KSM - Almost Two, Yikes!

In two days, our daughter Kathryn Scout Marshall will be two years old. How that has come to pass just boggles my mind. Cannot believe how the time has flown by. I still remember holding this tiny little girl to my chest, smelling that euphoric new-baby smell coming from the top of her head like an intoxicating elixir. Wow... now, she's almost two? Crazy.

We have definitely tried to make the most of Springtime here in the last two weeks. While Christopher enjoyed Spring Break from Little Feet, we ventured up to the Skagit Valley for the 2012 Tulip Festival. Amazing. It was crowded even mid-week, but well worth it. Even brought Nancy and her family with us too... they had never ventured that far north out of the city by car. Christopher's biggest highlight: finding a huge earthworm. Scout's biggest highlight: splashing her boots in the puddles... and the pink flowers, of course. :-)

Christopher has been doing really well with the Spring swimming season. In the last few lessons, he's figured out how to float on his back by himself, as well as take the first steps toward breathing out of the side of his mouth while he swims. I can almost see the wheels turning in his head as he makes each attempt: how the heck do I kick with my legs, pull with my arms, coordinate both of those efforts while also trying to breathe every 15 seconds or so?? A tough challenge, no matter how old or young. He's just going for it. I'm so happy for him that he's just giving it his all. He tries to practice his skills in the bathtub, but his sister doesn't much appreciate all the thrashing about that ensues. At one point CCM decided he wasn't a little boy, but rather a "loving alligator" who wanted to try to "attack and snuggle" its sister (KSM). Scout obviously didn't buy it. She could sense some older-brother aggression (of the most benevolent, playful kind). "No Echo, NO!!" - she'd cream out. She knows how to stand up for herself (against an older brother, a dog preying upon the ground below where she sits to eat... various characters of the household).

John recently installed a little swing in our backyard. The latest joy we've had as parents is to watch Christopher spend long stretches of time just swinging by himself. Occasionally he talks to himself, creating a storyline and just going with it. He'll make himself roar with laughter, he'll wave at our neighbors if they come outdoors. He's such a happy, social little person.

 Scout lately loves to give you a verbal recap of recent events. She'll wake up and want to tell me about her morning while I was at work: "Nancy, Gymb-en-nay!" (Translation: Nancy and I went to Gymboree").   If she's with me while I'm trying to accomplish tasks around the house (cook, do laundry), she'll repeat anything I say to her, but in a a hushed, softer tone. Example: ECB: "Ok Scout, let's go change your clothes then we have to put the dirty clothes in the wash.." KSM: "Clothes, wash. Dirty clothes, wash."

Lately when we have been reading books before bed, whenever it's the classic "Pat the Bunny", she'll want to give a kiss to each page. So adorable. Plus, on the page where Paul smells the flowers, she'll want to try to smell each one and say, "Blue [sniff], pink [sniff], yellow [sniff], white [sniff]." Have I mentioned that she's already mastering much of the alphabet as well?? She recognizes many of the letters based on people in her life, and/or from an animal in a book we've read.

A: Angelfish
C: Christopher as well as Nonno, Cathy (Nancy's daughter), crab
D: Dadda
E: Elizabeth / Mamma, Uncle Ed, Eels (from an alphabet book)
I: Working on this one... initially we talked about it being for Ice Cream, and Ibbet. Hate to say it, but she's saying Ice Cream more of late... Ib: I know you don't mind. :-) This summer we should try to get you to give her some ice cream, that would REALLY blow her mind!
 K: Aunt Kate, Aunt Katy
M: Mamma, Mallie
N: Nancy, Nurse shark
O: Octopus
R:  Roxy
S: Scout
T: Tadd
U: Urial (an animal that starts with "U", she picked up on that from an alphabet book we have).

Obviously, our daughter is brilliant, through and through. Mostly, though... I'm just grateful for her spontaneous, loving, kind nature. She'll come up to me and put out her arms for a big hug. Watching Christopher and Scout hug each other just makes me melt.

That's the latest. Off to bed soon... exhausted.

Starting to Feel A Little Like Spring

The boys have been on a camping road trip for the last few days.... the house is shockingly quiet. I must admit, however, it's nice to have a break from the high-intensity boy energy! I love and miss my boys, but they are... well, BOYS :-) Can't wait to have them home. We have some egg decorating to do!

