Last Sunday we had an impromptu dinner party with our neighbors Chris and Emily, who had just returned from two trips away over the holidays. The boys love their daughter Violet, almost 2 years old, and the three of them play really well together. After much persuasion, Violet got into their toy stroller and Theo had a blast pushing her around the downstairs (NOT down the stairs, Theo, NOT down the stairs!!).

A favorite new activity: listening to Apple radio (Christmas music, or Voice songs, or Sinatra). There is one single image on the TV the entire song (usually the album cover) but the boys are mesmerized!

Highlight of every month: the High Five Magazine arriving in the mail! The boys LOVE it! This is Beck poring over it at the kitchen island while Theo and I made cookies.

Last week the boys asked Mimi (their favorite babysitter ever, Mindy) for new hats. Mindy knitted them beautiful and stylish gray hats last year with a big T and B button on each. This year they apparently asked her for yellow (Theo) and red (Beckett). The boys are thrilled with their new hats!

Getting to know the new baby

Since learning they are going to have a little brother soon, Theo and Beckett have enjoyed talking about the baby and, recently, touching Mama's belly to feel the baby move. They love thinking of names for the baby (top candidates so far: Mustardface, Soccerballplayer, and Earface) and discussing who will teach what to the baby when he gets here. Beckett is excited to be older than someone else, and Theo is excited to be bigger than someone else.

Developmental Update

What goes in-and out: Theo is usually more willing to try new things, but sometimes has startling aversions to things he has liked or tried other times. Theo seems to really relish eating and even enjoys trying many new things. He likes a much greater variety of foods. Beckett would prefer to eat fatty carbs most days, all day. He likes some fruits and vegetables and will tolerate occasional meat or fish but give him toast or a bagel with butter and he will be happy. Beckett is a little less tolerant of sweet stuff and though he likes the idea, he often takes a couple of bites of a cookie or cake or sugary cereal and says it's too sweet for him. But both boys have learned to be polite and to say something tastes good even when they do not like it and do not eat more, which is gracious but doesn't help us figure out what they actually do like and dislike. When they do not like anything that is offered at dinner (which is definitely some nights), we offer them a banana or an orange or an apple to eat instead, which they sometimes do. Both are huge water drinkers, Beckett even more than Theo, which I think will delay our night-time pottying for some time. Usually Beckett will drink 12 ounces of water at each meal, plus more between meals, but sometimes he asks for a refill during a meal and ends up drinking even more. Beckett is interested in using the toilet at night and has a couple times woken up in the morning before he usually gets out of bed to ask for his diaper to be taken off so he can pee. He's worn pull-ups a few times and has liked being able to use the toilet at night. Theo sometimes says he doesn't have to use the toilet right before bed but then, while we're reading stories, says that his diaper is wet and he needs a new one. He's obviously a little less interested in the night-time pottying than Beckett. Both boys have mastered the potty but Beckett still has accidents, and Theo does only seldomly, when sick.

Helping out: Theo has been getting himself dressed for several months now, but Beckett has asked for help until the last couple of days. Suddenly he seems interested in putting on all of his clothes himself, and is very proud. Both boys like to help with cooking, measuring ingredients, turning an appliance on or off, and stirring things in a pot on the stove or in a bowl. Both boys like to help empty the dishwasher, handing us the plates from the bottom rack, or emptying the silverware into the drawer. They also like to sort the dirty laundry and transfer wet clothes from the washer to the dryer. They occasionally help out with putting clean clothes away in their drawer, though mostly I scurry around putting clothes away after they've gone to sleep. Theo does an especially thorough and focused job of cleaning up toys, staying on the task until the floor is totally clear. Though to be fair, Theo is also a champion "dumper"-taking any toys that are in a bin or bowl and lifting it high above his head before he dumps it out. Both boys will bring their dishes in to the kitchen when asked (we're not very consistent on this) after a meal.

