Naughty or Nice?

We have survived another Christmas. With minimal whining and griping. Though our presents were opened by 7 AM. The kids didn't have a lot on their list this year, except for Legos, and Gavin wanted a boat race. Whatever that is. And Santa does not make it. But they enjoyed their gifts. Favorites included a toy helicopter that really flies for Gavin (or for Ryan. It's not entirely clear who plays with it more) and some plastic "princess shoes" for Annah. Complete with heels. That was Ryan's least favorite gift. She is perfecting he heel walk as I write. She also got a barking poodle. The heels and the poodle go really well together.

The kids both got videos from Santa. Gavin got a "nice" video. Annah was a toss up. She did work hard however and the tide did turn. Santa sent her a second video that assured her of nice status. I knew she was up to the challenge. But that was a close one. Here she is watching Santa.

We went on our annual Polar Express trip. Gavin is starting to catch on to some things. When Santa boarded, he yelled "That's not Santa!" Due to the beard length discrepancy from a previously visited Santa this season. Parental advice and guidance in this area is welcomed.

I am particularly fond of this pic. I think it captures the moment well.

Madam Sunshine however was happy as a clam the whole ride.

We did manage to clean out the playroom before the holidays. Ryan took a whole carful of stuff to the goodwill. Always a cleansing experience. The kids seem to want to play down there more now, which is nice.

They are enjoying school break with Ryan home. Gavin has been doing great in karate as well. He is going to go for his yellow belt coming right up. It's very fun to watch him learn and grow in the class. He is starting to develop a little more coordination as well.

Annah is Annah. I took her to see the Disney movie Frozen, which was great by the way, and I am not just saying that because I'm still madly in love with Disney. It was good. We ended up going again with all 4 of us. There is a Princess Anna, pronounced the same way as Annah, but her favorite character is Queen Elsa. Not sure if that is because she can spray ice with her hands or because she's blonde. Maybe a mix of both. She is constantly singing songs, including ones that I had no idea she knew (the 2013 country music hit "Cruise", which I can assure you she did not hear in our house). She also loves telling stories. She spent about 10 minutes the other day telling me about the purple skunk who was her best friend in the magical garden.

So here is to a happy and healthy 2014. I resolve to do better with blogging, but until then, see you next year!

Disney!

Last week we went on our first Disney vacation. I have to admit, before we left I was dreading it slightly. The crowds were supposed to be terrible, and I had visions of massive crowds all week. But it turned out to be a fantastic vacation. We stayed at the resort, got a suite with a kitchenette, rented a minivan and asked Moe Moe and BaBa to come with us to help out, got out Fastpass bands and scheduled big rides so we didn't have to wait in line, and ordered groceries and a double stroller ahead of time, all of which helped contribute to a phenomenal vacation with very few breakdowns and everyone having a great time.

This is Jake. Of the Neverland Pirate variety. Being 5, Gavin has decided that smiling is no longer cool. However, he couldn't help himself when he saw Jake. Thanks for that one, Jake!

This was taken at our hotel. We stayed in one of the Animal Kingdom lodges - Kidani Village. There was plenty of evening entertainment. Gavin is a newfound fan of the drums.

Annah had a great time meeting a slew of princesses. The only one who really eluded her was Snow White, who's session ended just as we got there. Fortunately there were other characters to charm and entertain her.

This is what happens when you pour a whole 3 oz of body wash into a Jacuzzi tub. Fortunately we caught it before our children were drowned in bubbles.

Overall, it was a great trip. In fact, I can't wait to go back. Gavin and I did have a negotiation. I told him it would be 3 years. He stated 1 year, despite the fact that he thought there was "no real magic." It will probably be somewhere in between.

Halloween!

We have made it through Halloween! Annah announced it was her favorite holiday - it was definitely something to watch the kids, dressed as a dinosaur and princess and with crazed expressions likely not dissimilar to those of crack addicts about the score their next hit, gleefully run about the neighborhood collecting their cache. We had three days afterwards of doling out after-dinner candy, then they pretty much forgot about it. Thankfully.

