Among the myriad reasons I am thankful to have my dear friend Joie back in town is that I had always hoped that she would be around to teach my kids to dance. Today was our last day of our first Music and Movement class. The kids loved it—they would sing the songs and/or play the games for days afterwards. Cuteness abounded, and it would have been fun to catch on film had I been a bit more nimble (ok, a lot more nimble). The good news is that Joie plans to offer more classes after the first of the year. We’re in!
DPP photos from past years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
“I do!” and its variations “I doooooo!” or “No! I do!” are Ian’s constant refrain. Just two weeks away from his second birthday, he is quite the independent little guy. This morning he got his own bowl from the drawer and pushed his chair over to reach the cereal and poured himself a “nack” (snack). Then he scooted his chair over to the sink to get his own water. He needed “hep!” to turn the water on, but then Mommy was no longer needed (he let me know in no uncertain terms).
DPP pics from past years: 2005 2008 2009 2010
We spent a lovely morning with friends. I got to sit on the couch and put my feet up and have a great conversation that I didn’t want to end while the boys got played with and catered to and generally spoiled. I can’t even begin to say what a blessing it was. What could be better?
Sadly, I didn’t pull out my camera to document any of the actual fun, but I remembered it in time to catch this one of Jacob and Kiah who had (along with Micah) come out to help buckle the kiddos into the van. Just a few minutes earlier I had left the room with Simon wailing, “I don’t want to go hooooooome!” and had come back to find both the boys happily putting on coats and boots. I don’t know how they did it. I don’t think there was any bribery involved—it’s that the Odells are just that good.
DPP pics from past years: 2005 2006 2008 2009 2010
Today I am 36 weeks and 3 days pregnant with little Morehead #3, and that means I am farther along than I have ever been—Simon was delivered at 34 weeks and Ian at 36 weeks and 2 days. Yes, I’m a little obsessive when it comes to figuring these things out. And in what I think is a really cool coincidence, it was exactly two years ago today—December 12, 2009—when I was officially farther along with Ian than I had gotten with Simon. (For those of you who are interested in the history, I never did get around to writing about Simon’s actual birthday [drat! I wonder what I can still remember], but the events leading up to that day are chronicled here and here and Ian’s story is here.)
So hurrah for still being pregnant! I had a very good appointment with the midwife this afternoon. My blood pressure is lower than it was last week, and other than what seems to be “normal” swelling, there are no signs of PIH. We are thankful.
In terms of “doctor’s orders,” I’m supposed to “keep doing what I’ve been doing,” which these days is a lot of laying on my left side and keeping my feet up. Although I thought I might have preferred a little space, I just couldn’t deny Simon’s request to snuggle with Baby Clara.
DPP pics from past years: 2005 2006 2008 2009 2010
After a particularly hard preschool pick-up on Friday—which involved carrying my squirming toddler through almost-knee-deep snow—I decided it is past time to invest in some snow boots. I remembered that my friend Molly had gone on a search for boots a while back and that my criteria was about the same as hers (waterproof, warm, easy to get on and off). I saw that Scheels carried the brand she ended up with, and we decided to venture forth to try them on. In the parking lot, Ian insisted on holding Simon’s hand, and Simon gave his best big brother speech about staying close in the store and always holding hands. (I thought I might like it better if I could get all three faces in the pic, and I can’t stop chuckling every time I look at the expressions in this one.)
As it turns out, it’s a good thing that we all went because I tried on one pair of boots (a tall pair), and it took the whole family to get it off my foot—I couldn’t bend my nine-months-pregnant self down, and Jason couldn’t get a good grip. If we had been in better moods and the store hadn’t been such a madhouse, it probably would have been really funny. Needless to say, I did not purchase the pair that I got stuck in.
DPP pics from past years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
DPP pics from past years: 2007 2008 2009 2010
As we were dropping Simon off for preschool this morning, the trees in Pioneers Park were heavy with snow and simply beautiful. I thought about how often I’ve heard someone comment that an idyllic winter scene “looks like Narnia.” I have said it myself many times. For the first time, though, it occurred to me that winter in Narnia is not actually a good thing—pretty perhaps, but not something to be clung to or treasured. Winter in Narnia is something that we long to see end.
Here in Lincoln, though, I am still loving the gorgeous snow. And I think it’s probably about time we start reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to Simon.
DPP pics from past years: 2006 2008 2009 2010
The best part of every day. Even if it has been a good one (and especially if it has been a tough one), Daddy coming home just makes the day better.
DPP pics from past years: 2007 2008 2009 2010
Stalling bedtime.
DPP pics from past years: 2006 2008 2009 2010
We made some bread today as a surprise for Jason. Simon rolled out the dough all by himself and even tried to teach Ian how to do it. Yes, they both eventually climbed on the table to get a better angle. Yes, Simon at least once stepped on the dough with his bare feet. And, yes, they were both covered with flour in the end. Picking my battles these days.
DPP pics from past years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