Last few weeks, the main events:
John's birthday on 3/15: he was swamped with school. We didn't have a major party, but Kate & Tadd hosted us at their house and we had a hot-dog roast outside in their fire pit. Hot dogs wrapped in bacon = John's idea of a perfect birthday dinner.

My sister Kate's birthday on 3/29: she and Tadd took advantage of R&S being in town and went to Hood Canal for a few nights, leaving DG with her grandparents. I came to deliver a few recycled birthday balloons and a birthday card on the morning of Kate's birthday, made the mistake of having some of John's cowboy-coffee on my way over. I arrived fully leaded, amped on a serious cup of java. Kate, Tadd, Rich and Sheila looked at me as if I was from another planet. Nutty.

Tadd's birthday last night. HOORAY FOR TADD! Scout tried to sing Happy Birthday, but her revised attempt is just to yell out: "Happy Tadd, Happy Tadd." I think I like that version better.

Must make mention of a major change at the boxing gym where I exercise. My coach Henry has decided to move on and focus 100% of his time on his music and career as a hip-hop artist. He's moving to LA in a few days. I'm going to miss him. He's been my coach for the past 4.5 years, and the gym has been the one place where I have had a chance to have some "me" time each week. Just 2 hours / week to devote to myself.... outside of that, I'm always multi-tasking in a gazillion different directions. The gym has been a constant, a place of refuge, particularly when life has delivered a few crazy hurdles. Parenthood, work stress, relationship stuff... you name it. The gym has kept me sane. My sensei through all of it has been Henry.

I've been lucky in my life to be blessed with some amazing athletic coaches. First came Carli / Cecily. I'll never forget watching her do 27 consecutive pull ups in the door jam of the boathouse. That was my first impression of her. She taught me that I did indeed have an inner athlete hiding inside, and it was ok to let it out, to believe in myself and that most of all.... sports should be an expression of inner grace, strength, and joy.

Then in college I had Liz and Feeney. I still have rowing dreams of being on the Charles river. Those late-Fall practices out in the basin, with the Citgo sign glowing over Boston, were the best. Not to mention making Feen laugh when she least expected it. So many fun memories of being on the water.

I never thought I'd end up learning to box. But it's been a huge gift. Carla Wilcox gave me the foundation of what I know, and Henry has helped me to expand on that. All the while possessing a sense of professionalism and integrity far beyond his years. Thank you, Henry, for being a good friend and a great coach.

The kiddos:

Scout's favorite book right now is Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Catepillar". We sit together in her rocking chair before nap / bedtime and read it together. She likes to hold the little version of the text while underneath that, I hold the large board-book version. Scout loves to get to the food page and point out that John will eat the sausage, Christopher will eat the lollipop and I will eat the salami. Favorite bedtime song is still "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". She particularly loves to sing along with the words: "... world so high". She'll repeat that phrase over and over again while getting snuggled in her bed, makes it a bit difficult to stay focused on the order of the lyrics :-) Scout's also gotten to that era of toddlerhood where, if something even slightly goes awry or against her wishes, she'll have a MAJOR tantrum without any real explanation. Christopher and I are left looking at one another, as if to say: "What just happened?" CCM asks: "Why is she crying, Mama??" Well, son... sometimes the tumult of toddlerhood defies logic. The photo with this blog post is of Scout and her morning bed-head. No joke, that's usually what she looks like.

Christopher has started up swimming lessons again. He's also starting to count the days until his birthday. Wherever we go, he asks: "Mama, can I get this for my birthday?" I hope he's keeping track of his wish list, it's impossible for me to do so. We had fun up on Orcas this last weekend. I took Christopher on a treasure hunt around the property, looking for beach glass, a piece of madrona bark, doug fir needles, a dandelion. Is it too early to start some natural history lessons? Who knows. He seemed to enjoy the adventure. He also loves running around the house with his green mask, left over from a St. Patty's day party. We call him the "green knight". Every little boy deceives to have a superhero alter-ego. Christopher's been fascinated with the story of the Trojan Horse, reading all about it with Nonno last weekend. His favorite friend at school is a girl named Hayley because "she knows everything about dinosaurs". Adorable.

Tomorrow: EASTER. Can't wait for the big egg hunt on the Great Lawn of the Dunn Gardens!!

Ahhhh, Aloha....

Hawaii = rejuvenation. All I can say. We had an amazing time. It's a long flight over the Pacific to get there, but man.... so WORTH it once you're there!! Ahhhh.... I so love Hawaii.

