Interpretations

Today Brandon asked me if there were real boys in his boysenberry fruit strips.

At least we know that his mind is working just fine!

Been A While

hi - it's been a while since I wrote a blog. Probably because I tend to blog when the kids are napping and I have some time to myself. Brian has the week off between Christmas and New Years, so he's home this week. I'm never at home by myself! There's always someone else in the living room by the laptop. Odd, huh, that that's the reason I haven't blogged!

Not much has happened since Christmas. We've been playing with all the new toys and generally enjoying time together as a family. Caitlin has been walking up a storm! She got inspired on Christmas day to walk around (guess she had to all those new toys!), and has been on a roll ever since. She now takes 10-15 steps at time, and can walk down the hallway by herself. She's still pretty loosey-goosey when she walks around, but she gets better every day. We've discovered just how much Brandon pays attention to what goes on around him. He now requests mommy's favorite song, "I Don't Feel Like Dancing," whenever we get into the car. I obviously played it a few too many times when I got the CD! We got him a "Hide 'em in Your Heart" CD at Bereans today. Maybe he can start singing some scripture instead of European club hits!

Here are some Christmas pictures for your enjoyment!

Brandon setting out milk and cookies for Santa


Brandon wondering why Santa didn't eat all the cookie!


Caitlin at the new woodworking table (doesn't that nail look like a cigar?)


Caitlin and cousin Danny


Brandon and his cousin Chris

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Our first Christmas with an excited child! Brandon came into our bedroom this morning at 7:45 to ask if Santa came last night (into our dark bedroom - this is a big step for him)(oh, and my apologies to all of you who's kids came in much too early!). Brandon was highly perturbed last night at the idea that Santa was going to come down our chimney and leave him presents. He told me that the fire place was for smoke, and then asked if Santa was going to break on the way down. I guess it is breaking and entering, when you really think about it. I don't know why we think it's totally normal for a jolly fat man to enter our house late at night when we're sleeping. On top of it, we leave him food! We are basically inviting him in. Then, after breaking and entering, Santa leaves presents? So not like the stories on the ten o'clock news. You can see why the whole notion had Brandon a little alarmed. However, after his first question this morning, I knew he had gotten over his fears. Now I'm a little worried about the whole Santa thing now, but I'm moving on.

Following are a few early morning pictures of the kids opening their presents at home. I'll post more later, after all our Christmas adventures. Hope your Christmas is Merry!

very excited that stuff is in his stocking!


even more excited that there are gifts under the tree

I think she gets the concept of opening presents


Must gnaw on pooh bear.....





Posting is so much more fun when I get to rock out to my new CD's. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Look Who's Trying to Walk!

Coming to get you, Mom!


Brandon is Caitlin's perpetual cheerleader (unless she's near his train table!)


okay, there's no walking in this one. I just thought it was cute!

Lamb Ears and Stage Fright

The children at Highway did a sing along last Sunday, the 17th. Brandon, of course, was scared to go on stage. He was being held offstage by a friend's dad until Brian went to see where on earth he was! (thanks, Joel!) Brian did manage to get Brandon to sit on stage as long as he remained at Brandon's side. That was just so mom could see her wee babe on stage! We had practiced the songs, and he knew both of them by heart. But still, stage fright set it.

The 2 and 3 year olds were lambs in the productions, while the older children were angels, shepherds, etc. Not only was Brandon barely on stage, but he wouldn't wear the lamb ears. I got him to wear them afterwards in his class.

Smile!



Make a Funny Face!

Things I have realized today

*We don't have calm children
*My house may possibly never be clean again (although I would settle for merely "messy" verses the "tornado just passed through my house" look)
*Caitlin will always cry when I go to the grocery store. Anyone want to go shopping for me?
*I've always known it, but I really love my husband. I love him even more when he bathes the children and when he puts one or both of them to bed.
*Other people get worn out by my kids (yeah! It's not just me!)
*Other people's kids wear them out as well (again, Yeah! It's not just me!)
*It is necessary to get out of the house in the early evening. The witching hour starts at 4:30 at our house.
*It's cold outside at 5:30 pm. I don't mind it, but it's cold! And it's dark. But my kids aren't whining.
*Getting babies to wear mittens is next to impossible.
*Getting babies to wear hats is next to impossible.
*Wiping a baby's nose is next to impossible.
*Getting enough sleep is next to impossible.
*My neighbor's little boy is a wonderful kid, and he and Brandon just love playing together.

Sidelined by a Question

We were singing "Silent Night" in the car on the way home today when Brandon completely sidelined me with the following question:

Mommy, what's a virgin?

Wow.

I thought I had a few more years before I needed to answer that question! I'm still not sure what to tell a 3 year old. So, I told him that a virgin is someone who hasn't had a baby. I thought that was good until I heard his little voice again, from the back seat:

Mommy, boys can't be virgins.

Help!

Colorado

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the planet. Actually, we were out exploring more of the planet last weekend. Brian and I headed off to Colorado to explore our options. I've posted a few pictures below to prove that we didn't just drop the kids off with the grandparents and head to Hawaii.

We headed out the Boulder/Denver metro area to see if we would consider that area as a place to live. The option for us to move there is on the table. It's a very nice area. Not nearly as crowded as Santa Clara county. We were pleasantly surprised to find parking at the local cool mall just two weeks before Christmas. We did have to wait for a table at a restaurant there, though. It was a nice change to look at houses that we could afford. It's amazing what $350,000 can buy out there. You can get a 2500 square foot house with 4 bedrooms, and that's not including the basement! Here, $350K would only get you a studio apartment in a scary part of town. It's nice to know that we can afford a home somewhere, just not here.

Overall, our impressions were very favorable. We've explored other places in the past years, but none have panned out. I'll keep you updated on this situation. We may move...we may stay put. Only God knows right now.

View from the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder



The view from our hotel room. The mountains look so much smaller in this picture than they did from our window

Bathtime Photos

I took a couple pictures of Caitlin tonight at bathtime that reminded me of some that I took of Brandon when he was around the same age. I can't really call this a comparison because Caitlin is about a month older than Brandon was in these photos. They're cute, though, and show some definite differences in body shape!

Cute Brandon waiting for his bath. 9 1/2 months old


Cute Caitlin waiting to get in the bathtub (her big brother always has to get in first!) 10 1/2 months old.


Just cute

Let Me Outside!

What you can't see here is the fact that her daddy and big brother are playing ball outside in the back yard. How desperately Caitlin wants to go outside! If I could trust the fact that she wouldn't just eat the bugs and twigs on the ground, I'd let her out.

Please, Mom, just let me go outside!

What are they doing?

Blurry (sadly), but you get the point (yes, she's clapping)

If I press my nose a little closer to the glass I might just magically go outside

Just Kidding

Following is a conversation that Brandon and I had in the car:

Mom! Mom! Look, I see the moon!

I see it, too.

Mom, there's 2 moons.

No! There's only 1 moon.

No, Mom! There's 3 moons!

There's only 1 moon. You're so silly!

(keep going in the conversation until we get up to 12 moons)

I'm just kidding, Mom. There's only 1 moon!

I think that he finally gets the concept of kidding, and of joking around. This is going to make life a lot easier!