Jane things and Kate things . . . and a Sam thing

First, words they've learned:
-"Mommy" - finally!
-"vroom, vroom!"
-"bye-bye"
-"tickle, tickle!" ("teek, teek!")
-"shoe"
-"grandpa"
-"kitty"
-"belly"

And then things I want to remember about each of them - for the baby book, folks:

Jane stuff:
-"Jane in a box" - Jane has a prediliction for finding small spaces and crawling in them. I find her on top of Brie's picture box, caving in the top and making it a little nest; I find her sitting in the bottom of bookshelf, in a small space between the side of it and the box of earthquake-supply water bottles; I find her in the giant box the toliet paper rolls from the club store came in. Jane and her nests.
-Bear hugs: Jane coming over to me and wrapping her arms around my leg and pressing her cheek against my knee - the closest a very little person can get to a bear hug! And then holding on and walking with me as I walk. So sweet!
-the GROWLING. No, really. Jane is convinced that every animal in creation GROWLS. Dogs? they growl. Cats? They growl. Ladybugs? They growl. And it's this amazing, low, DEEP little growl she has. It makes everyone who hears it crack up, because it's just such an unlikely noise from a tiny little girl.

Ekaterine stuff:
-Kate has had fun learning to spin. It's more running around in circles, turning and turning and making little sing-song noises. Such a happy, cute little habit.
-Kate tickling Adam and saying "teek, teek!"
-Kate the clothing gnome. When we bring down clothes for the kids to change into, Ekaterine delights to pick them up and steal them. She and Brie have fun with this, because Kate will take Brie's clothes, and Brie will snatch them back, and there is much giggling.
-The climbing. Ekaterine is climbing on EVERYTHING. Yes, she's made it on top of the dining room table. Eeek!
-Kate likes to hold out her hand with one finger pointing towards you, and wants you to touch her finger with yours. It makes her laugh and shake her head.
-The frowns. Kate has learned how to glower, brows drawn down. If you glower back, she'll crack up.


And a Sam story:
Adam was helping the kids clean up. He was being very specific, you know, "Sam, pick up that book and put it on the shelf. Okay, I have another special job for you: pick up the balls and put them in the ball tub. Okay. Now I have another job for you . . ."

And after it was all over, Sam ran into the living room, grabbed a favorite picture book and yelled, "Daddy, I have a special job for YOU!" He wanted Adam to read to him. :) (Adam did, of course.)