Pumpkins and Friends

We were so thrilled to have Zuzu's BFF (and mine) in town for the weekend!

These girls have gotten together a few times over the past fifteen months, but this weekend was the most fun in terms of watching their interaction.  Zuzu really kept her eye on Ellie Kate and imitated almost everything EK did.  With just six months difference in ages, it's so much fun for us to look at EK and see where Zuzu will be--such huge changes in such a short amount of time!

EK is a very good talker, and I swear that Zuzu started saying more words--notably, "Thank you,"--since their visit.  But it's also fun to see their distinct little personalities.  For example, Zuzu is more interested in baby dolls than Ellie Kate is, and Ellie Kate gets even more excited about music than Zuzu does.

The only drama of the weekend came when David introduced the Cozy Coupe during playtime right before dinner.  The girls had been at the park and were tired and hungry and we were trying to keep them busy for a few more minutes until it was time to eat.  I had purposely left the Coupe in the garage because Zuzu gets super territorial about it.  But David seemed to have forgotten the angst that the Cozy Coupe caused during the block party, and in a grievous lapse of judgment, he rolled it right out of the garage like he was freaking Santa Claus.

I screamed, "NOOOOOO!!" but it was too late.  The girls had seen it.  David then went back inside to finish making dinner and left Monica and me to referee the battle over the Coupe.  As you might guess, the girls skipped the verbal confrontation and things got physical right away.

Ellie Kate, taking advantage of her six months advance in size and coordination, jumped right in, and was immediately aggravated that the floorboard was in place so she couldn't fit her long legs under the steering wheel.  Zuzu, who had homecourt advantage, was irate that EK was in her car and started yanking open the door and screeching while EK attempted to shut the door.  We knew that a toddler throw-down was going to be inevitable, no matter how loudly we said, "Gentle hands!" so Monica pulled a protesting Ellie Kate out of the car and attempted to distract both of them while I rolled the Coupe back into the garage, cursing David for introducing the source of toddler angst and anger and then disappearing.

Monica explained to the girls that the car had to go night-night, but they were having none of it.  Their frustration with each other forgotten, they were now united in their fury and dismay.  They stood together at the carport, screaming, crying, and shaking the gate.  I wish I'd gotten a picture of them.

It was actually hilarious except that the poor things were tired and hungry and you just can't expect tired and hungry one year olds to share the Best Toy Ever, David.  You can however, guarantee a meltdown if you give them the Best Toy Ever and then take it away after they start fighting over it.

Dinner of pizza and milk helped them forget their rage and, aside from the Cozy Coupe Debacle, the rest of the weekend went very smoothly.  In addition to our annual expedition to a pumpkin patch, we enjoyed bath time, playground adventures, tea parties, book reading, tickle sessions, stair climbing, and playing with all of Zuzu's toys.

The journey to get these babies here was nothing that Monica and I would have imagined back when we were in high school, cruising backroads and singing along to Alanis Morissette in Monica's Buick.  Seeing these girls together, these babies who were so wanted and are so loved, fills up my heart.  They make the world a little sweeter and a whole lot cuter.

Splish Splash Taking a Bath

Playing with Zuzu's Dollhouse

Reading a Halloween book (the cushion is off our futon because EK slept on it on the floor)

The apple orchard and pumpkin patch was, again, an excellent photo opportunity.  We plan to keep doing this every year--even when the girls complain that it's lame and boring and they spend the whole time on their cell phones.

Apple Pickin'

Girl Talk

Pumpkin riding

 2012:

2013:

Our mini-me's

2012:

2013:

They are still the cutest punkins at the pumpkin patch.  We love these girls.