Yes, I did answer Ava each and every time she asked about Ferdinand. We read the book in the morning, and that was the part that made the biggest impact (not the pacifist message of the story, unfortunately). If you are not familiar, he sat on the bee because he was not paying attention because he was thinking about the other bulls that were running and snorting and butting in an effort to show off for the guys in funny hats who were there to pick a bull for teh bullfight, and how he had no desire to be picked.

Carter has officially crawled more than moving one hand and one knee. He finally linked the sequence on Tuesday while Ava was tumbling and I was sitting with him on the mat. However, if he is in a hurry, say when he wants to go swimming in Rose's water bowl before I snatch it up and put it on the counter, he still drops down to his tummy and does his one-handed one-footed pull-kick.

Easter was quiet and peaceful. Michaela came to visit and the kids had a blast with her. She helped me with the laundry--just the perfect Easter for her, I am sure. I kept it very low-key: a few plastic eggs with jelly beans, some chocolate, and a new train for Ava's train set. Though she also appropriated Carter's basket, but he was none the wiser.

However, when she does take something from him that he is already in posession of, look out. He HOWLS. Today it was a sippy cup with water in it. I thought he was hurt, he cried so hard. But as soon as she gave it back, he stopped. I cannot wait til he is old enough, and big enough to have a little bit of an intimidating effect. Just one that will make her pause for a moment and weigh the risk/benefit of doing whatever it is she is about to do to him. Along the lines of "Hmmmmm, he might slug me if I take this from him..." or, "Hmmmmm, if I bonk him on the head in an effort to 'crack' my plastic Easter egg, he just might bonk me back...maybe I won't do that..."