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...The stockings all hung on the banister with care.

I'm delighted with Stuart's and Alison's new first stockings. We happened upon these at Home Depot of all places for less than $5.00. I came home and stitched their names on. We don't have a fireplace in this house so they are on the banister. Next year, I'm going to get a magic key to put out for Santa, like our friend Abby does, since we don't have a chimney. This year, we'll just leave the door unlocked.

Best Birthday Present

...is a little green piano shaped like a crocodile. It had a bazillion electronic demo songs, no automatic turn off even after a decade of playing, volume that defaults to insanely LOUD, batteries that last an amazingly long time and still have enough juice to make growling noises indefintely when running low (RRrawww, rrrwaaaawwrr, rrrwwarrr), buttons that make sounds similar to animals, and an uncanny ability to make Mama verifiably insane. Alison and Stuart LOVE it. They march over and push the one button of a hundred that starts the demos and then leave. It's positioned in the most remote corner of our playroom to discourage this behavior but they still think it is well worth the trek to turn on the ghastly noise. That is not all the amazing crocpiano does though, he very BEST thing the crocodile piano does is double as a bench. For all of those ready to run out and purchase croccraziness for your little one for Christmas see here! Happy Holidays!

(Thank you again, Lindsey and Stacie)

Yah!

This morning I was in the kitchen making waffles.

Ryan: Aurelie why did you take off Alison's jammies?

Me: I didn't.

Ryan: You didn't take off Alison's jammies?

Me: Nope.

Ryan: Did Alison take off her own jammies?

I now present the evidence.

Ryan: Alison, where are your jammies?

Stuey followed her around pulling at his own jammies trying to get her to take his off with her new special powers. Finally, Mama just gave in and helped him out. Stuart played the fish for Alison in the portofcrib as his special way of saying, "Thankyou Bird, good trick."

I'm half delighted. She was so pleased with herself and I'm so proud of her new abilities (plus I count this as one check closer to toilet learning). Other half, pure dread. Its hard enough getting two toddlers dressed once a day. I was really hoping she would wait until summer so I could just leave her naked.

In consolation, at least she remembered to put her necklace back on.

It seems a little counterintuitive...

...but I give my kiddos fruity cheerios to play with on the ground while I clean the kitchen. I'll admit it is a two steps forward one step back way of doing things but as of yet, it's the only way I've discovered that works at all.

They were in a little bowl for about 2.3 seconds.

Stuart was eating them.

Alison was taking them over one by one and stacking them on the garbage can.

"Hmmm.... Where you taking my cheerios Bird?" After a bit he got up and waited next to the can. It was so funny to watch. She'd fastidiously bring them over, place them carefully on the lid, and turn around to get more. Stuart would wait and pop them in his mouth as she left.

This is the back of our neighborhood library. It has a basement but it is still pretty small. I love the quaintness of it all and it does the job. The children's area isn't as nice as our local library was in Vegas--so I'm sortof missing it. It doesn't have little nooks and corners to sit with your kids and read or tickle and it is next to the non-fiction adult section without even a door to seperate the two areas. So I accidentally lost Alison for a few minutes when she slipped out (my heart was pounding) and I'm very conscience about how much ruckus my kids are causing which makes the trip a bit stressful.

Advent Calendar

Why do I do these things to myself?

Alison is such a smart little thing. I bought the kids advent calendars to count down to Christmas--the ones with a little chocolate candy behind each door. We had them every year when we were little. I remember negotiating which calendar each child used each year. (My mom actually refilled our calendars with melted down chocolate so our arguments included, "..but you got the angel LAST year!" and "...but that one is missing door #4 and door #12.")

I couldn't resist purchasing them when I saw them at the grocery store a few months ago. I forgot about them until the 2nd so they got two pieces of chocolate each. I just took the chocolates out for them and gave it as dessert to dinner so they really didn't know where they came from. Then I forgot the 3rd and that brings us to today.

