Tillie Talks

Sitting around the dinner table, Matilda says she wants to go to Africa out of the blue. Nate got super excited and started telling her about all of the animals she would see. And then I tell her how far away it is and say it would be like 8 trips to Grandma and Grand's house. To which this happened:

Matilda: "I don't want to go to Africa anymore."
Me: "Where do you want to go?"
Matilda (thinking): "I don't know....maybe just school. And the zoo?"

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Beatrice waas having an especially tough morning (lots of crying, whining, temper tantrum throwing) and I was feeding Otis upstairs....

Matilda: "I wish there were two people right now. It's really hard when there is just one people and two kids."

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Nate: "What are you going to be when you grow up?"
Matilda: " A teacher with long hair."

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Nate: "Matilda, how did your eyes get green?"
Matilda: "I think someone painted them with a little tiny paintbrush."

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Driving to the hair cut place, and we get stopped at the stoplight by Trader Joes...

Matilda: "Mama, this isn't the hair cut place. This is sloppy joes!"

Fourth Annual Egg Hunt!!

Easter has come and gone, and I realized I didn't post about our Annual Egg Hunt! First off, I am SO bummed with my photos of this event--clearly when you have 100 people to your house you should put someone else in charge of photos, because I had very few.

But, that's fine because it was a super fun time! I think we hid close to 500 eggs (and by we I mean Auntie Meghan did the bulk of the hiding!), and had 45 little ones under the age of 7. I really could have used a little more help from Mother Nature, but it could have been worse. But to say we had a full house is an understatement. Although, for how many people we had, we managed to have WAY to much food.

I was SUPER excited that I actually would have  mantle to decorate this year.

We brought back a crowd-favorite from our first year....

And introduced a new little pudding cup treat.....

Little did I know, that these little Jello Bunnies would be the ONLY thing we actually ate almost all of. Good thing my Mom was in town to painstakingly extract each of these from the mold, or I don't think they would have happened.

And, since Bea's birthday was the day before, we had to have a cake and sing her a quick round of Happy Birthday. Queen of Cakes did an AMAZING job whipping up a Peter Cottontail inspired treat...

We also started a little photo wall. Since we have been doing this for so many years, it is fun to see how much some of the kiddos have changed!

This is one of the few pictures I have of either of my kids hunting for eggs...:)

And there is Grandma--holding down the baby fort inside!

Tillie and Bea had so much fun with all of their friends, It was the talk of our dinner table for about 3 months leading up to the actual event. I am actually surprised that Matilda was able to calm herself enough to take a nap that day...but she did!

The Birthday Girl

Stealing a lick

Bea's 'after-party' look inspired by Auntie Meghan

Her Royal Twoness

Look out, World. We have another 2-year old. And her name is Beatrice. I cannot believe that we are already celebrating her 2nd year. It truly feels like we were just figuring out how to adapt to life as a family of four, and now it's two years later, we have a third child, and Beatrice is talking, singing, running, demanding, hugging, scooting, and wrapping us around her finger.

To say that Beatrice can hold her own is an understatement. She gets what is hers (and sometimes what isn't actually hers), communicates readily without words (her eyes say it all), and seems masterful at negotiation (but perhaps our patience is just worn so thin that we give in a little too easily these days).

Her independence is something fierce with "I DO" ringing out from any room she may be in. Whether it is her wanting to do something for herself, or try something her big sister is doing, Bea is ready to take it all on. No height is too high for jumping off of, and no bag is too heavy to lift.

Bea loves her brother and her sister. She loves doing what Matilda does, and telling us what to do to Otis. So I guess her position as Middle child is perfect. She is surprisingly good at helping pick up toys, and equally as surprisingly good at ignoring us when we tell her NOT to do something (like eat yogurt with her fingers).

Her second year of life was scattered with a variety of illnesses, some landing her in the hospital, and some just landing her at home where she could soak up a few uninterrupted snuggles. She has definitely been the sickest Hanson kidlet to date, but if this is the worst of it, I consider us lucky. Perhaps that is why she enjoys playing doctor so much....And how she knows now every night we put on her 'special lotion' of coconut oil and essential oils mixed in.

She is sassy and sweet. Unafraid (unless of course you have a dog with you). Vibrant. Hilarious. Expressive. She knows what she wants, and how to get it (which sometimes right now involves teeth or pinching...).

It is without a doubt going to be an exciting ride to be with this little one the next 16 years. We love you, Beatrice! Happy Birthday!