Potentially Embarrassing Photos for Big Brother

Its really rare to see these two in the tub together these days.  Elsa always wants to get out when he is getting in because they have a hard time cooperating with sharing tub space and tub toys.  Here's a rare glimpse of a happy bath over-lap.

Helping Dad Fix Tub Spout

Somehow, the tub/shower wasn't working and it came up in inspection process for the sale of house.  We haven't taken a shower in that tun since DHH was born.  So we had no idea.

Daniel made himself at home "helping" Dad.

He asked a million questions and felt very proud of himself.

Bird House Art Project, Take One.

Elsa watched Daniel intently and learned from him.

He was a very careful painter and took great care to get the roof fully covered.

This was day one in a five day craft project series.

Sister in a Box

Elsa went into Daniel's room while he was playing trains with his dad and didn't ask to play or join in.  She climbed into the storage box and made herself at home for a nap.

This thrilled Daniel.  Both kids liked her being inside the box, lid closed, with various toys and flashlights inside.  

Both kids also liked Daniel pushing Elsa around the house in her box, too.

Daniel tried the box out and liked it, but he is really too large for it to have as much fun as she did!

In a Cage. With a Sister. In a Home Tour.

This one wasn't Daniel's idea, but he did follow through with and help his sister with her plan to climb in an extra large cat cage and play cats and giggle until the adults came into the room and had shocked reaction.

He loved doing this and said it was like a play house.
I said, "Good grief."

A Few Snow Photos

It's been tough to get photos of DHH lately because he scurries around so much.

We got our first deep snow of winter this week. It was a foot deep with higher drifts.

He was active in the snow, busy digging and shoveling off driveway. Usually Elsa was exploring and playing but Daniel was working. She would finish up in 45 minute or less, but DHH wanted to be out for as long as possible, even when it was sleeting pretty hard or when his face was chapped.

He enjoyed sledding and snow men building when it was good snow for either and when it wasn't, he had lots of questions about snow and phase changes of water.

He certainly likes the snow better now than any other year.

It's good news to him to hear that we are getting another 6+ inches this week.

You Are a Boy. Lord Help Me.

I just looked out the window and saw you on your bike on the top of a six foot pile of snow. You wanted to coast down it like a hill. You went head over heels, face down in snow. It didn't seem to phase you, just confuse you.

I poked my head out door to see if it was your idea or your Dad's.
It was yours.
But he encourages you to find out what happened when you ride a bike from a cleared off sidewalk straight into snow bank.
You are two peas in a pod.

Quick Hermann Trip

Gator ride
Seeing passenger train go through town
Playing in basement with grandpa
Singing for grandparents
Seeing cows
Playing in pink play castle
Eating four muffins and four pieces of pizza for lunch
Short nap, upset that dad and grandfather left to do man work without him
Playing with pump-rocket outside
Visit GGMA Haid
Visiting GGma Landolt
Sad to leave

New Toy and Visit

On Valentines day, my Dad's sister Ruth came to our house to visit and bring goodies. She was sharing clothes and toys her granddaughter outgrew and visiting a friend in Columbia.

She brought Daniel many things, too, including a big brother t shirt ( good news, his is only size 2 from when he got an Elsa sister) and a flashlight creature.

He also got this hot wheels car carrier. He really liked it, and it got him interested in playing cars again.

Reading with Nanny

Nanny came for a visit and Daniel asked her to read all the books in our house, plus the new ones she brought plus the library books. He also instructed she read them in the tent we made in the living room. He called it the reading tent, of course.

Valentine Balloons

We had a little valentine play date today, and Dan brought out a gift for the kids a day early- a heart balloon. This is Daniel's fourth consecutive heart balloon and it was a hit this year, too. He wanted to run with it, bop it, and see if it could lift objects and fly them.

We also had balloons out for our party to play with. Daniel tried all weekend to blow them up, with minor success. He bathed with a balloon one night and used one inside his pjs as a new baby belly poof (his term) another night. Today the boys wanted to draw faces on the balloon. Daniel wanted happy, but the other sillies wanted sad, so we made ones with two faces. Daniel loved it.

Morning Crafties

Daniel was thrilled by how bird house project turned out and begged for more decorating time!

Gode In Arch

Aka Daniel's name for McDonald's.

Library Play

Our library is enchanting.

And the children's area got a new dollhouse, which is designed like a treehouse, and so the library is even more enchanting for Daniel now.

Painting Birdhouses

Daniel likes painting and really takes his time to do a precise job. This is one of many birdhouse paintings he has done. This one is also blue. He spent half an hour on it. He even touched up the places Elsa missed on hers.