Josh, 11 months

• Has taken first steps
• Loves walking around furniture and pushing the walking toy
• Waves
• Signs for "fan"and "all done"'
• Has actually slept through the night (three times to date- 5am wake ups, but hey that's progress in our books)
• Loves eating anything and everything, has discovered that he really likes ice cream
• Claps
• Favorite game is peek-a-boo
• Enjoys swimming lessons and his happy to go under the water
• Sticks his tongue out when he concentrates, just like his dad
• Is very much on the go-go-go
• Idolizes his big brother
• Would happily sit in the plastic car for hours (okay, maybe not hours, but he sure loves the car)
• Enjoys reading books, especially ones with tractors and machines
• Loves pushing any toy with wheels
  

Thanksgiving

Celebrating an American holiday in a different country is always going to a bit weird. The grocery store was surprisingly calm, no fighting over the last of the stuffing or remaining frozen turkey. Everyone else went about their day as if nothing was going on. We ate our Thanksgiving dinner outside under sun umbrellas and marvelled at the intense heat.

Dan and I were so thankful to have the opportunity to be able to celebrate the holiday with family (my mom, his mom and my mother's cousin and his family). While we often talk about the food, we both feel that Thanksgiving is really about the family. Ben said his favorite part of the day was dessert.

Sticky Fingers

Mat Time

Ben and his friends Analise and Kyle Milar having "mat time"in our living room.

9 days

Dan spent the last 9 days on a Leadership Outward Bound course here in New Zealand. In the last week I've learned a few key survival skills on how to manage a household and two small children on my own.

• The housework will never go away, so stop stressing about it (I still stressed about it, but on more then one night I left everything a mess and just went to bed)
• Exercise will keep you sane, be creative if you're stuck inside w/ sick children on a rainy day (I rode the bike on the wind trainer two mornings)
• Accept all social invitations, especially those that involve food or alcohol (we went to 3 birthday parties, several play dates, a coffee date and 2 dinner dates)
• Hire a babysitter to do at least on thing for you (I went to my Latin Dance class and learned that someone else really could put Josh to bed)
• Accept that things aren't going to go as planned (Ben got an ear infection and everything fell apart)
• Make a list of things that you're thankful for and spend at least several minutes every night watching your children peaceful sleep (this is probably the best way to help forgive whatever behavior they're going to throw you later in the night, i.e. Josh screaming for two straight hours)

Sweet Dreams

Why I love my children

On mornings like today, where I struggle to get out of bed, after being woken up four times during the course of the night, I have to concentrate really hard on the positives. I have to look past last night's dishes I decided to ignore earlier, I have to look past the sea of spilt cereal all over the floor that seems to migrating into the strangest places (my bed for instance). I have to take deep breaths as a screaming 9 month old climbs up my legs as I try to go pee first thing in the morning and then successfully pulls down my pants when I'm done. I have look outside and see that the sun is shining and my children are happy and healthy and that really, the housework will get done eventually... and that someday I really will get some sleep. I have to think, hey we already survived the puking tummy bug this week and the mountain of laundry that results from everyone throwing up at the same time. I look at these gorgeous smiling faces and know that all this hard work is worth it....