Who Put the 'Fud' in the Fuddy duddy?

I was reading back through some old posts last night and came to a startling conclusion: I am turning into a fuddy duddy. *gasp* I'm not even turning into my mother. (which, by the way, I'm hoping DOES happen since she's pretty fantastically crazy) I'm not saying I want to start a bucket list or anything, but wowzers. Somewhere in my efforts to get the dishes and laundry done I just stopped being silly. Blech.

I don't blog so much any more because it feels like another task that I should be streamlining with the rest of the chores I have mapped out to be accomplished in an orderly fashion. I also have an obscene amount of sewing projects at the moment for someone who can't stitch a straight line...but I digress.

New focus: More Willian. Less Mommy Dearest. Check, check.

I should be working on the two (you heard that right-two!) posts I have for our trip to the Oregon Coast, but I know it'd come out all "oh-isn't-this-so-wonderful-look-at-these-pictures...snore"

So, instead I'm going to talk about my two favorite people.

Siegfried and Roy.

...if that's what we're referring to Audrey and Bailey as for the moment.

Audrey has grown up. A lot. In like less than a month.

She turned three and then all of the sudden started using the word 'lovely' in normal conversation and telling me that things are 'complicated'. She also has a tendency to get caught up in playing make believe (usually Cinderella or Rapunzel) so it's not strange to hear her wandering about the house, wistfully saying "May I have this dance?" or "But...but...my dress!"

The downside to all this awesome pretending is that it's extremely difficult to get her to snap. out. of. it. If I want her to do something while she's in Never Never Land, I usually end up playing the villian. And by that, I mean she is literally pretending that I'm the Evil Stepmother, Mother Gothel, you name it. I'm the bad guy. So, when her butt ends up in time out for not picking up her toys the fortieth time I've asked her, she runs screaming to her room: "No! No! Let me out of here! Don't lock me in here!" or "Mother, I just want to see the lights!" This is what we get for naming our child after an actress. Oy. Let's hope she can save the drama for her Aunt Kappy.

Other than having a fantastic imagination, Audrey has recently proven to be stellar at puzzles. We bought her a box with four puzzles in it at Target and the kid whipped those suckers out like nothing. I was baffled. She can't tell me her colors most of the time and refuses to let me help her with letters, but she can solve a puzzle toot-sweet. I'm proud of that kid. She never ceases to amaze me.

Now Bailey...oh, Lord. Where do I start? She's changing too. Every day I see how her big sister has an effect on her behavior. My fearless little child? Scared to death of trains, cars passing on the road and loud airplanes. She can thank "Audo" for pretending they were scary or screaming at new decibel levels when one came near the house. Conditioning, man, I tell ya.

The Bear is also starting to learn some good things from big sis; like how to take care of her babies, change shoes twelve times a day, go potty like a big girl and pick up vocabulary like nobody's business. Bailey's favorite word, without a doubt, is 'elbow'. Which I never realized sounds amazingly similar to 'apple'. She says 'bee boop' for belly button and 'mo' for more. She also has started saying 'no, no' which might remain cute for a few more days before I wish she were never capable of speech.

On occasion you can get a snuggle out of Bailey that lasts longer than five seconds and that is how my girls are alike; they never let you underestimate their affection. And I feel incredibly lucky to be one of the main recipients of it. If we're considering Bear/Dragon affection currency, I'm rich beyond measure. Blessed beyond compare. Mothers really do have one of the highest paying jobs. But don't let anyone know...I'm banking on some vacation time in Scotland at the end of September. Wouldn't want to ruin it.