Winter?

We finally got some snow!  I am a little bit of a whiner about Iowa snow.  First of all, it is never fluffy.  It is just round pellets of ice that hit you in the face at high speeds in the wind.  Second of all, you can't even tell if it is "still snowing" or if the wind is just flinging about snow that already fell.  And third of all, it immediately turns to ice that I HATE driving on... and I have driven on snow my whole life. 

With that said, the kids were ecstatic.

So, I diligently geared them up to head outside.  Last year I was lucky and GQ started sobbing within 5 minutes and we "had" to come inside (since we don't have a fenced yard and the girls don't play outside without me).  This year, GQ loved it as much as them, and I eventually had to brave a mutiny by calling them inside because my own fingers were falling off after I took my gloves off to take pictures.

They didn't seem to mind the wind or plummeting temperatures.  I am just a wimp, I guess.

Be Like Daddy

GQ found an old mouse in the play area and brought it up so he could do his work like Dad.  He also likes to knock on the office door and demand some "football" or "basketball" viewing.

Closed for the Season?

Last week we decided to get some ice cream and meet Daddy for a mid-day date at school.  Down we headed to Sonic, because you can get $1 ice creams there for the kiddoes.  And what did we find?  A sign that said "Closed for the Season."  Closed for the Season????????  Like we live in Alaska or Yellowstone or something?  It's not like Sonic doesn't sell hamburgers and fries, you know.  And it's not like a college town doesn't have lots of college students living there during the Winter.  I don't get this "Closed for the Season" business.  And since we have so few restaurants worth stopping at anyway... I found this to be particularly pathetic.

So, we went to Dairy Queen.  Their sign said "Open Today".  Does that mean that somedays it's not open, and that they just announce it each morning????? Crazy people!

But the kids did enjoy the date with Daddy.  (E came because she had thrown up within the last 24 hours and while she was better, she wasn't at school.)

Oh the cleverness of me!

This last week I had a great moment. It was one of those triumphant multi-tasking days when so many items are masterfully checked off your list. Unlike those "other" days where you're not quite sure what - if anything - was done during the day. It was time to go get E at school. I got M and GQ in the car, and decided to get the mail on the way. Wouldn't want to do one thing when two were an option, you know?

And it was at this moment:

when I needed to pick E up within 15 minutes...
when I needed to teach another ballet class within the hour...

that I locked myself out of the car...

... at the mailbox, in the middle of the road, with no phone, and two children buckled securely in their car seats.

TALENT!!

First, I tried to coach M on how to break out of her car seat. Trouble maker, yes. Escape artist, no. Then, I had to go off in search of a phone from a random neighbor while my kids sat in the middle of the road. That's a safe one. With limited phone numbers available to me I called a friend who needed to get to the airport herself, and got E picked up. Meanwhile Justin's office mate got the lucky job of leaving school and driving him to our rescue.

So, yes, oh the cleverness of me.

Up to no good...

Being tickled by Daddy:

Triumphant with his toothbrush:

(The girls got electric toothbrushes in their stockings, GQ did not.  The girls wouldn't use theirs because they were scared, GQ was traumatized he didn't have one.  So, at WalMart we picked up a $5 train brush.  It is now on the fridge because he won't leave it in the drawer and he takes it around the house brushing his teeth, the carpet, his teeth, the wall, his teeth, the garbage can lid.  Oh, but he loves it!)

Watching Daddy play a racing game on the iPad:

Birthday Party

The kids in their "princess" outfits before the "princess party."  We're glad GQ has transitioned to Buzz, yes, with a bat.

The party girls:  (Unfortunately, late that night M and GQ threw up in their beds, so I'm pretty sure we infected everyone.  Thanks for coming to the party!  We thought we'd send you home with a little something!)

Making crowns:

Eating cupcakes:

I have no pinata pictures, becuase I was on video camera duty.  Eventually Justin just had to break it because we weren't getting very far with these little girlies (and little boy).  Although that Ella does have a mean swing!  You can tell her brother's been working with her on it.

Finished Crowns:

Thanks for coming everyone!  Sorry we made people sick!

Candyland... not a game for the weary....

Usually, I am not ready for my babies to come out.

I am just not one of those people impatiently counting the days down.  I am excited.  I like to imagine the baby.  I am ready to meet the baby, and hug it, and smell it.

But I am okay with it taking a few weeks longer.  I am okay with it not being quite time.

Because babies are harder when they come out.  They need to eat, they need to be changed, they cry and whine and moan.  They throw-up and poop and cause all sorts of awkward situations.

Besides, they have to - you know - actually come out.  And that is not all fun and sport either.

Nor is the exhaustion, hunger, and hormone delirium that comes with it.  (I don't like other people after 7:00 pm for about a month after I've had a baby.  Except maybe Justin.  On a good day.)

So, usually, I am just fine waiting for baby to come.  10 months... as I prefer to see it... is good with me.

This time, however, I am ready for baby to come out.

I have pretty much been pregnant with this little tyke for 15 months now.  With a brief "Candyland" hiatus in the middle where I got sent back to the beginning of the board game.

Seriously???? Does anyone like "Candyland"?  And isn't it for that very reason???  That game can last FOREVER.

FOR - EV - ER.

And February?  February seems very far away.

So, now I understand all those mommies who get sick of being pregnant at the end.  Still a month and a half to go.

Of course, they are cute when they come out:

Birthday Girl

This year I think we actually pulled off a real birthday for M.  Not only did she get real presents (not leftover Christmas ones), she also got a real cake (not an ugly blue cake I made from a box), and a real birthday party.  Holy Canasta!  Well, it was her golden birthday: 4 on the 4th, so I'm glad we pulled off something.

M wanted a "Strawberry Cake."  Rather than buy the box mix, I made a real strawberry cake.  Justin liked it a lot.  M was very happy watching me make it, was very happy it existed, took two bites and said she was full. (She did like the box mix cupcakes we had later in the week for her birthday party).

Opening grandparent gifts and cards.  Thanks for all your love!

Blowing out candles on the birthday cake:

All M ever asked for was a "Princess Computer."  And she was very specific that she wanted it for her birthday, NOT for Christmas.  So, she was very happy to see that it showed up.  Here is Daddy helping her figure it out:

Letting GQ have a turn:

We love our 4 year old so much!  I can't believe she's already that old.