Ouest usually wakes up around 7:30 in the morning. By that time Lowe has been up anywhere from one to two hours. When she wakes she announces it by yelling out, “Papa!” That’s my cue to head on in and let her know it’s okay to get up. If she wakes up before seven I can usually just tell her it’s too early and she’ll fall right back to sleep. Yeah, I know, she’s awesome like that. But that’s not the point.

Lately when Lowe hears her yell out he immediately drops whatever he is doing, grunts and huffs and puffs while he pulls himself up, and then runs straight for her door. He rushes in, plops down on her mattress (it’s on the floor), and crawls right up on top of her. He buries his face in her belly, tries to give her kisses (open mouth with a sort of grunting noise is what we all get as kisses at the moment), and generally completely loves her up. Ali and I just stand back and say, “Awwwww.” Ouest hardly even acknowledges him other than to push him off of her. This girl is in no way feeling the love for her brother the way he is for her. She’s tough as nails and he’s as sweet as candy. Should make for an interesting dynamic growing up.

Ouest’s latest Spanish word is, “Aqui.” It means here, and is used by us all the time for ordering food or telling a taxi driver where to pull over. It’s so fun to watch her soaking everything up and putting it to use. Today she was playing with her little people and telling them where to stand. “Aqui. Aqui. Aqui.” She is going to be one crazy Spanglish speaker for sure.

Lowe is teething. Molars this time. Drool, diaper rash, runny nose, he’s got it all with these teeth. Poor little man.