Winter Wonderland

We have landed in Utah!  And are enjoying all of its delights...

Birthdays!

It has been birthday weekend at our house!  Ben turned 5 and Andrew... well, he is getting up there in years.  :)  We had our first official Lego birthday!  It is the start of a long love (Ben)/hate (mom, when she steps on them and vacuums them up) relationship... that I hope will last many many years! :)

Micah teaching Ben how to build Legos properly. :)

This picture was taken long after Ben was in bed.  Yes, boys never truly grow up... :)

What else do you do in January?

10 Whole Years!

We are now 10 years older than we were in this picture!  We were able to escape for 5 whole days to Charleston, SC without children!  We had a great time doing nothing, taking carriage tours, doing nothing, wandering the city and eating a meal from beginning to end without interruption and doing a little more nothing... it was a great time away!  

 

A Short Trip to Charlotte!

We made a quick trip to Charlotte after Christmas to visit family that was in town.  We had a wonderful time at the park, having dinner and then games and sweets at the hotel! 

Hilary, Namu Patti, Karina (Lara's friend from Mexico) and Vijaih

Gayathri, Lara, Micah & Vinnie!

Low-key Christmas

Merry Christmas from NC!  We had a relaxed day of some nerf-gun turkey hunting, sword-wielding, and a wonderful time with family!!  

Ugly Sweater Anyone??

How do we look?  

This past weekend we attended an Ugly Holiday Sweater Party.... Andrew even took home the grand prize!!!! 

IT IS A......

BOY!! 

Yes, despite our best efforts to keep it a secret from the kids until Christmas, and everyone else, Ben discovered the balloons as we were trying to stuff them in a box, so everyone gets to find out 3 days early. :)

YAY for another BOY!!!!  Let's bring back the blue!!

Baby Boy!

Bedtime Routine

"Mama, I you bubber-fye!!"

 Sometimes I could just eat this girl!  

I thought I would right down some of her crazy bedtime routine, because I am sure it will end all too soon.  :)  Here is small insight into our naptime and nightly routine:

Naptime, she sleeps in our bed so that Ben can play in their room:

while dragging at least three stuffed dogs and her favorite purple blanket:

Naomi: Mama!  I need YOUR pillow!!!

I move my pillow to the middle of the bed (it is the best pillow in the house) as she jumps three times and lands on the pillow, and puts her head down.

N: Sing Baby Beluga and Tih-Tle my Back!!

L: Okay, Naomi, that was our last song, now you need to close your eyes and go to sleep.

N: Lay down with me PIIIEEEE (five) mih-mih!! Tih-tle my belly.

I tickle her for 15 seconds...

N: Tih-tle my two arms! (all said with her eyes closed.)

I tickle her for 15 seconds...

N: Tih-tle my two legs, my pie (five) toes, my two feet, my pie fingers, my side, my other side.... etc.

If she does open her eyes, she just grins as if all is right with the world, and then closes them again.

L: Okay, Naomi, I am all done, sleep tight!

N: I need my old boo (her word for dog) and my new boo and my huge boo!!  

L: Okay, here you go!

N: No Mama!  I need to see their FACES!!  

I arrange all dogs so that their faces are facing hers.

N: Blanket Mama!  Cover my arms, but not my ear, but it can touch my chin.  And don't close the door all the way!!!!  

---

Bedtime is much the same, except that it involves teeth brushing, and pajamas (if we can force her to put them on... she much prefers to sleep neh-neh!), stories and more singing.  Then bed...

However, usually within 15-20 minutes, from downstairs we hear the squeak of her getting out of bed and then her great trek from her bed to ours, and back and forth about 4 times to gather all her stuffed dogs and favorite blankets.  Then all is quiet again... And when we head to be a few hours later this is what we find (minus the passie now!!!  YAY!!.  :)

As Andrew often tells her... "It is a good thing you are so cute!!" :)