Good times

We've had a very good two weeks. The kids are into routine so well, they rarely complain over having to do things, and if they do, get over it quickly. Almost all the time quick and enthusiastic about their work. It amazes me how much work they do for me these days!

Bad news is, we start holidays next week...so we had two weeks of good routine...then two weeks of holidays...and then MONTHS of getting back on track again. :p
But I enjoyed it while it lasted.
Next week Phil has a bunch of days off, and hopes to work from home one of the days, and for the rest is home. Then off to see the the grandparents!! Maybe all this good behaviour is just anticipation of the holiday coming up. ;)

Melanie likes to pose while holding Jennifer. After all, didn't Jennifer come so that they could both look cute together?

Matthew does not like to be left out. But he likes a more active, and less cutesy type of pose.

Jennifer, however, is less comfortable with this approach.

And she is decidedly unhappy when held by her closest-in-age sibling. She does this most times I let Daniel have his "turn".

Daniel is getting moody when it comes to the camera. He now knows what it's about, so he is a bit embarrassed.

But after chasing him down, he will sometimes reward me with a very cute smile.

Nathan is also quite aware of the camera, and puts on a bit more drama to please me.

"Mommy teddy?"

Isn't nice when people share with you? My hands might be full already with Jennifer, a book, or tea...but we'll just have to find a niche for special gifts...after all, with Daniel, they only need to be accepted and enjoyed momentarily before it doesn't matter anymore(usually).

It is very difficult to get Matthew in a serious mood on camera,

I only get success now when he's so preoccupied that he hasn't seen it.

Jennifer is always ready to pose.

And she is never silly.

Because of all the enthusiasm and helpfulness, I have turned into a candy distributor. Probably it being that time of year helps me in my generous mood. It goes against my upbringing and nature...but I suspect this change won't last long.

The kids, naturally, are thrilled with any candy gifts, especially when spontaneously given.

It adds to their enthusiasm, and here they are marching through the house...just because!


"Can I have some sugar too?"

Jumbo

Jumbo in a bumbo.

Can you tell this was her first time sitting in a new chair? Everyone crowds her so when she does a "first". She'll never learn to walk 'cause she'll never have any room to step. :p


Mom, you're not supposed to put the seat up on a table!

The kids are playing "pizza". Meaning, they are stretching their siblings, kneading them, putting toppings on them, putting them in the oven, cooking them, and then cutting them and chasing the run away pizza (or being the pizza). It's looks very strange.
Jennifer is just feeling left out, and wondering what in the world is going on.

Colds

It seems that every one in this house has had a turn with a lingering cold. (Either that, or we've been getting one after the other--but I doubt that.)

Whenever we can get a bit of a break

we take it.

Cousin time

Warming up with hot chocolate--since we did have a few days below zero lately! (Early this morning it was 11 degrees already!!)


Jennifer is in the middle of the action! (No hot chocolate though.)


The older two challenging each other--it was interesting to watch. Evan was the most aggressive player, and looked like he'd win easily, but Nathan just managed to squeak around him, and won after all.

A non strategy game went over better for the younger ones.

Emily found it was even better to collect all the marbles. She wouldn't tell me where she'd horded them--and when I found her stash she was very offended that I put it away with the rest of the game!

Daniel really admires Emily,

It was sure cute to see how he looked up to her, copied her, and followed her around. Especially since he usually acts so macho. He calls his doggy "baby" a bunny sometimes now, since Emily also has a blanket bear, and her's is a bunny.

Still here

And here are the pics to prove it.

TWO!

Terrible two is here.
Today during school Daniel was so sweet and quiet.
Except that he redid my to do list on my whiteboard
and smeared Vaseline on my cupboards in the bathroom.

Trouble!

Back to school

So the reason for less postings lately is because of the reintroduction of school in our routine.
I think we've started our third week now? Can't remember. Anyways, yes, it's going pretty well. Got a few wrinkles to iron out, but overall, pretty smooth. (Phil has too many shirts for me to iron, can you tell?)

Jennifer has a new friend. She likes to babble to him. She sometimes holds on to him, but doesn't know how she did it, or how to let go.


Daniel is such a blabber box now. It's a lot of fun!


And he's still a bit of a baby too. ;)


Melanie, it IS winter now, have you noticed? Well, she's wearing long sleeves, so that's something!


Check out the shelves the kids put together and stocked. So cheerful. Makes my own organizing look bland by comparison.


The car was driven up on the hoist to get repaired by Nathan the mechanic.


A hammer Nathan! To fix a car? Maybe you better go get some tutoring from Grandpa!


Matthew loves to pose. I would too if I was as cute as he is. ;) Unfortunately, he rarely does poses that aren't goofy, so not many make the blog.


Here comes Daniel to see what is taking me so long downstairs.
"What doin Mommy?"


Melanie loves jumping and climbing on furniture. She's very pleased to be allowed to do it downstairs on our junk. She'd love a trampoline.


What a big fun play room we have downstairs!


Jennifer in her favorite sleeping position. She fits so wonderfully there, and isn't too heavy yet. I babysat in our church nursery this past Sunday, and there were two other babies, a couple weeks older and a couple weeks younger than Jennifer. They both were so strange to hold. So uncomfortable compared to my little girl!


Jennifer is now too distracted by the camera to smile a full out smile very easily. It's a lot of work to catch one now!

Hair and there.

:p

Daniel is growing up very fast!

Daniel will be two soon! Those two years have flown by. Now he's talking a tonne, and getting less frustrated overall since he is understood by almost all of us in the house. That's not to say he doesn't fight still though! Now though, the arguments and fights are equally understood. (Usually.) Daniel still likes to cuddle though, and will demand cuddles when he feels he needs them, and doesn't mind to ask people he are less familiar with.



Haircuts around here are being done at a more professional level now. (At least, I like to think so, anyways.) I'm pretty pleased with how I did up Melanie's hair so that I could do a straighter job on her bangs. The results, mind you, were still amateurish, but the set up and appearances during the job were very impressive!

I picked up some hair accessories, and Melanie was thrilled with her new hairband. I had a red plaid one when I was a girl, but I knew pink was more Melanie's thing. ;)


Baby skin!!
Jennifer STILL has varying colours occurring in her diapers, and the vitamin supplement wasn't the culprit. Neither was dairy products. Now I shall target starchy vegetables, as the doc suggested, and see if I can see what is causing these strange symptoms. It is good to be reassured that Jennifer is healthy--but still, honestly, I'd prefer to see the yellowy diapers that I'm used to. I'd feel that she was healthier if I saw that.
We are blessed with such healthy kids!


Our "piano teacher" says the boys are ready for the army now.
I take that to mean she doesn't like their hair cuts much. Neither do I. But it is easy and neat. Sort of.


Jennifer remains a cheerful, easy baby.

We all love her.

Exercising:


Trying out Jennifer's playmat:

As usual, I find laying the baby on the floor safely, when toddlers are about, is a lot of work! Not sure I'll try it very often.