This morning, Nicholas decided he wanted to give me a few friendly pushes down the stairs. We were both sitting on the stairs at the time. He would push, and I would go down one step on my bottom. We did this until we came to the end of the stairs and I stood up. I heard Nicholas say from behind me, “You have a big bottom, Mommy.” My reply:”Well, your daddy likes my big bottom” to which Nicholas responded “Hmmm, so do I. I like your big bottom too.”

I’m not sure what to think about that compliment. I like the sentiment but I think Joel has some work cut out for him, teaching the boys how to walk the fine line of compliments.

OK, so the boys still don’t know that they can get out of bed at night without mommy and daddy being in the room.  At first, Joel and I thought this was a blessing.  Now, we are not too sure.  I’m starting to think we will never be done with listening to the baby monitor.  There have also been many nights when I would have preferred to stay in my own bed without getting up in order to let Dexter or Nicholas know that it was ok to get out of the bed in order to find their cups of water.

Two nights after Joel’s arm surgery, the urgent call for mommy was heard over the monitor.  This one was actually urgent, which made me believe that Nicky had wet the bed again.  I stumbled into their room to find Nicky crying and sitting up in bed.  What’s wrong, I asked.  Nicky looked at me, grabbed one had with the other hand and said “My hand is gone.  I can’t feel my hand.”  Nicholas had just discovered what it felt like to have your hand fall asleep.  ”Oh Nicholas, it will be ok.  Your hand just fell asleep.  Let’s move it around to let the blood start flowing again.  You’ll feel some pin pricks as it wakes up, but it will be ok.”  The worried look left his face.  After a minute, I asked him if he wanted to go back asleep and he said yes.

Coincidence or not?  As Joel’s arm as improved, Nicholas has not complained of this phenomenon again.

On our last day of Christmas Break, at around 6:30pm the lights went out just as we heard a loud boom, they blinked back on, and then went off again with another boom.  The trees were whipping back and forth in the wind, and despite the buried power lines in our subdivision, enough of our grid is above ground that we’re still vulnerable.  We were downstairs playing with the boys at the time.  Their immediate reaction was to yell at us for turning out the lights.  We have a few nightlights that function as emergency lights, so I ran to grab those as Katie sat with the boys to keep them calm.  The boys ran over and tried the light switch several times, and then told me to fix it because it was broken.  <sigh>

After a few minutes we found a small collection of flashlights and a couple of lanterns.  One was a small child-friendly lantern (i.e., not particularly fragile), and another was a normal small camping lantern.  Guess which one Dexter screamed for?  He promised to be careful.  And in his defense, he was.  It lasted 30 seconds before he dropped it and broke it.

In the meantime I’d gone rummaging for more of our light-producing supplies.  Katie had grabbed our two big flashlights, but one was dead, so she said, “excuse me, I’ll be right back, I’m just going to go set this one to charging.”  Yup, still blonde, God bless her.  I went out to the garage and found the two mini-flashlights the boys got during our first trip to Michigan.  They’re very weak, but have little caps you put over them that project an image onto the wall, all from the Cars movie.  I also found two light sticks I’d bought as stocking stuffers a year or two ago.  So, we started playing by flashlight and glow stick.

Katie went upstairs to turn off a beeping monitor, and had entirely forgotten that Laura was there, only to jump and scream when she came across Laura standing quietly in Malina’s doorway.  Malina was out at the gym at the time.

We played with the flashlights for a while, before starting to get ready for bed.  The boys had been a little grumpy at first, but they were having fun with it after a few minutes.  We read stories by flash light, and then headed up to bed.  Usually there’s a small night light in their room, but since that wasn’t working we left their two glow sticks under their beds.  Now, the boys have a habit of demanding an extra drink of water after we’ve tucked them in, which we try to neutralize by placing their water bottles in their room.  So, whenever the boys want a drink they get out of bed (well, usually they wait in bed shouting our names until we come in and give them permission to get out of bed, no matter how many times we tell them to just get up and get a bloody drink whenever they need one), they walk over to their bookshelf, grab a water bottle, then step around the bookshelf and hold it up to the night light to make sure it’s the right color (i.e., theirs), before taking a drink.  Despite my repeated explanations that the night light wasn’t there, and holding the glow stick up to their water bottles to show them that I had indeed given them the correct bottles, they kept trying to show their water bottles to the outlet and getting really confused.  I’m assuming we had a gas leak that that’s why were weren’t all on the top of our game.

