This is Alex after working in the coal mine yesterday. Okay, not really. This is Alex after "quiet time" and 6 black jelly beans. His fingers still are black. Alex is watching Bob the Builder - Scoop's Adventures. He told me that he will watch all of them AND THEN "quiet time". I find Bob and Wendy a little irksome. That must be why they are for little kids. Although I think that there is something going on between Bob and Wendy.

Alex is almost three and Audrey will be one at the end of this month. The black jelly beans reminded me of how this time last year that was all I wanted to eat. Both before and after Audrey was born. I can't believe how time has just gone by. Alex keeps telling me how he is growing and growing and one day he will be "this" tall. I like him this 'ittle. Well, I would like him potty trained too.

We did not experience the "Terrible Twos" with Alex. I think the "threes" will be a different story. His new thing is to jump up and down when he is mad. I am hoping that he is finding it to be very ineffective - unless he wants to be in trouble. We have a favorite corner and a favorite spot on the couch. But compared to some of the stories that I have heard about others we have it pretty good.

Audrey will be another story. That girl is bent on destruction. Strong-willed. Her goal of destruction is currently set on the glass door of the entertainment center. She haltingly walks to the unit, looks back, smiles, and reaches to open the door. She tries to open it before you get there. All while smiling and laughing. I even think she smirks sometimes when she gets in trouble. I hate to say that it is funny but it is. I still can't let her do it because she will be the one to get hurt playing with it. She loves to chase, and be chased by, Alex. It is the cutest thing to watch and to listen to. They run and giggle. Just another thing I love.

Alex is doing well differentiating his upper and lower case letters. He has also begun to recognize some words. For example, he now can read the work "EXIT". He recognizes the boxes above doors and tells us what they say and what they mean. He also does the same for Toys R Us. I realize that it isn't exactly reading but it is a start. He is brilliant.

Alex is also very, very stubborn. You may all think that he gets this from me, and some of it he probably does, but he really takes after his dad here. Last night we celebrated his daddy's birthday. We told Alex that he had to eat one bite of chicken before he got any cake. No such luck. So - no chicken, no cake. This happens often and just as often as it happens he doesn't get a treat. He is still a good kid. Just another stepping stone. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sister-rita. She is just so cute. Probably too cute for her own good. Audrey has begun to walk. She took a bit longer than I had anticipated. It took too long for her to get there walking so she stuck to crawling. She still crawls, especially if she is chasing Alex. She has also begun to talk. Her repitoire now includes (but is not limited to) "cat", "dog", "Jessie", "uh-oh", and "mommmm-mommm-mom". She also speaks jibberish but translations are hard to come by.

Audrey loves to chase Alex. She loves to squeal when he is chasing her. And she LOVES anything that Alex has. Anything. Of course now I have to hear "AUDREY! STOP IT, AUDREY! MOMMY!!!!" all of the time. If I remember correctly it isn't going to stop for some time either.

Audrey loves to smile. She is almost always smiling. She loves to eat broccoli and cheese. She loves chocolate ("chocate" per Alex) pudding. She is beginning to tire of baby food. She prefers anything she can feed herself. Although you definitely know when she is done. She sticks her tongue out and tries to wipe it off. She then attempts to smack the spoon out of your hand if you make a second attempt to feed her.

Alex is doing well with the potty training. Just recently he has begun to tell us he needs to use the potty. Of course it is usually when we have told him it is time for a nap or time for bed. But at least he tells us and usually is telling us the truth. Although the other day he told me he had a stinky diaper and then proceeded to come up to me and say, "You smell me, mommy?" Indeed, I did.

It is nap time here so perhaps I will partake in this blessed event. Naps are God's gifts to moms, in addition to everything else.

"'Cause this is what monkeys do, mommy!" This has become the standard response for my little monkey. Making faces and distributing toilet paper around the bathroom are just the tip of the iceberg, I fear. Everything is about monkeys or what they do. And give the boy a banana and you really think there is a monkey there with you. He is a monkey all the way - probably takes after his dad.

Alex's new thing is to say, "Mommy, I got one more question. When there is a bird, it is flying in the sky. Ok? I gotta go, see you later." Always "one more question" - and always when I need him to leave the room so I can put Audrey down to sleep.

He remembers everything. I have to watch everything I say around him because now he is threatening to send ME to China. Although lately he has been hugging me and telling me he loves me without prompting. I love it! He has even started giving me kisses just out of the blue. It is awesome.

Audrey is another story. She only gives VERY sloppy kisses and then tries to bite me. Thanks to Audrey I discovered why there are straps in every high chair. I really did not understand why you would have to strap your kid in a high chair. I know that may surprise some of you. But Alex wasn't much of a mover and shaker. Ah, but his sister (or Sister-rita as we have begun to call her in addition to "Bean") is another story. I now know that straps are good to keep a baby from climbing out of her seat and on top of the tray. On all fours on top of the tray peering over the side at the dogs and laughing. Yes, laughing. Not only can (and does) Audrey climb on top of her high chair tray but she climbs on just about everything else. She climbed on top of an 8" high step stool in the bathroom, stood up while holding onto the toilet paper dispenser with one hand and yelled. It may have been her "Rocky" moment, not sure. I also found her inside of a plastic box that is used to hold all of Alex's trains and train track. Sans lid, of course.

Audrey is funny. She also has a temper and is not one to hide it. She gets in trouble quite a bit. Despite her beauty and charm, she has a mean streak if she doesn't get her way. You know if she is mad. Again, like her dad. I mean...

It is really neat to see how similar and yet how different both Alex and Audrey are. I know everyone told me it would be that way but at first they seemed the same. But then again all newborns eat, sleep, and poo so it was hard to see a difference at first. Audrey's personality is starting to emerge and I don't take her for being laid back like her brother. Although if you take his toy or play with something that he thinks he may play with someday in the near future you had better watch out!

And look out for Audrey, too, for that matter!