Grandpa Charlie.

We've had a very nice time having Grandpa Charlie and Dorothy around for the past week, even if having all of the basketball loving Sconnies around didn't keep the Badgers from losing their game in the final seconds. Grandpa and Dorothy brought Ellie a new bag of rocks for her rock collection, which she was very excited by (kid loves her some rocks - it's a family sickness) and overall, she was very taken with her great grandpa (and sort of hand her mind blown when I explained that Grandpa Charlie was MY Grizz.) She loved listening to him play harmonica, and was very interested in showing him all of the towers she built.

But of course, no can do-sies when we tried to take a nice picture tonight.

Adam continues to be SO CLOSE to walking, though has disappointed us all by not taking his first step when Grandpa could see it. He'll probably start walking at 8am tomorrow. He's started standing on his own more and more in the past few days, and will even do things with his hands while standing, and maintain his balance.

He's a funny little dude.

Meanwhile, Ellie has seemingly turned into a twelve year old over night. First of all, she loves to pretend that she's five. And she's got herself an imaginary friend, a sister named Elena. They go on the airplane together, sometimes with Adam, sometimes without, to go visit her cousin friend Olivia (who also sometimes lives in my stomach? And who I need to go to the hospital and birth?) Her imagination is out of this world, and she is so, so smart. She's taken to pointing out all of the numbers and letters she sees, especially street addresses and the words "Hello Kitty." Today after preschool we went over to Starbucks to have a little treat - some scones (or stones, as she calls them) and an iced coffee for me. After she scarfed her stone, she asked for some water and I asked her if she wanted to go order one, and she said okay, and said she could do it herself. So she went over to the counter, and asked the barrista for a water and spelled her name for him, nice as you please (he was very sweet to her.) Today at the park she climbed all over some equipment, following in the footsteps of a bigger girl who had befriended her, and she tried out using the girl's scooter. She's getting so big, so fast, and turning into a real kid. Last night she and Tim dueted on "Love is an Open Door" in the car, and it was about the cutest thing ever.