School: The boys are going to a nursery school program at the local Catholic school two days a week, 8:15-2:30 Monday and Wednesday. They seem to like the open play time the best, but there are definitely a few classmates who they enjoy seeing and playing with. Neither was very excited about starting school again this week. The biggest problem for us is that they have a very short nap period right after lunch, and then the teacher wakes them up and they have to leave right away-either to the afterschool program or home. From their reaction and anticipation of school, I think this is the biggest source of stress for them. They are used to taking a little bit later, and a little bit longer, nap at home. Then when they get up we put on a 20-30 minute TV show (favorites are Cars, Cars 2, Daniel Tiger) so they can zone out for a bit after waking up. At school they are abruptly woken up and then they have to pack up their stuff and get shuffled out of the room. For about two months we've taken them out of the afterschool program which seemed to be exacerbating the transition problem, and we've had a great babysitter, Amanda, pick them up from school and bring them back to our house. Today is her last day, but Mindy, our old favorite babysitter, will be picking them up Wednesday and next week. Then they are probably back to afterschool because it's hard to find someone who can work just 2.5 hours twice a week!

Christmas Wrapup

Mama came down with the flu Christmas Eve, after the second of two sinus infections so far this pregnancy. I was actually still on amoxicillin from the sinus infection when I came down with the flu. I rallied to sit upright for Christmas morning but then returned to bed and mostly stayed there for several days. I was diagnosed with Flu A when I went to Urgent Care Christmas night. So then I went on Tamiflu and urged everyone who had been here for Christmas to do the same. The boys and Jeff went on prophylactic Tamiflu the next day, and, thankfully, never came down with anything more than a runny nose or brief fever. I'm still not sure where I caught the flu because no one else around me seemed to have it, but I know my pregnant immune system is total crap.

I have been living in a semi-trance since Christmas Eve, just trying to spend time with the boys and do the bare minimum of housework etc. (and go to work Dec 29, 30 and 31) while resting up. But despite some lingering congestion and coughs I mostly feel better, finally!

We were so grateful to have Grandma Kathy, Grandpa Greg, Uncle Jon, Grandma Joanie and Grandpa Stu visiting for the time around Christmas. Especially once I really came down with the flu I was pretty useless for child care or food preparation, much less general merriment, and everyone pitched in so I never felt neglectful and Jeff never felt put upon. The boys had an absolutely fantastic Christmas and have been enjoying playing with all their new games and toys. We still have about 15 presents under the tree, from both us and far-away relatives, and the boys open one or two every several days. So if you haven't received a thank you note from us, it's because we haven't opened your presents yet! But thank you! And I'm sure they're going to be truly enjoyed in the month or so to come in these long, cold, boring days of winter.

Uncle Jon reading to the boys (above). Grandpa Stu roughhousing (causing his hearing aids to come out).

The minute everyone left the house Friday morning, the boys quietly got their blankets from their beds, gathered a book or two, fluffed a pillow, and claimed a chair or couch in front of the Christmas tree. It was so much fun to have everyone here, and probably exhausting and overwhelming for them, too. They sat quietly like this for about 30-45 minutes Friday morning until Auntie Alexis arrived with new books and Hess trucks!

New Christmas kitty

 We have been talking for a few months about getting another cat to replace our cat Haylie who died in April. Haylie was very sweet and affectionate and since she left the house our other cat, Milo (the all black one) has seemed lonely--and extra annoying and needy.

The Tuesday before Christmas Auntie Alexis and I went to the Ithaca SPCA and picked our our new kitty. Originally named Luna, which Jeff hated, she is now named Holly. She's very sweet and affectionate and seems to be warming up to all of us.

Milo is about twice her size, both length and weight, but seems very spooked by her. Wednesday she peed on the floor when I guess she felt cornered by tiny little Holly. So far they have staked out their own areas of the house: Milo downstairs and in the basement, and Holly upstairs. We're in the process of moving Holly's litter and food downstairs to the basement as well.

More pictures of Holly to come. This is a video of Beckett inside the cat carrier that I used to bring Holly home. Theo originally figured out he could fit inside and for him, it's a little more comfortable of a fit. Beck, less so...