Eventually they went to bed.  Katie and I couldn’t figure out what to do with our time.  Everything on our to-do list requires electricity.  I “almost” just grabbed the laptop to watch a movie before we decided we could just give up and go to bed.  We weren’t sure what to do about Malina, so we put the two emergency nighlights on the stair way, and left one of the flashlights there so she’d see it when she got in.  As we were getting ready for bed I heard her return, and headed back downstairs to explain it to her (and tell her what to do in the morning if we still didn’t have power).  She was very confused, but finally clued in.  She then said that driving back to our house she’d been struck by how dark it was, and thought it amazing just how much brighter everything had been when everyone still had their Christmas Lights going, but now that they were off if it was just so dark!  And it was amazing that everyone turned them off on the same day, and that the street lights had been turned off, too.  Katie grabbed a flashlight and checked, but no, Malina hadn’t turned blonde.

We did a pretty good job shutting down the house.  We couldn’t do much to figure out if the 2-way or 3-way switches were on, but we got most of the rest of the stuff unplugged or turned off.  I heard Dexter flipping the switch on their reading light over and over again.  Fortunately I’d thought to unplug that as well, so when the power came back at 1:30am it didn’t wake them up by turning on their lights.

Not that this is a particularly compelling story, it’s just kind of interesting to see how differently the boys experience things, and how they work through novel experiences.  It’s also a gentle reminder that our emergency supplies are just a little bit lacking.  At least the power was back on by morning, and I didn’t have to deal with three women who couldn’t use a hair dryer, or figure out how to lift a double garage door on a cut-open arm.

First of all, thank you all for your lovely well wishes and gifts.  The boys truly enjoyed their 27 days of Christmas and can’t understand that presents don’t come every day.  You see, Malina is a wonderful German au pair and in German tradition, she made an advent calendar for the boys.  Starting on the December 1^st, the boys got to open one little present a day.  Malina’s mom Elizabeth also sent the boys chocolate advent calendars.  A piece of chocolate and a present a day.  Heaven!

The grandparents, former au pairs and adopted grandparents (Kathy, Carl, and Helen) all came through too lots of gifts. (Carl – thank you for not eating all of my Tim Tams.)  We opened presents with my parents on Christmas Eve and with Laura and Malina Christmas morning.  We skyped with the Michigan grandparents: Loren, Zaidee, Chris and Don on Christmas.  Some more gifts were opened later that day, the boys received their new train table on the 26^th, and then we made the big push to be done with all the gifts on the 27^th because the boys were starting to expect gifts every day.  They are now going through withdrawal and compiling their 2012 Christmas lists.    It’s been a whirl wind of activity and we are just now calming down from it.

Cute stories include the night before Christmas.  The boys were very wound up and I should not have attempted church with them.  They did not want to sit still and the sermon, traditionally very short went on forever.  Dexter could not understand why he sat through church and did not get a donut at the end.  We then went home and after running around like little mad men, we sent them to bed.  Santa doesn’t come if you are awake.  Over the monitor we could hear over and over again “Shhhh – go to sleep.  Santa won’t come if we are awake.”  Followed by, “Mommy!  Nicky said Santa won’t bring me any presents!”  This phrase was traded back and forth for a good 20 minutes.

The next morning, they woke up early and thus it begins.  I remember doing the same to my mom too.  Laura woke up for the opening of stockings and no matter how much Nicholas yelled at Malina to get up, that Santa had come, she fell back asleep.  They wanted to unwrap everyone’s present, that is, until they found a good one and then there weren’t interested in anything else.

Oh Gina, your mom talked me into recommending the WOW toys as gifts for the boys.  She neglected to mention that they sound like jet engines when zoomed over the floor.  Have you found a way to put mufflers on Felix’s truck yet?  If so, please let me know.