I got them down and opened the appropriate flaps but didn't take the chocolate out. Stuart came barreling over and I showed him the flap. He looked at it and started to walk away, too busy doing his 'wanderings' to bother with little flaps. Then I pointed to the chocolate. "Wwhhhhee! A chocolate!" He stuffed it in his mouth and went back to barreling on his merry little way. Gone. Won't probably think about it again until another chocolate magically appears tomorrow.

Now Alison, her personality is so different. She is very logical. She thinks though her problems and then reacts intentionally to solve them. I gave her the advent calendar and she immediately keyed onto the slightly open flaps, just like on her books. This time there was chocolate behind the flaps. Pure DELIGHT. Immediately, I saw the wheels turning in her head. Before her tiny little chocolate had even been swallowed she pointed to the next flap, you know day number 23 or something, and wanted it opened. I tell her, "No Alison. One chocolate per day except on days where Mama forgot, then maybe two." She picks up her calendar, runs, plops down in the corner and tries desperately to scratch her way in. Finally, I have to take it away. I discreetly put it back on top of the fridge. I don't think she saw me put it back up there but that is where she originally saw me get them down. She spends the next 4 hours systematically pointing at the top of the fridge, whining, and "ahh, ahh, AHHHing". I think she's finally forgotten. After dinner, she thinks it might be okay to have another and that possibly I'll get it down again. She resumes her act. Smart I tell you, AND persistent.

I love the holiday season. What a beautiful time of year. We're excited to celebrate and start new traditions for Christmas with our kids this year. (Last year they existed but it hardly counts because Christmas was sandwiched within that vague fog I fondly remember as their half year of life .)

This is my 101st posting. (I can't believe I wasted my 100th post on a pigrat! EDITED: I couldn't remember what my last post was. I'm happy to see that I didn't waste number 100 on a pigrat, just a monkey, which in this case in infinitely better.) To celebrate I'm asking the audience their very first question. Yah! What traditions have you participated in during the holidays or traditions you would like to implement? What things bring Christ into Christmas? Alright, two questions. Please don't disappoint me audience. You can leave responses in the comments or post on your own blog and leave a little note and link or email me (for the shy variety of audience). Can't wait to hear.

Other business. Stuey has been very busy today with two new activities.
Stacking Chef Boyordee and vacuuming. He's such a delight.

Last thought of the day. I can't help myself from falling in love with winter here. On Saturday we went to Sam's Club. Same old thing. Paid, came outside. Breathtaking beauty.

See, here are the two little tykes patiently waiting for Mama to quit taking pictures and get them out of the freezing.

Banana Boy

Nothing like a banana to keep a baby monkey occupied while cleaning the kitchen.

As promised.

I know there must be somebody who remembered this promise (referenced here).

PIGRAT:

I know, I know, please no more zoo entries, but I can't help myself.

My cousin Mari came to SLC for Thankgiving with her little baby Connor. He's almost exactly 3 months younger than my twins and we hope they will be as close and as pesky as we were. We took them to the zoo for Mari's birthday and then enjoyed a bit of cake back at the house. The babies still love their monkey costumes. I mostly just hide them from them but sometimes I let them wear them--even in public--because that is the kind of mom I am. I provide opportunity for people point and laugh and make fun of my kids. Hey, I have to pick my priorities in life, happy and warm. They were both happy and warm in their costumes. At first I wasn't going to allow the hats and vests but Alison kept chasing me around with hers and then chasing Stuart relentlessly with his so I had to give in. I mean, they already had furry jumpsuits with tails, what would it really matter.

The zoo (again).
Stuart and Connor looking at the old Meerkat.

Our favorite Cousin Connor

Mama and Monkey Babies with the real deal.

The very favorite fountain. I have to avoid it on the way in but let them get wet and cold on the way out.

Connor was equally impressed.

More Meerkats. They are our favorite animals this month.

Reflecting Monkey.

Mari and Connor looking at the monkey outside. Happy Birthday Mari! We love you and hope you come again soon.

Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for. Especially thankful for our two little ones that keep us so busy. It is amazing to reflect upon the last few years and how richly we've been blessed and how our lives have changed. I've been following a friends pregnancy and it has brought so many fresh emotions back to me about mine. Sometimes in the hustle-bustle of everyday life I forget what a true miracle their safe arrival was. Sometimes when they are systematically throwing each bottle out of the cupboard and across the kitchen, stopping inbetween to laugh each time, it is hard to remember the weeks where we didn't know if I could stay pregnant long enough for them to grow up and the many prayers pleading to be able to keep them. How I spent months in bed hoping for the future. How I promised to cherish them every moment if I could just have those moments. I'm so thankful those pleadings have been answered. They bring such joy to our lives.

Okay. Enough sappy stuff. Lets get on with the show. Its been much too long since I've posted. On Tackle it Tuesday I made a cake. I vowed 5 years ago to never ever again attempt to make a cake. I tried to make Ryan one for his birthday the first year I was married and it was a heap-o-disaster but I have a nothingfromthiscookbookcanturnoutbad cookbook that had a pecan pumpkin recipe and 7 1/2 cups of pumpkin that actually expired last year that I needed to use (sorry to all those who ate my cake, pretend you didn't read that last sentence). It didn't get done until Wednesday but I was so pleased. I took it to Thanksgiving with us. I also made two pies, a billion cookies, bananna bread, Thanksgiving salad, and a toasted pecan sweet mashed potato dish. I love my kitchen. It was an addition that grows out of my perfectly rectangular house into the backyard. It has a bunch of counterspace and great appliances. I've never baked in such luxury.
The kids can play outside while I watch. I looked out and saw them baking their own little dish together. They were throwing rocks into the bucket out back and taking wooden spoons stolen from my kitchen to mix them. They also did lots of helping inside. They licked the beaters and would come over to my leg holding their little spoons up and say, "Ahhh! ahh!!!" which roughly translates to, "Give me some of the scrumptious cookie dough now! I don't care that you don't think it is healthy for babies. It tastes like heaven and I need it now or I will cease to live!"

The Geese Arrived

Today we went to Liberty Park. The geese flew in. We talked to a man who feeds the ducks and visitors at the pond every night. He said three days ago there were only 10 geese. Tonight there were several hundred. It was magical.

First Annual Indian Party

This is Abby. She lives accross the street with her Mom and her Dad and her Baby Brother Isaac. To celebrate the upcoming holiday she arranged to have an Indian Party and we were invited! Alison and Stuart looked so old attending their first big girl/big boy party. Right after we arrived they were happy to sit in their own tiny thrones around the coffee table and decorate indian hats (complete with feathers). Next they decorated cookies to look like corn on the cobs. Okay, okay, let me rephrase that. Next they ate the decorations that would have made thier cookies look like corn on the cobs. They ate popped corn, juice, and cranberries and listened to a Thanksgiving story.


Dear Abby,
You sure know how to throw a great indian party. Thanks for inviting us and letting us play with the toys in your room.
Love, Stuart and Alison


Sweet Abby knows she totally has the most awesome mom in the whole world.


Party favors: Isn't this the sweetest corn-on-the-cob cookie!?! (Excuse the half eaten one. We had to bribe Stuey to cross the street. I think he wanted Abby to adopt him as her little brother after such a great time.)

Cinderella Park

Some days I really do miss Las Vegas but I'm am delighted with how many special activities we find close to our new place.

Ryan surprised us by coming home early because it was much too beautiful of a day to work. He took us on a secret adventure to this park. The parks are so charming around our house and there are so many of them close by. This particular one he remembers being exactly the same when he was a kid--30 years ago--which amazes me coming from a city where nearly nothing was the same 30 years ago. He remembers climbing up the castle and riding in the pumpkin carriage. I love the nostalgia of these old, quiet streets, filled with lots of old special places.