Christmas Came . . . and Went. So did 2012 . . .

So where the hell was i? Enjoying my sweet family of course! Over winter break the boys got to experience Grandma and Grandpa V coming for a visit, their first blizzard, and a deep freeze. The blizzard was loads of fun, though it sunk us where the highs didn't get above 20 degrees for about 2 weeks, which was sort of difficult to enjoy all that snow. i mean the 3-4 inches we got. Seriously - a blizzard with only 4 inches accumulation? Welcome to Iowa.

Our first blizzard - we finally get to use our snow shovels! (BAG)

And Dad finally gets to use the snowblower - aww yeah.

A little winter biking does a body good (BAG)

Putting out some treats for Santa (GAB)

Aidan loved the Soccer Sucker in his stocking!

Brady the streaker - Instant Classic!

Aidan's ready for the ice bowl!

Aidan and Brady wrestle. I mean, play football in the snow.

We did have a lovely time in spite of the bitter cold. The boys told us they heard sleigh bells on Christmas Eve night, but they didn't see Santa's sleigh. Hmmmm . . .wonder where those came from?! We had a fun time opening some gifts and trying to rip them from their childproof packaging before the boys wanted to move on to opening a new gift.

Christmas Eve is AWESOME! We Love Santa! (GBA)

Grandma V reads the Night Before Christmas (GAB)

Brady photobombs me Christmas morning

Our New Year's sort of came and went - my folks had left that day, so Curt and I basically put the boys to bed early (is that bad?!) and chilled on the couch until we couldn't take Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy any more. Next year - maybe we will do something to mark the occasion. :)

Aidan and Dad play the Angry Birds game from Aunt Pam and Uncle Tony

Brady chills with GrandmaV

Aidan chills with Grandpa V

Gavin asked for a snuggle from Grandpa V. He sat this way for a full 5 minutes. Awww...

In the new year, we did a weekend in Des Moines to celebrate Christmas with the Kenoyer side of the family. Poor Brady got strep throat and a double ear infection that was so severe he was VOMITING because of it. He was such a trooper. An early morning sunday trip to the urgent care clinic and some popsicles and antibiotics later he was giving us his crazy Brady faces by dinner time. Seeing as how I came down with strep throat one week later, if he felt HALF as bad as I did those first days, he truly is a stronger person than I am. Curt was on his way to LeaderShape in Minnesota the day after I went to the Dr. so instead of being able to prepare a little bit more, he and his folks let me sleep about 6 hours during the day, so that I would at least be able to attempt the week without him in town. I will say, by that Thursday (day 5) when Brady woke up at 230AM and proceeded to vomit every half hour for the next 8 hours, I was feeling PRETTY sorry for myself. Luckily, Brady improved, and we have wonderful neighbors in Joan and Leo who stepped in to help me getting Aidan and Gavin to school and staying with Brady so I could pick them up from school.

Brady and Gabe rock out with the Faux-hawks!

Molly's cupcakes while Dad was in MN. Aidan didn't like that his cupcake fell apart because of the fruit filling.

About one minute later. (BAG)

The boys also got to go sledding for their first time while we were in Des Moines (prior to the first strep throat diagnosis). We found a hill near one of the medical clinics in West Des Moines with a lovely, gradual and empty hill and Curt and I got to spend the morning with the boys on a sunny winter day. Even though it wasn't fresh snow, it really was just one of those glorious days. Seeing their sweet smiles and hearing their giggles was so much fun.

Mom and Brady

Dad and Aidan

Mom and gavin go for a spin - Aidan was just enjoying the snow.

Brady zooms!

Gavin decided to go down backwards!

Since then I have applied for a job and have an interview tomorrow. As I am looking to next year, knowing the boys will be in school more, but still not full time, I knew it was time to at least see what was out there. The position is one I am interested in, I just wish it were being advertised a few months from now. Se La Vie, right? Of course, we don't have any other child care plans, so if I get it and they want me to start right away (the position has been empty since the summer) we would need flexibility as to how I am actually completing the work. Yes, I am thinking as I type this . . .

GAB in shirts Grandma K made!

In other news, the boys have been pretty funny lately (making it all that more difficult for me to think about returning to work). The other morning during our daily snuggle time before we get ready for the day, Aidan was laying on his stomach and says "Brady! Smell my butt!" Calm as can be, Brady says "No. Only dogs do that. They don't know any better." I nearly died. When I asked him where he had heard that he just says "from dad." So funny.