The outfits they wore were not my first choice. We had spent about a month working on a knight costume for Gavin, at his request, only to have the knight turned down for a Dino costume given to me by a friend. And Annah was not wearing the superhero costume that was really more fitting her personality, but I managed to capture those. I forgot to take Halloween pictures of what they were wearing that night. The dog ate our chicken. Not that this is an excuse - I just hope you feel bad for me and consequently forget to be annoyed that I don't have actual Halloween pictures.

Gavin is doing amazing in school. We got a complement from his teacher that he always offers a really unique and different perspective, which I think is an awesome complement. He is tethering on the edge of really starting to read on his own, which makes me proud, but also makes me want to cry at the same time. Being a momma is hard. So I'll tell funny stories instead to distract myself. Gav is definitely a sensitive soul, especially compared to his sister. Ryan the other night was pretending he was a chicken, and I told Annah to get the chicken out of the house before I cook him in a pot. Gavin starts crying and telling me not to say such things, and Annah gleefully runs off to fetch the largest pot she can find.

Annah is also turning into quite a character. She turns three tomorrow, which also feels bittersweet. She is getting a Disney Princess cake, and from us she is getting 5 Disney Princess dresses. Her head may just explode. She is quite the princess herself - while cleaning her room the other day, she placed all three of her crowns on the ottoman, and Christened that her "crown section" of the room. We got the kids suitcases that they can ride (see above) for our upcoming trip to Disney. Annah also discovered that they make excellent platforms to dance on as well. Heaven help her daddy.
Annah also loves her brother. She pretends that she has more of them. Hugh we are not totally sure she gets the concept:

Annah: my brothers make my belly feel better.
Me: who are your brothers?
Annah: one is Gavin, and then baby Aila, and then my cousin's sister.

Uh, yeah.

Here is a picture of the kids at the half marathon that I ran with a friend of mine. They were very supportive, but Ryan was the real champion. He took care of them all that day and into that night, as I recuperated. And of course he's taking the picture, but major props to him. Thanks, honey!

M-O-M

Gavin is learning to spell in Kindergarten. It's an enjoyable experience to watch. He however has started referring to everyone in the house by spelling out their name. Tonight after going to bed, he needed me for a sore knee (knees and feet are common nighttime complaints for him, managed with hot washcloths) and summoned me by calling out M-O-M! M-O-M! I can't say its my favorite nickname.  

He is finishing up soccer, and we'll probably be spending a little more time in Karate, hopefully building his enjoyment. He likes the little kids class, but he is by far the oldest. Time to cut the cord from the toddlers. He's also been building a sled. See image below. He wanted to bring it to school to show his teacher, but settled on a picture of it instead. He's been pretty into arts and crafts when coming home from school.

Annah is, well, Annah. She is definitely my wild child. We had music together today, and she used me as a human jungle gym. Then she ran to a corner of the room and smiled malevolently, bringing two other girls with her into her little circle of naughtiness. We did salvage our day with some Panera Mac and cheese, which in her mind is the best thing ever invented, and a trip to the makup store, where she got some shades. Pictured below. They lasted 10 min. Se la vie.

You may also notice the outfit. I think I've managed to talk her out of Rapunzel for Halloween and into this. It fits her personality much better. Gavin has spent the last month working on a knight costume (ie M-O-M has been working on said costume) only to inform me today that he's going to be a dinosaur. Hopefully I will be able to talk him into all the wonders and enjoyment a of a homemade costume. I used a whole roll of aluminum duct tape for goodness sake!

Gav is also learning to ride his bike sans training wheels. Hard to tell from the picture, but he's actually doing it here. Hopefully by spring he'll be unstoppable.

Not-A-Box

 Gavin and Annah got a gift from my office.  A massive, white, cardboard box.  I brought it home last night and they have spent the last two nights working hard decorating it and cutting out windows.  It's been a house, a train, a rocket. It's their Not-A-Box, to quote one of their books.  

