A "big" snow

It snowed pretty much all day yesterday and all night last night. It's definitely the most snow we've had in the boys lifetime despite only being about 1 - 1.5". This morning everything is white but yesterday it was really only sticking on the grass and trees. We took the boys out to play in it a couple of times yesterday. They really liked being out there and looking at all the snowflakes but they wouldn't really get their mittened hands in it. Nonetheless daddy made them a small snowman (read less than 1.5 feet) and since Jack kept insisting - cleaned off the slide and let each of them go down a couple of times. Overall it was a big hit.

Elmo makes music

On Sunday we went to Chattanooga to see Elmo Live! The boys were excited to see the "real" Elmo as daddy kept telling them but I don't think they really understood until the show started. They loved it and did better than I could have ever imagined. They were completely enthralled. Mostly they watched wide-eyed, clapping and dancing just a little. They remembered the letter and number of the day and were able to tell daddy afterward. By far their favorite part was when all the characters sang the alphabet song. I wish I could have captured the look on their faces when they started to sing. Pure elation! We went with a big crew of the Chattanooga relatives but need to really thank Mimi for getting the tickets and arranging the whole thing.

Post-Christmas/New Years post

Our Christmas was great and a lot of fun with the boys. They were really into opening presents for about the first 3, then they just wanted to play with those rather than open the others. They got lots and lots of great stuff and have been busy figuring it all out/taking it apart ever since. Santa brought them a Gator power-wheels type car. It was a big hit and on the few non-raining days we've had since then you can catch them driving in circles around the driveway. They don't really get the whole steering part yet but they haven't really hit anything so that's a plus.

In general news Charlie is now talking non-stop. He is very into animals and colors. At least once a day he gets out and lines up the 50 or so animal figurines we have naming each one as he does. Jack is still very into his ABC's and has taken to calling it the "alphtibet". He is also very into playing basketball and singing. My current favorite saying around here is "Looks like a soccer ball but it's a bead" referring to a black and white spotted stringing bead they got for Christmas. There is just something about the way Jack says "but it's a beeeadd" that is just too funny. They are both getting pretty good with their French. Both can count to 20 and say several short phrases. I'm going to have to brush up a little myself as they seem to know that I'm not that great at it and mostly speak it with Meredif (as they call her). Charlie seems to be about ready for potty training (Jack shows no interest) so I'm readying myself to start that soon. They have to be trained to start preschool in August so that gives me several months. It would be great if I could get at least one of them trained before the baby comes but I'm not holding my breath.

Hurray for baby boys

A couple of weeks ago we found out that Jack and Charlie will be getting a baby brother in April. They are excited and we talk about him a lot. They can tell you his name and that he will be coming in the spring. A couple of days ago we found out that our sweet godchild Caroline will also be getting a baby brother in April. It will be fun to have these two new little boys grow up together (they are due on the same day). I'm sure Caroline will do a great job of keeping all 4 boys in line on our vacations!

Crumby weather = Early Christmas gifts

The weather here has not only been pretty cold (for Tennessee in December) but also very rainy. We have bundled up on the couple days when it didn't rain to venture outside but we're all getting cabin fever. Enter the Christmas gifts. Last week I decided to give them one of the toys I had ordered called "Fun with Fruit". It's fake fruit that velcros together and you can "cut" it with a fake chef's knife. They played with it non-stop for about two hours. It's been a very big hit.

Yesterday they got a work bench from Poppa. If "Fun with Fruit" was a hit, then this is the best gift ever. Not only did they both run right for it yesterday but they have been playing with it for well over an hour and there have been no fights. They actually seem to be taking turns standing in front and working while the other "talks" on the phone or picks up dropped pieces from the floor. If you know a two-year-old boy for whom you still need a gift I'd seriously consider this.

SANTA!

So we decided that the line was too long at Saturday's outing to wait to see Santa. Instead we went to the mall yesterday morning. It was great timing. There was no one in line - the picture guy was reading the paper. I thought it would probably go pretty well as they are really getting into the idea of Christmas. I bought them an Elmo movie about Christmas and they ask to watch it everyday at least once. Also my mom got them a Little People Nativity set and they have played with it almost non-stop. The stable plays "Away in a Manger" and the star lights up at the push of a button. As with any button prompted action this is a big hit. We've also started our advent calendar and while I'm sure they don't really get it they like to watch me move the elf and say "Merry Kissmes" each morning. Anyway, Jack must have thought that Santa didn't know his alphabet and so recited it for him several times. Santa was nice enough to sing along at least once. Charlie didn't have much to say but did give Santa several fives and sat very nicely during the whole thing. That was a feat in itself for Charlie who rarely stops moving. They took about 5 shots before the boys started trying to get down. I thought this one was pretty good.

Updates

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. We stayed in k-town and celebrated at my mom's house with the whole clan. The boys ran circles around the house all day and were asking "Bed?" and "Let's take a nap?" by 5:30. We managed to make it a little closer to bed time but they were exhausted. Charlie capped the evening off in typical 2-year-old fashion by laying himself out in the floor and crying (who knows why). They also really took an interest in playing the piano and were not too bad about banging on it.

On Friday we put up our tree and they tried to help some. Jack gave up pretty quickly in favor of entertaining us but Charlie hung in there. He would ferry ornaments between Chip and I. After we were finished he kept trying to take them off again. We're working on that. Jack loves to walk up and hit them to watch the lights reflect in different directions. Charlie keeps trying to eat one that looks like a watermelon slice, it's glass and covered in glitter so we're trying to discourage that.

On Saturday we went to a Christmas tree show for charity. It's held every year and different groups around town decorate and donate trees to be sold. They also have live entertainment and tons of children's activities. The boys loved seeing all the lights, got a hug from a polar bear, and rode the carousel. I wasn't sure how they would do with the carousel since our last experience was mixed at best but they both requested a ride and did well. We did it last since I was unsure if they'd go for it. That turned out to be a mistake since Charlie asked to ride the horsey again but we needed to leave. He cried. Next year we'll have to spend more time there. It was hard to take good pictures since we were also trying to hold them on the horses but at least we got some.