First: must give a shout out to my parents for making the trip possible. It is such an incredible way for us to spend time together as a family, and it wouldn't be possible without them. THANK YOU Mom and Dad!!

Most prominent memories of the trip:
* Christopher chasing after the ebb and flow of the waves at the beach. He got "maytagged" a few times by the surf, but each time he shook off that sensation of "holy cow, which way is up to air??" and go right back in. The swimming lessons have been a huge help.
* Scout the sand-monger playing with her cousin DG, literally covered everywhere with sand and she was happy as a clam. She'd try to approach Nonna to say hi, Mom would recoil in fear of getting slathered in sand.
* We spent most mornings at the beach, then the afternoon at the pool. For Christopher, the pool was his opportunity to practice holding his breath underwater, using his goggles, and spending hours at a time jumping off the edge of the pool into the water (always checking he was at the 3' depth mark first!).
* Walks to go get ice cream at the mall nearby. Scout would get so frustrated if I tried to help her eat it, then her cone would invariably get thrown to the ground.
* Dinners with everyone together at the end of the day. Family time....
* Watching the cousins run after each other on the great lawn in front of Kate & Tadd's place, the sun setting over the ocean in front of them.
* By 8pm, it took serious effort for Christopher to keep his eyes open. He was exhausted by all the time in the water.


Kate, Tadd, John and I took a surfing lesson one morning. That was amazing, only my second attempt at surfing in my life. The first time was about 4 years ago, on the day that Kate & Tadd got engaged (while living in Bklyn). This time around, it was fun for all of us to share in the experience together. Of course, it was ridiculous how easy Kate and Tadd made it look... getting up and having fun switching their stances mid-wave on their boards -- from regular stance to goofy stance. All that snowboarding experience pays off. John did great too. I was able to get a few good runs. I found that if I thought too much about the intricacies of what I was doing, invariably I'd lose my balance and get tossed into the water. The less time spent "in my head" the better I could surf a wave.

The outfit we chose to help us with our lessons had a pro photog out on the water with us. It was rather frightening to see the photos of me while surfing, after we were back on land. My facial expression was one of intense concentration / consternation. I have to say, I looked pretty ridiculous and old... yikes! Oh well. At least we had a great time, I don't need photographic proof that I can surf, right????

John and I had our first date night in months. A lovely meal at "Joe's Bar & Grill", then walk to get ice cream, then a few minutes in the hot tub before we were kicked out. Haven't had that kind of time together in ages and it was wonderful.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the trip for me came on our last day. I woke with the birds around 5:30am and couldn't fall back asleep, forlorn about having to return to the wintry cold of Seattle later that day. Before the kids had a chance to monopolize our attention, I changed into my suit and headed for the beach. Just one last swim, all to myself... It was just before 7am. All the early-risers were up and powering through their morning walks on the pathway next to the ocean. A few glanced at me and I could sense their reaction: "Wow, you're headed for the water and the sun hasn't even made it up over the volcano yet?" The air temp wasn't exactly hot yet, but this was my chance.

I went for my swim, it was perfectly quiet. No one else in the water or on the beach but me. Totally refreshing. I wanted to stay in for as long as possible, surf a few waves, just float on my back... but I was starting to get cold. Then, when I did float on my back and look up at the clear blue sky....

EUREKA!

The whales.

The humpbacks were singing me a chorus! High pitched ones, low bellowing croons (sounded like an underwater cow or something)... it wasn't just one or two of them. It sounded as if there were multiple pods all having a party together. So beautiful. Was I the only one hearing this?

I started to cry. Yep, I'm a sap. I cried. It was a perfect moment. It sounds completely cheesy, but I felt closer to God, or whatever higher power is out there. It was... well, perfect.

I finally said my goodbyes to the ocean, the sand under my feet, and walked my way back to our little condo. On the way back, I bumped into my dearest brother-in-law Tadd. He could tell I was a bit "overklemt".

TSW: "You ok, E? What's wrong??"
ECB: "Oh Tadd, I'm such a sap.... I could hear the whales!!"

He gave me a hug and I weeped a bit more. I was grateful I could share that moment with him.

Now we are home and back into the daily grind. The kids are a blast. Every once in a while one will pester the other too much and then we have to referee a storm of toddler emotions, but bottom line is, we are grateful. We have two beautiful children who are smart, funny, inquisitive, loving, and playful. What more could we ask for?

