Snowman

Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman . . .
Once there was a snowman, not-so-tall . . .


In the sun, he melted, melted, melted . . .
In the sun, he melted; now he's a snowball.


Here's a picture we just got from someone in our ward of Rachel and Eddy at our ward's "A Night in Bethlehem" Christmas party. We all dressed up in Middle Eastern garb and had dried fruits, nuts, and pita bread. A few people thought Eddy was dressed up to be a lamb, which certainly would have been appropriate for the evening. Apparently, it's supposed to be a bear outfit, but we've heard some people call him a bunny in it, so it's really anybody's guess.



We woke up one morning after the first major snow of the season to find that our car was converted from sedan to wagon style. More cargo space!


The look on a child's face about 5 minutes after his parents gave up trying to get him to keep his gloves on.


A few rare moments with Eddy's fingers OUT of his mouth.


After putting Davy to bed, Rachel was cleaning up the living room and found what fun it can be to see what the most recent adventure was for Davy's toys. This one involved the baby Jesus being transported somewhere by truck bed. Who needs a donkey?

Don't Grow Up So Fast

I get these little emails every week from babycenter.com that talk about developmental milestones and suggest activities to do with kids at certain ages, etc. Sometimes I look at them, sometimes I don't. I looked at one this week for Davy's age and was taken aback that now he is considered a preschooler. I guess after the second birthday they are no longer toddlers, but I was not ready to have a "preschooler" in the house! (And I'll blink and have a teenager.)

As I write this Davy is immersed in pretend play with a castle and knights set that was a Christmas hand-me-down from some friends. I thought he'd have to grow into the toy, but the minute he spotted it in my closet behind some clothes (the kid has eyes like an eagle--I forgot to put it out for Christmas morning and then was going to save it until next year but brought it out after his irresistible, "oooooo, a castle!") he has been helping the knights take rests, hug each other, shoot the cannon and fight each other.

We had a dance party the other day after dinner to get some wiggles out before bedtime. I put on some oldies to rock out to, and said, "Davy, shake your bootie!" He looked at me with a perplexed expression, then picked up one of Eddy's baby booties from off the floor and waved it around. He had no idea why I was laughing so hard, but joined in anyway.

Davy is NOT toilet training/learning, but he loves to sit on the toilet and read books about potty training. The other day I was making dinner and heard Davy whining about something, but was too busy to go and check that minute. I thought he was frustrated with some toy that was not behaving the way he wanted it to. When I finally went to see what was the matter I found him fully clothed but fallen into the toilet bowl--his bottom all the way through the seat and very wet. I should have run for the camera, but I didn't think of it in the moment, and the poor child had suffered long enough. Surprisingly he is not afraid of the toilet and still likes to "practice" with my help.

Merry Christmas 2010

We had our first snowfall of the year on Monday, just hours after I completed the grocery shopping for the week. Whew! If there is anything I dread more than grocery shopping in the rain, it is doing so in the snow. But I do love a good snow when I don't have to go anywhere. Davy and I enjoyed a little frolic in our backyard/driveway while the baby slept cozy and warm inside. Davy really wanted to "sweep" (shovel) the snow, but was content to just walk around in his boots for a time and get his first taste of the cold stuff.



And while being mostly stuck inside the house, Davy's entertained himself and us by helping out with some clothes sorting (out with the too small stuff and in with the 6-month clothes for our not-quite-yet 3 month old). Davy does get fully dressed every morning--I promise! But by the end of the day we're usually missing at least one article . . .


Here's evidence that our requests to share are being listened to, at least sometimes. Davy shared all his new Little People nativity pieces (from Aunt Erica) with Eddy. So sweet.


Eddy's Christmas Eve pictures:




I remember being sick many Christmases as a child, and I guess Davy decided to join in the tradition. We had a very loooooong Christmas Eve night as Davy was ill with a horrible cough that kept him awake and throwing up all night. We changed several sets of sheets and blankets and pajamas before he finally fell asleep, but only if Collin or I were sleeping next to him. And if he rolled over and coughed once he went into another coughing fit that lasted an hour until he could relax and fall asleep again. Poor kid. Poor parents. This was our first real all-nighter with a sick kid and it was much more grueling than any paper-writing all-nighters I pulled as a college student. All that laundry and singing lullabies with a hoarse voice really take it out of you! This morning was fine, as Davy was back to his almost usual self. I removed any sugar and dairy from his diet for the day (he's too young, luckily, to know that you are supposed to gorge on chocolate for breakfast on Christmas morning) and he loved opening his presents and playing with his new stuff. Then we watched movies the rest of the day and generally took it easy. Davy in his TV stupor (and he's still sick, so that's most of the glazed expression), Collin enjoying the political incorrectness of Disney's Peter Pan, and Eddy enjoying Daddy time:


I love being Santa Clause! In between cleaning Davy up after him being sick, we set up Christmas in the living room. One of the times Davy was sick after 10:00 we heard him saying in a sad, weepy voice, "Mommy, I need towel . . . " and then in a completely different tone, "Oooooooo!" He had spotted the tunnel and tent and was ready to go play. Some Christmas mood pictures:

Merry Christmas to all!

Squished

Oh, no! Even the baby has been marked! We were given this onesie by a Deloitte partner, naturally. Well, we'll be proud to wear the green dot, because we are so grateful for Collin's job.


Eddy's found his lower lip and sucks on it almost constantly through the days. I think he may even be teething, even this early, because he has been a drool machine!


