time flies

Two handsome guys. Daddy and Owen

CHEEEEEEESE or in Owen's case "jelly beeeeeans!"

FINALLY--good snow--the kind that packs up for a snowman!!!

Wow--time is just ticking away isn't it?? Here we were waiting and waiting for Andy's brother Ben to finally marry his long time girlfriend Alia, and POOF!! It is done and over with and they are getting ready to whisk everyone (except me and the kids) to Egypt to celebrate as only Egyptians can!! (insert "walk like an Egyptian" song) :) So--it is mid December, most presents have been bought, none wrapped and no cookies made. Soon, I tell myself, soon. Then the day passes, the week passes and good G-d half a month is gone and I best get crackin' or Santa will be eating dry Rice Krispies on Christmas night!

The boys continue to challenge and amaze us. They are both so darn cute I could burst and they are funny as all get outs. Thankfully I laugh more than I want to cry, so that keeps us going. Owen has a fierce independent/defiant trend that drives us all crazy. Nick is pretty compliant--so this takes some getting used to. If you say come here--he turns on a dime and runs that way. Get in the car?? Run down the hill and fall flat on your face in the mud....This is how it goes at our house. I have gotten both very fast and smart and can manhandle that lug of a child, albeit flaring my carpal tunnel each time I grab and carry his 35 pounds around...but I get the job done. We are trying to find ways to catch him being good--a phrase people will use on you when you have a darling demon spawn. So, we give high 5s for putting something in the trash, coming when called, or keeping his cup in the kitchen....Really mundane, repetitive and dumb, and we are open to all suggestions. Again, he is so darn cute and comes up with really cute things to say and we love him to death, but he can really drive us up a wall. I love being a mom, but it can be a drag sometimes. AND SO TIRING!!!!! My lovely "Mother in love" says I have to be consistent and it will turn out all right eventually. Man do I hope so.

In other news, we had to find new daycare for Jan--June. Found a lovely yoga instructor/fine arts major super mom who loves to bake, take nature walks and do yoga with the kids. YIPPEE. The boys will be happy there and go to another lady in June. Nick will be starting two day /week preschool in Jan as well. WOW. A preschooler, not just a toddler. It is flying by. It just does not slow down for anything. Hang on tight all you new moms, it is a wild ride. Nick is potty trained for pee, not for poo. Still uses the pull up to push one out, gets changed and takes his nap. Totally Pavlovian. Not sure where to go from here....how does one MAKE one do something?????

work is great, very busy, but very good. Really neat families with very real issues and really neat kids. So much progress in so little time and it is really rewarding. I am blessed to cherish my job in all ways.

We got an early snow storm last week. So super duper fun especially since Owen did not cry the whole time holding on to my leg. He actually played. Till his hands hurt so badly because he had tossed his mittens to the side to eat the snow and they were FROZEN!!!! He would NOT keep them on, so he KEPT getting cold and complaining. This is life as Owen. Love him.