Goofy Grapes.

Adam is talking more and more every day. It's so funny what he's picked up on, and it's also funny to me how he has a sort of breathy, yet yelly voice, unlike Ellie who was all muppet all the time. He loves to ask for toothpaste and to "brush teeth." He loves Cookie and Elmo from Sesame Street, and can name most animals and the sounds they make. He adores the 'no man on our tree, and when we pass the 'no man holiday yard decorations around town. He also likes to touch the lights and say hot. Ditto the stove, though it's never stopped him from wanting to be right next to me any time I'm cooking. I swear, he's got radar. He can be across the house and when I go to open the oven door, there he is, coming around the corner, looking to hop right in like Hansel and Gretel.

Tonight the kids and I were on our own - Gigi and Grizz had hot date night (the one night a week they escape their wretched daughters and grandchildren) and Tim is working late, so we came home, had some supper and then went on a special tour of the lights in the neighborhood. Just a quick little loop, but I gave the kids some hot chocolate to sip in their stroller. Ellie was insane with joy, but Adam didn't like it. The crazy thing is, we went down one side street and Ellie goes "that's the house that has Elmo." We walked by that house ONCE at the holidays last year. ONCE. And she was right - there Elmo was, along with approximately one million other light up figures. Goodness knows what else that kid has stored up in her brain. I'm sure I'll hear about it in therapy soon.

It's also funny trying to watch her figure out what's going on with the holidays. She believes in Santa and the Angel Lady and all of that fun stuff, but has a lot of questions about how they show up - like how did the Angel Lady get to Mimi's house last week? Does she sing while she flies? How did St. Nicolas get in? He came in through the window, probably. I feel like I have to be really careful because one slip, and she's going to pounce on it. Too smart for her own good, that kid!