Sunday, December 29, 2013

Thanksgiving (at the) Blessings

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I love seeing and spending time with family for the holidays. Adults eating, and visiting, and kids running around playing and wrestling, and occasionally eating something other than dessert. It's nice knowing that whatever room my kids wander into, there is an auntie/uncle/cousin who is watching out for them. A big thanks to Auntie Millie and Uncle Tom for hosting Thanksgiving this year! We love invading your house and eating all day long. :) 

Friday, December 27, 2013

NAH!

 
 
 
 
 
 
Just a little picnic with the Belugas. The Belugas have their training/feeding sessions while E and I are at the aquarium to pick up Z from Sea School, and Elara thought she could share a, "NAH" with the whales! NAHs, always said with a heavily nasal midwestern accent, are more commonly known as snacks. Elara is a bit of a grazer, with a rather insatiable appetite sometimes. She is asking for food, and particularly, NAHs, all the time. NAHs can be several different kinds of food. Crackers, fruit, puffs, goldfish, and especially fruit snacks (don't judge!). 

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Pa-Bah!!!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It's not every day that a penguin and penguin trainer visit your preschool class. I was so excited that they invited parents and siblings to come meet the special guest too. Elara was fascinated, although she was just as excited that her big brother was there, as she was to see the "Pah-Bah!!!" She kept yelling penguin, and running over to get a closer look. But then she would catch sight of Zachary, and stop to give him hugs and pet him. Yes, pet him, not the penguin. She also petted a few other kids in the class, but it was thankfully well received. Zachary and his classmates made a list of questions to ask about the trainer--and Z had the first question. How do penguins swim? After class he told me all about the African Penguin, and how they don't like it when it gets too cold outside. So when can I sign up for sea school? 

Daddy-Oh

 
One more day until Big Daddy Paul comes to Iowa--then we can really get this Christmas party started!

Friday, December 20, 2013

Stink Eye

 
 
 
 
 
This pretty much sums up both of my little ones. Elara is happy go lucky, until she's NOT HAPPY, and Z is a sweetheart. Thanks to a book I recently read (This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store) I now realize that Zachary is my false advertising baby. He let me think that babies, while not easy, aren't all that awful. He slept through the night pretty regularly, played independently, didn't cry overly much, and was a good eater. Elara eats pretty good, sometimes....I have never been so sleep deprived in my life. Not when I was a college student working two jobs, not when Zachary was a newborn. Elara is a lot more work than Zachary ever has been. Even when she is behaving, she still requires a lot of work and management. There is a constant refrain of, "Momma! Momma? Momma!!!!!!" She might be 17 months old--but I still feel like I have a baby!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Sub Museum

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There are some pretty cool things to do in and around our house in Connecticut-and the Nautilus Museum is definitely one of them. It took me a loooong time to make it to the museum. Between bedrest, baby Elara, and general busy-ness, we just made it for the first time last month. Zachary was pretty fascinated by everything on the submarine, and luckily he had Big Daddy Paul to help teach him about it. Elara was more interested in the rocks and gravel by the railroad tracks, and the mulch by the garden beds than the submarine. That and running around nonstop--this little girl rarely has a still moment. Now that she knows how to walk, and has become more confident, she just goes and goes and goes. But only in the direction of her choosing--of course! I spent much of our visit to the museum just chasing her around, and trying to keep her out of trouble. Wait. I spend most of my time everywhere doing that...