Indianapolis Zoo

 UTC had a special Zoo day.  Chris had to work there for a little while and then I brought the kids and met up with him and we got to do the Indianapolis zoo for free!  We also got to stay another hour after the zoo closed to the public.  It's not a huge zoo, but it's really nice, and a great size for our little munchkins.  Jane loved EVERY animal.  She would declare it with each new exhibit.  "I LOVE tigers!"   "I LOVE snakes!"  "I LOVE orangutans!" It makes it that much more fun for us.  Above Jane and Chris are giving their best lion roars in front of the "daddy lion".

 The cheetahs were fun. They just kept pacing back and forth right in front of the window.  I think they were my favorite.  I also loved the dolphin dome, though because we got it all to ourselves.  I'm sure this place is probably packed on a normal day.

April stuff

What a nice surprise to find out that the massive tree in front of our house is a blossom tree.  I loved looking out the window and see the tree covered in white and knowing it wasn't snow.  Finally, it's time to play outside more.  As long as it's not raining the kids will play outside almost every day. We've got to get it all in before it gets too hot and muggy when summer comes. 

(Above)  Jane gathers "flowers" in our weedy wilderness of backyard.
(Below)  Dr. Jane cares for at least 7 sick patients that have been diagnosed with a fever before she is taken ill herself.  (I love watching her make-believe play).

At a ward picnic, I organized the kids into a big game of duck, duck, goose. Peter was left wandering around the middle until he spotted his sister and went and sat in her lap.  Sibling love is so cute.

Sodalis in the spring.  Jane may look like she's helping her little brother, but she's actually terrified that he's going to push her off.  She keeps telling him not to push her even though he wasn't moving a muscle.

(Above) Jane has two magic wands.  Peter has one spear (at least he kept throwing it like one).
(Below) It's hard to tell, but Jane is planting a baby tree next to a big mommy tree, then Peter comes along and pulls it out.

There are lots of not so glamorous parts of motherhood, but sometimes I feel insanely blessed that I just get to follow these two around all day and watch exploring this world.

Peter found this nut and kept throwing it and chasing after it (just like he does with his bouncy balls at home).  Then when it broke, he spent the rest of the time at the park trying to put it back together.

Jane at 2 (and 8 months)

Jane loves her dresses and loves to dance and twirl.  Sometimes she closes her eyes and really feels the music.  It's pretty fun.

The other day I overheard Jane singing, “Magic, magic, magic, Oooooooo, Magic in me!”  Recognizing the song from B.O.B, I started singing along.  Jane stopped and looked at me.  “Mommy, you know dat song?”  Are you kidding me?  YOU know that song, Jane?

Once when I was outside with the kids, Peter’s shoe came off.  “Where did your shoe go?”  I asked him.  Jane, without looking up from playing in the sand said, “Where’s Peter’s shoe?  Help us find Peter’s shoe. When you see Peter’s shoe, say SHOE.”  Maybe this girl has been watching a little too much Bubble Guppies.

Jane was watching a recorded Bubble Guppies once, when Peter got a hold of the remote and switched it to live TV.  It landed on a baseball game and Jane said, “No, Pete, dat’s daddy’s show.  I watch Jane’s show.”  I love that she knows sports are daddy’s shows. 

Jane declares her love for all kinds of things all the time… 

Get your shoes on Jane.  “I LOVE my shoes.”

Look at the Lion, Jane.  “I LOVE lions.”

“What’s dat called, Mommy?”  “That’s a lemur”.  “I LOVE lemurs”

“Mommy, I go pee and poops in da potty.  I LOVE pee and poops!”

Jane loves to sing but she always needs a microphone.  Her go-to microphone is a  bulb-syringe nose sucker,  but if that’s not around, she usually has a wooden hot dog that does the trick.

Her favorite color is whatever she is wearing… and your favorite color is whatever you are wearing.  She always has to look down at her wardrobe before she answers the question.

Last night after I put Pete to bed, Jane and I sat on the porch swing and I asked her some questions.  

What is your favorite color?  (looks down) Red

What is your favorite animal?  Orcas and polar bears and giraffes

What is your favorite thing to eat?  tortillas... and lollipops

Who is your favorite person to hug?  Daddy

What do you like to do best in Nursery?  Play with play-doh

What is your favorite toy to play with?  The circles and the stars and the flowers (I think she's talking about some shape sorting blocks that she NEVER plays with).

Jane said they were having a picnic.