Dear Andrew

Dear Andrew,

I have been making a list of things I wanted to tell you throughout the day. After a very chaotic evening, the list got really long. So now I'm sitting down to write it out for you. If you were here at home, I would tell you all this while we did the dishes together. But, thanks to the terrorists, I will do the dishes alone and type it all out. :)

This morning (and the last couple mornings, actually) I heard Moo start crying at her door. When I went to open it, I couldn't get it open. Ballard was in the way, and she couldn't figure out that in order for me to get in, she needed to move the duck. But when I finally get the door open, I find her with practically everything she treasures clutched in her little hands. Her paci in her mouth, Henry, her cup, and a book gathered in her arms. And then she tries to pick up Ballard too. It is so funny.

While eating breakfast, I put Boy in his bouncer chair. I looked over when he started squealing, and he was swatting at the little rabbit that hung down. He got so excited! I was proud of him - I think he's getting better hand control. As he did that sound he makes (you know, where he sucks in all his breath), Moo started imitating him. And they went back and forth for a minute. It was hilarious.

I went to Marelize's house for a mini-playgroup with her and Melanie. It was SO fun and so nice to just talk. I absolutely love those girls and feel so grateful that we are so close and we're all in the same situation. They are definitely an answer to prayer. The kids did pretty well over there. Eva, of course, wanted to eat puffs when she saw Mattie and Malone doing it. So pretty much ate a whole can of their puffs. I was so embarassed. Marelize made some amazingly delicious quiches, and I brought something called "Nun's Puffs." They turned out well - I think I'll make them for you when you get home. I stayed there right up until 1pm, so when we got home I put Moo straight down for nap. I got my assignments for my Cathy class done. I can't wait to show you all my cute pages. My pictures finally came in the mail yesterday, so I feel more inspired to scrapbook with fresh, recent pictures. I also organized my picture box and got it all categorized like Stacey's book said.

We took an afternoon trip to Walmart (I bet you're sad you missed that!) to get something to make for playgroup in the morning. I didn't feel like baking anything extravagant again since it always goes unnoticed - especially by the kids who eat it. I will make lemon bars out of a box. I also got Moo her own can of puffs and one to replace Marelize's empty can. I don't know what Moo's thing is with puffs - it's like she reverted back to an 8-month old and she loves them. I guess it's healthier than other things she could be snacking on, right?

I called Kim on the way home and talked to her about her love life. I stayed on the phone with her until I got in the house (this will be important in a little bit). I decided to make a pot of soup so I could just reheat it for dinner for the next couple of nights. (I have NO motivation to cook without you. I like cooking, but honestly, it's lame planning for just myself. Even cutting recipes in half I would have crazy leftovers.) It ended up taking a while and I was bugged at myself for starting it right before bath time. Then halfway through the soup I remembered I had a pan of homemade pizza leftover from last night that I needed to eat. So I had some of that, and then threw the last half of it away because it didn't taste that great reheated.

Boy started crying toward the end of the soup. I hurried and finished and then ran upstairs to get them in the tub. Just as I was running the water, the phone rang. I was secretly hoping it would be you, but of course, it wasn't. It was Bro. Smith. He got your message, finally. :) But he is coming over on Thursday to give me a new calling. I hope SO bad it's RS teacher!!! By the time I got off the phone with him and got back in the bathroom, the water was really high and Boy's tub was floating. :) I drained it a little, put them in, and let them play for a while. Leighton was having a ball just kicking and splashing and sqealing at Eva.

Just like you suggested, I got Eva out first, got her dressed, and turned her loose while I got Boy out. I was in the middle of putting on his extra-strength lotion when out of the corner of my eye I saw Eva plunge headfirst into the little tub. (I had drained the water from the big tub but hadn't yet flipped over the baby tub, so of course she fell right in.) I yelled, "Oh, Eva!" and ran over to her. She started crying because she was scared (she was totally fine though - just a little wet), and apparently Leighton got scared because he started FREAKING out. I have never heard him cry like that. He was so scared and doing this high-pitched wail that it made me cry. We were all three in the bathroom crying - it was pathetic. I fished Henry out of the tub water (of course he dove in with her), finished getting Boy dressed, threw Henry in the dryer, took off Moo's wet pajamas, and sat down to feed poor Leighton. About halfway through his bottle, I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten to close the garage door because I had been talking to Kim. GREAT. As if I need anything to make me more paranoid. I bolted downstairs, closed it, and checked the van to make sure my precious GPS was still there. It wasn't. Just kidding, it was. ;)

I ran back up the stairs, saying out loud to myself, "My stupidity knows no bounds." I think I might crosstitch that on a pillow, because it's my new motto. I finished feeding Boy, put him down, and got Moo dressed in fresh pajamas. The dryer buzzed and Eva looked at me and said, "Henry!" (You know how she says it like Ena.) I couldn't believe how stinking smart she was that she knew Henry was in the dryer because he was wet, and the faint buzzing sound meant that she could have him back. What a little genius. I was all ready to put her in bed when I smelled a poopy diaper. Her 5th one of the day, I think. Of course. So I changed her, kissed her good night, and came downstairs to my list of a million things to do before playgroup in the morning. But if I don't get it all done, I guess it could be a good thing. Maybe if the house is a mess and the food stinks, nobody will want to come anymore. :)

Well, that was long. But it's all stuff I wanted to remember to tell you, so...here it is. I miss you and can't wait to talk to you...tomorrow, hopefully. If you read this before I talk to you, remember that I have Enrichment and I won't be back until 8:30ish. And don't worry that I won't have anything to tell you after this long epistle. I'm sure more eventful things will take place tomorrow. They always do around here.

I love you a million,

Steph *

P.S. I was brave and checked every closet and corner for a bad guy who may have sneaked in through the garage. Aren't you proud of me? There is nobody in the house but us. But the front door keeps creaking, and it's kind of creeping me out. XO