My children - an update

Hannah -isms of late:

While my mom was trying to figure out how to put in and turn on a DVD.... Ama, you can do it, you're a big girl.

While Matt was putting in a DVD, but had the tv on the wrong input..... Dad, it's not broken, you push the yellow button and then push play. (We didn't know that. We knew it was a button, but we didn't know it was yellow).

While watching Little Mermaid (ok, so it sounds like we watch a lot of DVD's but we really don't!) this morning..... She didn't obey her daddy, did she? (Speaking of Ariel)

In the car on the way to Michigan on Sunday..... Mom, I made some salad. There's no dog food in it.

After I did her hair..... Oh mom, it's so cute. Soooooooooooooo cute. I should show daddy.

Things Hannah's obsessed with: gum, suckers, bandaids, popsicles, and her praise music videos.

Her praise music videos are fantastic (seen here for example). They are used for VBS across the nation and we own ones from the past three years, Boat, Crocodile and Panda (those are the names Hannah gave them). They are about 20-30 minutes long and are full of praise music with motions and even sign language. My girls love to jump around to these videos and Hannah knows all the words and motions and will even anticipate what song is coming on next. Olivia just runs around the room with her hands in the air. So, if you need some videos just for a few minutes to yourself, get these. And it warms my heart to no end to hear Hannah up in her room singing "And all God's children singing glory, glory, hallelujah He reigns, He reigns!"

Hannah can now dress herself (somewhat). I hear her reminding herself while putting on her pants "The button goes in front." She can put her toothpaste on hers and Olivia's toothbrushes. She cleans up after herself (somewhat), she gets the dishes out for dinner, she combs my hair. She is quick to say sorry, she still loves using sign language (Matt and I were even thinking of putting her in a class or something because she really enjoys it and uses it all the time). She is closer to three than two and more precious to us every single day.

Olivia. Finally! said mama this week. Geesh girl. She is also signing all done, more please, thank you, dog, milk, and help please. I'm not kidding when I say she learned all those signs in a week. She refused to sign until she was almost 16 months, but once she decided she would, she is learning and using them like crazy. She can also say thank you, dog and hi. She's not quite as verbal as Hannah was/is, but there is no question that she communicates very well with us.
Olivia also loves the praise music videos and all she does is puts her hands in the air and (waves 'em like she just don't care) runs around the room for 20 minutes. Those videos are like a workout for the girls, I should try them.
Olivia is obsessed with her Elmo doll, her stroller, doing whatever Hannah is doing, putting on Hannah's shoes and stealthly taking whatever Hannah is playing with and running from the room grinning, reducing Hannah to very dramatic tears. It's quite funny. I usually let them sort it out unless it gets violent. Sometimes I end up just taking the toy and playing with it myself. I mean putting it away. (That just made me laugh, sorry).
Sweet Livi is closing in on 18 months and she is pure joy to parent.