How many more sleeps?

Libby asked each day, "how many more sleeps till ballet?"  Today is the day my girl.

Luca is home from school because he had a fever yesterday.  (24 hour policy before return to school after fever). So he sewed on his own scout badges.

Our Christmas Eve festivities.  One of our traditions is to eat entirely too much and then try to get our kids to pose for pics after 11pm:)
We also play a game of reindeer vs. elves.  For the first time I was on the winning team!

 

Why Tommy is everyone's favorite

Ok. We don't really have favorites, but lately we all really need Tommy. He is the comforter when you're sick, or lonely, or disappointed, or had a rough day at school or work. He gives the sweetest smiles, with slobber dripping from his chin. His needs are the most basic human ones, and we can all meet them and make him happy. He is happy to have Libby feed him mushed banana or yogurt. He likes the boys to sing him songs or make silly faces. He wants mom or dad to snuggle him up, and who can blame him? Snuggles are the best.
I'm so grateful to have this happy little guy in our clan.
I remember James saying to him when he was only a few days old, "Hello, Thomas, are you so excited to explore this wonderful world of baseball cards and orange juice?"
I'm so grateful for the enthusiasm my children have for everything, especially Christmas.

Owl cupcakes

While waiting for an oil change and tire rotation, Libby and I entertained ourselves by reading magazines. She saw these cupcakes and we just had to make them.



And here's my baby scooting around.




And this one is getting so big, and acts like he looks...goofy and inbetween ages. One minute very grown up, and the next having a toddler moment. We all have them sometimes:-)


Luca took these silly pics of Libby.

One of the greatest feelings on earth

Looking down at a sleeping babe in my arms is heavenly. His little hand clutching the collar of my shirt. He smells so sweet and smiles in his sleep.

"Injuried"

Due to a fall from the monkey bars, Jameser has a supracondylar fracture of the humerus. Is that where the expression "funny bone" comes from? Well it wasn't funny, although some of his quotes make me smile.

At the hospital he said, "I'll probably just be here for like 2 days, but they will probably have really good choices for breakfast, right mom?"

Or when I told him how sorry I was this happened, and how I had envisioned us having such a nice weekend with family, he said. "I'm still having a good time. I just can't flex my muscles really much."

About not being able to play at recess, he said, "I'll just sit on the bench and stare at the sky to see how fast the clouds are moving. (Sigh and pause). But that will get boring in like 5 minutes."

He has been really brave and sweet about everything.

Here is a picture from Miss Libby's fourth birthday.


And here are a couple portraits I took as practice. Libby looks a lot like Luca in these.