Update (Warning: It's a long one)

Our pre-teen daughter was on a role yesterday. She came home fired-up at a friend of hers because she had confided in this friend that she thought a certain boy was cute and this friend told another girl and Anna fears she told the boy. She was really upset and embarrassed. A little while later she asked if she could bring a friend with us to Nate's soccer practice. I told her she could. After a few attempts she came to me and said, "Mom, I really want to bring a friend, but Chloe and Sadie can't play and I'm NOT calling the "Betrayer!" Later that evening I was coaxing Abby and Nate into the bath. Abby was really protesting when I said, "Abby, why is it that you're fighting getting in the bath, but when I tell you it's time to get out you're not going to want to get out?" Anna was right there doing her homework and without looking up said, "That's just life, Mom. When they have to get in they don't want to but when they get in they have fun and when they have to get out they don't want to. It's the cycle of life." Cracked me up. We love Anna.

Abby has a permanent top front tooth that goes behind her permanent bottom tooth. This could cause the bottom tooth serious problems so Abby gets to wear this at night for a couple of months:

Crazy that I have a 7 year old receiving orthodontic treatment! She also had to go to the doctor because each night for a few weeks she's been feeling like she couldn't breath very well. It seems she's got asthma. We're hoping this is the mild kind that she'll outgrow, but for now she has an inhaler we're supposed to use each night and then before she'll be running around at all. She's been a good sport about all this and was actually really excited about her retainer. I think the appearance of her cross-bite had been bugging her (I've noticed that she's sort of discovered the mirror and taken a liking) so she's excited to get that fixed. I know I always say this but Abby loves her family. Lately when Ben's being extra funny or cute she'll look at me and say, "Mom I don't think I could live without Benny." We love Abby.

I have really been enjoying little Nate. Today I came home from helping at the school and he ran up to me enthusiastically saying, "Mom, I know what I'm going to do for the talent show!" Traditionally we have a talent show around Christmas time with my family. "Really, what are you going to do?" I asked. "Sing We Will, We Will Rock You!" He was totally sincere and then performed it for me with great gusto and stomping of feet. It was so cute. He also loves to help me put Ben to bed and sing songs to him. When he walks out he says, "Ben, I will always love you no matter what" which is what I always say to them. I love how he just picked that up and sweetly says it to his little brother. We love Nate.

Ben goes from being the most adorable delightfully happy and brilliant child to a screaming, flopping maniac several hundred times a day. He'll be two next week. I can't even type that without tearing up a little. Wow. I love this age so much and so I'm not sad about that, I'm just sad that it happened so fast! Since his great escape from his pack-n-play I got a call from my aunt, Jan, (thank you so much!) who had a neighbor giving away a toddler bed. He's officially sleeping in it and while he does still protest and come out occasionally I usually only have to put him back a couple of times before he decides to go to sleep. It's very cute when he suddenly appears a few hours later with a "Hi, Mamma!" Although we are certain he will only be turning 2 in a week he still thinks he'll be turning 9. He insists on administering his own medicine (he was recently on an anti-biotic) somehow he knows to put the syringe thing in his mouth and then squeeze it until it's all gone, if I'm not on it when the phone rings he will push the right button and say "Hi!", he's also taught himself how to ride Abby's scooter. Lately when he's in the car seat he says, "Mom, I duck! (stuck)" "Yes, I know Ben, you're supposed to be." "No!" We have lots of conversations like that every day. We love Ben.