sophie's little bottom in a diaper..and a onesie. Watching her eagerly crawl...so cute.
  
• the immense pleasure and safety of spending time with really good friends (even if we all just watch the kids play...and share a few words).
  
• the sound of Maya laughing and making Sophia squeal with laughter in her walker.
• the ever-present obstacles of toys in your living room that annoy you but make you smile.
  
• Maya's little bright pink Converse high tops.
• Grandpa Andy getting down on all fours to play with his great-granddaughter, Sophie on the ground almost every time he sees her.
• the sound of Maya's incessant chatter...all. day. long. :) imagining, acting out a dramatic plot, making up stories and scripts for all her little 'people' to play, gently scolding/correcting imaginary friends, requesting a drink--a snack--a show--a toy, singing loudly, explaining things to Sophie...
  
• the way Maya lowers her head and looks up at people with a shy (closed mouth) smile when she's feeling happy and a little shy.
• today..when Maya said: "Momma. I'd like some dum(gum) too, so I ten look pretty. (pause) (conspiratorial smile) Daddy dave me dum. It was behind da tar (car) at Bampa's. And dare was Isaac ann Will ann Untle Daniel. And Daddy DAVE ME DUM!!! (big open mouthed look of shared awe!!) Momma. Dat was an 'Island Story'. Now will you tell me an Island Story??"
  
• the way that Maya runs around naked, wiggly and silly, and so very amused with herself.
• Maya's constant question 'Is dat funny, Momma?'
• the flash of love and contentment in Ryan's eyes when he's holding his girls.
• the incredible new sense of awe and of 'freshness' of the Story of Jesus when you tell it to your own children.
• that Sophie has tripled in her weight over the last 12 months....this is happening fast.
• the way we hate it when Sophie throws her head back banging it on the back of her high chair over and over again...no matter how hard we try to stop her. She thinks it's hilarious.
• the look in Sophie's eyes when she sees you walk into a room after you've been away.
• that you are not just trying to get to the next thing...accomplish the next goal...be the next 'better version of yourself'.
  
• that you forget just about everything that you hear or think or feel or see and don't write down. So be more intentional about remembering your days.