give me some mo

So loving this little girl these days (I know, I've officially jinxed it now by typing that sentence).

I love how when she jumps around she either says, "hopscotch, hopscotch" or "salta!"

I love how she only calls Katie "sis," and never refers to her or calls her by her name.

I call her my little anime girl -- big 'ol round eyes on a little tiny face.

I love how all "L's" are pronounced as "W's." She calls her little friend Logan "woggie."

I need to take more video of her talking these days, because she's a crack up, and I know in a blink that little voice will be gone.

My brother has proclaimed she sounds like an elf.

Chapstick that has been "Maddie-ized"

Part elf, part robot, often sentences will start and end with the word "Mom," except it sounds like "Mam."

"Mam, you got big knife, Mam," she will say flatly as I'm cutting up her strawberries in the morning.

No, she's not practicing to be an Asian tourist

-- she's letting me know that's she's in fact, 2 years old.

Okay, enough gushing. I'll be sure to look back at this post another day when the girl is a teenager and driving me crazy.

what must go on in that little brain

Katie: Can I ask you a question dad? You may not know the answer but since you’re a scientist I thought I’d ask.

Papa: Yes?

Katie: When a doctor looks in your eyes, ears or your nose... can they see what you’re thinking?

Papa: No honey.

it's loud in hear right now

While I do enjoy thrifting, flea markets and the sort, garage sales usually aren't my thing because -- well, to be frank I'm not a morning person.

Last weekend we somehow ended up at a garage sale and on a whim, bought a piano.

Now, while the purchase was definitely a spur-of-the-moment thing, a handful of conversations had taken place about getting one. We knew exactly where we'd put it, etc.

We had been thinking about how to incorporate music in a fun way into our house. All the stars aligned that morning: Papa was with us, the price was right, it's perfect size for our tiny house, the guy selling it had a truck and was uber-willing to bring it over.

I need to get it tuned, but so far I really like having it. I've been fingering out old sonatas that have been lingering in my mind for years.

I put little post-its on the keys so Katie can finger out some tunes.

But I can't seem to play without ending up with sticky notes all over my fingers. I don't want to put actual stickers on the keys, so I may have to brainstorm another solution.

Needless to say the Little Wickies love it.

Would love to hear any tips you might have regarding how you incorporate music into your family's lives, if you teach your kids music yourselves, etc.

biker chicks

Big things happening over here in Little Wickie land.

We took Katie's training wheels off about a month ago and she's zipping around (frighteningly fast).

Mo has her "own big bike," as she sings repeatedly when she rides it.

today's finds

I love the local flea market we have here on Wednesdays.

Armed with fortune cookies (story behind that to be told another day), Mo and I shopped through people's wares.

Today we picked up these cool pink metal chairs, two jars (for our save-$-to-go-to-Hawaii fund) and a Sesame Street puzzle which is not pictured because Mo was playing with it when I snapped the photo.

If you haven't been I recommend checking it out -- it's free and fun to peruse. (Another plus: the roach coach there has pretty good carnitas tacos.)

tease

A little over a week ago Mother Nature teased us.

We made three trips to the beach in a short 2-day span of warm weather.

One night we packed up our dinner last minute (a non-beach friendly dinner of teriyaki shrimp, fried rice and stir-fry broccoli) and headed out.

"Mo, what are you doing?"

"Me a sand crab!"

After all that rain, the hills behind our beach are covered with their signature yellow wild flowers right now which I love.

Papa pretended to throw each of the girls in the water repeatedly -- a perennial favorite game.

The next day remained warm.

These two crack me up together.

That night we grabbed some take out and watched Papa and Chris surf.

What's better than this little face?

These teeth.

It was in the low 60s again this week, but I know you'll be back again warm weather.

I just know it.

b.f.f.

I have to admit when I first learned we were going to have a second girl there was a tiny part of me that was disappointed.

But, the more I thought about it the more I got excited. Now, I don't know how well I would have fared with a boy.

I love the dynamic of having two girls (I know, remind me of this post when I have two teenage girls).

While my brother and I are close I feel like with two girls, there is the real possibility of them truly being best friends. I really like seeing how they play with each other, enjoy each other's company and are learning to respect each other when figuring out how to play together.

Awhile back we moved them into the same room. They are loving it. If one wakes up before the other the first thing she asks with sleepy eyes is "where is sis?"

Sometimes they hold hands in bed which is the cutest thing (note to self: need to take a picture of that).

Every night we sneak in to peek on them.

Funny thing is while we often find them in a state such as this...

In the morning they are always back in "normal" positions, heads on pillows with the blankets pulled to their chins.

april foolio

The Little Wickies fully embraced the April Fool's "holiday" this year.

At first Katie didn't quite grasp what kind of jokes you're supposed to play.

"Mama, how about when Dad's not looking we tickle him?! Wouldn't that be a good joke to do?!"

We ended up changing the contents of his drawers and stuffing his closet full of balloons.

At breakfast I froze their spoons in their cereal bowl.

This actually delighted Katie who loves eating ice.

I also froze Katie's milk.

Dad was also totally on board with the joke-playing that morning. I had sugar in my coffee (yuck).

A total tip-off, Katie asked me all while giggling hysterically, "Mama? Are you going to get dressed now?" I found the contents of my drawers to be switched around.

Rushing everyone out to go to school I hastily grabbed my running shoes to find my laces backwards.

In the afternoon I utilized my little project on them.

I laid it down, called them over and asked sternly, "Girls, what happened here?"

"I didn't do it!" Katie called out immediately.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Chocowate," replied Maddie examining it more closely.