Where did we leave off? We got home yesterday afternoon after a fun day of hanging out with the family (especially Bailey). The boys got to nap in the car, but Mom and Dad weren't so lucky. They had to bargain for 45 minutes each after we arrived home.
The boys were worn completely out. Despite the naps, they were irritable and needed to be held. Any annoyance was too much to bear. Griffith was particularly upset with the John Deere popcorn popper that Aunt Kim and Uncle Andy gave him. You push it along the floor and the wheels spin a popper and it makes noise. If you don't keep the front wheels down, though, it doesn't pop. Griff has not mastered this and all he knows is that the damned thing isn't working. This results in him 1) swinging it about wildly or 2) flinging it across the floor and then hitting the deck himself and squawling and screaming and kicking. Great. Thanks, Kim and Andy. This will be coming back your way some day. Just remember that.
The boys got their baths and got settled and then the phone rang. Who in the name of God is calling at nine on Christmas? The substitute nanny. Sick with bronchitis. And we haven't found a replacement. Great.
Miss Michelle came to the rescue, though, and the boys seem to like her. Griff managed to be a wild man and refused to take a morning nap. Mom came home and forced the afternoon nap issue, but that ended in Michelle holding Griff and patting him on the bottom while Mom fed Allan. We hope that by tomorrow we will be more accustomed to Miss Michelle and back on something approaching a schedule. We hope.
Anyway, it is way late so we are going to catch a few z'ss. Enjoy the photos. More to come.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The Elmo garage
similar to the FP garage, but makes noise (super! thanks, Michele and Alan!).
Unfortunately the ramps do not screw in so that the boys were able to detach them at will. Tonight I have used two tubes of Super Glue in an effort to secure the structure. I waited until 11, though, and found it particularly annoying that there is no "off" switch so that Cookie Monster kept yelling "Out of the way! heh.heh.heh."
Thank you, that's very helpful.
Fixing the Xmas lights
After everything that they got, Griffith preferred to hang out under the tree and fool with the lights.
Griff and the watchamacallit
you push the button and it lights up and spins around. Very psychedelic.
Allan prefers to gnaw on the book.
You said, No
but do you really, really mean it?Griffith calculating the odds that he is going to end up in time out if he continues.
Our little elf
Allan in the middle of all of the gifts. It looks like he is pulling the hat on. In reality, he is getting ready to jerk it off. Brat.
diving in to the action
Jay was in the living room with Allan and I was in the kitchen making a pea casserole when I heard the paper tearing. Griff decided that Xmas Eve afternoon was as long as he could wait to tear in to the gifts.
Griff and the bears
Griffith getting acquainted with the bears. Big Al was napping and missed out on the action.
Twin bears
Christmas from Aunt Kathy. These bears are the direct descendants of those made by Aunts Bart and Jean. Momma still has her version (dubbed Ugly Bear) which she took with her to college -- and still has down in the basement.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas 2007
Christmas came in a big way for the boys this year. We have lots and lots of photos, but I am running low on energy and it takes quite a while for them to post.
Greg and Alice came for dinner on Friday night to start the holiday celebrations. Saturday Aunt KK came and we started opening gifts. The boys were a little hesitant at first, but dove right in soon enough. The Megablocks are big hits (not to mention that they fit the wheelbarrow that Momma got). Our little monsters also LOVE their working Elmo "monster" truck. He has a little hard hat and, when you press it, he says (in his high-pitched Elmo way) a variety of chipper phrases: "No job's too big for Elmo!" "Let's get to work!" "Good job today!" "Heavy load coming through!" He also beeps and vroom-vrooms. I'm sure that will never get old.
Aunt Lee brought over her offering: the Fischer-Price Little People garage. It doesn't talke to you, but it has a handy bell that rings when you raise and lower the elevator. Thanks, Aunt Lee! (She also gave the boys matching red-gingham rompers with fire engines in smocking. The boys will look like little cross-dressers!)
Saturday night Kate came to take care of the boys for the first time. She hit the door and Allan lit up like a candle. You could almost hear him: Now, THAT'S what I call a baby-sitter. Pretty as a could be and sweet to boot.
Sister Kate and Cousin Tyler stopped in and brought fancy bears just right for snuggling. All-in-all and very eventful day.
We decided to celebrate our Christmas yesterday so that we could be with the extended family today. So we got up, made breakfast and then Mom and Dad traded off so that they could finish wrapping gifts. A nap or two later and the boys were enveloped in a sea of gifts. Griff started opening a little sooner than we had planned, but no problem. It was Christmas, after all. Hours (literally) later, we had more stuff than we knew what to do with. And, true to form, the boys were more interested in the boxes and paper than anything else. Brats.
We had baths, read The Night Before Christmas and hit our beds.
First thing this morning we headed for the Home Place and spent the day eating and making merry. Griffith followed Bailey around like he was her shadow. Allan bucked and jumped and giggled all day. By 2:30, though, no naps having been taken, they were fading fast. We tossed them in the car and Allan was out within 5 minutes. Griff lasted maybe 2 more.
Griff has been a cling monster tonight, but is sound asleep at the moment. Allan was in his usual high spirits, but is out, too.
More updates tomorrow. And more pictures.
Greg and Alice came for dinner on Friday night to start the holiday celebrations. Saturday Aunt KK came and we started opening gifts. The boys were a little hesitant at first, but dove right in soon enough. The Megablocks are big hits (not to mention that they fit the wheelbarrow that Momma got). Our little monsters also LOVE their working Elmo "monster" truck. He has a little hard hat and, when you press it, he says (in his high-pitched Elmo way) a variety of chipper phrases: "No job's too big for Elmo!" "Let's get to work!" "Good job today!" "Heavy load coming through!" He also beeps and vroom-vrooms. I'm sure that will never get old.
Aunt Lee brought over her offering: the Fischer-Price Little People garage. It doesn't talke to you, but it has a handy bell that rings when you raise and lower the elevator. Thanks, Aunt Lee! (She also gave the boys matching red-gingham rompers with fire engines in smocking. The boys will look like little cross-dressers!)
Saturday night Kate came to take care of the boys for the first time. She hit the door and Allan lit up like a candle. You could almost hear him: Now, THAT'S what I call a baby-sitter. Pretty as a could be and sweet to boot.
Sister Kate and Cousin Tyler stopped in and brought fancy bears just right for snuggling. All-in-all and very eventful day.
We decided to celebrate our Christmas yesterday so that we could be with the extended family today. So we got up, made breakfast and then Mom and Dad traded off so that they could finish wrapping gifts. A nap or two later and the boys were enveloped in a sea of gifts. Griff started opening a little sooner than we had planned, but no problem. It was Christmas, after all. Hours (literally) later, we had more stuff than we knew what to do with. And, true to form, the boys were more interested in the boxes and paper than anything else. Brats.
We had baths, read The Night Before Christmas and hit our beds.
First thing this morning we headed for the Home Place and spent the day eating and making merry. Griffith followed Bailey around like he was her shadow. Allan bucked and jumped and giggled all day. By 2:30, though, no naps having been taken, they were fading fast. We tossed them in the car and Allan was out within 5 minutes. Griff lasted maybe 2 more.
Griff has been a cling monster tonight, but is sound asleep at the moment. Allan was in his usual high spirits, but is out, too.
More updates tomorrow. And more pictures.
this is how it starts...
The boys wrestling their dad. It soon turned in to a full-on grudge match between Big Al and Griffith.
Aunt Lee came by and brought fun stuff
a Little People garage. Farmer Jed accidentally wandered in. Must be in town for holiday shopping.
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