bedtime follies. a drama in three acts. playing every night.

I

The scene opens with four children all tucked in bed for the night.

Helen: but Daddy, why can't I sleep in my princess dress? isn't that how a princess should sleep??

Thomas is out of bed. Tim puts him back in but he won't stay.

Tim: Thomas, you'll have to sleep in your crib if you can't stay in the big boy bed.

Thomas: (hysteria)

Tim: ok, I'll give you grace this time. Back in bed, I'll tuck you in.

Thomas (complying surprisingly quickly): ok daddy, where are my grapes?

Peter: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

II

Helen: HELP! HELP! HELP!

Tim goes in to find that Thomas has somehow sneaked into the big kids room and wiggled into her bed. Back in his bed he goes.

Thomas: grapes, daddy! I want the grapes! where are the grapes?

George (gets out of bed): Mommy, I have a big problem.

Me: what's that?

George: I need to know the difference between a hotel and a motel.

Peter: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

III

George (gets out of bed): I have another problem!

Me, with a sigh: What is it now?

George: I have an itchy tooth. And I can't scratch it.

Thomas (sadly): grapes? grapes?

Peter: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

catch up...

George is 6! He still loves kindergarten, reading, and anything related to science, space, anatomy, robotics, and engineering. His biggest wish is for a pile of junk to make inventions.

Helen is learning to read. Her ballet recital is in a month and is she ever excited! She loves to do arts and crafts projects all day long and goes through incredibly quantities of tape.

Thomas is obsessed with diggers and dump trucks. He is very chatty, and he has some fantastic mispronunciations going on these days, too precious to correct. "Elmo" = "yoyo." "cement mixer" = "mixer mixer." "helicopter" = "really-copter."

Peter can roll over and play with toys now. He is doted on by his big sibs and they always get the hugest smiles. His sleep is just terrible, but then again no one expected any different.

conversations

Me: Kids, Janie and her mommy and daddy are coming over tomorrow. Do you remember them? Janie's daddy is a veterinarian.

George: Yes, a veterinarian is someone who sells vegetables.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

George: Mommy, I know someone who has TWO daddies!

Me: (silently panicking, attempting to collect myself and prepare for an intense conversation...)

George: Yes, it's Jesus! Because he had God AND Joseph for daddies!

Me: (slow exhale)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Helen: Mommy, today at preschool I played with Jameson, and he's a boy, and he's my best friend, and he's a boy, and I want to play with him allllllll the time.

Me: (eek!)

(The preschool teachers confirm that all the girls have a crush on this little boy, but he usually does play with Helen. Then one day he played with another girl and Helen shot dagger eyes at her all morning.)

Not! Ready! For! This!

more Christmas!

Just some of the memories...

Making Christmas cookies.

Helen was in baby HEAVEN! She was always to be found entertaining one or the other.

Ice skating.

Group shot.

One of the best gifts was lots of Amazon boxes all taped up. The intent was to build forts and towers with them ,but the kids had an even better idea and used them to play "Angry Birds."

All ready for Christmas crackers and our big dinner!

And of course, a wild rush at the tree when it was present time.

Christmas 2012

What a lovely extra special year! We had two brand new little boys to celebrate- Peter, and his new cousin Max who is just two months older. Truth be told they weren't overly impressed with each other for now, but I'm sure in a year or so they will be best buds.

put these babies in order...

Well, who is who?

Peter Andrew

We are so pleased to announce that Peter Andrew was born November 21st at 7pm after a brief labor- I went to an OB visit in the late afternoon and to my surprise was found to be in the advanced stages of labor, so she sent me straight to L&D. He was 8 lbs 2 oz and 19.5 inches long. The best part is that he was 37 weeks exactly so he was full term, and he did fabulously!

A few days after he was born Peter got a bit jaundiced, so he spent a day back in the hospital under the lights. Our pediatrician was worried that this would be kind of upsetting for us to have to deal with, but after what we went through with Thomas, it was nothing! Peter didn't even have an IV!

24 hours in his tanning booth set him up nicely, and now he's back at home being very spoiled by his adoring brothers and sister. We have had full out fights over who gets to bring him a blankie or put in his paci. I think that life is pretty good for young Peter.