Edward does not love his doctor-prescribed tummy time, but occasionally I'll let him (against doctor recommendation) sleep on his tummy, which he loves. Go figure.


About a week before Davy's second birthday we had a big joint birthday party for the five boys in the ward who were all born within a month of each other. It was SO MUCH FUN! The moms divided up the party planning responsibilities, so it was easy-peasy for us, and also simple enough for the kids to have a blast. There were cars and trucks in one room and an indoor bounce house in the other. There were some healthy snacks, and then we rolled out fondant like play dough and cut shapes to decorate a bakery-quality cake that is the talent and hobby of one of the boys' nursery leaders. Davy, of course, went off on his own for the first while to the playroom downstairs (he is obsessed with downstairs playrooms--apparently all the cool kids among his acquaintance have their playrooms in the basement) and found a hat and a fireman.


He did enjoy the cars and trucks, as well, and wanted more cake after his own big slice was eaten. He ate a lot of fondant, too, as we were rolling it out and cutting shapes, so he was on quite a sugar high for the rest of the party.


The bounce house was the star of the party, and of course I don't have a non-blurry picture of them playing.



Ready to go outside?! Let's get some clothes on first . . .


I tell Davy at least three thousand times a day to GET OFF THE BABY, but it hasn't sunk in yet. The problem is also Eddy, who giggles and smiles at Davy while being sat on half the time, encouraging the behavior. Sometimes I admit I have to put myself in the "quiet corner" (time out) for a few minutes to get calm again after the twentieth time in ten minutes I have to send Davy--all the while laughing--to his room. You'll say, "well, just put the baby up high!" Doesn't work--putting Edward on the bed is even worse because then David is jumping on him, and I've found Davy on the swing on top of the baby, and he'll climb into any port-a-crib thing. So as long as I'm holding the baby he's safe, but sometimes a mom just has to change a diaper or set the baby down to get dinner out of the oven. And I try to distract the toddler with another activity or game, but three seconds later all he wants to do is entertain himself by squashing the little one. What to do? Anyway, here's a picture that shows some positive progress. Next to the baby, even if on his arm, is better than standing on his stomach or sitting on his head. And all too soon Edward, if he continues at the rate he's going, will be bigger than David and can hold his own against his brother.


Now a little moment about me! I'm the Activity Days leader for the older girls in our ward, and we just (almost) finished a quilt that we will be giving to a sister-ward in Haiti. The girls embroidered a square with a design of their own making, then I sewed the squares together and we tied the quilt this last Thursday. It was fun for me to see the girls work together and do something pretty significant with the skills we've been practicing (threading a needle, sewing, knot tying, etc.).

Look Who's Two!

Incredible how these last two years have flown by, and now Davy is a running, chattering little person with personality, preferences, and opinions about everything. We sure love this kid! He's been practicing saying how old he is and trying so hard to make his fingers cooperate to make the sign "2." But he's certainly growing up too fast, as evidenced by one time when we asked him how old he is today and he replied, "sixteen."

Eddy, 2 months

Edward had his two month appointment last week. He was a brave boy for all that poking and prodding and all those shots. He weighed in at 14 lbs 2.5 oz, so we're doing just fine on weight gain! I think he was 25 inches long, but I don't remember all those numbers as well as with Davy. Partially because trying to keep a toddler off the doctor equipment and a baby from rolling off an exam table is plenty to keep a mind occupied! Anyway, he's doing well in the health department, despite a few minor colds that keep cropping up. These pictures are from a few weeks ago, with Eddy in the blessing outfit. He is a little bigger in it than Davy was, in part because of the weight thing, but also because he was older due to the fire situation that prevented us from getting pictures at the same age as his brother was. No matter. He's adorable all the same. I think the photographer lady thought I had "done" his hair on purpose, because she kept trying to crop it out and I kept saying, "keep it!" We love that his hair sticks up, but we certainly don't have the time to blow-dry it that way. Anyway, enjoy!






My two boys. Not the greatest picture, but I love that my two boys are there. Davy will walk around the house carrying two stuffed animals over his shoulders and saying, "two boys, mine two boys." But this post wasn't supposed to be about Davy. So, back to Eddy. You can see that waking up and seeing these smiles of Edward's is a great joy. The best natural pick-me-up possible! Even in the middle of the night . . . I woke up the other night--not because I heard the baby mewing for milk, but just because I happened to be rolling over--and saw Eddy wide awake and grinning at me. I melted, even though I don't want to encourage too much of that three-in-the-morning wakefulness! Regardless, he is a truly beautiful baby at any minute of the day.

Picture Dump

To be honest, I don't have the energy to comment much on these pictures. Just needed to get them up here.

I often find Eddy being smothered under piles of stuffed animals and this doll I made for Davy when the baby was born. Davy loves his brother, but I think loves his equipment more. He has major swing and bouncy-chair envy. We're finally to the point where he just plays with the stuff instead of wanting Eddy out. Hence the stuffed bears and tigers who get to ride on the swing with Edward.


Cute David, coming home from the park on a surprisingly nice late-Fall day.




Eddy's getting more bright-eyed every day. He loves watching me and Davy go about our day around him. Soon he'll be joining in!


Davy got to go to a Belmont High School football game on Thanksgiving day to watch the game and the band play. He is obsessed with that baseball hat and wears it all around the house and often out on errands and trips as well.


Too bad about the shadow, but Edward's cute admiring look at Davy.


Everything is a hat these days.


Finger painting mess.


I don't know what he's worried about--Davy is in bed and can't jump on him.

If anyone can figure out what Davy is saying, let us know. We still can't understand that last part.