Pull up a (high) chair...

Audrey has just started joining us at the table. Mealtimes have definitely been more peaceful since she pulled up a chair. Before she joined us, she was just NEVER happy once we sat down to eat. It didn't matter if she was in the exer-saucer with all the toys in the world to chew on and rattle and had been happily exer-saucering, chewing and rattling for many minutes prior...once we started eating, she started wailing. So, now she eats while we eat. I'm not sure why this didn't occur to us sooner...but we're sort of late dinner eaters and I always thought she should eat earlier. Well, she's a late eater, too, now and everyone is happier.

Natalie not only feels like the biggest girl on the block because she's graduated from her booster seat to a regular chair, but she's decided she'd like to have a baby to feed at the table, too. Her doll joined us tonight in her highchair and Natalie tended to her during dinner.


This is a doll that Natalie has had for a while but has a renewed interest in recently. She asked if this doll could be just her very own and never be shared with Audrey. I told her that would be fine. Well today Audrey got a hold of the doll while Natalie napped and, of course, because Natalie has that big sister sixth sense where she just KNOWS when a little sister has touched her things, she asked when she woke up if Audrey had touched her doll. I had to tell the truth. The doll was face down under a table, for crying out loud. There was no point in lying. Natalie scowled and said, "Mommy, that is NOT ACCEPTABOH." And so it begins.