"Phases"

Well it is official Anna is no longer an infant. Of course she hasn't been for awhile now, but it seems more real as we are entering a new phase. She is starting to crawl; say da da, much to her father's delight; tear apart magazines and put anything she can find into her mouth. There is always a sadness when an old phase ends and a new begins. I'm sure you know what I mean. There is a wave of nostalgia as I think of the events of Anna's birth, her falling asleep on my chest, remembering how tiny she was and how much I love new babies. The new offers excitement and a little trepidation as I will be entering uncharted waters with three mobile children. Life is about to get a little more complicated. I'm not looking forward to three spoon feedings a day for Anna which have already began and then the cleaning out of the highchair, a job I do not enjoy.
Lexie has started into a whining phase which I'm not at all happy about. Suddenly just this week, if I'm holding Anna she wants me to hold her, and then she starts bawling and whining. I'm hoping this stage is short lived and then on to greener pastures. I still think she is a doll and love all her funny little quirks; like she needs five different gadgets to go to bed with, her blanket, care bear which is affectionately known as "baby", her green toy car, a thing of silly puddy which she calls her potato. She also calls baboons "baboobs" or "babooms" which, makes me laugh, and has called me a "baboob" a few times this week. Also the worst insult you can receive from Lexie, or Andrew for that matter,is, "You Peacock". So beware if you are called a peacock at the Ward home. I love her, but the incessant whining must stop.
Andrew is actually entering a very fun age. He is 3 1/2 and he is been getting a little easier for me over the last month or so. I'm able to reason with him a little. It is so fun to watch as he plays and I can see his imagination at work. Today he had a little hanger and a big hanger and he was the little hanger, even calling it "Andrew Nicholas, now you stay here" and the big hanger was"Daddy." I thought it was funny. He was flipping the hanger around the door knob and telling me to watch it do a normal flip, or a falling flip. I also think it is so interesting how kids have no judgement they accept everything for how it is they don't see race at all. The other day I said,"Lexie you look like me right now," as her hair was wild and she was being a little naughty(this is when she looks like her mom). Andrew followed it up with," yea and I look like you Daddy." It makes perfect sense if a little girl looks like her mother then a little boy should look like his Dad. I wonder when he will start noticing the difference in appearance between himself and the rest of the fam. He has really been fun lately and I'm enjoying the phase he is in and hope it lasts. The picture of Andrew is so you can see his beautiful eyelashes, one lucky boy and lookout ladies.
And finally I can't wait for may bad hair cut "phase" to grow out. This is one phase I'm going to wish away.