Monday, January 24, 2011

Outside!

Rowan has been wanting to play outside for several weeks now. Yesterday Ellie and a neighbor took him out. They tried to get him to help them build a fort, but all he wanted to do was take two steps, then hurl himself onto the snow. Twently minutes of that and he was ready to come back in.

The Wedding Party

The other day Rowan was "skating" on the ice on the driveway. I told him (in passing, although I should know that nothing is ever in passing with Rowan) that if he wanted to go skating, he should call Aunt Sarah. After hearing about that for what seemed like forever, I tried to steer the conversation to something else. (You can't really just outright change the subject with Rowan - you have to change it in degrees). I asked him what he thought he would call Stimmel after the wedding: "Uncle John" or "Stimmel". The decision? Uncle Stimmel. No word on whether that works for John.
From there, the conversation went to the actual wedding. Rowan is going to be the Ring Bear. We're working on the "er" part of "bearer" but it's slow going. I'm hopeful that by September he'll have let the bear idea go. This whole conversation took place in the truck, so at this point Ellie told Rowan that she's going to be a flower girl. Rowan responded (with the disbelief that only Rowan can show) "You're going to dress up like a flower???" Because a bear makes sense, but a flower is just insane.

Face First

See those 3 red marks along her nose? A gymnastics injury. That's what happens when you fall off of the beam and land on your face. I'm so glad I wasn't there to see it happen. Everytime I comment on it, she tells me "Mom, it's no big deal. I had an ice pack on it." And yet if her brothers brush by her too quickly, there are tears upon tears...

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Ellie's first meet


First on beam in her division! She was pretty nervous going in, but has decided it's pretty fun.

Have you ever lived with an artist?

It's pretty fun. Instead of just phone messages, you get illustrated messages.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Glasses!

Conor got glasses this week. Considering Jon's and my vision, I'm surprised it took this long for someone to need them. He only has to wear them for school, but he's not happy about them at all. Until we picked them up, he kept muttering that he could see fine, he didn't need them. And then on the way home from picking them up, he noticed that there were actually blades of glass, not just a smear. So now he admits that maybe they'll be good in class, but he still would rather leave them at home.

December 31, 2010

When we put up the tree, the kids all put their own ornaments on. Rowan really wanted to play with Conor's ornaments, especially Batman. He just didn't understand that they were only Conor's to play with, and had no interest in his own. It was close to nap time, and just before Jon took him up, he cried "I don't have any cool ornaments!"
This year, before she heard that story, Sarah bought him a Batman ornament for Christmas. So now he has very cool ornaments. If you look closely, Batman's right arm is in need of some glue. He's pretty fun to play with.

December 30, 2010

This is how Conor spent most of his winter break.

December 29, 2010

Yep. Attention any way she can get it.

Decemeber 28, 2010

We're still fixing things around here.

December 27, 2010

Callie takes attention any way she can get it these days.

December 26, 2010

Rowan got a play dough set for Christmas. I don't know who was more excited - him or Ellie.

December 25, 2010

Santa brought Ellie a chair for her room. All of her presents and her stocking were on it, but it was 5 minutes before she realized it was even there!

The aftermath.

Sharing with her little brother.

R2D2!

December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!

We ate dinner before presents, so Conor is waiting patiently.

Ellie wasn't sure what a "mani-pedi" was, but once we explained it, she loved it.

An R2D2 hat.

December 23, 2010

Rowan gave Conor and Ellie snuggie's for Christmas.

December 22, 2010

Present heads.

December 21, 2010

That's some sort of jail, I think.

December 20, 2010

Conor and his team's assistant coach.

December 19, 2010

Grandma and Grandpa with all 4 grandkids.

December 18, 2010

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Wilson's house!

December 17, 2010

I'm always surprised that everyone helps decorate cookies, for as long as it takes.

December 16, 2010

"We woosh you a Merry Christmas" can be sung as a sort of battle cry, you know.

December 15, 2010

I don't think any Christmas treats would have gotten made this year without Ellie!

December 14, 2010

The third graders' project for December was a "How To" speech. Ellie chose "How To Draw a Cartoon Animal" and Conor picked "How To Run a Motion Offense". Here the speech is written, and they're rehearsing how to demonstrate it. (I was no help on this speech).

December 13, 2010

He's reading the Star Wars Character Encyclopedia from the library, while holding a stormtrooper. He gets it from his brother.

December 12, 2010

Pizza and movie night!

December 11, 2010

So Nelly has a new song out. Conor and Ellie both like it, and Jon and I were telling them they've always liked him. Jon played this song for them. Before they were even talking much, Conor could sing it. Turns out, Rowan likes it too.

December 10, 2010

Conor got a marshmallow shooter from Bailey and Jaden. It's pretty popular around here. And I have to admit, it makes a very satisfying sound when you shoot it.

For the record, Conor did let his siblings have a turn.

December 9, 2010

Along with a uniform, the Heat also have warm-ups with their name on the back. In typical Conor fashion, he thinks it's "okay". I think it's pretty cool.

December 8, 2010

See? He's Mr. Fix-it.

December 7, 2010

Rowan got some tools from his cousins for Christmas. Now he can fix anything in the house.

December 6, 2010

Part of the problem with blogging a month after the picture of the day is taken is that you have no idea why you took the picture in the first place. I'm sure there's a really good story behind it. You'll just have to trust me.

December 5, 2010

At any given time, Rowan's hands are full, usually of "guys". When he goes potty, they're waiting for him right outside the door. When he takes a nap, they nap on the floor beside his bed.