The Daily

When she is happy? Well, it just doesn't get any cuter than this one. And her chunky little teeth coming in? Torture. For all of us. But OH LORD ARE THEY SO CUTE.

Kid's got an adorable grill.



She doesn't want to be left out of anything, and spends a lot of time pulling herself around the hall between the main living area and the bedroom and whining because she just can't make a decision.

She is super fast, but her crawl is a drag on the back half. So she follows you around like an ornery little old crippled man who refuses to use a wheel chair.

Here are my moody little artists at work. We have been busy doing preschool stuff now that Madee is, well, such a little person now. She is understanding and identifying other people's emotions, like happy and sad, and also telling me "Funny!"

And yesterday when I got out of the shower she cracked my behind and said "BUTT!"

Then walked around me and started pointing at my boobs saying "Meep-Mole"
And then she pulled up her shirt and showed me her meep-moles.

She's brilliant.
Stuff we made that day...

With the blinds down.
Eden's favorite is she wants you to lay on the floor. Not sit, not lean, LAY DOWN ON THE FLOOR.

And then she crawls up and over you repeatedly and giggles her little head off.

Beastie Boys shot.

Here she is playing bongos on my butt with Zeus. They have a very special relationship. Like, he is in love with her. He lets her crawl all over him and rolls around in her Babyland space and totally dotes on her.

Eden had her first whole apple yesterday. She skanked it when I was putting away groceries.

"Ooh that tastes funny!"
The other day the living room went quiet, and this is how I found Eden.

I doubt it will be the last time she is found passed out in her snack tray.

New Skills..

We suited up and grabbed the tube this weekend for some fun at Chester Bowl, a local park right down the road. It was upexpectedly AWESOME and will totally be where Madee learns to ski. We hucked it up a hill to tube down, and had some serious fun.

Even Eden went tubing!

Highlights of the following video montage...

tubing with Madee and Eden, Madee's virgin ski voyage, Dad's cameraman skills, Ono's nine lives and what it is like living with Zeus...

I found a new button on this laptop and LET ME TELL YOU I can't wait to dazzle you with my new hackey montages!

Happy Valentine's Day!

You know want to kiss this face.

Happy Valentine's Day everybody!


Remember this holiday is all about love. Not expectations, or candy or presents or flowers. It is abuot love. And as I told my girls all week as we prepared for this glorious occasion of love, Valentine's Day doesn't mean much unless you don't have a Valentine.

When you don't have a Valentine, it can seem pretty lonely because you think all these lucky people who do have Valentines are having such a better day than you. But they aren't. It is seriously just February 14th.

But, if you have family, you have Valentines.

In fact I don't really get how Valentine's Day became a romantic holiday, when most of your love comes from your family.

Oh and so much love comes from this family.


So for us it is a family holiday.

A family holiday of love and devotion and kisses and belonging.

I mean we are Van Dervens. Valentine's Day was just made for us. WE SHARE AN ACRONYM.

Can't wait to take pictures of a cool family in front of this wall eating and dancing.

Madee on the edge of Lake Superior. No I said that right. She is on the edge.

The cool kids.
We send out all of our love to our friends and family on this special day. We have so much love for so many people and we don't tell you guys often enough.

But we love you a lot.

Especially you, Emily and Chelsey!

Dadnapped

That clocktower is in our view of Lake Superior. I drove down the street the other day with the camera just randomly shooting out the window.

Today was gym day again. Thursdays are always the best days... And today was a super special gym day, because we kidnapped dad from work!

So both the kids got one on one attention at playtime. It was awesome and Madee did some new stuff.

Eden has a tooth or something because she has had a rough time last night and today. She really didn't feeling like doing much at the gym but she was sure to pose for some pretty pictures with her cool Dad.

She can't wait to run around on her little legs.

Dad leans into things. I think that is where Madee gets it.

Sassy in the foam pit. She loved having a partner to do all her stuff with.


We did the balance beam...

And some tandem jumping...
Weeeeeeee!
And a new fave, hanging from the bar.

This was her first time really hanging until she couldn't anymore.

And as soon as she would land, she was all " More More"!

There was also a whole lot of running races and hollering and giggling. And there were a few little 5 year old boys flirting with Madee until they found out she was time out bait!

February Fun

The bath is a regular source of fun around here. It's kind of a big thing. Sometimes it gets a little drained and reheated and rebubbled when it is a really good one.

I mean, what is a kid to do when the outside time is limited?

Sister power!

They really enjoy having each other. Eden can pull herself anywhere and everywhere now, and can pull herself up to standing.

The only real doorway we have for her jumper is a closet by the front door. She may seem contained in a harness with no real means to get into trouble.

But this is what she did in there this morning.
She's such a hellraiser. If she has a toy in her hand she will beat the crap out of you with it.
Seriously.
And laugh.

Madee must know what I am going through with this whole "potty guiding" thing, now that Baby is giving it a try.

We have been having fun themey art times with Valentine's day around the corner...

Madee loves to rub the stamp pad all over her body.

"tattoos"

Madee got this cool felt set for Christmas. We love to make little stories, and they all involve Mimi. (One of the little cutouts is a girl with braided yellow pigtails, and Madee calls it Mimi!)

It is hard to play with her sometimes because she doesn't understand social customs and accepted behavior and physical laws like gravity or weight capacity.

She gets so pissed if I correct her, and who am I, anyway? If she wants all the furniture in the baby crib, who am I to question her? Did she hire me as her consultant? No?

Then suck it, Mom. And help me stack every felt piece in this pile and put the baby crib on top like everything in the house is in the baby crib.

I like it that way.

I try to bite my tongue and let her do it her way.

At least she isn't eating it.

6 ? WOW!

I can't believe little Ono Moriah is 6 today! I remember when she was just a 1 pound 6 ounce morsel that fit in one hand.

She was such an adorable little baby. And now she has seen me through marriage and 2 more little babies. And what a sweet little lady she is.

Everybody loves Ono.

Happy Birthday little Monkey!

They do stuff

And they like each other!

A better day

It's 27 degrees out, and although this may sound ridiculous, that's pretty warm in these parts. So getting the girls to gymnastics today was a breeze.

Well, my version of a breeze.

Of course there still may have been a little yelling/screaming/crying, but that was just me. The girls were awesome.

Just kidding. I have actually broken through a wall, so to speak, and regained my patience and empathy for the kids.

I also found a babysitter.

So despite the fact that Eden had a worse night last night than usual, and they are both screeching right now, I am feeling very Zen about it all.

Maybe because I know we have been up since early, went to gymnastic s play time, had our lunch and poops, and we are just working out the rest of the energy before we all fall asleep for a long winter's nap.


At least THEY will.
And I won't even know what to do with myself.