But she has requested not to be called that.

Nor, sadly, Samwise Gamgee.

Lucy: “That is a pretty big bottom.  I’d like to keep looking at it.  ’Cause it’s pretty big.”

To Clare playing in the living room…

Samantha, in her sweetest cajoling mommy voice: “I appreciate you doing good.  Thank you.”

“On top of the truck?”  I asked, sure she must mean something like “tricycle”.  ”The one we drive around in?”

“Yes.”

I blinked in disbelief, and headed for the door.  Sure enough, as I walked out, Samantha was sliding down the windshield.  She didn’t make a fuss, just slid down off the truck like she had done it every day of her life.

I wasn’t sure how she could get up there in the first place, since she is only as tall as the tire.  So I asked.  Did she climb the wheel or the front bumper?  Wheel.  Wasn’t it high?  Yes, she couldn’t do it on her own.  So how did she get up there?

“Lucy helped me.”

So much for my faith in the common sense of almost-five-year-olds.

“Lucy, how did you help her get up there?”

“She couldn’t do it, so I gave her a push on the bottom so she could get up.”

I’m seriously starting to be worried about being outnumbered by these three.  Clare is about to start crawling, and then there will be no stopping them.

At least I won’t have to spend much time teaching them about cooperation.

Samantha:  I don’t like broccoli.

Me: What do you like?  Besides cookies and candy.

Samantha: I like ice cream and cake.  And icing on cake.

My mom claims she gets it from her, and that she got it from her mother.  I think it’s time to start making some “nutritional” cookies.  ;) (= sneaky mommy face)

I was next door at Bob and Mary Lou’s house, with Clare.  I thought that Ben and Helen (Craig’s parents) were at the store, and Lucy and Samantha were swimming with Uncle Sean.  When I came back, I found that Ben and Helen were back and Samantha was in trouble.  Apparently after they had finished swimming, she had put on a pair of Nana’s shoes, which meant she was Nana, with all the rights and privileges accompanying that.  So she unlocked the back door, went out and got herself a beer out of the mini-fridge by the pool, because, as she said, “I thirsty.”

(Fortunately, she’s not as good at opening cans as she is at unlocking doors.)

Christmas was two days after I got out of the hospital from the original bleeding episode, so no pics of me!  But here are the girls, dressed and ready for mass.

We had Christmas morning at our house, and the Craig’s family came over later since I couldn’t go out.  Mom and John had planned to be with us, which worked out great since they were also able to watch Lucy and Samantha most of the time we were in the hospital.  And that was pretty much it.  I was just really glad to be home and not in the hospital.

The mini-guitar has made a reappearance the last couple of days, and Samantha has been handling it well enough that I don’t have to fear too much for its safety now.  Funny things that go with the guitar:  Lucy used to call it a hot-tar, and the pick a pickle.  Samantha has the pick right (although Craig now calls it a pickle…) but she says “but-tar”.  It’s held Samantha’s attention better than anything else I can think of recently, and today she was strumming and making up songs.  One included monsters, and I think she sang, “Monster, monster, don’t come get me!”  Another repeated, “Grandpa died, Grandpa died, now in Heaven” over and over.  I’m waiting to hear tomorrow’s songs…

Craig brought his guitar home, too, and we had a musical evening with Justin, Theresa, and Ebbie.

And, as you can see, Clare is now big (I should say BIG) enough for the Bumbo.  She is a chunk.  And, finally, the results of Craig’s music: (she’s asleep, if you can’t tell).

You tell me.  The last one was shortly after an extended screaming session last week.  She laid in bed with me and Clare for a bit, then announced that she had to go potty, and when I got up (Clare had already napped and didn’t want to lay down any more) this is where I found her.

We had a good trip to the zoo with Katie, Cylis, and Micah this morning.  Lucy told Cylis about the Spanish moss, and we saw the tiger and black bears moving around and the white alligators up close.  Most of the time we let the kids play in the water at Monkey Hill, then the thunder started and we had to make a run for the shelter in the swamp exhibit.  Lucy panicked at the thunder.  We finally walked back in the rain after lunch, and got to the gates just as the sun was coming back out.

This afternoon has been melt-down city.

Lucy and Samantha tell the story:

At this point the girls were distracted by Craig making chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes and the story ended.