Update

Things here have been frenetic for the last few months. In the last 6 1/2 weeks, Alex had three conferences (he alternated being gone for a week and then being here for a week - repeat times three), then I had a workshop in Iowa for four days, and then (within 24 hours) we flew the family to California for Thanksgiving! During this time, I tried to wean Kiana for my workshop, ended up not having that work out, but survived my workshop anyway (Kiana had no problem while I was gone). At this point, we are actually going to be home for the next six weeks solid, which feels like an amazingly long time in comparison!



Here's an update post before another one coming on Thanksgiving. I think I may have to switch over to blog posts every couple of weeks, or maybe just post pictures some weeks, or somehow manage my time on this blog - we'll have to see!


AIDAN
- Has been loving the songs he sings at pre-K. Here is an example:
Did you ever see a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin
Did you ever see a pumpkin - with no EYES at all?
With no eyes and no nose and no mouth and no teeth
Did you ever see a pumpkin with no eyes at all?

So, I made a jack-o-lantern, with a big happy face
With two eyes and one nose and one mouth and big teeth
So, I made a jack-o-lantern with a big happy face!"
(Tune: "The more we get together")
- Has been getting really into sports on TV with Daddy. He always roots for the team with more points (this means his favorite changes during the course of each game)! He is really also paying attention to the rules of the game! A couple of weeks ago, he was watching football on TV with Daddy, and out of the blue told him: "It's not fair when one team tackles the guy because you have to give him a chance to catch the ball!" (No pass interference!)
- Told us that "I am a scientist!" (just like Daddy!) This followed up on a series of conversations about how paying attention to our world and asking questions is a good thing to do, and that Daddy does it as work, but everyone in the world can do it in their own ways as well.
- Has been loving the stories about Tydo and Cassi that I have been making up for him (cousins on an adventure into space and then into the land of talking dinosaurs, so far).
- Finished up his most recent round of soccer school, and has decided that he wants to try something new next time. We are looking into baseball school, among other options. He has loved soccer, and this season scored most of the goals, and had a good time, but we are looking forward to doing something different for a while.



KIANA
- Continues to grow and thrive! She loves dancing, especially jumping (with both feet off the floor!) and doing a "ho down" style of dance. She loves school, where one of her teachers, Dana, raves about how she sits in "class" and loves participating in the sign/song and story time. She is super-drop-off girl, too: Alex usually gives her a kiss at the door now, and she runs happily off without any crying or drama - it's amazing!
- Has been teaching her dolls sign language ("thank you" and "more")! Is also working on her own words. She says that cats say "ya, ya, ya, ya" (the second part of the "me-ow"!), said "nana" (for "banana") for the first time at Thanksgiving, and loves growling and pretending to be a lion!
- Has her own way of eating Oreos at dessert time: she twists them apart and licks the center filling out!
- Really wants to sit on the potty, like everyone else in the house: she tries to take off her pants and diaper (she is getting terribly good at this!) and climb up on the potty, and will just sit there, waiting (without anything happening) for 5 minutes while I hold her, being proud of herself and waiting for something amazing to happen. (!)
- Has dealt with a lot recently: she has one molar that has come through and is also working on three others as well as her canine teeth, has had a series of colds, and went through almost being weaned and then going back to nursing full force following my Iowa workshop. Despite everything, she has also transferred from sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's room to Aidan's room (on the bottom bunk)! This transition has gone incredibly well, actually, and everyone is sleeping better with the new arrangement.