Firstly, I feel compelled to mention that our household has successfully logged another 70 or 80 hours of Hi-5 (not counting the time at day care). We missed the appearance on The Today Show wherein Matt Lauer said that he wasn’t sure about other families, but around his household they are pretty much commensurate to the Beatles. Right there with ya, Matt. Stella would step over my cold dead body to catch another round of Kimmie teaching her to make a windchime out of a bunch of kitchen spoons.

Stella’s ability to recite all the primary colors and otherwise order us around sometimes fools us into thinking she is NOT ACTUALLY ONLY 18 MONTHS OLD. After Tuesday’s usual ‘Fun with Knives & Fire Hour,’ we packed up the shiny box of razor blades and gave Miss Stella a cup of crayons and a pile of printer paper… At the dining room table… Unsupervised… Look, no one said we were the brightest parents on the block. They say a picture says a thousand words. I think this one gets the point across in about 4: What. Were. You. Thinking.

Nice.

Tuesday was a banner day on many levels. We were not only lucky enough to have a Stella original tatooed onto the dining room table (you know, the one we were getting ready to trade in at the local antique store any day now) but we also played a little game of “walk in on Stella climbing out of her crib.” Again. It is Dore’s prediction that we will startle awake one night to find a little face staring at us. That silly Dore! Everyone knows that Stella can’t accomplish much of anything without involving a crash, some sort of spilled liquid and a large quantity of mustard. We are in a world of hurt once she starts getting her stealth on.

So here we are at Wednesday. Aside from some of the usual minor backyard shennanigans (putting wood chips places they have no business being, bathing herself in the fountain, shoving dirt clods into her sandals, picking rotten berries, chasing White – the neighbor cat), it has been a fairly quiet day. We took a walk, played, watched some Hi-5 (natch) and witnessed the arrival of the newest members of our family…

…welcome home my beauties! Mommy loves you very, very much.

Sorry about that college fund Stella. But don’t worry, Mommy and Daddy will be sure to leave these beauties to you in the will.