No pictures tonight--can't find that pesky little cord--but wanted to catch up on what my little stinkerpots have been up to these days and all they are teaching me (in short, a ton).

Kate is a wonder. She's full of energy and imagination...cracks me up all the time. I need to keep a running list of all the silly things she says because I inevitably forget them. Today she told me she wants Aunt Stacy to have a baby boy so that "Sam can have a little buddy." She's becoming a little mama, following Sam around and saying things like "No no buddy. You're gonna get in big trouble!" She comforts him when he's sad and invites him to join her in her princess games. She can't wait until he's a big boy and can dress up like the prince.

She has new ideas every day and begins many a conversation with the phrase "you know what we haven't done in a looonnnggg time?" Her joys are all pretty simple: playing with paper dolls, dressing up, going to the bookstore or meeting her friend Abbey at the park. She insists on wearing a princess dress everyday when her daddy comes home from work, and yet, everyday, delights in the "surprise" of it all. So does Stephen.

She's the girliest girl I've ever seen and argues that she won't be a princess if I put her in anything other than a dress to leave the house. I never would have imagined that a daughter of mine could be so frilly, but, my goodness, I'm so glad she's my girl.

She hates boo boos. A splinter brings about a complete emotional collapse, but then she hates to see anyone else hurting, too.

And she loves to dance. And sing. Her favorite songs: "I like to move it, move it" and "Jesus loves the little children." The first she sings in her deepest voice and the second she has modified. Instead of "red and yellow, black and white," Kate sings "PINK, and yellow, black and white." Pink, of course, is her favorite color.

And my Sam man. He's finally learned to walk. It took him 15 months, but don't let him fool you. This boy is fearless. Take him to any playground, and he will scale walls and hurl himself down slides without a moment's hesitation. It's hilarious to see such a little peanut come speeding down the tube slide. He loves it.

He's still a cuddler, although his waking hours are becoming too busy to sit with mommy these days. Still, as I rock him at night, he holds my hand before pulling it to his face. Some nights I'm sure my heart will burst.

He loves loves loves dogs. Goes crazy when he sees one.

Like Kate, he too loves to sing...loudly. He turns heads in the grocery store and wakes Kate from her nap everyday with his enthusiastic singing. He sings at the dinner table, but only if we all hold hands.

He's learning new words and phrases...all done, bye bye, here you go, daddy, Kate, shoes, doggy, Nana, blankie, juice, and GO BLUE! (that would be Carolina blue, of course).

What amazes me about these two is how much they teach me. They make clear my strengths and weaknesses and inspire me to do better, be better, everyday. They keep things simple and joyful, and they make me oh so happy. Even on terrible, rotten, no good days, they still give me sugars at bedtime, and I'm reminded that they're worth it.