SPRING!

We've finally hit a heat wave after a disappointing spring week with highs in the 30's and 40's.  This weekend we hit over 80 degrees (almost too hot)! so we spent the majority of it outside.   I LOVE Iowa in the Spring.

 Alice is almost 11 months and is starting to be more daring with her cruising skills.  When she's focused on something in her hands or mouth she'll stand on her own for a few seconds.  I wager she'll walk before she turns one.  Brian bets me our life savings that it'll be three days after her birthday. We shall see.

 Scarlett is getting so imaginative and hilarious.  She likes to make up "Silly Stories" which she often pulls from her dreams where she "Saw it with her eyes closed at nap-time." She loves to tease Alice by taking her toys, riding on her back and licking her head.  Alice dislikes the toy thievery most.

She loves to play with friends and neighbors. Her favorites are to play pretend house or school.  She usually chooses to be the mom, because she knows who's Boss.

 Dad is totally her preference these days, since he gets up with her every morning as I try to sleep off the night wakings with the baby.  Alice still has a runny nose and cough, but she's definitely acting healthier. I'm crossing my fingers that she's had her last ear infection for the season.

 Alice has a dear affection of food, like, she always has to be eating--its kind of exhausting. She loves to eat chicken and hamburger, beans, fruit, and all thing crunchy and sweet, but usually spits out any soft cooked vegetable I serve her, much to my dismay.** Thankfully,  I've just discovered the trick to get her to add vegetables to her diet.  If I set a plate of green beans, corn, or frozen peas for Scarlett within Alice's reach, she is completely interested. She sees Scarlett scarf them down, and suddenly their baby candy.  I feel very clever for instigating this new veggie excitement.  (**Just to be clear, she has always enjoyed tomatoes, ensured by her Green genes).