Clear the Leaves

Did you know that more yard means more leaves to collect? And you can buy a leaf blower at a garage sale but if it doesn't start, are you going to rake it all by hand? No! We're going to mulch those puppies!


So I'd spread the leaves out all over the grass, which Liam and Dash "helped" me with at first, then they just played, while Sean did the mowing. After a while, the twinners would follow behind Sean, pretending they were in a maze or a track.


Then Liam's legs got tired.


Grey did a lot of watching.


And Dash's hat turned backwards. It amuses me to see the state of their hats when we come in from outside- it's rarely in it's original position.


And somehow, they all ended up at the fence. Leaf-clearing is tough work! Also, did you know we have six different kinds of fencing around the yard? How's that for eclecticism?!

Grey, Lately

Walking- He walks, but not much. Still shorter distances. It seems like he only goes for it when he wants a little applause. None of my kids have been the "and then he just took off!" types.

Climbing- bah, he's climbing up everything! Up the dinner chairs and table, on top of the toilet, onto the coffee table, through the cabinets, all over me...

Sleeping- This kid will sleep until 9! Oh how fabulous. He always wakes up a little bit during the night, often falling back to sleep on his own. Sometimes I'll have to go in to replace a binky (hmm, I suppose I need to think about when to phase out the pacifer, huh?). He generally now only naps once (unless he wakes up earlier, then we'll add another) and I actually like having the simplicity- nap time and quiet time at the same time, long chunks of wake time in which to go places, I'm a fan.

Signing- he does a great "all done." You can watch him finish up his food and it suddenly occurs to him, "I can tell mom that I'm done!" and his hands do a'wavin'. Just today, I was asking him if he was all done or wanted more, he got excited and touched his fingers together. "More!" That was his first successful "more"- he confused it with clapping before.

Socks- he takes them off every car ride. And gets mad if they're too hard to remove.

Pretending- wow, he's impressive! Liam and Dash have been doing a ton of pretending and this babe's learning the ropes. He always pretends to eat the imaginary food his brothers hand to him. Today he "knocked" on my door, waited for me to "open" it, and presented me with his Trick-or-Treat bucket until I "dropped in a candy." What?! You clever kid.

Whacking- I have to keep his nails trim because he is constantly hitting faces and grabbing fistfuls of skin. I say "soft of faces" more than anything else these days. Though Liam always corrects me, saying that he likes it when Grey's hard. I do not.

Little Seats- He gets a big kick out of finding a place to sit that's just his size. Step stools are perfect. So is the lip of the refrigerator. He looks so proud after he's taken his little seat. I could just eat that kid up!

Video Files

I have videos! Some of them are kinda old (hint, the ones where they're wearing shorts)

I love this video! They did this for probably 10 minutes. Circles around circles.

This is how it goes: "Hello Monsieur, I've got some candy for you!... don't eat it all!" No idea where it came from, repeated fifty thousand times.

Can't see much on a little walk while it was getting dark, but you don't need a visual to hear Liam's ridiculously infectious laugh.

Grey really responds to music and goes bouncing every time he hears it.

Giving his jaw a work-out.

They're going to make a stellar double-dutch team one day.

Grey started yelling, "ah!" in a parking garage and Pompa would repeat back to him. So that's how they communicated the rest of their visit. 

Missed Moments

You should be so thankful I have a camera again, so you can see all the little moments.

Moments like Dash flopping on the couch.


It would have been a travesty for you to miss this fantastic sticker.


Or this milk break.


How about that Quiet Time bedhead?


You wouldn't have seen Grey being a big boy at the big table eating sugary cereal.


Now you get to see this side of me (Sean made me- believe me, he destroyed me).


And then this other side of me. See what you could have missed?!

By the Boys

Dash wakes up almost every night either crying or wandering into our room. When he doesn't, he wakes up at 6am crying instead (a guaranteed Liam wake up call).

Liam has become the worst Quiet Timer there has ever been. To him, it's Loud, Crying, Yelling, Jumping, Getting Out of Bed Forty Times, Pick on Dash Time. My heads balding from all the pulling.

BUT... I have a camera now. A camera that's a little upgrade and got for a really good deal (think refurbished with the canon loyalty discount, on top of a discount). So everything's okay, no matter what these kids dish out. Merry Christmas and Happy birthday to me!

Liam and Dash have been very excited about the new camera, too, and take lots of photos. In fact, they took the first few after the battery was charged. And they're good!


(photo by Dash)

(photo by Liam)
We've got talent on our hands...

Arts

We had ONE more adventure with Mimi and Pompa before dropping them off at the airport, the Institute of Arts!


I'm a sucker for sculpted veils. I just can't believe how the artist can made stone look like flowing, delicate fabric.


Receiving a little art education.


Hilarious.


I admit, it's hard to go to an art museum with littles. They aren't much for pausing and pondering. They pulled me from room to room, encouraging me to keep going.


And soon enough, we were done!


Until next time, Mimi and Pompa!

3.5

Hi! I'm Dash!


Today I'm three and a half years old!


I'm really good at pretending and I love to cuddle with mommy and daddy.


I've been fully potty trained for many months and have just started waking up in the middle of the night, every night. I usually say it's because I'm sad.


I'm a sweet and sensitive boy. I love to play with my brothers. I love being me!


Hi! I'm Liam!


Today I'm three and a half years old!


I'm a fun and daring little boy and live to make people laugh.


I've been fully potty trained for a few weeks- no more nighttime diapers for me! I don't like to take naps anymore, Dash either. I like playing too much!


I love playing pretend with my brothers and being silly. I like to test limits but still be sweet. I love being me!

Jack of the Lantern

We were able to carve pumpkins while Mimi and Pompa were here!


What harm could be caused by giving a three-year-old a majorly serrated knife? Totally safe!


Meanwhile, Grey entertained us.


Dash gave Mimi very specific instructions on the sad face he wanted on his jack-o-lantern. I think she captured the essence perfectly.


I cut out Liam's face exactly as he drew it.


Pompa carved out their names on the back. Personalized!

Sean did another fabulous carving.


And I made a owl. hoot.


Grey colored his pumpkin a little but he never wanted anything to do with it when I was photographing him. Otherwise, he loved the thing. And then my camera went kaput. So this is all we've got! Yay punkins!

Sweet and Silly

This is just too sweet.


And another from the Science Museum that just makes me giggle.

Tire Swing

Sean's brother lives in Indiana, which, as you might know, is right next to Illinois. Cleverly, Sean's parents planned a visit in which they first spend some time with Kyle, then drive up to Gurnee to meet us at the end of our trip and ride with us back up to Minnesota (they lost cleverness points when they accidentally booked a flight to southern illinois instead of indiana. That was funny.). Pompa took one look at our giant Maple in the back and decided to put up a tire swing.


Dash started out in the Superman fashion, as we all would.


Then he tried out a tradition swing riding approach. Not very stable.


Then he kindly let his brother take a turn. Sweet gentleman.


"When's my turn?"


Superman is the natural choice, I'm telling you.


Liam decided to tuck himself inside.


So this is what a donut hole feels like.


Aha, you can go on top of this thing! That means...


...two at once! It's a hit!