Ring around the River

More conversations with a two year old

Jude: "Snowman?"

Kurt: "No Jude, we can't build a snowman right now. It is dark outside."

Jude: "Snowman?"

Kurt: "No Jude, it's too late. Also it is dark outside we can't see anything out there."

Jude: "Moon. Snowman!"

Oh Jude, way to find the loophole around the 'no light' outside in the winter.

Peas

Jude: "Peas, Mom?"

Me: "No, we are all out of peas, sorry"

Jude: "Grocery store? Peas?"

Me: "Yes, the next time I go to the store I will get more peas."

Jude: "Peas..mmm...good"

I will cherish this conversation forever and will etch it into my mind for the inevitable future moment when my child, instead of requesting vegetables, will be throwing some kind of tantrum for junk food. For now I will enjoy this moment of cute perfection. I will also enjoy the sweet pictures of my boys below!

Sick...

The last week before the holidays first Jude and then River were very sick with croup. This carried on over the break, when Kurt got sick as well. During this time we visited family, and scraped together a few festivies of our own. Finally, the boys were all better and we returned back to work/daycare routine. Then River got the flu, I got sick, and then Jude got the flu. So...I am skipping any details about our holidays other than to say that we survived, presents were given and recieved, and Kurt and I haven't had a decent nights sleep in over a month (well, I haven't slept since I was pregnant with Jude....but that's another rant for another day).

Photo Update...since I have been so slack in wrting entries! Here the boys are enjoying the squirrels romping around the backyard.



We finally got a good dumping of snow and had to celebrate by making a snow(wo)man.

Oops, forgot to mention that River also began walking over the holidays. He now looks like he is part of some baby fight club as he is covered with bruises. It is exciting, but also very alarming.

River was pretty sick on his birthday, so we celebrated a week later with a 'monkey' themed party. We had monkey cupcakes, snacked on fruit kebabs, and made palm tree decorations. All to celebrate our little monkey named River. It has been quite the crazy year. We're glad to have survived it, and we look forward to many more with our little monkey man.

Jude just had to help make the cupcakes.

River is On the Move

Now that I am back to work I don't have much time to update the blog with important things. Things such as River being on the move. He now "crawls", although as you can see from the video that is hardly what you would call it. I would call it the 'least efficient way possible for a baby to move', or 'you think you were original Jude?'.

Not only that, shortly after he mastered his less than smooth crawling, he is now taking steps. Well, actually he is running from person to person that usually results in a fall(hopefully into someones arms). He will abruptly turn around from whatever table, couch, or other item he is standing at and begin running to you, and you have to be ready to catch him. It is very alarming. He has also been know to hitch a ride on Jude if he happens to be passing by. I will have to try to snatch a video of his walking when I am not to busy chasing after him!

Busy as bees or beavers or something else alliterative...

Returning to work has made me pretty busy. Adjusting to the return to work, remembering how much I hate hate hate always having piles of grading needing my attention, getting over the grief of having to leave my boys every day, the boys adjusting to a whole new routine, learning how to get our whole family out the door by 7:15 am every day, and preparing for Christmas has left me feeling a tad overwhelmed.


Despite feeling somewhat smothered by work and home responsibilities, I make sure to find the time for the important things. Things like...

• Cutting down a Christmas tree with the boys.

(No, we are not stealing our tree, although we did not pay for it. We were rescuing it...from an old Christmas tree farm that was being plowed over to make way for a new subdivision. Seriously, the tractor doing the plowing over was even parked there and rows upon rows had already succumbed to its angry teeth. I like to think that our tree is the narrator of some classic Christmas story in which all it wants to do is bring christmas cheer to someone's home. And that home is ours.)

Baking an awesome truck cake to celebrate Jude's second birthday.

(Please note that the design of this cake is perfect for those with not so awesome cake making skills. I plan on finding other items I can creatively pile a big mess of cake into for future birthdays)

• Enjoying family dinners, or watching River enjoy them.
  

(Some of it does actually make it into his mouth, the rest must be absorbed through osmosis or something.)

Uh Oh...

I found the nativity set like this... I don't know what happened, but it doesn't look good...