The Gift of Volume!

Every day we marvel in just how different boys and girls are. While our boys can be loud and rough and tumble, M has her own gift. It's called the "girl squeal." Oh MY can that sound pierce your ears! The thing is....she LOVES it. We're thinking that she wasn't allowed to be too loud previously as she gives us a startled, "Did I do that?" look when she is louder or silly.

Well, after the first squeal was heard, I told M, "Wow! What a squeal! That's an outside voice!" :-) She understood. It has slipped out a few times inside and she has clamped her hand over mouth and said "ousi."

Today, she was playing in the yard and let out the LOUDEST scream you've ever heard! I looked at her in shock and she gave me the biggest grin ever, pointed to the ground, and simply declared, "OU-SI!"

I began to try to teach that if you scream like that Mama will think she's hurt. I thought I stopped myself in time, thinking it was far too hard to explain that concept to a barely three year old who speaks little English. But, as if to laugh at me again, she pulled her little dress up and showed me a microscopic ouwie on her knee. "Ouwie!" she declared. She giggled and squealed all over again.

It's clear I need more education on raising little girls! :-)

Camping Fun

Both younger boys wanted to camp in honor of their birthdays this year. (You might recall their outdoor themed cakes) Randall obliged this weekend taking them to Jamaica State Park in Vermont. No one really had to twist his arm. :-)