Brady and his Nerf gun from Uncle Chad and Aunt Erica

Brady and I had this exchange the other day:

Brady: I'm not afraid of anything. I'm not afraid of lions.
Me: yeah?
Brady: yeah. My dad would just get a bullet gun and shoot it.
Me: yeah?
Brady: yeah. Mom would you kill a lion?
Me: if it was trying to eat you, yes, I would kill a lion.
Brady: what would you use? (Pause) a vacuum cleaner!
Me: your dad would use a gun and I would just use a vacuum cleaner?
Brady: yeah! You'd vacuum all of his hair off!

OMGoodness! I just about died after that! I guess I am way tougher with a vacuum cleaner than I ever imagined!

Gavin wanted a picture of a silly face

Aidan said it was a camera he had made :)

These two. A & G

Gavin and Dad

Aidan and Mom

Hey! Who are those elves? We are actually in a picture with just the two of us!

Aidan and Grandma K sing the Partridge in a Pear Tree!

Gavin was the first to dip his nose (then whole face) in the snow!

Then Aidan. . . 

Brady just did his hat - don't want to mess up that adorable face!

Christmas is Coming!

Note, this WAS actually begun in early December . .. Christmas stuff to come . . . :)

The back of one of two Thomas the Train books Gavin has memorized. And yes, the print is really frigging small. He is amazing.

Where to begin? Curt has been in the last stretch of the semester and the boys are getting their first taste of a real Iowa Winter. In early November the boys really took off with their interest in letters and sounding out words. I would say Brady and Gavin are the most interested in sounding things out at this point, but Aidan loves making letters out of random things. For instance, he made an H out of the toothbrushes tonight, and will often bite his sandwich into various (vague) letters. It's pretty great. Brady has really made sounding out words his thing, but he and Aidan both are really clued in to the idea of the picture in the book being explained by the words on the page. Lately our naps have consisted of the boys going down and then someone having to be moved into another room, then resulting in most everyone sleeping. Aidan (who used to need sleep the MOST!) seems to need his naps the least and I often come into the room to find a dozen or more books he has been "reading" scattered on his bed or all over the floor while his brother(s) are sleeping. It is awesome. Today he told me he was being quiet "but the pages sometimes turn loud". Oh. My. Goodness. Do you not want to just KISS him??? 

Gavin on the other hand has memorized several books WORD FOR WORD. His capacity for this is astounding. Take the book above. We have two of them, but there are some different trains on the backs (some are repeated). Gavin spent the better part of a week carrying these books around and studying these little pictures intently. He would spell out the names on the back while I was cooking so I could tell him the names of each of the trains. He knows the exact location of each train's picture without really having to look for it. He has memorized what each train looks like and why it is different from the others. For example, in this Percy book, there is a caboose that resembles Toby. When Brady commented that was whom it looked like Gavin says "No, Toby has a black smokestack and . . .etc". When I suggested we look at the back to see what Toby looked like, he flips the book over and points to the picture without even glancing at the book. And he was right. To a T. Amazing.

Brady spontaneously gives his brothers a hug (ABG) - Melt my heart!

Gavin REALLY did not want to try the tuna fish salad sandwich. "I don't like the green and white stuff!"

 About a week before Thanksgiving, I was talking with the boys during lunch and they were talking about what they to ask for from Santa for Christmas. This is the first year they have really started to "get" this, and so far it's pretty fun. At one point Gavin mentions for the millionth time he wants a "remote control James train!" and I say for the millionth time "Gavin, I think Santa knows we already have a really cool remote control train set, so I don't know that he will be able to get you another remote control train." After a half second pause Brady says "Mom! Don't tell Santa we already have remote control trains!" I nearly died. The good news is Gavin has been consistent on this. It's like A Christmas Story in his dead on message of what he wants for Christmas. Over Thanksgiving we went to the Festival of Trees because Jadyn was performing with her dance class and there was a Santa's Helper there your kids could talk to and you could take pictures of. Here are the three samples of how each boy reacted:

Brady wanted to go first but froze. He was like the kid in A Christmas Story who forgets to tell Santa he wants a Red Rider BB Gun with Action Shot . ..  even though that is all he has wanted for 6 weeks. He finally told Santa he wanted a parking garage for cars. We already have one. And yes, he told me to not tell Santa that too.

