New challenges, new habits.

It's now December and things are beginning to change in our little world. The boys, of course, are growing like crazy and getting interested in big kids things like drawing, writing letters, and doing projects. (This means that I need to tune into my craftiness!) It has been fun to see their interest grow... Gavin has even been playing around on the piano with his "music notes". This is where he spreads out all the sheet music he can find and then bangs on the piano a bit. But it's a start, right?

My new project is trying to get up early. 5 am. I did it today and it felt pretty good, so we'll see if I can manage it everyday. For a long time, I've wanted (wanted? maybe realized it is necessary?) to get up early to do yoga, read, write, or generally get some quiet time to tune in and learn a little something. Now, however, I will be starting to teach a 5:45am morning yoga class at our YMCA on Monday mornings. So, I need to retrain my body so waking up early is normal... so I can me mildly functional in front of other people. To help them wake up too.

I've also got a few other 'irons in the fire' so to speak where I could be teaching at other places, but nothing is finalized yet. I'll keep you posted. I'm nervous and excited to be beginning a new adventure... whatever form it takes.

Results... not too bad...

Gavin did pretty well smiling for the camera, and Graeme not so much. The picture of him was THE only picture that was cute when he was actually looking at the camera.

There one before this where Graeme was strong arming Gavin to push him away.

Gavin should be saying: 'Hey, we're all looking the same direction! This'll be the one!'

Family Picture Day

We haven't had any family pictures taken since Graeme was 6 months old. So, today is the day. We've rescheduled once already due to a runny nose and a scratch on the eye. I realize now that we will never have family pictures taken again if I wait until there are no scratches or sniffles or bruises. Today's pictures will be a window into our current family status... the scratch on the eye is gone (Gavin), but has been replaced by a bruise (on the other eye) and the runny nose still lingers (Graeme) even worse than last week.

That's a pretty good start! Couple that with a late bedtime and an early wake up call - these are going to be sweet. All around fun day! I think Craig is the most excited.

I will bring fruit snacks and candy. And lots of tissue.

Halloween Preview

This weekend I made my first cheesecake ever! (Maybe the last considering what actually goes into a cheesecake.) The initial prompt to do it was to donate a cake to the YMCA cake walk at their Halloween Carnival. Gavin picked out the cake design online and, since the boys are spiders for Halloween this year, it seemed fitting. However, since Craig's brother Collin and Cristina were visiting this weekend, we ended up eating it (with full intention of baking another, different cake to donate, which didn't happen).

But, the cake was massive, so we only made a tiny dent. I cut up the rest of it and pawned it off on three different neighbors. Maybe they ate it, maybe they didn't, but at least I didn't have to throw it all away!

Then, tonight we ventured out to the Halloween Carnival... which was a total mad house. We stayed long enough to do the cake walk (didn't win) and get a lollipop for the boys. It was enough for them though too, since they are not old enough to understand the concept of waiting in line for anything. It was a good test run for the costumes... they need a few adjustments. ;)

Graeme's Birthday

Graeme is 2 years old! He had his birthday last week, and though we didn't have a party, we had lots of grandparent visitors and plenty of toys. Here are a few pictures of our mini celebration. Earlier in the week, Gavin suggested we should make a bumper car cake for Graeme's birthday, so we made bumper car cupcakes. They turned out pretty good, if not entirely Martha-worthy. And Graeme blew out his "2" candle all by himself.

I was also happy that Graeme agreed to don the birthday hat for at least a few pictures!

Graeme ate mostly frosting, as his tactic was to dip the fork in and pull it out, eating whatever stuck.

Essential training

I forgot to mention that I've also got the boys trained to raise their hand and say: "I promise no freak outs!" before we get out of the car to go anywhere. It is pretty funny... not totally effective, but funny.

From mouths of babes...

I don't know why I find that this is the most fun for me to write about these days - the new cute things the boys are saying lately - but, it is just fun to see them learn and grow and figure out how to communicate with the world.

Graeme, today with his arms outstretched toward the spider webs in our backyard, says: "Hello, Mr. Spider! My catch you Mr. Spider. My catch you." Then to me, "My love them Mummy!"

Needless to say he'll be a spider for Halloween. But it is so funny how he LOVES spiders and bugs of all kind. Craig and I agree that he'll be the biologist or naturalist of the two boys. Gavin liked bugs and spent a fair amount of time petting slugs and inviting them in for a movie, but Graeme seems interested in everything bug life or otherwise. Pine cones, twigs, worms, flowers, leaves, bees, snails, you name it - he likes it. He also wanted the worm he found to come in and watch a movie, but I convinced him to place him in the dirt instead.

Graeme uses "my" for "I" whenever he talks about anything, and a "My love you Mummy!" is the best. Tonight at dinner he even just said: "My really happy!" It almost made me cry.

Both boys are really lovey lately. Gavin has been giving out kisses like crazy, which is really sweet until the kisses turn into slobbery zerberts. But truth be told, even those are kind of fun.

Gavin is also learning how to talk the talk. The other day Graeme said something to Craig and me, then Gavin turned to us and said: "Did you hear the little attitude on that guy?" Neither of us can remember saying that phrase, so we're not sure where he got it... but quite funny. He is really trying to understand everything that goes on around him. If someone is talking about something he doesn't understand, he'll stop the person and just say: "What are you talking about?" or ask later, "Why did X do Y?" or something similar. It is great to see him figure in all out. He is turning into a very cute little man (if I do say so...).