The cat has also enjoyed the box.  But to her its a lair.  

We have been really busy with the kids with soccer and dance and karate and music and now Mad Science! after school on Mondays for Gavin.  I now see a massive advantage for stay at home moms.  And as you can see from the picture above, Annah LOVES dance class.  I signed her up for a full 90 min.  30 minutes each of tap, ballet, and acro.  One would think that a three year old would not be able to focus.  But focus she does.  She wears her dance clothes to school, dance, and then back to school (or daycare) for the rest of the day.  I think I might be purchasing more tights.  They're taking a hit.

They both enjoy Karate. We have been trying to convince Gavin to go to the bigger (5 to 8) kids beginner class, but he's found it a little tougher.  They both like the toddler class a lot.  Mostly because they get to run around with these cool helmets.

That's Annah on the right.

Kindergarden is going really well for Gavin.  He is really enjoying learning to read, and last night "read" Go Dog Go to me.  He likes spelling mom, dad, cat, and Toots (short for Toodles the cat). Neither Annah nor Barker's names have made the cut yet.  Hopefully soon....

We are also working on more chores.  We have a chore chart for both kids.  Gavin gets 10 cents a chore.  One of them is loading the dishwasher.  Perhaps Ryan is abusing this chore just a bit......

Finally, speaking of Barker, he got to enjoy some recent time on Baba's boat.  Turns out he's quite the salty dog.  While the kids spend their time down below, wrecking havoc on the cabin, Barksie sits happily next to us, the wind in his ears and the sun in his eyes.  Maybe boat living is the trick to good doggie behavior!

The Toof Faiwy

  Gavin experienced a major milestone in childhood this weekend.  He lost his first tooth.  Bottom row, right front tooth.  It had been a little loose, then he bumped it a week or two ago, and that accelerated the process some. He was eating an apple yesterday and out it came.  He had been demonstrating how he could not only bend it left, right, and sideways, but also how he could twist it around in its socket.  So he got his first dollar delivery from the tooth fairy last night.  Fortunately for the tooth fairy, Gavin had the tooth in a Baggie, which made it much easier to find.  He has been demonstrating how his bite appears markedly different, and has been commenting on how he can stick his tongue in the gap, which is apparently "big enough for four teeth." Ah, relativity.  This big event definitely made up for the loss of his soccer game yesterday 5-0. Those Buckfield kids are big and a little mean, by the way.

Annah is pretty jealous.  She keeps telling us that she has a wiggly tooth.  And the Toof Faiwy is going to visit her.

See? See the wiggly tooth?

We also went apple picking yesterday with Aunt Kat and Pressley.  The kids had a great time, riding in a tractor, filling their apple bags, getting another apple bag, filling that, getting another bag, filling that.... When we were done, we ended up with close to a bushel.  Fortunately the birthday fairy came early for mommy this year and brought a juicer.  We have been enjoying home made apple juice, which, for the record, tastes awesome and absolutely nothing like the store bought stuff. Yum.

"Ditto"

  I read a parenting book over the summer (yes, I am admitting this publicly) with specific focus on sibling rivalry.  Or bickering. However you want to put it. I was driven to this by both children climbing all over me during their music class. The gist of the chapter is "don't intervene". Unless of course someone is going to get hurt, or they are just driving you bananas.  In that case, remove both of them from the offending situation.  For me, this has meant banishing said children to their rooms. Gavin has started taking great pride in needling his sister, and Annah has mastered the art of the tattling whine.  Amazingly however, after I have banished them, they seem to play together upstairs quite well.  Which brings up the awkward question - am I the offending situation? 

Taken on Cadillac Mountain this summer.

One thing that I think has led to their ability to get along better lately (after you take Mommy out of the equation) is Annah's imagination.  She really enjoys imaginary play now.  She had a whole tub of dinosaurs today, and they all went to a party, and then she put them all to bed.  We all had to be very quiet because dinosaurs are light sleepers. We were in the car today and Annah was engaging in a stream of conciousness about a story.  

