"i'm learning!"

last night i was playing with madelyn in the playroom and she got out her refrigerator magnet toy. after playing with it for a while she declared excitedly, "i'm learning!" the refrigerator asks you to find certain foods/letters and madelyn was doing a pretty good job. i was surprised that she equated this 'game' with learning. i don't think that we have ever made reference to "learning" before but maybe she picked it up from the pbs kids intro - "learn something new everyday". she was just so excited about the idea that she was learning something (and repeated it more than once with a big smile) that i had to make note of it here.

after sharing friend with mason for most of the week, madelyn has decided that he needs his own 'friend' to keep him company. she has been tucking this costumed bear in with him whenever he is in the swing. she still shares friend, but understands that this bear is really more his size.

yesterday was my first day alone with both kids. matt had to go to work for few meetings and madelyn, mason, and i just hung out at home all day. i actually got a lot done during the day. madelyn spent the morning drawing on a new easel (that she got as a present from mason) and playing out in her sandbox while mason hung out with me in the office. i was finishing up something for work and trying to get my list together for baby announcements - which i got out too, by the way.

i didn't really have a good way to get both kids out for a walk because we still don't have a double stroller (i have been hesitant to get one) and madelyn has been insisting on riding her bike on our walks. so last night i decided to try out my new moby wrap. and i love it!! i don't really find the baby bjorn style carriers comfortable and didn't really have luck with the sling we got for madelyn. so i have been reading up on reviews for wraps and it was almost unanimous for the moby wrap. it is so comfortable and versatile - i highly recommend it. i wore it today when i took madelyn to the park by myself (matt is still working on staining the deck). i was able to 'wear' mason and pull madelyn in the wagon (today's transportation of choice).

this morning we were all sitting around reading (books/newspaper) and madelyn decided to read one of my books. in case you can't see the title it is toilet training in less than a day. she was telling me about the illustrations of kids putting a doll on a potty. i told her that it was a book on potting training before she started 'reading' it and she was eagerly looking at the pages even though there weren't really many illustrations. i would say that currently her interest in bodily functions peaks when we are outside of the house and there is potential for a public restroom. when we are at home she just wants us to change mason's diaper. she will come to tell me that "mason/brother needs a clean diaper" even when his diaper has already been freshly changed. love.