Today we drove up to Snoqualmie Pass in hopes of getting Christopher on skis for the first time this season. The logistics proved to be too complicated (went to the wrong ski area to try to get his boots / bindings in cahoots), dagnabbit. Oh well. Parenthood is a long, often trying lesson of adjusting one's expectations, finding joy in unexpected places. We ended up having fun playing in the snow with Kate and Dorothy Grey, who were up there as well. Totally fun. Plus, it was sunny and beautiful! Can't wait to head up there again soon. We'll definitely try to get the boots / bindings thing sorted BEFORE we head for them thar hills.

Next up: John's birthday on 3/15, Kate's birthday on 3/29. Good times!

Older Brother = Mr. Cool, Great Quotes

OK, so the kids and I have had a few great moments / conversational exchanges over the last few weeks. I've tried my hardest to write them down for posterity. I think I need to look into finding a digital voice recorder (the kind that I can hide in a pocket, so that unsuspecting children have no idea I'm capturing their amazing quotes!).

Scout: she so wants to do everything her brother does. Runs after him at the park, calls for him :"EH-KHO!"", waves her arms to get his attention. It must be hard at times for Christopher as an older sibling, eager to strike out on his own and conquer new territory, all the while his sister is desperate to say what he does, mimic his every move, trotting along behind him as fast as her tiny little feet will carry her. At times, Christopher will melt down in that scenario: "No Scout, I'M SAD... not you!! I'm crying, NOT you!!" Or: "I want to be the only one that says 'No!'" It's a tricky scenario to navigate as a parent.... sometimes I feel like I'm the one talking the two of them off a cliff's edge. But we make it through eventually.

Scout has tried blowing bubbles in the tub (just like her brother does). When they take a bath together, as soon as he lies down on his back, she slides right next to him and does the same. Totally adorable.

Today while at the book store, Scout was more interested in finding books she thought her brother would like, than anything for herself. Not only that, she knew exactly what he likes!! She went straight for the Marvel superhero comic strip character books: spiderman, batman.... how cool is that? She's so observant.... I was very impressed.

Scout's words lately:
First and foremost: "NO!"
Eh-kho -- translation: "Christopher"
Ah-pey - tuh -- translation: "octopus"
Ay-peyhm -- translation: "airplane"
Beh- tah -- translation: "bath tub"
Pay-to -- translation: "tomato"


Christopher: A few great quotes recently:
"Mama, why do some girls call boys 'honey', and the boys call girls 'baby'?"
"Mama, do some animals have hearts?"
"Are clouds yummy?"
"Mama, Scout has blue eyes, Dada has blue eyes, I have blue eyes... but you, don't?? Why?"

He also loves singing along to the tunes I play on the car stereo. They Might Be Giants have some great children's albums. This afternoon, it took all my self-control not to burst out cackling in laughter when I heard him sing along, in his cherubic, adorable little boy voice, to the following lyrics:

"I don't speak Spanish, but I'm going to sing in Spanish now!
Uno mas uno es dos [yes, TMBG made a grammatical error in Spanish]
Dos mas dos son cuatro
Cuatro mas cuatro son ocho
ocho mas ocho son dieci- seis....
I can add
I can add...."

Someday I'll have to video tape it and post here. Too funny.

Both of the kids are also huge fans of Caspar Babypants right now as well. We act out "Run Baby Run" from his album "More Please" on almost a daily basis. Scout asks for that song like she asks for her vitamins each day... it is a MUST.

Only a few more days and we are off to Hawaii! We cannot wait. I know John is eager to have the break from the daily grind.

HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO MALLIE!! We love you!!

Birthday, Snow Day, MLK

Last week I celebrated my 38th birthday. The day started just like any other Thursday, but when I walked into the living room right after John left for work, I found a balloon kit (helium tank and everything needed to throw a balloon party) and a card. Christopher got one look at the balloon box and immediately wanted me to open it and make all the balloons just for him. I gently explained that Dada would be in charge of the balloons, and that they were to be shared by all at the party tonight. I reminded him it was my birthday, hence the party. Christopher thought this was highly irregular. Presents... and they were NOT for him. I left for work with the unfortunate memory of Christopher saying to me: "Mama, I'm mad. I don't want to be your friend anymore." Great. Nice way to start my birthday, right?