Annah's story:  There was a princess, and her name was Ariel, and there was Jasmine, and they took a balloon, and they went up.  But then, there was a monster, and he ate everything. There were dandilions, and he ate the dandilions.  And the princesses were sad because they like to hold the dandilions.  And then the monster ate signs, and trees, and he ate everything up.  And that's the story.

Gavin meanwhile has learned the word "ditto". He heard it last night while reading his story, and he spent the remainder of the time trying to use it in a sentence.  "I love you, Gavin." "Ditto." "I liked that book." "Ditto." "The weather is going to be cool tomorrow." "Ditto." Well, we are working on it.  We are very busy starting soccer, and still in Karate, and he announced that he is going to want to play hockey (oi), and skiing will be going on this winter as well.  My goal is to keep them tired!  I think I may succeed.

What We Did on our Summer Vacation

  Well after a long and rather shameful (on my part) summer hiatus, the blog is back.  Hopefully with some regularity, especially as this is not just for family, but this also amounts to my baby book for the kids.  I don't work with real paper, people, only digital.

So now: what my kids did this summer.  

Prepare for a lots of pics and catchup.

We had a couple of visits early in the summer to amusement parks.  We went to Storyland and Santas Village, and Ryan's sister Val (aka Ma Taunte) joined us for the latter trip. I don't remember those places being quite so great as a kid, but I have to say they were awesome!  The kids liked Santas Village a lot. They mostly enjoyed getting their alphabet cards punched by 26 elf statues scattered throughout the park.  So maybe instead of spending money on theme parks next summer we can just hide 26 stamps around the house and the kids can collect them all.

Ani didn't want to talk to Santa.  

We also spent a long weekend in Bar Harbor, which was great.  We went on a harbor educational cruise which was amazingly entertaining, Diver Ed, and Annah kissed a sea cucumber.  Lip contact onto slime skin.  She also kissed a bullfrog this summer.  She likes kissing things.  Hopefully she grows out of that!

I also ran in a few races this summer. Mostly 5 K's but also a half marathon.  A lot of the races came with fun runs for the kids, and they enjoyed that quite a bit as well.  Annah made the digital version of the local paper.  That can probably be expected when you run in a tutu and you also come in dead last.  But she loved it.

The kids have also been doing karate this summer. They are in the toddler "yellow belt" category.  Which you pretty much get just by going.  But they love it, and it will be something hopefully they can stick with.  See the "belt ceremony" below.

And we went on a tugboat ride! Watch out boats! Look who's got the controls:

We also have some "firsts" to report this summer.  Annah got her first haircut.  I have to say she absolutely loved it.  She was into the hair washing in the special sink and she even got sparkles and ribbons in her hair.  She was also the lucky recipient of a lot of hand-me-downs from a neighbor, and she got her first play dress.  She wore it for 3 days straight over camp week.  She smelled a little ripe when we finally managed to extract her from that polyester monstrosity, but she loves it all the same.  

Gavin is also growing up amazingly quickly.  He graduated from pre-K, both at the local public school and at his daycare (daycare graduation below), and he is officially a kindergartner.  He started last Wednesday, and I managed to not cry until after I dropped him off at school.  He is loving it - he has a full curriculum and he actually talks about his day, which is different than he was doing with pre-K, but he asserts that he does not like it as much, but I am pretty sure he will love it.  

Yes, this was his expression for the entire time.  I think he was a little nervous, though he would never, ever admit that!

So there is a brief summer update.  I'll close with some of my favorite pics of the kids from the summer.  And keep on me to update! I'll try to get back on track for a while to come...

Green courtesy of Color Me Rad 5K

Labels courtesy Aunt Kat and Daddy on Vinalhaven.

Vinalhaven Ferry. Wouldn't be complete without the My Little Pony PJ's.

Goodbye until next time, everyone!