Anda Says/Lilah Says

Lilah [to Dan who is wearing a running visor]: Your hat has a big hole in it, up on the top!

Lilah [regarding the rain storm]: The thunder is crying. 

Lilah: Why are you talking quiet?

Me: Because my voice hurts. 

Lilah: Your voice are gone?

Me: Yes.

Lilah: You need to buy a new voice so you can talk loud?

Lilah: Anda, you are a fast swimmer. You look like Iron Man. 

Anda: I want to live in Greenland because then I can be cold all the time.

Lilah: I want to live in Pinkland!

Anda: You really can live in Pinkland. It's in South Carolina at sunset. 

Lilah: Mom here's your wand. We're bad fairies. We change everyone to dinosaurs. 

Lilah [from the back of the car]: Woo! Woo! Mom, everyone is saying "Woo!" at you because you're doing a great job.

Anda: I know the other one is called ice skating, but what is this called? Wood skating? 

Anda: I can read faster than a cheetah can eat a bear. 

Lilah: Yoshi made all the colors! This calls for celery!

Lilah: Who's your grandpa?

Me: There's Papa Grape, but he died. 

Lilah: Oh, his eyes were exes?

Anda: What's "Normal Steve"?

Me: ???

Anda: In Shrek. Donkey says he's a "Normal Steve." [noble steed]

Lilah: That boy got hurt but she got some leaves that will feel his legs better.

Lilah: Mom, sometimes do we see trees walking?

Lilah: Mom how do you make salad?

Me: You chop up vegetables and put them in a bowl. 

Lilah: Like different chocolate and kisses?

Lilah: Jesus wants me for an orthodontist! An orthodontist! An orthodontist!

Anda: He had an eyepatch. 

Me: Why did he have an eyepatch?

Anda: Because he broke his eye. But he's not a pirate. 

Dan: Mom and I are going to Beaufort. 

Lilah: BAH HA! Beau-fart?!

October Highlights

Family pictures:

 Home Depot kid class:

 The flood:

 Ben's first professional haircut:

 More zoo trips:

 SC State Fair:

 Ward Halloween party:

 Beaufort Trip:

 Halloween:

September Highlights

More zoo trips:

 First day of preschool:

 Asheville trip:

 Blue Ridge Relay (Rock Hill Striders):

 Dam Run to Irmo 10k (3rd in division):

 Anniversary while Dan was in India:

 Reading time:

August Highlights

Charleston beach trip:

 Back to school tea party:

 First day of first grade:

 Zoo trip:

 Roller skating party:

July Highlights

Swim lessons:

 Florida trip:

 Ben is now Mr. Destructo:

 Anda at the dentist:

 Ragnar:

 Born In the USA 4 Miler:

 Splash Pad in Lynchburg:

Anda Says/Lilah Says

It's mostly Lilah anymore, but Anda's contributions are still much appreciated. One of my all time favorites is at the end.

Me: Lilah, what do you want for your birthday?

Lilah [apropos of nothing]: A cat. Not a robot. 

Lilah: Where are we going?

Me: We need to get the oil changed.

Lilah: Oh, did it poo poo?

Lilah [naming the flavors of her toy cupcakes]: That's strawberry [red], that's lemon [yellow], that's cotton candy [pink], and that's salad [green]. 

Lilah: What's a brain?

Me [pointing to my head]: It's the thing inside your head that you think with. 

Lilah: I can't feel it. My hair's in the way. 

Anda:...Bless us to eat good food and not bad food and to grow and be healthy and try not to get sick because if we eat bad food we might get sick...so let's not do that...in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[I've lost my voice] Lilah: Is your talk still gone?

Lilah: Santa Claus says stop sucking my thumb!

Lilah [reaching for some off limits candy]: I was not reaching it! I was just looking! [pause] Did you want to go up in the playroom...by yourself?

Lilah: Look what happened to my foot! It got puddle all over it! 

Me: What do you want for your birthday dinner tomorrow?

Anda: Little Caesars pizza!

Me: You sure you don't want good pizza?

Anda: Let's just say pizza. 

Me: No more candy. You had enough. 

Lilah: [Dejected Charlie Brown walk] I'm grumpy!

Lilah: Mom, look, it's a hello-phone. 

Anda: Boys like super heroes and girls like princesses. 

Me: Well, everyone can like whatever they want. 

Anda: Except for poop. 

Anda: It's soakin' hot out there! [or] That tastes soakin' good!

Lilah: What's this song called?

Me: "Take Me to Church."

Lilah: Is he all ready? Does he have his church clothes on?

Anda: Why don't girls have wieners?

Me: Girls have different parts. 

Anda: Is it so when the baby comes out the wiener doesn't smack it on the head?

Benjamin's First

Benjamin is already one year old! Where did the last year go?

He requested that we keep his first birthday pretty low key, and we were happy to oblige.

My parents came down again, which allowed Dan and I to run the See Spot Run 5k that morning (with Dan jockeying the winning dog!). It was early enough that we didn't want to stress everyone out trying to get down there in time, so we went without the kids, but I'm regretting that now since Benjamin's first word has turned out to be DOG!

The rest of the day was just a lot of hanging out until we could get to the two other things we know Ben loves: pizza and cake. Nana and Papa took Ben and Anda shopping, out for ice cream, and to McDonalds, and I know he liked at least two of those things, too.

I'm not sure how thrilled he was about the presents later, but he persevered.

And then it was cake time.

I tried to get some one-year-old pictures of him, but they didn't turn out, so I cheated and took some again a few days later.

He's getting so big already. Happy birthday, Benjabenj! 

Anda's Sixth Birthday

For Anda's Sixth birthday, she wanted to go camping and go to Amazement Square, so we spent a long weekend in Virginia to do both. A good time was had by all.

We started the day with her traditional birthday pancakes with sprinkles (blue this time).

Then we did Amazement Square on the actual birthday. Nana and I took the girls while the boys stayed home with a napping Benjamin. I love Amazement Square, but it's pretty dark, so the pictures never do it justice, but we had fun. 

When we got home, we ate pizza from Anda's favorite upscale pizzeria (Little Caesar's), opened presents, and ate her fish bowl birthday cake.

 

Ben particularly enjoyed the cake. 

The next day, we headed up to my parents' cabin for Part II of the birthday celebrations. A picnic, s'mores, and camping! 

The girls were really excited to sleep in the new tent, but by 9:00, Lilah was just excited to sleep anywhere, so Dan, Anda, and Papa were the only ones who ended up camping. The rest of us roughed it in the comfy cabin. 

Dan says Anda fell asleep immediately when they got back to the tent, but she told me she saw stars and had a great time, so I think it was a success. 

Then to top it all off, she finally got the lizard she has been begging for for months when we got home. She named him Graspy.

Happy birthday, Anda chicken! You are growing up so fast.