Full day in clinic, and I didn't read John's card until on my way home. Absolutely hilarious. Comical and sweet, which was exactly what I needed (especially after Christopher's morning tantrum). Thank you John, I love you!

That night we had a few loved ones over to the house for a low-key potluck dinner and cupcakes. MMmmm, cupcakes. Nice to just let the kids romp around the house. The balloons were a huge hit. With his cousin Dorothy Grey, Uncle Tadd and Aunt Kate in attendance, Christopher eventually got used to the concept of sharing the balloons. Whenever DG and her family are around, Fifer is content (cue Caspar BabyPants "Run Baby Run!!"). Helping Christopher into bed, he was in a happier mood and spontaneously said: "I love you Mama".... sigh. Ah, the emotional roller coaster contained within a 4 year old is quite impressive!

I took the following day off, went to the boxing gym first. Then met my sister Kate for a half-day pampering at Olympus Women's Day Spa. Divine. The spa aspect was wonderful. But what meant more to me was the chance to just hang out with my sister for a few hours, catch up, without any distractions / small people around. Don't get me wrong, I love our small people... but I cannot recall the last time Kate and I had a chance to just hang out. That was the best birthday present ever.

Fast forward a few days and now Seattle is a Winter Wonderland!! Snow everywhere, John had to go rescue Mom yesterday as she was stranded downtown. Christopher was elated with the chance to create his very own "Frosty the Snowman" in front of the house. Scout was a bit perplexed. She likes the sound of the crunching snow under her feet, but quickly learned that falling in the snow entails getting her hands quite cold (completely disinterested in wearing gloves). She practiced throwing snowballs, a la "I want to be like my big brother".

We joined our neighbors from across the street and went sledding at MLK park, a block away. Christopher and I took a turn in the sled while John stayed home with Scout.... it was a blast. I think the last time I went sledding myself was as a small child. So fun to share that with Christopher yesterday.

Today is Martin Luther King day. Over breakfast, John and I were listening to him speak on NPR (one of his speeches) and it gave us both the goose bumps. I cannot even imagine what our world would be like if Dr. King hadn't shed light upon the civil injustices so many lived through in this country (not to mention that many injustices persist). There is still much work to be done, the progress toward equal rights in this country has been slow. One day at a time....

Dr. King, we still remember your grace. We are still grateful for your sermons that emphasized love, equality, character, and non-violence.

From his speech "Strength to Love", 1963:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that.

Ahh.... the holidays

Egads....

I haven't posted since late November? Yikes!

The holidays this year were full of joy and merriment. I love having all the photo cards posted on our mantel, seeing the smiling faces of our loved ones. It kicked off with the party to mark Dorothy Grey's second birthday party... then shifted into high gear after that. Fun times. Christopher's favorite song this season: "Frosty the Snowman". I'll have to try to get a video clip of him singing it, absolutely adorable. Everything he wanted to ask for Christmas revolved around Star Wars.

Scout is a happy little girl perfectly content to follow her brother wherever he goes, but also fiercely independent and learning how to stake out her own territory. Vocabulary expanding by the day, but one of her favorite words right now is a resounding: "NO!" She's almost 21 months now, still loves to razz and point to an airplane when it flies overhead, desperately eager to smother Roxy with snuggles (the dog doesn't seem to appreciate it much). She'll flash you a mischievous grin when she knows she's about to do something that will meet with disapproval. It's hard not to smile back, gotta keep up my lifelong effort at developing a poker face (God knows I really don't have one).

Santa photos with Dorothy Grey, a little mini-Christmas at Nonno and Nonna's house, more holiday parties... then we were off to South Carolina for Christmas with the Marshalls. Total blast. Ed & Katy are SAINTS for putting up with the tornado that is our family right now. Both of our kids were over the moon to be with Clark and Joe. Wonderful to spend some quality time with Mallie, Ibbet, the whole gang. Photos above are from our trip to SC.

New Year's: up on Orcas. Celebrated with some Nor'Wester friends -- Scott, Kristen, Jenny McColloch, Emily Angell. Great fun. Kids enjoyed swimming in the hot tub (Christopher has learned to pronounce "hot tub" akin to that LOL Will Farrell SNL sketch with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon.... makes me smile every time I hear him say it).

Now we're back into the daily routine at home. John's sitting next to me now in Grammy's chair, the fire is going to my right. Both kids tucked into their beds asleep upstairs. Latest hilarious Christopher quote: he pulls his preschool teacher Britt Carlson aside while at school and says: "I'm really spiderman... but I'm keeping it a secret."

