Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a busy, full house for Thanksgiving. Gram and Grumpy, Auntie Jen and Uncle Dan and E., Uncle Billy and Aunt Donya and their new baby, and our neighbor from across the street. 

It was loud and crazy and busy and hectic and delicious. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Best of Friends

SlimJim is just coming into playing with the girls. LittleL.G. is the closest in age, and they play frequently and fiercely. It is a love, hate relationship: when they are playing they are either having the best time in the world, or someone is in tears. Adding a boy to the mix has certainly spiced things up and I'm always surprised at how differently they play than the girls. 

If found this today (pardon the crumbs visible in this photo- you wouldn't have believed what was attached to those pajamas when they got out!)

Snow Bank Play

We headed up to Wilton Wildlife this morning for their preschool nature hour. Technically only appropriate for one of my kids, but the girls learn a lot and they always make a craft afterward, which is usually more appropriate for bigger kids anyway (crafts for preschoolers can be so tricky!).

We arrived early, because you never know how long it's going to take to wrangle four kids out of the car when no one wants to get dressed in snow clothes or go for a hike in the winter.

Today went well, so the kids had plenty of time to explore the snow banks and dig in the snow with sticks.

A Hamster and Some Turkeys

We have a very sweet, very lovable, yet sadly often ignored hamster- Winslow. Not that the kids don't love him. SlimJim would play with him all day, every day. But two year olds have a tendency towards squishing, dropping and throwing, so he must be closely supervised. LittleL.G. also really loves to play with him, but until very recently she was afraid to take him out, as the memory of tiny teeth and bloody fingers doesn't fade fast. MiniM.E. is the most comfortable with him, but as the kids are always together, she likes to take charge and dictate the holding and playing, so hamster sessions can often end in tears. 

When they do play with him, it is adorable. 

Also, we got balloon animal turkeys at the Farmer's Market.

Crazy

More Snow

Stir Crazy Kid

My Boys

It was probably a week after coming home with Mr.T. that SlimJim hardly remembered a time without a baby in the house. He has always been so much more accepting of the baby than I expected. 

Now that Mr.T. is behaving more like a toddler than an infant, SlimJim isn't having any of it. Mr.T. crawls, he plays with toys, he sits on my lap, and most of all he is always being carried in "that space" that SlimJim wants, regardless of which arm I'm holding him in. 

When they are together the yells of, "No Baby!!" and "Mine!" fill the air until SlimJim gets so fed up he pushes Mr.T. away (or down, or in the face) and the yells turn to happy babbling mixed with baby crying.

When I drew the bath tonight, I wasn't surprised SlimJim wanted "No Baby!" in the tub. But everyone needed a wash, so in he went. And I enjoyed every minute of watching them tolerate each other for the whole. entire. time. Not one, "No Baby!"

Sounds like we need more baths in our lives!

A Wedding!

Yesterday Auntie Jen and Dan got married! It was a small ceremony, but so sweet. We are so happy for them!

After the wedding Dan had to officially sit on the kids to become their uncle. (Where does Daddy think up these things?)

We all went out to an early dinner with the newly weds and had some fantastic chocolate cake for dessert. 

Since we were already in NH, we stayed a couple days to play.

The timing worked out so well that we were able to stop in at Auntie Jen's official store opening event on our way back to NY.

So many congratulations to Auntie Jen! On getting married, her new job, and her successful opening event!