Sibling Expressions

Oliver: "I can't learn to read if Cecily does her reading lesson first".

Oliver: "I don't like Cecily when she gets to do her reading lesson first, it makes my heart brake apart". 

Merry Christmas Mommy!

So this is the gift that the kids picked out for me on a Christmas shopping trip with John. John relayed the following to me:

In the car . . .

John: What kind of present do you think Mommy would like?

Oliver: A heart!

John: Why a heart?

Oliver: Because Mommy loves everyone  and we love her!

At TJMaxx, according to John, Oliver saw the heart and said "that's it!" excitedly. He and Cecily were so excited to give me their gift. And I don't know if they will ever really top it either! 

Home Making

Staying home during the day may cause us some serious cabin fever but one benefit has been the yummy breakfasts that I've had the time to make. We tried out a challah recipe and made some French toast and smoothies. Oliver didn't like the dark parts of the French toast and Cecily seemed to prefer the French toast over the smoothie. 

Pregnancy Update

Had to go to the hospital last Saturday, per the on call Doc's opinion. Luckily my water was not broken but I was having contractions every three minutes or so. They don't seem to be as consistent as that evening, but it was interesting to confirm what I was feeling with the medical equipment. I was surprised that the nurse said it would be okay and to just check in with my OB at my next appointment. In any case I thought it was a detail of this pregnancy that I wouldn't want to forget. Other symptoms that I'd like to remember include: 

• Extremely emotional - more than I have ever been in my life. Luckily I feel like I've evened out a bit, but the first two semesters were like a roller coaster!

• This little guy is very active, so much so that I can't figure out how a body can move in such ways. I even verified with my obstetrician that too much movement wasn't a negative sign of something. And at my last appointment the nurse had a hard time (5 minutes of chasing) taking a heart beat because he was moving so much. Not sure what this means for when he's outside the womb!

• I've had general heartburn with my past pregnancies but this time it is specifically chocolate. 

The Little Things

It can be easy to overlook a lot of the wonderful things that happen each day. But today I was lucky enough to sit down and realize how much I enjoy Oliver and Cecily. 

Since we had such a busy day today from playing chauffeur, play dates, doctor appointments, to shopping trips the kids held up really well on little sleep and no snack time. 

Tonight, half way through dinner Cecily was ready for bed. No games or manipulation, just an "I'm tired" and a "yeeeeaaah, I wanna go to bed". Right on schedule too, as dinner was running a bit behind. 

After prepping her for bed she wanted to just chat. So she told me all about Princess Amber from Sophia and how she was dirty and didn't want to take a bath and how Prince James made her messy. Intermittently she would request another shadow puppet and get a total kick out of it (I think she just figured out  shadows)! 

And she gives the sweetest hugs. Pulling you in by the neck, she doesn't mind her face in your hair. She'll smooth it down like the natural nurturer that she is and then wait for you to hum because it tickles. 

I don't think I could have imagined a combination of such sweet, mischievous, clever, and kind attributes in a little girl. 

Cecily Update

Nursery Leaders have told us that she pays attention to detail and always notices the jewelry that the Sisters are wearing. 

We've also been told that she "thinks differently" and enjoys to figure out how things work. 

She still enjoys eating and has a long attention span for a good story or movie. 

She's a quick destroyer - moving swiftly from one project to another without hesitation. Three minutes in her hands is an eternity and makes you wonder if premeditation was involved as it must have been to work so quickly. Smash and grab is a technique with this one.

Thanks to the encouragement of others her shyness has abated and will generously give all in a familiar place a wave and a hello. 

She's still a cuddle bug, a Mommy's girl, and now thankfully a Daddy's girl too. She knows she can always go to Daddy for a hug and a tickle. 

Primary With Oliver

Today Oliver's primary teacher Sister Wilkinsen said they were speaking about how each person is unique and asked all the CTR4 students the color their eyes. And Oliver purportedly responded that his were "fire-red"! 

His other primary teacher Sister Pike mentioned the following in an email,

"I thought I would share this with you what Oliver said in class last Sunday.   Class was over and I can’t remember what I was saying to him but I was close up to his face and when he walked away he said “when you are stinky you take a bath”.   At first it didn’t register but then I thought maybe it was my breath so I called him back and said that when someone fasts they may have bad breath.  He looked at me and repeated “when you stink you take a bath”.  I love it and thought maybe you would like to add that to the list of things he says and does!"

And it seems that during primary Oliver will start singing on his own, without any provocation, and no accompaniment. And that he will also choose to stand and sing a completely different song than the one practiced by all the other kids during singing-time.