All in all, it was a great Christmas.  Please enjoy the picture show.

Oh, and I almost forgot – Malina and Laura put on a German/Aussie Christmas Eve food fest for Ryan, my parents, and us.  It was absolutely fabulous.  You both are welcome to cook anytime.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and fun filled holiday.

Roller coaster ride or not, I am very thankful for my loving family and supportive friends.  This Thanksgiving, we were missing a regular member of the family.  My uncle Dick has been in and out of the hospital for a couple of months and thus could not join us this year.  Participating for the Leoppky side of the family, was my cousin Ann, her husband Robert, and their daughter Keira.  You’ll see a lot of Keira in our photos.  She and the boys played quite well together, although, the boys were not so keen on her throwing their trains, and told us about that.  Also in attendance this year were the regulars, my Aunt Jeannette and Uncle Jon, my Aunt Lora, her son, cousin Scott and wife Susan, and brother Ryan (also known as Uncle Too Tall).  This was Malina’s first Thanksgiving and in typical American tradition, she fell fast asleep on the couch after consuming a turkey meal with all the fixings.  By the way Mom, you outdid yourself again.  Superb meal, even if the boys woke up from their nap right as you called dinner and I had to watch everyone else eat, while drooling in the chair with a sleepy boy on my lap.  Hot or cold, it was really good and seeing family made it perfect.  The best part of the day for the boys was probably the chair races with Uncle Too Tall.  I need to make a copy of their laughter for you all.  You cannot help but smile when it erupts from their belly’s.

This may be the last year that we got out to a tree farm and get a real Christmas tree.  Why, some of you might be asking?  Well, as we prepped the space for the new tree, Joel cleaned up all the old cobwebs left by the spiders from last year’s tree.  He was not too happy about it either.  After grumping along, we were ready.  I gathered the boys and all our cold weather gear.  It was raining and about 34 degrees F outside.  I brought knitted hats and holiday hats.  I brought gloves and snow boots and snow pants.  I even brought snacks, water and the little potty in case we had an accident.  I had it all covered, right?

We head up north to the secret tree farm outside of Arlington.  On go the snow pants, the hats, the gloves, the boots, and the coats.  Wait, where are the boys’ coats?  SH*T, I forgot the coats.  How could I forget the coats?  It’s 34 and rainy.  I look at Joel and Malina with a “I so screwed up” face.  Luckily, Malina reminds me of the spare set of emergency clothes we keep in the van.  AND, I had put them in warm sweaters.  So, we double up on tops and pray for the best.

We get 5 to 10 minutes into hunting for a tree when Nicholas yells, “I’ve got to POOP.”  At least I brought a potty with us.  I grab his hand and start heading back to the van.  Nicky stops.  False alarm.  I look at him and say “Are you sure?”  He reassures me he doesn’t have to poop but I keep watching, just in case.  Now, the misty rain is starting to pick up and the boys have found a somewhat thawed mole hill.  Can you guess what happened next?  Yep, they started chucking mud at each other.  Seriously?  I yell, “stop throwing mud – you don’t have your coats on.”  They don’t listen.  Nicholas gets mud all over his face.  Dexter complains he is getting cold.  We stop looking for the perfect tree and find a tree.  Joel wears the Santa hat because he forgot to bring his.  I can’t be in charge of everyone, can I?  (just a side note – I didn’t “forget”.  My hats, both of them, were lost.  And by “lost”, I mean Katie most likely put them away for me, somewhere I’ll be sure to find them just as soon as it gets cold again…)

Everyone takes a turn at cutting down the tree but me.  The boys love this part.  Joel straps down the tree.  After a mile, we pull over and he straps it down better.  As soon as we get home, both boys run to the potties and poop.  We got lucky.  Joel puts up the tree and about a thousand needles fall from it.  The grumping starts again (seriously, there were thousands of dead needles in there, all stuck to the tree – not dead branches, just dead loose needles, and freeway speeds followed by aggressive shaking outside still leaves a few thousand to vacuum up before the first lights ever go on the tree). I get an instant headache.  Seems that I am allergic to Christmas trees now.  A few spiders appear.  Merry Christmas Joel.

