Thursday, December 31, 2009

The difference 6 months makes




The End

Today is the end, so in honor of that, I'll post some pictures from Christmas and this last week to get you through what's sure to be an interesting day today. It's snowing crazily here. I went into the grocery store to it just barely doing anything and when I came out 20 minutes later, there was a significant coating and everything was insanely slick. I hope everyone is safe today, regardless of what they're doing. We're just hanging out. I think I'll build a fire and make cocoa in a bit.










Wednesday, December 30, 2009

When will it be.....

2008 again? Man, Hannah just does not get what order the years go in, or that once they are gone, that's it. I have mentioned more than once to her that Friday will be January and also 2010, and while she thinks that's cool, she wants to know when it will be other years again. And let me tell you, I have many sweet moments from many years. I do not wish to relive them. Ever.

Norah just talks herself up a little storm, and she finds herself completely hilarious. She chatters to herself, points out things she recognizes, or demands snacks and drinks like she's a dictator in charge of my kitchen. I was holding her in the kitchen earlier and she pointed into the sink and said "ewwwww ucky" Followed immediately by a listing of the objects in the immediate area, and to whom they belong. Soap, bracelet, dishes. Quite a ham, that one.

Hannah was very excited that her favorite friend Emma came over to play yesterday. She spent nearly a week telling me that Emma was going to come over on vacation, and it was really very nice. Dori and I got a chance to chat, and the girls played very nicely with each other, and moderately nicely with their younger siblings. Can't really ask for anything else. Everyone left with all their appendages, and reasonably happy. Hannah is thrilled to have gotten an invitation to Emma's upcoming birthday party, so I'm sure we'll be headed out there in the next couple of weeks for that.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Moving on

Christmas is over. Gifts were opened, breakfast was eaten, family was visited. And now it's all finished. Steven was so over it that Sunday morning he took down everything that resembled a decoration and put them away. So back into normal we go, and I get to start hearing "when I turn five can I have..... for my birthday present" As if they didn't just get a boatload of new gifts. Thankfully Norah is too little to worry about all that. She is a joy, but too small to realize that gifts come at specified times of year. At least for another year I bet.

I was very spoiled by Steven this year, getting new beads for my bracelet, a new straightening iron for my hair, and a waffle iron to indulge at breakfasts. Steven was also a fan of his moustache trimmer, new t shirts, and Metallica DVD's. It was clear that Steven and I were afterthoughts as usual at other celebrations, but thankfully the girls are too young to notice those kind of slights. I hope to never treat my children that way, and I truly hope that if I did, someone would tell me.

So now we're into the week of vacation following the holiday. I don't know that we'll have time to put their new museum membership to the test this week, but definitely by the next Monday holiday, I'm sure. Hannah is very excited to be able to go to Kidcity anytime she wants!

Monday, December 21, 2009

It's here

YAY the Winter Solstice is here! That means, that starting tomorrow, the days will no longer get shorter. And in the next few days, they will start to get LONGER. Thank the lord! I'm already done being cold, and reality is I have at least another three months of bitter cold and chances of snow to get through.

Hannah is so excited for Christmas, and was almost as excited to spend the night at Meema's on Saturday night. She and Norah were fabulously well behaved, and Steven and I got a night of peace. Christmas shopping is finished, all gifts are wrapped, stockings stuffed.... basically all that's left to do is put everything out and cross my fingers they both sleep in. Since essentially they only wake up when they're done sleeping at this age.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

In the rotation

Whoever came up with the idea of rotating toys with kids... hello Genius! About six months ago we put away the dollhouse and all the included accessories. In the meantime we've gotten some other house like toys (thank you Kat) and it had come to my attention that my kids like them. So we brought the giant house back downstairs. I love this house, it's the embodiment of a fantastic doll house for girls. It's huge, so there is more than enough room for them to play with it TOGETHER. And shockingly, they do. I mean there is plenty of Hannah stealing everything that could resemble a person (pooh figures, princesses, little people, bunnies.... etc) and playing school, but they sit in the toy room and play with the house, together. Even alone they will both play for a few quiet minutes. And I'm thinking it's because at the moment, they're into that. Which makes me happy, and clearly makes them happy. So toys go into the rotation, and some come out. With Christmas on the horizon, I'm plenty happy to be taking some out of rotation and not adding new ones in. I'm also happy to start donating toys they've outgrown, and toss toys that are broken and/or missing pieces. Hopefully the new stash of Christmas toys isn't too awful.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas is Coming!

And oh MAN is Hannah excited! She really gets it this year, and I'm excited for that too. I love waking up and giving them their stockings to play with while we fix breakfast. I'm even half praying that they'll sleep in until 7 on Christmas morning. That would be a merry day for me indeed.

So far we have planned to break the cardinal rule I made when I was pregnant with Hannah. Provided it isn't snowing, we will be traveling on Christmas. I know, I know, I said when I was pregnant that it would be the last Christmas I traveled, and up until now, that was true. With everyone being adults now, there are more people to think about besides just me and my family. So I will amend the rule to say that I will not travel for Christmas Morning. I want to have that at my house. Where we can sit in PJ's at leisure and open gifts, snack on food, drink coffee and enjoy. Not that it wouldn't be enjoyable elsewhere, as I've spent many christmases many different places... but you know, home is where the heart is. And I want my kids to always wake up on Christmas in their own beds.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Still sick

Sorry there are no new updates, Hannah and Norah are both sick now, so things are um, interesting here. They're being reasonably good about it, but the coughing at night is killing me. They don't bother themselves nearly as much as they bother me. And of course Norah is still refusing to go to bed at any time. She gets up repeatedly, rocking the chair or banging on the door. So some of us are pretty tired around here. Unfortunately Hannah ran a fever on Thursday afternoon, so Friday she had to miss school and hanging out with Mimi and Iza, sine fevers aren't allowed around Mimi. I'm certain she'll ask tomorrow when I pick her up if she's better enough to go visit.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Sickness strikes again

Not weeks after Norah spend many nights coughing endlessly, we are back at it again. In fact just long enough for me to have finally recovered. And now she's coughing and sniffly and refusing to eat. I tried to tell myself that I would much prefer her to be sick now, than in a couple weeks when Christmas will be knocking at our door. It's true, I would prefer that. But with her being the only one sick, I'm terrified that she'll be fine and the rest of us will be lolling on the floor in a stupor of vicks induced haze. Ok maybe not, but I'm afraid that Christmas will be spoiled somehow.

And speaking of Christmas, one of the girls gifts arrived this weekend. Grampy and Mimi were kind enough to get the girls a years membership to Kidcity Children's Museum, in Middletown CT. The recent pics of all of my girls (Kat's and Kate's included) were taken there, and I'm certain to be spending lots of Monday holidays there during the Member only hours :)

Sunday, December 6, 2009

A cool party

Hannah's super good friends, Mimi and Iza, turned five this past week. So to celebrate there was a big surprise for them today. After breakfast at Kat's house, we all trekked over to her brother's place of work for a photo shoot party. Never have so many little girls had so much fun! I'm certain there were some fabulous pictures taken. Victor will get to it at some point. Even Sara who was with me got to take a few, seeing as how she's a professional and all. Thanks to Kate for taking this with my camera while Victor was taking the rest of the pictures.