What's in a Name?

I have to ask;

Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?

Something kind of quirky about me that drives Nathan crazy is my use of nicknames for the kids. Maybe not so much the use....but the sheer volume of them. Or maybe because they change with the wind and are ever evolving. I couldn't have counted all the nicknames I had for Sienna her first year of life. And the tradition has continued with Wesley. I don't know what it is...but their real name is not the first name that comes to my mind or my mouth. It's always something different. I have to consciously remind myself to use their actual name- especially in public I forget. So just for kicks and giggles, here is the list as of late;

Sienna: Pooh bear, Bear, Goo-Goo bear, Goo-Goos, Bear-Bear, Sienna-Bear,

Wesley: Puppy, Puppers, Pup Pup, Gorgeous, Fatty, Faddy-wadigans, Handsome, and my personal favorite-McFatty

Anatomy 101

In case you missed this course in school, no worries...........here's a quick refresher:

(P.S. this is the exact email Nathan sent me yesterday)

"Sienna just came up to my office and wanted to know what I was doing. She observed that I did not have my shirt on and proceeded to explain the differences in a boys body and a girls body. She said that boys have hair in their armpits and on their boobies but girls don't. Guys have hair on their arms and girls don't. Guys have big noses and girls don't. Then she moved down to my belly button and said that boys have big belly buttons and girls don't. Then she stuck her finger in my belly button and said, "whoa Dad that's far" as in that's really deep. Then as she is going away she wishes me luck on my deep belly button work."

Favorite Things

A few of Wesley's favorite things: ...his blue blanketReading and looking at books- particularly "Priddy Books"......a series of books by Roger Priddy. They almost always have white backgrounds and great pictures. They've got ones on cars, or animals, or babies, etc. Wesley can spot them from a mile away. And wants to look at them over, and over and over again. I've been trying to teach him some basic sign language and he understands and uses the sign for "book." It's so cute to see his ultra chubby hands open and close with his sweet brown eyes. I don't have the heart to say no. This particular Priddy Book is his absolute favorite.

...nothing says "good times" to Wesley more than his trusty broom. He loves to push the broom all around the house as if he were vacuuming. The picture to the left is classic...at least 1-2 a day he'll jog-waddle his way to the laundry room and stop right in front of the broom hanging from the wall. He just waits in eager anticipation. And in case we somehow forget what he wants, he'll repeatedly point to the broom: "a-duh" "a-duh" which we can only assume means, "my hearts desire is yonder upon the wall."

Wesley also loves his thumb, "brushing" his teeth, getting into things, getting his back rubbed,"washing" his hands, playing in water, raking sand, climbing, pressing buttons, scowling, eating, playing with Sienna, more scowling, some more eating and definitely more playing!

My Wesley favorites:

I love his random hugs and kisses

his love for books and reading

I love when he uses sign language

his fatty thighs

I love how he genuinely tries to help me clean

his games of chase with Sienna

I absolutely love his gorgeous face

and maybe most of all his kisses through his crib.......

First Timer

It's official, Sienna is all grown-up. She gave her very first Primary talk a few weeks ago. Maybe it's silly, but I just can't believe it- my little girl talking to all the "big kids" in Primary. And wouldn't you know it- Sunday I woke up with pink-eye stink-eye! I didn't get to see her.

And me being a first time Mom, with my first child, with a first time talk I had no idea what to do. There were no directions on the slip of paper she was given, no hints, no suggested length, or number of pictures to use.

After much debate I decided to have Sienna "read" a book. Sienna is amazing when it comes to memorizing. She wants to read so badly, that she'll have us read her the same book over and over again till she has it mostly memorized and then she'll turn the pages and "read" to us almost verbatim the words in the book.

The topic of Sienna's talk was "Jesus Christ is my Savior." That's a heavy topic for a full fledge adult, let alone my little fledging.

Anyway, the book we chose had pictures of Christ in different stages of his life and ministry.

So as Nathan held the book for her and turned the pages, Sienna "read" to the Primary kids. Nathan said that she was completely confident and natural and aced with flying colors- that's my girl!

I love you Pooh Bear- I'm so proud of you!