"...they brushed their teeth and went to bed..."

...and when Maya woke up the next morning, she came downstairs eager to tell me that she had made her trundle bed all by herself! I was delighted to discover this lovely sight when I checked later in the day. We've had three days in a row of this routine (completely initiated by Maya herself!).

Farmer Boy

(in the car yesterday)

Maya: Momma, can we keep "Farmer Boy"?
Me: Yes, Maya. I bought it...at the used book sale at school. I bought it for you...so we can keep it.
Maya: YOU BOUGHT IT?!?!?! OH! I am so excited. We can keep it! Then... when my children are big, I can read it to them! They will love it too. ...I told Go-Go she could be one of my children, because she wanted to. Then I'll have big sister Angela and baby Angela and Go-Go..and I'll read it to them. When they're big. And I'll pray for them. I've been praying for them...the children that God will give me....
Me: (brimming with pride and happiness at her cuteness and sweetness and thoughtful plans for her future children) I think you'll be a really good mom someday, Maya.
Maya: I think Sophie will be too. She'll be so funny! She'll make her baby laugh all the time. She's so funny. She'll be a good Momma someday.

maya's braids

Poor sophie...

went to Dr. Tom's today to tell him, "I have cough..ten. you. help. me?"

Her cough has just been so persistent for at least a month, getting only slightly better for a few days, and always returning. She's had a few prescriptions for her cough. They've helped a little.
We've been thinking allergies might be to blame.

Last night at my choir concert she was really warm too. So Ryan took her in today, while I went to direct my elementary students' musical.

The diagnoses: Allergies + Asthma + Ear Infection

Poor little sweetie. And she's been so good despite all her pain and struggle to breathe.

Her first nebulizer treatment went well (thanks to Blue's Clues)...but everyone who told us that the albuterol might induce hyper activity was right. The feverish lethargic little baby I'd been cuddling on the couch suddenly became quite chatty, rattling off stories until 9:30...recalling as many details from the day as possible and using strange new language like "Yeah! Cool Daddy!"

She started to calm down a bit as I scooped her up to carry her to her bed. Then she grinned at me mischievously and said, "Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas. I Santa. You laugh. okay? Ho Ho Ho. You laugh now, Mama. I Santa Claus."

"What's Isaac and Will's daddy's name?"

Maya: (urgently entering Sophie's room wearing pajamas, a pink tutu, fairy wings, sunglasses, and a santa hat) MOMMA! What is Isaac and Will's daddy's name?
Me: (changing Sophie into her pajamas) Uncle Daniel
Maya: yeah..Uncle Daniel. Okay let's pretend that you're teaching Uncle Daniel how to walk, okay? And I'll be the big sister. And this bucket has candy in it...and pretend that he tries to eat all my candy. Okay? Sophie? You be Uncle Daniel. And I'll be the big sister. Come try to take this bucket.
(Sophie stays on the floor. It's okay. Maya changes the script.)
Maya: Wow! It's really hot this Halloween! I can't believe how hot it is!! (peeling off wings and several layers of clothing).....Um...What's Isaac and Will's daddy's name??...

sweet surprises

Yesterday, the girls went with their Nana and Papa to a greenhouse to get some flowers for me. When they returned, Maya kept saying (with a sneaky grin), "There's NOTHIN' for you! I'm NOT gonna say ANYTHING!" And Sophie told me several times, "I got peasant fo' you. It's a suppise!"
They each chose a different potted plant for me. Maya chose a few little white flowers, for herself, she said. Though this morning, she decided to give those to me too.

Today, Ryan made Yorkshire Pudding for breakfast, then took the girls shopping for me.
We feasted at my parents house, celebrating Mothers, Grandmothers, and Maya, Emma, and my Dad's birthdays.
Ryan took his mom out for a shopping date while Maya and I began to clean out my old dollhouse (just retrieved from my parents 'attic'.)

Ryan tried hard to keep the girls quiet this morning so I could sleep in a little, but they were having a rough time and just wanted their Momma. I felt so lucky to run up the steps to hold two snuggly, warm, sleepy girls who immediately wrapped their arms around me and buried their heads in my shoulders.

The mystery friend from Cubbies and Sunday School

Maya:"I'm going to marry Mikey."
Me: "Do you ever talk to Mikey?"
Maya: "No, but he's my best friend....I told Adeline about Mikey....so...she knows about him."
Me: "What do you like about Mikey? Do you just like his name?"
Maya:"I like his name. And I like what he does."
Me: "Oh. What does he do?"
Maya: (smiling shyly)"um....he pretends that he's DEAD! (strange giggle)...and he plays with the other boys. He plays rough. (thoughtful pause) But I'll teach him how to be gentle."

"Do all things...

...without complaining or arguing."

I taught Maya these words of wisdom from Philippians this week. I'm not sure if it is because she has been putting them in her 'heart'...or if I have been really trying to be a better example of this (incredibly difficult) teaching.... (Unfortunately, both complaining and arguing are some of my strongest skills.)

...but for whatever reason, we've had a beautiful day today...smooth, fun, delightfully calm, and full of surprising sisterly acts of kindness.

Thank you Paul.

my birthday girl

She's four and so grown up. All day I've been telling her stories about the day that she was born. "And were you so happy? Was I really cute?" she asks. She's looking over my shoulder right now, looking at the pictures I've posted..."is that when I was three?"

She's been very excited about her birthday, but a little bit nervous about being four. For weeks she's been asking questions about "when I'm four".....fishing for details, "but I'll still be me right? I'll still be a little girl? Like....just like this, right? Can I still wear the same clothes and stuff?"

We've been celebrating all weekend...visiting the Fredrick Meijer Gardens' Butterfly Exhibit, the John Ball Park Zoo, hot dogs from G & L, a visit to the beach, and lots of time with friends and cousins, Aunts and Uncles, Grandmas and Grandpas (thanks for the fun birthday party, Isaac and Will!)

Maya is becoming a prolific artist, drawing pictures of people (usually me), designing playgrounds, and working on her letters. There are layers of drawings on our fridge these days. Most of all, she loves to pretend. All day long, she's speaking in several different voices (my favorite is her semi-British accent), narrating some sort of tragedy to and with her imaginary characters. Her favorites are Laura and Mary (Ingalls), and Mikey (a mysterious friend from church that she seems to be fascinated with, but has never spoken to). Several times a day, she says "can we play baby Mikey? Pretend I was just born. Say: look it's a baby....we haven't named him yet...let's call him Mikey." She's asked if maybe Mikey could come over to play or spend the night. But whenever I ask about him, she insists that they've never spoken. She just knows his name because "the teacher says it all the time."

We just finished reading Little House on the Prairie a couple of nights ago (back when she was three), and tonight we start book 3, Farmer Boy. So it's time to go put my big four year old to bed.