Originally uploaded by Lexy L.
Avery painted everyone's faces a couple of days ago. She and Rhys had Harry Potter glasses and scars painted on, while Griffin sported Karkaroff's pointy little beard and moustache.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Maker Faire
Originally uploaded by Lexy L.
A couple of weeks ago, we went to the Maker Faire. It was amazing! There was so much to see and try, and we left totally inspired and excited to make our own things.
You can see more pictures here.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Griffin, age 2.5
Originally uploaded by Lexy L.
Griffin is so much fun right now! We've finally gotten through a lot of toddler difficulty and he is just such a joy. He can reason and understand so much, and he's becoming quite verbal. His favorite activity is playing lightsabers or swords (much to my chagrin), and he loves to try to keep up with older boys, like Rhys and his friends. He is finally sleeping through the night with some regularity, although he balances it out by waking up for the day at 5am! Also, as of last month, he stopped nursing with some gentle nudging on my part.
My baby is growing up. It's always such a mixed blessing. While I'm glad for a little more independence, I miss that little baby he used to be. I'm trying to focus on all the good stuff that comes along with kids getting older -- easier travel, more spontaneous lifestyle, not having a toddler stand on the table while older children are trying to focus on their work (I'm still waiting for that to end). I think Avery and Rhys are enjoying having Griffin be more a part of their tribe now, although it does come with one more opinion, and therefore, more arguments. I can see in the future that Rhys and Griffin will be close buddies. They enjoy the same things -- they just need to get to the point where they can happily share!
Friday, October 12, 2007
The latest and the greatest
Big news!! Mom and Doug tied the knot! I have a new stepfather, and I couldn't be happier. He's such a great addition to our family, and the kids are thrilled to have a new grandparent (whom they will now call "Doc"). Congrats to Mamar and Doc!!
No other big news to report. We've been enjoying resuming our normal schedule after the summer break. Co-ops and parkdays are back into full swing, and the kids are glad to see their friends more regularly again. In fact, Avery is glued at the hip with her best friend, Maya. After having them call each other about 50 times a day, Maya's mom and I finally had to put some parameters on their phone useage. We had the girls write a persuasive essay, which expressed their "need" to be on the phone 24/7. After our rebuttal, we managed to arrive at a compromise: no phone between the hours of 8am and 1pm and a maximum of 2 calls from each girl a day (to offset the occasions when the phone rings ten times in a one hour period). The girls aren't thrilled that there are any phone rules at all, but they are tolerating them well. I can only imagine what it will be like when they're teenagers!
Speaking of enjoying friends, I've managed to get out a lot lately with mine! Just this week I went on a Mom's Night Out boat cruise on the lake. It was such a great time -- friends, water, wine, bats...what more could you ask for?
Under the category of Big Changes, Bill has started working days for the first time in five years! We're all loving it -- it's great that he can be home every night. Ultimately the plan will be for him to work a normal 8-5 weekday schedule, but I'll be sad to leave his current 3.5 day work week schedule behind!
Other than that, the kids are getting very excited about Halloween coming. Avery has been constant in her plan to be Artemis, but Rhys changes his mind every time I ask him. I need to start working on costumes soon, so I'll have to pin him down. Griffin has decided he hates the dragon costume we bought for him, so back to the store it goes, and I think now he'll just have to pick from our dress up bin on Halloween. I'm sure he can come up with something he'll want to be.
No other big news to report. We've been enjoying resuming our normal schedule after the summer break. Co-ops and parkdays are back into full swing, and the kids are glad to see their friends more regularly again. In fact, Avery is glued at the hip with her best friend, Maya. After having them call each other about 50 times a day, Maya's mom and I finally had to put some parameters on their phone useage. We had the girls write a persuasive essay, which expressed their "need" to be on the phone 24/7. After our rebuttal, we managed to arrive at a compromise: no phone between the hours of 8am and 1pm and a maximum of 2 calls from each girl a day (to offset the occasions when the phone rings ten times in a one hour period). The girls aren't thrilled that there are any phone rules at all, but they are tolerating them well. I can only imagine what it will be like when they're teenagers!
Speaking of enjoying friends, I've managed to get out a lot lately with mine! Just this week I went on a Mom's Night Out boat cruise on the lake. It was such a great time -- friends, water, wine, bats...what more could you ask for?
Under the category of Big Changes, Bill has started working days for the first time in five years! We're all loving it -- it's great that he can be home every night. Ultimately the plan will be for him to work a normal 8-5 weekday schedule, but I'll be sad to leave his current 3.5 day work week schedule behind!
Other than that, the kids are getting very excited about Halloween coming. Avery has been constant in her plan to be Artemis, but Rhys changes his mind every time I ask him. I need to start working on costumes soon, so I'll have to pin him down. Griffin has decided he hates the dragon costume we bought for him, so back to the store it goes, and I think now he'll just have to pick from our dress up bin on Halloween. I'm sure he can come up with something he'll want to be.
Rhys, the wordsmith
Rhys has reached the age when he says funny and/or insightful things on a daily basis. I need to carry a pen and paper with me at all times, so I can jot them down as he says them. Here are some of the gems that I can remember from the past couple of weeks:
When I came home from an all day work training and was exhausted and grouchy, he said while stroking my arm gently, "Mom, I think you need to go in your room and take a rest. You seem very angry. I think you need a nap."
When I asked him how much of his book club audio cd he'd listened to while I was gone, he replied with, "Oh, a lot." When I pressed him on exactly how much he'd heard, he said, "I think about two gallons."
Also, his vocabulary is also developing quickly lately. He often begins sentences with words like "perhaps" and says things like, "The door is ajar." I think all the audio books he's been listening to are making a big impression on him.
Speaking of audio books, he got the first of the Harry Potter books on CD for his birthday, and he's listened to portions of it every day since then. His favorite chapter of the book is the Quidditch chapter (Griffin even replies with "Quidditch" when anyone begins with "Chapter Eleven..."). Rhys has listened to that particular CD so many times that he can recite the first page or two of the chapter! It's hilarious to hear him with his version of a British accent. But his extensive knowledge about the book can be a little irriating when we read aloud. Anytime I misread anything, he knows right off the bat. "Mom, it's supposed to say __________!" But it's ok, I'm just glad he's so enthusiastic!
When I came home from an all day work training and was exhausted and grouchy, he said while stroking my arm gently, "Mom, I think you need to go in your room and take a rest. You seem very angry. I think you need a nap."
When I asked him how much of his book club audio cd he'd listened to while I was gone, he replied with, "Oh, a lot." When I pressed him on exactly how much he'd heard, he said, "I think about two gallons."
Also, his vocabulary is also developing quickly lately. He often begins sentences with words like "perhaps" and says things like, "The door is ajar." I think all the audio books he's been listening to are making a big impression on him.
Speaking of audio books, he got the first of the Harry Potter books on CD for his birthday, and he's listened to portions of it every day since then. His favorite chapter of the book is the Quidditch chapter (Griffin even replies with "Quidditch" when anyone begins with "Chapter Eleven..."). Rhys has listened to that particular CD so many times that he can recite the first page or two of the chapter! It's hilarious to hear him with his version of a British accent. But his extensive knowledge about the book can be a little irriating when we read aloud. Anytime I misread anything, he knows right off the bat. "Mom, it's supposed to say __________!" But it's ok, I'm just glad he's so enthusiastic!
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