I like my kids

We were visiting family in CA for two weeks and it's been a bit crazy since returning.Here's the only pictures I have, but stay tuned for more from the trip. Alas, there won't be much video. Our camera quit on us. It's really too bad too; Ali and Theo have had particularly video-worthy moments lately.
Theo is experimenting with babbling constantly using b's, g's, d's, and even m's! It's funny to see his laugh changing a bit, but it's still utterly winsome and precious. Somehow it just seems more grown up. How's that?
And, Ali is saying the "darndest" things. It'd be a great New Year's resolution to keep a little notebook of all the funny things she says. Here's a few from the last couple days that made me smile.
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Mama: Hey sweetie, did you have a good nap?Ali: "Yeah, (making really cute smallish gestures) the little bunny was making food for the girl bunny."I love this! What a sweet dream! Today when I asked she said she dreamed about "Do, a Dear." Ali is nigh obsessed with the Sound of Music. I can just imagine her dreaming that she's one of the VonTrapp children. A true DREAM for her, I'm sure.
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While reading, Snowmen at Night (we've read a bazillion times),"Soon they all start giggling, and then they act like clowns. Then they bump into each other till they all fall down."Ali: [exuberantly] Amen!
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Aliyah is an amazing little "connection" maker. One thing always somehow leads to or inspires a new activity. It adds insight for me into why she's so great at long stretches of independent play.[Picking up a little toy of Theo's,]"It's a train! It's a little like Thomas the Train. His wheels came off the track. That was a little bit scary. It squeaks? [Squeezing it] It does squeak! I remember that! [Giggling & dancing about squeaking the toy.] It's like a squeaky duck in the bath tub." And it goes on...
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She's also (still) singing constantly. I'm so thrilled that she ended up LOVING learning Christmas Carols. She's learned at least one verse to close to over a dozen carols. This is where you (at least I) really wish the camcorder was working. Ali loves to read books on the story of the nativity, and as she reads she stops along the way to sing a carol that seems apppropriate. She even has a special pose/move for dancing like an angel. Precious.