I'm baaaaaa-ck

This is the longest hiatus from blog posting I think I've ever had. Things here have been tumultuous lately. It's made me more than ever thankful for the things and people that keep me sane and supported, most notably Jim, Lisa, and my mom. Fortunately my whole family is in good health and our home life is an sanctuary from the stress for both Jim and I.

Some small things have made me really happy lately:

• Having wine and dessert with my high school girls
• Making pretty (and tasty) layered jello
• Getting great deals at a mother's sale. Best find was a $3 dress that Nicole LOVES and has deemed her princess dress.
• Watching Whale Wars with Jim in the evening
• Looking forward to the Apple Daze Festival

Chris
Chris is very influenced by Nicole. This might come back to bite both of us in the ass, but he was having fun and it was a funny 10 minutes of dress-up for him (video is only 15 sec clip):

I bet I put those shoes back on him two dozen times after he'd walk out of them.

He cut an incisor since I posted last and his bottom right one is swollen and ready to burst with another (tooth #16).

Chris really enjoys our evening family walks. He sits very upright in the wagon clutching a football as we pull him up and down the neighborhood hills.

He knows so many words and says so few (up, ma, da - did say "daddy" once, mih (milk), uh oh, wow, roar)!! My favorites - he knows what hugs and kisses are and is very eager to give me as many as I ask for.

Nicole

She's gone through a bit of an ornery stage lately. We got two bad reports from school on her this week (hitting friends, talking back, stomping around, etc.) which is VERY weird for her. Hopefully she's in a 1-week funk and things will go back to normal.

Nic started ballet class this Monday. It's weekly at 5 which makes it rather inconvenient to get her to and from on time. She said she liked her first class so we'll see if it continues. She's one of the shortest in her class but I'm unsure if everyone in her group is 3 or if maybe there are some 4-year olds too.

She pronounces "successful" like "success-tible" which cracks me up.

I had a strap break on my sandal at work. I threw the shoes away and proceeded to make dinner (turkey & mashed potatoes) upon arriving home. When Nicole went to throw her fruit snack wrapper away she saw the shoes. When I emerged from the bathroom she handed the pair to me saying "Mommy, these were covered in potatoes but I cleaned them for you". Awwww... Have to sneak them into the trash to avoid my very helpful girl apparently!

She's gotten very aware of gender lately- "no, he can't wear that necklace, only girls wear necklaces" or "Mom, get me out of the car and Daddy get Chris. Girl to girl. Boy to boy".

I'm going to try to be on here more and keep a consistant positive attitude.