sleep tight

{I love to watch them sleep.}

Best Friends and Such

So, Hannah is head-over-heels in love with her daddy.  And it's simply adorable.

{Hannah, looking up at Daddy, with adoring eyes}

She looks for him in the morning.  She wants to know if he's home when we get home.  She throws her arms up in the air, shouts, "Daddy!" and runs to him the second he walks in the door.

Just a few weeks ago, Brad and I went to pick up the kids together from school (a rare occasion), and she ran directly past me and straight into her daddy's arms.  And all I could do was smile.

A few days ago, she strongly declared, "Daddy is my brest fwend."

Many times a day, I hear, "I want Daddy do it.  I want my Daddy."  She'll cuddle with him and watch a few minutes of a show before wriggling down to play.  She takes off her socks and pounds her tiny fists on his chest, shouting, "Hannah smash!"  It's her own version of Hulk-Smash, and it's adorable since she acts like the force of her fists is so great that it causes her to fall back onto the bed.

{photo courtesy of Marian Lozano}

She'll say that she's "man-working" with her Daddy if she's trying to help him fix something around the house.  This usually entails her sitting on Daddy's lap as he tries to work around her tiny, wiggling frame:)

{photo courtesy of Marian Lozano}

They're both pretty smitten, that's for sure.  I think I'll keep them:)

gone, but not forgotten

A pile of Jack's writing came home last week, and this weekend, as I was going through and filing his work, I came upon this piece.  My eyes welled up with tears.  A month and a half after our puppy dogs moved, Jack was thinking of them during writing workshop at school.  And this - his special ode to Cuddlebug and Gracie.

We're missing our puppy dogs very much this holiday season.  They have ornaments on our tree.  Do I keep them?  Do I send them along?  I found a box of the girlfriends' Christmas toys.  I'm going to send these to our friend, Joe.  And then there's the snow - oh, the snow.  The puppies in the snow were always so adorable.

But there is still this: I know they are loved.  I know they are happy.  I know that Joe is happier.  And I know that Jack is healthier.

Silent Sunday

{let it snow.}

happy.

Santa Claus came to our town tonight, and we were so ready.  We gave the kids a shower and put them in their pj's with promises of Santa, fire trucks, and candy.  There were all set.

We headed out about fifteen minutes before the fire department was set to come through our neighborhood, to be sure that we got a good spot to watch Santa go by.  I was sure it was going to be really crowded.  When we arrived at our spot, we were four of twelve people set to watch the parade.

Santa was running a little behind, so we hung out in the Jeep and listened to Christmas music while we watched for flashing lights.

Approximately 40 minutes after we arrived at our parade spot, the fire trucks came into view, and we all hopped out of the car, ready to cheer, and wave, and grab as much candy as we could.

The kids were so excited to see Santa, but as the fire department drove by at about 15-25 MPH, they were gone before we knew it.

And then Jack started to whimper, and Hannah looked up at me with her big, blue eyes, and said, "Why Santa no throw candy at my head?"

Apparently I remembered him throwing candy from when I was little, but he does not, in fact, throw candy in today's day and time.  Oops.  The littles were upset.

So we went home, sent the kids into the family room, and Brad and I threw leftover Halloween candy at them.  This seemed completely acceptable and fun to them, even better since we let them each eat one piece, and the rest of the night was wonderful.

Lesson learned.  Santa does not throw candy from the fire truck.

And we do not need to leave 45 minutes early to "get a good spot."

Now we know.

As we were tucking Jack in to bed tonight, he sat up and shouted, "Happy!"

I think he still had a good time - candy or not:)

Girl Time

Last night, Jack was really, really tired.  Like I'm going to cuddle up next to Mommy while we're watching TV and fall dead asleep tired.  

So tired that a little sister didn't even wake him up with her elbow (and consequently, tears) when she wanted to cuddle with Mommy, too.

So very tired, that I was able to carry him upstairs and put him in bed.  He woke up enough to roll over comfortably, and then he was out.  For the night.  My poor, little man.  So, so sleepy.

Hannah?  Not so tired.  And in desperate need for a bath.  So after we tucked Jack in, she and I came into our bathroom, and I started to run a bath.  Hannah decided she'd rather get in the shower, so I must have asked her if we could use the separate sprayer that we have for the kids.  This was an unacceptable plan.

When I told Hannah that I wasn't going to take a shower, she replied, "Yes, you is."

And I mean, really?  How do you say no to that?

So as much as I hate to take a shower at night and get all cold before bed, I pulled my hair up tight, and got in the shower with my little princess.  And I'm pretty sure the special one-on-one time made her evening.

Oh, how I love these little lovelies of ours!

For My Little Sister

On Thanksgiving, Dylan was given his first, impromptu, haircut.  And I'm not sure my sister was ready.

Uncle John?  Definitely ready.

The rest of us?  We were pretty ready, too.

But Rypie?

Not-so-much.

I can't remember if I cried during Jack's first haircut.  I remember that he cried.  And that they gave him a lollipop, and I took lots of pictures.  But I don't know if I cried - I think I was so proud of my little man, needing his first haircut.

My mom and I took him to Cartoon Cuts in the mall, and they gave me a little certificate with a lock of his hair that I will have for the rest of my life.

But I was ready.

And while Ryan thought she was ready, she was not.  BIG DIFFERENCE.

I took some pictures of this momentous occasion.  When the dust settles, and she's over Dylan's missing curls, she can look at the pictures and smile.  I hope.

Both grandparents had to hold Dylan still

Two toofers!

Hannah helped Dylan relax by holding his hand

I warned you

Proud Papa

Dylan looked so handsome.  Grammy did a good job.  And my little sister?  She pulled herself together:)

Now Hannah thinks she needs a haircut.  And that, my friends, is simply not happening.