vroom

This boy is down with cars. And blueberries, cashews, bagels, and juice boxes.  He was living quite large after Seth's surgery - the sudden and consistent availability of juice boxes thrilled him.  The racetrack above was a gift years ago that has provided Noah with hours of amusement.  It clamps onto tables and chairs and shelves and stools.  He sets a bucket (sometimes a pillow) at the end of the track to catch the cars, and does it again and again and again.

Other current favorites include: The Big Red Barn, showers, yammering, taking off his pants, singing in the car, scooters, roaring, dancing, and doggies.  What a delightful age.

the volcano and the igloo

Dustin insisted on moving us to smartphones several months ago. Now that I don't need Skype to message him (w/o video, before you wonder), I find myself rarely in front of an actual computer. This is the first time I have dropped photos off the camera for more than a month! So I think about posting pictures, but my follow-through has been lacking. To tell the truth, I don't get my camera out nearly as often anyway.

The peeps planned out a fabulous tea party a while back and it was a rousing success. I thoroughly enjoy that they eat so much more food when it is put into small cups. Paige has taken to menu writing and placecard making - two things I loved as a little girl as well.

Noah likes to take off his jammies. Apparently our safety pins are cheap and flimsy, because he Houdinis himself free lickedy-split and we redress him after he is asleep most nights.

We got that little level with something that was purchased (to assist with its hanging) and it did not occur to us that the level might not be level.  So we have a small level that is useless. And we have a large one that I used while building the retaining wall in CO - unknown to me this was a bad idea because even though my wall turned out nice and level, I got a slew of tiny rocks/dust inside the level and now it is nearly impossible to see the bubble. Gah.

Have you ever filled a plate with baking soda and given your peep the plate + a small cup of vinegar + medicine syringe? Volcano! It is a rainy/cold weather staple around here and has been for years (really, I buy baking soda in bulk anyway). Super fun.

buh-bye tonsils

So those were Seth's tonsils when he was "healthy" (you would not want to see a pic of them when he had strep).  He did hit the ENT after that last post, and he was scheduled for surgery the following week.  No time to waste!  He had them out December 26th and had a miserable first week and a second week full of setbacks.  He is thankfully back to his old self - minus a few pounds and the snoring.  Yippee.

a mess of antibiotics

The weekend before last I used my soon-to-expire skymiles and flew to Colorado for a [short] trip to see my Andreas.  The time was marvelous.  I was relieved to find that it no longer felt like home.  Whew!  Our move happened so fast, and even though it was something we wanted, I was curious.  The first time I ever went to CO, it was like I had never breathed before (no altitude jokes, please) and it was just right.  And then coming to Tennessee last year was like a...waiting.  A waiting suddenly met.  How strange that we bond so strongly to certain places.

All the peeps came down with strep, some (if not all) while I was gone.  The last time I was gone for a weekend, I came home to Adam's broken arm, but I guess 3 trips to the pediatrician in one week (I doubled up on the last one) is still better than that.  They are grumpy but feeling better.  Or perhaps I am grumpy and they are just feeling better.  Sometimes it is hard to distinguish!  Seth hits the ENT this week to see what will be done about his tonsils.

Sibling Christmas gift shopping has begun and it is truly entertaining.  I well remember dithering over what to get my parents, Sarah, and Brandon with the $5 per person we were given.  One year Brandon and I pooled our money together and gifted my mom with 10 matching salt & pepper shaker sets from the dollar store.  Still makes me laugh whenever I think of it.

eight will be great

Man, that top picture makes me laugh.  It was Seth's birthday and Paige was upset about something.  His birthday was great and he was counting down from several weeks out.  What a delight.

Paige spent her allowance on bubble gum a few weeks ago.  She, Dustin, and I had a bubble-off and the little boys were thrilled.  It may very well be the only time Dustin ever wishes to be clean shaven.