Gavin went next and was on message the entire time. He also managed to grab Santa's beard in the first 5 seconds. To check if it was real or not, I guess. Remote Control James Please!

Aidan appeared to be in an in-depth conversation with Santa. As though it had JUST occurred to him he could request ANYTHING. He ended up requesting Army Men and a remote controlled Jeep. Oh Boy. :)

We also recently purchased the book The Polar Express. Now, neither Curt nor I had read it before, but we had always heard it was sort of the quintessential Christmas book and we should have it in our collection. Well, we had the boys open it one morning before school as a way to help them enjoy the festivities. Curt was reading it as I was prepping breakfast in the kitchen. I was struck by how well the author put the story together. And then, the kicker. It's literally the LAST TWO or THREE SENTENCES and I can see what is going to happen and my throat clenches up and I have to turn my back to them because I am in full blown emotional outpouring at the beauty of this book. I hear Curt get choked up and have to stop reading. The boys are patient and then sort of like "Why aren't you reading Daddy?" I turn and see Curt too is completely choked up and can't go on. I come over and finish the book through tears and the boys are COMPLETELY baffled as to why we are both crying but seemingly happy. I will say this, if you haven't read this book before, go out and buy it now. It is one of the most beautifully written, creative, smart children's stories I have ever read. If you have already read it then you know what I am talking about and are probably like "It didn't win the Caldecott medal 25 years ago for NOTHING you dummy!" This book and the Spirit of Christmas (from Donna Slabas - thank you!) just SLAY me when I think about our kids. I don't know why they both make me so emotional, but they just do.

Aidan crawled in for a snuggle with dad one morning

 One thing I just love - the boys asking to snuggle before we get ready for school. It's gotten to the point they will just come into our bed after we have woken them up (or if they are up on their own and hear us up) and will immediately say "I want to snuggle!" I can set my watch alarm for 3 minutes (or whatever time we have) and they will tuck in and enjoy it and then when the alarm goes off - they are up and relatively following instructions for getting ready. I think about the blogger who is far more eloquent than me who said that she always memorialized the milestones of the "firsts" but wishes she was able to know the "lasts" - the last time her son would let her kiss him goodbye, the last time her son would hold her hand as they walked somewhere. I think about these snuggling times and wonder if we will be able to hold on to the "last" time they are asking for this . . and would I want to know it was the last time? I might not let it end . . . :)

Then Brady . . .

Making Dad red velvet cake for his birthday! (BAG)

Happy Birthday Daddy! We Love You! (BAG)

Over Thanksgiving we got to relax a bit with the Kenoyer grandparents, and even have a night out! Brady informed me that Christmas is where you get presents and Thanksgiving is just where you eat a lot. Children are sages in what they notice, huh? The gift for me was in seeing the boys as they are developmentally more ready for new games and interactions. Aidan was the KING of matching games and puzzles. He was so patient, and he would even point out where matches were for his brothers if he could see they were getting frustrated. How "oldest child" is that?! Brady on the other hand was really into the strategy games and "beating" others. And not being beaten himself. Uh huh. Gavin's love for Legos was turned on and he ADORED having people build things for him. I am certain that will change as his dexterity improves (he's started buttoning his own jeans from time to time! YEAH!), but he would just sit there right with you putting pieces in front of you and telling you what he wanted as long as you were willing to sit with him.

A little snuggle time with mom and Gavin

Hiking at the Coralville Reservoir (GBA)

Enjoying the lake and boats (BAG)

We turned around to see Aidan had picked up like 7 sticks. Awesome. :)

Mom and Gavin

Two weekends before Christmas we went to Omaha to celebrate our nephew's birthday. It had been several months since the boys had seen their cousins, and to see them just so dang excited to play with their boy cousins was adorable. They also loved all of Gabe and Noah's old toy trucks and trains (A LOT) but I couldn't get over how much they wanted to BE like them. Brady asked me if when he turned 5 or 6 if he could have shoes that TIE (like his cousins do). More recently he told me he would have bright orange shoes when he got a bit older (since neon is all the rage now). I love how much fun my kids have, but also how much fun my nephews seem to have with the boys. Makes my heart melt a little.

Snuggling in Brady's bed (ABG)