Full of the Holiday Spirit...Literally

This weekend we put up our Christmas tree with much help from Tyler and Calvin. As we expected, Calvin was mesmerized by the lights and shiny ornaments but was pretty good about leaving them alone...or so we thought. Yesterday I was in the kitchen and both boys were playing quietly in the living room. Suddenly I heard Tyler say, "Calvin, what are you eating?" followed by loud crunching. I had just given him a bowl of crackers so I didn't think anything of it until Tyler yelled out "Mom, Cal's eating the thing from the tree!" Streaking into the living room I see Calvin with a piece of broken ornament in his hand and several shards in his mouth. Freaking out doesn't begin to describe me at that moment. I managed to get most of it out of his mouth but I had no idea if he'd eaten any before being discovered by Tyler. I found the broken ornament on the windowsill and it appeared to be mostly there but I couldn't be sure. Calvin, meanwhile, was pleased as punch and acting totally normal and happy. So, after several phone calls to a triage nurse and an on call doctor I now know that children can safely pass small pieces of glass and that Christmas ornaments get eaten and digested every year. As long as he's not in obvious pain he'll be just fine and I might even get an early shiny Christmas present in his diaper in the next few days. Seriously...

This Year

I am thankful for family

Remember When...

Wednesdays were the best days because Tyler and I got to spend the day with our friends Christa and Anna?
Christa and I began these playdates when Anna and Tyler were just months old. We were two new stay at home moms craving adult interaction and needing to talk through the highs and lows of first time parenting.
Christa and I were already good friends but those days together really deepened our friendship as we talked, cried, vented and laughed (hard!) about everything!
And Tyler and Anna created such a special bond between the two of them. Even after going months without seeing each other they can pick up right where they left off.
Cut to two more kids and two busy busy schedules later and these precious playdates are few and far between. This year Anna and Tyler are in preschool on opposite days so it's even harder. With Thanksgiving this week school was closed and we all spent the day together once again, with two new little boys in the mix. Seeing Anna and Tyler race around the house together really brought home how much they've grown up! They had a blast decorating cookies, playing monster, painting pictures and just goofing around together. Calvin and Emmett fit right into the melee of it all. They joined in the chase with the big kids, pulled out all the toys, ate cookies and did a little napping too.

First Snow

This Saturday we woke up to the first snow of the season. It had been forecast for days and we all knew it was coming but it still felt like a shock since the Wednesday before was a record 68 degrees. And we got a lot of it! The local weatherman said it was a whole month of snow in one day. Of course all the children were beside themselves. Tyler began asking to go outside at 7:30 in the morning. It was the perfect snow for snowballs and snowmen. Tyler and Jim even sled down the side of our house. Calvin was not so sure. He let me put his snowsuit, jacket and hat on but started to put up a fuss when I put his boots on and flatly refused his mittens. Once outside he stayed mostly inside the garage venturing out once into the falling snow whereupon he started to cry. I opened the front door to let him in and his mittens (which Jim had managed to get him to wear) got stuck in the snow as he was climbing the steps to me. Needless to say he was all done.We went out again later in the day and even though Calvin knew what to expect the result was the same. He kept asking to go outside but bringing me his tennis shoes as if to say "let me out the door that leads to the green grass, not that white stuff". At least the second time around he managed to stay outdoors for a little longer than it took me to get him dressed. Poor Calvin...it's going to be a long winter!

Babies in a Box

Earning Their Keep

Sammy is 2!!

Last weekend we celebrated Sammy's 2nd birthday. My how two years has flown! Sam has grown into such an independent, sweet, funny little boy. It's been amazing watching you grow. We love you!!