Sweetness

I am just popping in to say I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few days, and that it will be at least another day or two before I do. This has been the most exhausting week of my life, due mostly to physical stress, and I just couldn't imagine stopping to chitchat about it.

Please forgive me, and I will try to make it up to you with lots of photos. But I make blog promises all the time that I just don't stick to, so...

Leaps and Bounds!

Okay, so it's just a stair. It's an extra big deal around here. I was taken totally off guard, and the boys are so tickled to see their baby sister doing something neat and new.

I was upstairs with the boys last night, getting the bath for the three of them ready. As I came around the landing, my heart leaped with joy and fear. I couldn't resist getting a shot or two, so Popo came and protected her while I snapped away. We discussed that the gate would have to go back up. I guess I'll just have to teach them how to open it.

Popo's strange expression is a new look he's trying out for photos. He got it from his brother. It's actually a cute squinty-face, but he was tired of holding it for shots, and this is what it eroded into.

(And okay, yes, her diaper is full and hanging off, and Bubby's pants are almost off. Preparing bath, remember?)

Some more practice today...

Homey

Today was a sweet, homey day. After church, lunch, and nap, we hung out at home and it was nice and cozy. We made some fall and winter trees (which did wear my patience thin - we're so working on the glue concept), followed by at least an hour of Play-Doh time. I actually got to make a real dinner, even though I didn't think I was up for it. Then we played, snuggled, and watched TV into the night. Sigh.

My poor husband barely got fed any real meals at our house the whole month he was home. We were either on the go, tired, or surprised to find we were missing an ingredient or two. Sorry, babe. The tomato soup chicken tonight was really good, and we thought of you. The boys actually voluntarily tried a bite, knowing that's the routine now. Since that's going so well, I think I might bump up the amount they are "forced" to eat. They never seem to mind the food, it's just a psychological thing. Hopefully I can wean them off of it. (Right.)

So, Play-Doh seems to be our hit toy/activity for now. They can sit there, next to each other, and create away. They make up stories of what they've made, where that creature or person is going, and what untimely death it inevitably meets. They swap cookie cutters and knives and have their creations battle wars. I was totally in awe at the power of the Play-Doh today. May it reign for a long time.

Bubby, as he cut out a cookie cutter heart shape: "Mommy, I'm making a heart, see? To make all the people happy!"

Oh wow, I totally forgot about yesterday. That was also a sweet hangout day. At one point I decided to let the kids have at tearing up a magazine that we have grown to hate and are cancelling our free subscription of. Bubby kept eying me to make sure it was for real and I wasn't about to freak out at them. And proper Popo took a little while to get into it. But get into it they did, and it was a blast. I love how at this age, it's just as fun to help clean up as it is to make the mess.

Enjoying a snack together. Sitting on the stairs together is their new favorite thing.

In the evening I loaded up a YouTube playlist of all the Swedish Chef clips and listened to them cackle away. Baby Bear was amused by their amusement for a little bit, then kept exploring.

She had a rough night. I put her to bed slightly early because she was so exhausted. She changed her mind an hour or so later, just as I thought about bragging on Facebook about my early bedtime. I tried a few times to put her back to bed, only to rescue her from drowning in the snot and tears a few minutes later. So she snacked and played on my bed until almost 11. It was a really sweet time though.

And We're Off!

Okay, so today was the day. Daddy left us for 45 more days. We are both relieved this day is finally over. It's been an emotional, exhausting two weeks he's been home with us from work. Don't get me wrong, it's been wonderful. We've just been hitting that to-do list pretty hard, and you just get tired of trying not to think ahead to that big day.

I'm planning on diving in with the Christmas stuff big time with the boys pretty soon. The house is all decorated already, and we've been listening to Christmas music. That was all part of maximizing on Daddy's time here. But we have big plans to make a gingerbread house and some treats for our friends, and making our own decorations and stuff. Can't wait.

First, I thought I'd work in some "study" on seasons. I figure it's a good time, since things are finally really starting to change around here, and I can squeeze it in before the big Christmas stuff. I got a ton of cute books on seasons at the library and have found some neato projects to do with them to help them get the differences.

