sugar and spice and everything nice...

...that's what little girls are made of.

Or so the story goes.

The story of my little girl focuses more on the spice of that nursery rhyme. 

Or so it seems.

She'd much rather hurl a doll at her brother than rock it to sleep with a plastic bottle. 

And yet...

Yesterday Shanon dropped off some of Lily's outgrown clothes.  Azure took one glance at this skirt and fell in love, had to have it flouncing on her own little body immediately.  Even if it meant only standing at the back door instead of being outside.  In her private wonderland. 

The girl has a perpetually dirty face and hair in constant disarray.  Still, she's crazy about painted toes, jewelry, and all other girlish trappings.  Fiesty crazy. 

Insistent,

stubborn,

Spicy crazy.

But her sugar is something to behold, as well.  It mostly happens after she has worn herself out completely {in the private wonderland}.  As I work in the kitchen, her chubby arms reach up to wrap around my legs, head resting gently near my knees. 

This sweet side melts me.

Every time.

...

My baking last week was all about the girly world.  It's a world that I newly love.  These cookies were party favors for a celebration of my friend Meghan having her fourth - a girl. 

I never get tired of pink and red together.

another cookie bouquet ordered by a friend for one of their clients who just had a baby:

 AND one last glimpse at my spicy little Scott girl:

 

Sweetness *might* be overrated.

blog woes

I miss blogging. 

And I'm not talking about cake and cookie posts. Those were never the prime intent of this blog.         (but here is a glimpse of the giant birthday cake I made a few weeks back)

I miss delving into the details of the little people I'm helping to grow.  I want to write their stories, record their quirks and crazies...remember all the moments that seem to be slipping through my mind like sand through open fingers. 

So here is a catch-up that obviously does no justice to all I've missed...

Aidan is in a book-devouring mode.  He has consumed over 1500 pages in the past three weeks.  And still manages to savor every daylight moment kicking a soccer ball in the backyard.  He couldn't be pulled away from watching the NFL draft last week...knowingly discussing each pick and option with his dad.  I watched, dumbfounded.  Where did he learn all of this?  How in the world did I help form the beautiful brain that could hold such foreign fascinations?

Davyn is a bit more relatable these days.  He started piano lessons a few months ago.  He delights in studying the notes, clapping out the time, practicing the songs...but disdains imperfection.  Corrections from mom are not well-received.  I worry and wonder how to help.  His schoolwork gives him no practice with mistakes.  Every grade in every subject has been 100% all year.  He has missed nothing.  Ever.  I'm worried that his ability to deal with failure when it comes will be highly underdeveloped. 

D loves to sit side by side and work with fondant when I do cakes.  He modeled all of these figures for this little farm cake that he entered in a school contest.  I was very impressed with his decorating.  I covered the little cake and board, put down the sand, pond and mud.  The rest was D.  

Azure is a delight.  She lives for being outside.  And the backyard is indeed her Wonderland.       Of course this means that she takes her fair share of trips and tumbles.  But people always comment on how resiliently she simply hops up and moves forward with no fussing or tears.  No time for that when there's a big, wide world to be explored.  She so often reminds me of Aidan at this same age.  But does have a more independent nature. She definitely does everything on her own terms. 

One oddity in this third child of mine is a complete attachment to this blanket.  It's not something I'm enjoying because the thought of losing this sleep & comfort crutch frightens me terribly. 

flag football

This year was the Scott boys' football debut.  Azure was a nightmare at the games.  I didn't enjoy any of her alternating stances:  screaming in the stroller, throwing sand in the playground or running through the fields.  It was only at the last game, and only because Cyndee came, that I was able to pull out the camera for pictures. 

The boys had a great time. 

Aidan loves football.  It's foreign to me, but the boy is a miniature of his father, who is completely familiar with the passion.  As such, Jim gives in easily to A's daily begging for practice in the backyard.

Davyn is not so completely enthralled nor intense.  To pump him up for the last big game, Jim convinced him to shave half his head so he'd look fierce for his final plays. 

and here is his ferocity in action:

Tomorrow Aidan starts soccer (with Jim coaching) and Davyn makes his coach pitch baseball debut.  My sport will stay the same for more seasons than I care to count.  I'll be gaining speed and agility trailing this little demon:

zoo trip

Once upon a time {in February} there was a Monday holiday.  Tyler invited us to join them at the zoo.  I hesitated because I was cold, and it is well-known among my family that I have a slim zoo tolerance zone of 70-80 degrees.  This day dipped well beneath that bottom number but I considered the company and eventually gave in..put on a coat..went.  And had a thoroughly enjoyable day (and new definition of zoo temperature perfection). 

Our zoo gang:

I'm a huge fan of these Hendrix nephews.  My boys are, too.  It has been fun to have them back in Arizona this year. 

I love that Azure bonds with her grandmas, but on this trip I would have really loved to steal her away, to be the one pointing and whispering words into her tiny ears.  She only wanted Grandma Cyndee. 

I laughed when she was strollerbound and insisted on having map in hand for much of the visit.  It reminded me of the last time we went...when the boys spent more time studying the map than the animals.  

a Birthday at the Park

On Saturday we gathered at the park with a whole lot of family to celebrate the February and March birthdays of my grandparents. 

Grandpa is now 96, Grandma 86.  I love that my children are still surrounded by so many amazing Great Grandparents (I'm kicking myself that I didn't snap a picture of my 3 with these 2...next time!). 

A few years ago I scanned some of their {positively gorgeous} photos.  So when it came time for joint cake this year, I knew I wanted those pictures to be part of the design.  Figuring that cupcakes would be easier for the park (and my time constraints), this is what I came up with:

Cyndee and I spent much of Friday making these little flower toppers.  She is a true artist, and it's always fun to work on cake with her.