  Aidan broke my heart this month when even more signs of boyhood took over toddlerhood. He now pronounces bumpy when he means bumpy, he always used to say grumpy. When we went to Europe this summer, John explained to him how the plane would feel when it took off, he said it's going to get a little bumpy now. Later Aidan told me his favorite part of flying was when it got a little grumpy. He would also say it when we crossed train tracks, oh! it got grumpy! not anymore. The train tracks are bumpy now. I've found wrapping presents with a nearly 3-year-old and 10-month-old to be an athletic challenge worthy of Olympic competition.
Nobody should be surprised if their presents seem especially well taped this year, as taping is Aidan's job. Ellie's job, on the other hand, is crumpling. This morning Ellie actually waved and said bye all at the same time in response to someone waving and saying bye to her. She's been waving for a while, but usually about three minutes too late, and she talks her own version of English, but this was the first time I've seen it all come together in a way someone other than John or I could interpret. Of course, once she figured that out, it was all she wanted to do. As we left Aidan's school she was a veritable beauty queen waving to everyone and saying bye. Yesterday we were out shopping--yeah! I finished all my shopping--the super marathon of five stores in a row, and everywhere I went there were other mothers who couldn't believe how well Ellie was sitting quietly in the cart as I shopped.
I was pretty proud of her. Target was the last store I hit, and by then she was getting hungry and a little bored with the wonder of shopping so I strolled by the toy isle and picked out a little wind-up music plush toy for her to hold through the store.
She's at an age where such a thing doesn't have consequences, I'd never dare that with Aidan for fear he'd expect it always. Anyway, I realized as I was walking to my car that she still had it! I've turned my daughter into a clepto! I walked back inside and handed it to the customer service guy and said I'm sorry we walked out with this. He was so shocked that I gave it back. All he could say was thank you. 
