Lately

It's been a while since I've posted and, to be frank, I could quite happily wait a bit longer to do so. The pictures haven't been piling up (I haven't been taking many), and we haven't done too many grand or exciting things. Edith and I are just busy trying to get into the new routine. I can only take so many photos of going to the park or tricycle rides down the same street before it gets a little repetitive. I guess I should have documented our trip to the grocery store yesterday for a change of pace. Truck carts are rather exciting, after all. 

And I know I joked about the blog becoming the "Edith Show", but that's really what it might end up being like and it makes me kind of sad. I really want the other kids to be represented. I had a chance to feature the older kids when we hung out with family and went to the falls a few weeks ago to remember my dad, but I only managed to take photos of Edith. Fail. But, I guess there are a few things that could serve to be documented, even a few pictures of the other kids. 

Anyway, here's what we've been up to over the past few weeks...

I CLEANED THE FRIDGE! Not only did I clean it, but I detailed it. I took out every shelf and took everything apart. It took hours. And now I'm posting a picture so the kids who think I do nothing while I'm home can someday appreciate this. 

The 3 younger kids spent some time painting. I don't let them do this as often as I should because I always imagine that the hassle and mess will be so much more than it ever ends up being. Just looking at this photo makes me vow to let them do it more often. I love it when my kids are being creative.

We spent Labor Day with family, doing some things we used to do with my dad. It was a lot of fun and I know he would have loved to be there in person instead of just in spirit. Edith was absolutely pooped by the time we were headed home from the falls at the end of the day. I was, too, Edith.

Edith is pretty much done napping at this point, but will occasionally request one if she feels tired. Sometimes, though, the tiredness sneaks up on her (You and me both, kid). I guess a morning spent tricycle riding and going to the park can do that to a girl. Don't worry, her head reattached without a problem...

It has been fun trying some new parks with Edith while we're out and about. We're definitely keeping track of which ones we want to take the boys to visit. We think they'll really like this one:

I print out a ton of coloring pages on a regular basis for the kids. I love to color, so I'm glad that the kids do, too. My fridge is overflowing with pictures and I'm thinking it may be time to paint a section of wall with some magnetic paint. I mean, with artwork this good, it needs to be displayed!

I'm super happy that Edith loves to have me read to her. Luckily, we have some great books on our shelves to read from. These are some of her favorites this week:

I'm also super happy that sometimes she gives me a break and I find her doing this:

I kinda can't decide which I like more. 

All of it makes my heart happy, really (even the clean fridge). I love my family.

Edith at 2 1/2

I can't believe that Edith is 2 1/2 already. On the other hand, she speaks so well and is so mature that it's kind of hard to remember she's not older. The checker at the grocery store the other day thought she was 4. The fact that Edith is super tall and has so much hair definitely adds to that perception.

I have been feeling like I need to write a post about what Edith is like (and what she likes) since it's been a while since I updated on her. I've been in the habit of doing these posts on Edith since she's the most recent baby, but I need to do it with the other kids, too. I often wonder what I was like as a kid-- I have my own memories, but I wish I had an adult's perspective on it to fill in the blanks. So, maybe I'll give a little update on the other kids in the next little while, too, so we can have a record of what the kids were like rather than just of what they do. I need to make more of an effort at that.

Anyway... what do we know about Edith?

• She loves, loves, loves the color blue. She has to have a blue straw to drink her green smoothie in the morning, picks the boxed food she wants to eat (cereal, crackers, etc) based on which has more blue on the box, picks books for me to read based on which book cover has the most blue.... There's definitely a theme here. She chose this fabulous outfit the other day, trying to make sure that every component contained the color blue. She was oh so disappointed that she didn't have a blue-containing-shirt in her drawer. I love this outfit so much.

• Edith is becoming better and better at riding her tricycle (and is happy to wear her helmet because it's blue). We have made it part of our daily routine to go for a morning ride as a consolation prize for not getting to go to school.

• We love what an adventurous eater Edith continues to be. She'll eat pretty much anything and loves foods that have lots of flavor. If there's a little spice involved it's even better. And if she gets to eat the food off of someone else's plate? That's the best.

• Edith is seriously obsessed with game playing. She'll never turn down an invitation to play, is often the one inviting people to play, and quite frequently is reduced to tears when the game playing has to come to an end. I know I've mentioned before how focused Edith is at playing games, but I've seriously never seen a two year old sit for as long as she can to play games-- hours on end. It's amazing. Oh, and she's good! (And she still doesn't like to have her picture taken when she's playing)

• Edith is so smart it's terrifying. 

• She is a beautiful dancer and singer. Singing along with the radio is great, but Edith loves to jam with her dad-- her singing and him on guitar. Her off-the-cuff lyrics are the best. 

• And every time Edith hears the song "Do You Know the Muffin Man?", she insists that yes, indeed, she does know that man. "Yes, I know him. I do. I know that man!"

• Now that she has been potty trained for a month, Edith has finally decided she wants to be a big girl. I accidentally referred to her as a baby the other day and she chuckled and shook her head at my mistake as she corrected me.

• I think I can't remember anything else at the moment (although I know there is so much more to write), so I'll just say that I think that Edith is the cutest and best big girl around.

We love you, Edith! Keep being you!