Our house is surrounded by trees and what happens to trees in the fall?  Their leaves fall.  Whose job is it to rake the leaves?  Yep, that’s right.  It’s mine.  Raking happens to hurt Joel’s arms too much, just like mowing makes me sneeze something fierce.  The boys were napping when Joel and I looked outside and noticed it was not raining.  With a big sigh, I headed outside, looking my best.  Just as I got big piles of leaves ready to collect and put in our green bin, who should wake up and want to help mommy?  The best two helpers in the world, that’s who.  They helped me spread that pile of leaves right back over the grass.  Giving up, I helped too, by pouring leaves over them.  It was tons of fun.  I had to wait until they got too cold before I could finish my chore.  How soon before I can hand the raking job over to them?  Two workers are better than one!

Before you read any further, please watch the following video clip.

OK – that you understand the backdrop of this story.  Laura sent us chocolate animals over the past two years which we didn’t have the heart to eat.  Laura was coming to visit for Christmas.  We could not let her see that the marsupials had not been touched.  Thus, it was time to make Road Kill Surprise.  Joel and the boys donned their chef outfits.  In order to cook, one needs to be dressed appropriately.  Dexter accessorized again and wore and engineer cap with his chef’s coat.  That boy knows how to style.

Outfits – check.  Ingredients – check.  Making sure that only the egg, not the shell, goes into the batter – Mom’s job.  Dad was in charge of everything else.  Then came that special moment that made us smile.  “Mommy, Daddy.  Can I lick the bowl?”  asked with a smile from both boys.  “Why yes, you can” was the answer.  So, both Nicholas and Dexter licked the outside of the bowl.  Not once, but twice.  This was not what we were expecting.  And, it has happened now on three other cooking occasions.  Do you think we should clue them in that the good stuff is on the inside of the bowl, not the outside of the bowl?

By this point, you are probably highly encouraging me to get on with it already.  Where are the boys in their costumes?  Without further ado, here they are.

Here you see a sword fight between the fierce Pirate Nicholas and the dreaded alligator Dexter.  Notice if you will, that Dexter is holding the blade of his sword and hitting his nemesis with the handle.

Next we have our trick-or-treaters, Alex the dragon, Dexter the alligator, and Nicky, the ghost pirate.  Alex and his mom Robyn joined us for trick-or-treating.  It was so cute because each had a role to play.  Nicholas would dash from house to house, get it and be gone as soon as humanly possible.  Alex, slightly cautious, would be next up to the door.  Dexter, whose alligator head kept falling over his face, would lollygag down the street, bringing up the rear.  By the time Dexter reached the door, Nicky would be at the next one.  Thank goodness there were four adults along to keep track of everything.

We ended the evening with a trip to Grandma’s house where got really hyped up from all the chocolate Grandma was slipping us.

Prepping for Halloween involves carving pumpkins and having a party at school.  My good friend Amy, and her son Andrew, came over to carve pumpkins with us.  I’m very old school when it comes to carving.  Give me a pumpkin and a knife and I just start cutting.  No tracing out shapes, just inspiration.  I’m attempting to pass this along to the boys.  I’m also a mom though, and thus I was not the one who handed carving knifes to our sons.   Guess who did that?  With the proper supervision though, they did just fine.   What do you think of their masterpieces?

Well, right before Halloween, Nicky decided that he did not want to be a pirate.  He wanted to be a ghost.  So, what do ghosts do best?  They walk through walls.  In true ghost fashion, Nicholas threw a blanket over his head and tried to walk through a wall.  And that is how he got a black eye.

Who needs make-up when you’ve got the real thing?  I thought the black eye lended itself very well to being a pirate.  Channeling my inner car salesman persona, I asked Nicholas what he thought about being a Ghost Pirate for Halloween.  We’d already purchased the Captain Hook costume and I couldn’t take it back.  We were going to stick to the Peter Pan theme, gosh darn it.  He was OK with the idea.  Yes!

Also included are a few pictures from the party they had at school, Dexter and Nicholas cheesing it up for a fake camera, and Dexter and Nicholas just being themselves.  Enjoy.