So as far as that stuff goes - my days home with the boys - I'm looking forward to getting back to "normal". (It's funny, I said that today and Brandon and I realized how weird it is that at this point, "normal" means when he's not here. You know, since he hasn't been home as long has he's been away in a while.)

And I'm pretty psyched about where the boys are right now. They seem to have come out of a little season of observation, in which they just sponge up everything going on around them, without as many new skills demonstrated. I knew throughout that time that that was what they were doing, and I was fine with that. But I'm so excited that they are in a mode of trying new things again. So I've stepped up my conversations with them. When they ask questions, I explain things a little more deeply than before. And I am challenging them with more interesting questions. It's so stinking fun!

Speaking of new skills, I was so floored by one we discovered today. The boys helped me make some pictures and stuff for Daddy to open on his trip. As always, I spelled their names out loud as I wrote them on their papers. Out of nowhere, Bubby was spelling ahead of me. I let him go with it and he did his whole name by himself. I jumped and shouted in glee, and he was so proud! Then, of course, Popo wanted to try. He didn't remember as smoothly, but he caught on as we kept going. So I drove them crazy having them help me spell their names on everything in sight all afternoon. We had so much fun!

Hard at work on our projects today

Some sweet memories Brandon and I wanted to be sure to remember from their time today playing with Play-Doh:

Popo made an L with his and was asking what L was for. Another mini lesson in phonemics (letter sounds) and lions followed. We are doing lots of those mini lessons these days. ("L says 'luh'. Luh, Lion")

Then Bubby took his white Doh and wadded it up in a ball, then made a lump on top. "I made God, Mommy." "You made God?" "Yeah. Riding in a teacup. Whee!" as he rolled it around the table.

Play-Doh action shots

Baby Bear got some super cute new hairclips in the mail today and she and I are both very excited about them! Can't you tell?

Getting ready to see Daddy off

Getting ready for bed tonight in our new bear pj's that Daddy hasn't seen us in yet. We also love these, obviously.

Toys are fun

If you're on Facebook with me, you've already seen these photos. I just can't stop playing with them.

We took the kids to the park today. We took over 200 photos while playing and frolicking. With my super fantastic new camera my sweet Brandonian got me for Christmas.

Hopefully this is the beginning of lots more posts chock-full of fabulous photos. Brandon will be leaving again in 4 days.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are very overwhelmed this week with thankfulness to the Lord for the wonderful life He's blessed us with. Not only do we get to be with Him every day, talk with Him, be held close by Him, and live with Him forever, He has given us too much to enjoy while we're here. God is good, people. God is good.

We had a wonderful holiday with our families. It was so perfect, even with splitting our time among three homes: ours, my parents', and Brandon's parents'. All the kids were well behaved, everyone was in good spirits, and all the food was amazing.

Our only issue was that the boys were pretty pooped all day from a nonstop fever that started last night. This seems to be the same flair up they've had twice in six months already. Odds are that the fevers will subside tomorrow, to be followed in two or three days by a bumpy rash all over. If this turns out to be the same thing, they are definitely visiting the doctor.

Before we left this morning, we made some adorable turkey place cards for everyone eating at my mom's house, where we had our big meal. We traced the boys's hands for most of the adults (one of mine for the odd-numbered extra adult), and Baby Bear's for her and cousin Mady. We managed to completely forget to make some for the boys themselves, so Daddy whipped up some copies just before we ate.  (Baby Bear's looks a little mangled because it accidentally got wadded up and trashed for a little bit before I panicked and found it.)

They have a new kitten of unknown gender, currently going by the name of "Kitty kitty". Cute, but causes all the Lingles to have allergy issues.

Cute kids posing for the camera as they "ate" dinner, and other fun goings on.

Then we headed to Brandon's fam's house for dessert and more fun. Rock Band, kids, Spongebob, and games were enjoyed. Okay, we had the kids vegg out while we played Pictionary. I feel bad. (And they don't necessarily look like they're enjoying the show, but trust me, they did.)