The joys of parenthood. Long exasperating days are always involved, but it's been the greatest gift of my life thus far.

The Season To Be Thankful

Thanksgiving 2011 and we all gathered at 3702. It felt like it took heroic effort to get there just in time before Scout was to take her mid-day nap... the kids and I were in pajamas at least until noon today. But we had such a fun morning. John making apple pie in the kitchen... the kids and I finding various ways of amusing ourselves. I love walking upstairs to see Christopher, happily settled on his bed alone, "reading" his Winnie the Pooh book. He'll totally just pick up a book and look through it, hoping to capture some of the magic of the story on his own. Adorable.

Scout is able to get herself up and down the stairs on her own now. On descent, she always uses her left leg to reach down for the next step and as a result her L shin is one big bruise (our steps aren't carpeted). Tough kid. She's in an interesting phase right now: strong-willed, desperate to communicate her wishes, understandably gets VERY frustrated if no one comprehends her. Scout's vocabulary expands each day, but she's still having difficulty with a few, key consonants. The result: she ends up in complete distress, her blood boiling, screaching "NO NO NO!" at the top of her lungs (and at a pitch that makes us wince). So sad!

Oh, and she's been on a boycott against milk for about 3+ weeks now. I'm praying her bones are getting enough calcium with the cottage cheese and other dairy that she shovels into her mouth on a regular basis. At least tonight, after our beautiful Thanksgiving feast.... she gobbled up some vanilla ice cream.

Anticipating the meal, Christopher tells me this morning: "Mama, I'm only going to have a _little bit_ of turkey for Thanksgiving today. It will make me tired!!"

The feast: absolutely delicious. Scout and Christopher had no idea what they were missing (didn't show any interest in the dinner fare... oh well, more for us!)

Tadd made the turkey, Jenny (dear friend to my sister Kate and honorary member of the family) made some amazing mashed potatoes with truffle oil butter, green beans (more truffle oil butter), stuffing, salad by yours truly with goat cheese and sliced beets. John made two homemade apple pies -- Dylan Bay apples for one, Janet Ketcham Orcas island apples for the other.

It was a festive occasion, Mom and Dad just having returned from their trip to Bhutan and Laos.

Still jet lagged.

Mom taking a cat nap in her chair in the living room, while the kids played with toys nearby.

Dad reading "The Wizard of Oz" to Dorothy Grey and Christopher, while Scout was still taking a nap in the basement.

Once Scout was up, the two girls were chasing one another around the house. DG and Scout are already a force to be reckoned with!! So cute to see them all snuggled up together on the couch.

Other recent events that must be documented (since I haven't posted in a month):

Halloween: Christopher dressed as a fruit bat, Scout as a puppy dog (inheriting her older brother's costume). Christopher was ecstatic as he went around the neighborhood, cheering the other kids in: "Go! Go everyone! Go find some candy... it's HALLOWEEN!!" Scout wasn't interested in candy, but she wanted to go up to each door just to practice saying "hi" and "bye" to the candy-purveyors. I couldn't believe how so many adults asked if Scout wanted some candy... um, HELLO? She's less than 2! She doesn't even have all her teeth yet!!

Christopher's swim class: he's doing such an amazing job. Loves it. Has actually started to swim a bit, trying to figure out how to coordinate his breathing with how he uses his arms / legs to stay afloat. Getting there. We have two more weeks of lessons before the end of the year. On leaving Seattle U's athletic facility one day, he decided he wanted to hold the door open for a bunch of young co-eds on their way in. The CHARMER. He was quite pleased with himself in the reception he got from them.... "Aw, isn't he cute??" Egads, I can only imagine what is in store for us once he's a teenager!

On the way to swimming one day, Christopher saw a rainbow. He immediately asked me in a joyful voice: "Mama, how do we climb up to it?" That made my day.

Scout is doing a Gymboree class with me and she's really enjoying it. I think she's grateful for the chance to have something that is all her own. Our friends Ashley and Mike have their son Jaxon in the class as well, so it's a nice way to connect with them as well. She's adventurous, fearless, eager to be the first kiddo to try something new in the class, not afraid to just climb up into the teacher's lap. So cute.

John and I have so much to be thankful for. This year's thanksgiving has been absolutely wonderful.