October photos

More photos...with captions. Click picture below to see the album!

October 2-4, 2009

Three Months!

We tried to have a little photo shoot on September 20th, the twins' three month birthday. We took lots and lots of pictures, but didn't manage to get a single one with them both looking happily at the camera. Here are a few of the best shots we got. Enjoy!

Three Month Pictures

Gabby's Musical Ear

Every evening at bedtime, we get Gabby and Ellie ready for bed, then read two books, talk about their day, sing two songs, and tuck them in. We have a repertoire of regular lullaby-type songs to choose from, as well as some random favorites, but Gabby's most frequent request is, "I want a new song," to which I usually reply, "I don't have any more new songs." Occasionally I come up with something we haven't sung in a while or even something I've never sung to her (often from the deep dark recesses of my musical mind...songs from Girl Scout campfires, junior high chorus or high school drama club, maybe a Beatles tune, etc).

Tonight I offered up Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World." First Gabby corrected me on the order of the verses. I still think I was right, but went along with her on that one. Then I got to the verse that says: "I see skies of blue, and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night." Gabby grumpily stopped me and said, "that isn't right mama...it's ...'The Dogs Say Goodnight!'" It took me a second to figure out that "the dark sacred night" sounds like "the dogs say goodnight." Even contextually, it's not a bad fit. After arguing with my 4 1/2 year old about it for a minute, I gave in and sang it her way (it was already well past bedtime). The best part is that when I told Joe, he actually took Gabby's side. He busted out the iPod, and sure enough, it does sound a bit like Gabby's version!

It also reminded us of a few other Gabby music-isms.

1. A couple weeks ago Gabby told us they danced to a new song in her dance class. She said someone asked who was singing it and the teacher said she didn't know. Gabby told us that she let everyone know that it was Louis Armstrong.

2. Today there was a Tom Waits song on the radio. Gabby asked if it was Louis Armstrong. Close...just another guy with a deep gravelly voice.

3. And just so you know that Gabby listens to current music as well, the other day she heard "You Belong with Me" on the radio. She told us that it was the same girl who sings the "Romeo and Juliet" song. (aka "Love Story" by Taylor Swift).

4. She can also recognize the voices of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Keb Mo', and Bob Marley!

Nice job Gabs! Now let's expand those musical horizons!

The Cohen Quartet, Ellie turns 2 1/2, and other pictures

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2009 09

End of August Pictures

Here are some pictures! Click the picture below to view the whole album.

Enjoy!

8-22 to 8-31-09

How do you get bitten by a snake?

Gabby's teacher distributed a piece of paper with the words, "I want to know..."

Gabby drew a few snakes, then on her own wrote this...

"HAW DOO YU BITN BY SYNACHE"

From Bitten by a snake

From Bitten by a snake

Awesome, I tell you. This was the day after her teacher tells us that she's the only one in her class that thinks to draw on the back of a piece of paper, before asking for more paper. It's the little things...

Oh, I've ogt one more recent Gabby story. Now, I wasn't there, but to have her tell it...it goes like this...

I asked, "How'd you get one of Lukey's birthday cupcakes, when you aren't even in his class?"

Gabby's answer: "Well, I heard from Miss Haley, Lukey's teacher, that he was having cupcakes, so I asked her if she could save me one. Then later I got the cupcake from her class, and went to Ellie's class to eat it. I sat next to Ellie and Kyla."

"Gabby, why'd you go to Ellie's class?"

"If I went back to my class, my firends would've wanted one."

"Didn't Ellie want one?"

Ellie says, "I ate a crumb!"

I think my girls run that school.

A brownie story

Earlier this week, one of Basia's stroller strides friends brought over dinner. With the scrumptious meal, she also sent a brownie cake. The girls loved it for a few days. And I quote...

"Daddy, who brought us the brown playdoh?" as Ellie smooshed the brownie on the table into a patty with a palm print.

"Look, Daddy. I make circles!" as Ellie used her carrots to punch out circles in her brownie patty.

Did I mention the brownies were very moist and delicious?