fuzzy happy

fuzzy happy, originally uploaded by pinprick.

this is the best thing about being home right now. i know i tend to gush about maggie and the boys, but i can't help it. i've never met a group of smart, funny, adorable kids like this. yes, they are mine and i'm biased, but i dare you to hang out with any of them and not come away with the same conclusion.

baby and i have a lot of fun together. she likes to crawl up and down me like she's a monkey and i'm a tree, i sing "shake shake shake" and she wiggles her booty, she cuddles with me for some spongebob in the afternoon even though mom doesn't dig it because it's not "educational" enough (what's not education about a sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea?!), and i get to give her a bath most nights. the bath part of the day is probably our favorite because we listen to the radio, blow bubbles and get to splash all over. of course, the last few days i realized that if i end up living with her and her mom (my sister) then i'm going to have to actually follow the rules and get better at saying "no." today was the first day of trying it out, and for both of us it was a bit of a shock. although after the initial crying and looks of oh-my-god-i-liked-you-how-can-you-be-so-cruel? she would just snap out of it and crawl up me like nothing happened. staying strong while she weeps and gives you the saddest looks on earth is hard work, but i think after a few weeks it will start to feel normal for both of us. i mean, that's how it works, right?!

at 18 months old she's already very inquisitive and talkative and curious about everything, which means we're all on our toes most of the time. she can be totally naughty, like all kids, but i think right now more than anything we're all just settling into living together and she's figuring out what her boundaries are. i'll probably always be a bit more lenient with her (she can taste pretty much anything i eat or drink, and even though we're trying to instill good table manners with her i still let her pick off my plate), but i promise she won't get to juggle knives or have cocktails with me until she's at least 6.