Thanksgiving

We had a very mellow Thanksgiving this year. It gave us some time to be together as a family and enjoy some down time. We are used to big Thanksgiving meals with lots of family, (ours or someone elses) so this year was particularly quiet - just my parents and my mom's friend Barbara. Still, the meal was great and we had a new little one to be thankful for.
My boys are so photogenic!



Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever!

Family Time this Week

Hangin Out (Daniel wanted to see what was on this 4 1/2 ft. high counter)

Helping Daddy Work


Pretty Lynx at the Zoo


Abby looks pretty funny in that hat!


Daddy Snuggly Time

Third Week of Abby

We are all still here.
Jason had a road trip so I spent the day with my parents. When he got home, he decided that it would be best to stay there for the night because he couldn't bring himself to get back in the car.

Here is Grandpop holding Abby - they had a good talk

We are all happy to have Daddy home!.

Potty Training

Daniel seemed to want to start potty training shortly after Christmas last year but I was still working and couldn't work with him on it so that passed. Now it seems that he's about ready to start again. He has gone poop on the potty at least one time a day in the past four days (but still doesn't make it for each poop). The purpose of this post however, is not to praise his efforts but to share the joyous experiences of his pottying this week.

Saturday, Jason left me alone with the two kids for the first time since we brought Abigail home. He was gone less than an hour but that was enough. Abby woke up and wanted to eat so I was feeding her and Daniel was playing. Daniel disappeared into my bedroom and when I went to check on him a minute or two later, his pants were off, his poopy diaper was coming off, and there was poop on the bathroom floor. He wanted to see his poop in the toilet so he dunked the diaper in the toilet and dripped toilet water all over the floor as well. (I have a baby attached to me still so am not able to move as quickly as necessary!) I had to clean him up, scrub the bathroom floor, get him in a new diaper, and keep the dog from licking the cleaning solution all while Abby screamed bloody murder from her bouncy seat.

Monday afternoon I put Daniel down for his nap and went to rescue and feed the screamer. I heard Daniel talking to himself on the monitor so I thought he was reading to himself - boy was I wrong. My mom was working on painting the nursery and heard some noises above her head that didn't sound right so she went up to check on him. He had knocked down the gate I had blocking off the bathroom and was once again, pants and diaper free. She didn't have time to assess the damage, just worked on getting Daniel cleaned up and back in bed. When I went up later that afternoon to wake him, I saw poop smeared all over the little toilet - not just the seat either, we're talking the whole back and arms as well. There was poop on the floor, on the step stool that was next to the toilet, and smeared on a roll of paper towels that was unrolled on the floor next to the toilet.

I don't know how we'll get through this! I like things to be orderly and clean. I guess God promises he won't give us more than we can handle. . .

Staying Busy

While Kat tries to heal from the C-section and deal with a new, and demanding, little girl, Kat's Mom has been a kind of live in helper for their first two weeks at home. She comes out almost every day of the week to help with chores and to keep Daniel busy (and therefore out of trouble!). We have been to the park, bible study, the Children's Lake, and next door playing with the neighborhood kids.
Mom has taken him to library time too on Wednesdays. He is very good there - absorbed by the stories and participates well with the songs and nursery rhymes. After the story time they let the kids loose to play for half an hour with all kinds of toys. Kat has enjoyed the quite time at home while they are gone!

Home with Abby

Daniel loves his sister. He wants to hold her, hug her, and love on her as much as he is allowed! He even talks to her in a soft "baby" voice that I have never heard him use before. Here they are on the second day at home - the first time I let him sit and hold her (with assistance - he doesn't quite get the need to hold her head for her). Just look at his adoring face.

Yard Work

Daniel loves to help Jason with the yard work. I love to watch them work together. So cute!
We lost a bunch of tree branches in the snow storm so they had a bunch of leaves and twigs to sort out.

Sometimes he likes to push his own little mower while daddy pushes his. Other times, he has to be the one doing the real work - as long as he has ear muffs on so it isn't too loud.

Trick or Treat

Kat's parents came out on Halloween to take Daniel Trick or Treating. He looked so adorable in his lion costume. Apparently he roared for our neighbors and charmed everyone! He even helped our neighbors hand out candy to other trick or treaters. He's just so cute!