Language Lesson

The girls take great pride in helping their brother learn to say new words or to improve his pronunciation.  It is always quite interesting to hear where the lessons go.  Today, on the car ride home, it sounded like this:
N: Holden, say Grandma!
H: Pampy.
N: No, not Grampy.  Say GRANDMA!
H: Pampy.
N: (sigh) Ok.  Say Papa.
H: Papa!
N: Say Babci.
H: Babci!
N: Say Grampy.
H: Pampy.
N: Mom.
H: Mama!
N: Dad.
H: Daddy!
N: Grandma.
H. PAMPY.
(Noella emits a loud sigh of despair.  I myself was a big sister once with a brother who did not always follow my lessons, so I totally understood her sentiments there.) 
N: Fine.  Holden, say onion peel.
H: Nun un pee?
N: Good! Now say driveway!

Then, sadly, we arrived home so I did not get to hear where this new train of thought would go.

Future Christmas Hits

It was a lovely and exhausting Christmas break.  One of the most amusing parts has been listening to Noella's exhuberant renditions of what are sure to be Christmas classics.  At times our house sounds like one of the Saturday Night Live spoofs of commercials for must-have holiday albums.

Jack the Holly  (aka Deck the Halls)
Jack the holly for the season, fa la la la la, la la la la...

Thomas the Snowman (aka Frosty the Snowman)
Thomas the Snowman, had a folly jolly nose...

Rudolph Knows (aka Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)
Rudolph knows the reindeer...

Happy Birthday Noella!

The big party was this weekend, and Noella had a great time.  She insists that now that she has had the party, she is already four.  "It works like that, Mom!" she insists.  We will still celebrate on the 23rd though.  Even she can't say no to another cake.

 She also insisted on a very tall cake.  I convinced that three layers was tall enough; she had been hoping for five.  The official party theme was "circus" but luckily there were no requests for turning the cake into anything more complicated.

 A shot of party balloons AND the new porch.  Thanks Daddy and Papa!

 In case you could not tell, she is turning FOUR.

 Mariel crafted a "pin the tail on the cat" game for the kids.

 There were also assorted coloring pages.

 Happy Birthday to Noella!

 She very deliberately blew each candle out one by one :)

 The cake was declared delicious.

 Post-cake, more activities.  This was our bean bag toss.  For a few minutes, children actually threw bean bags into the game, as opposed to "juggling," throwing them in the air or at the wall, or pretending that the holes in the board were potties.  There is nothing like pre-school humor.

A successful party!

18 months (almost)

On the 10th Holden will officially be a year and a half.  We will celebrate him, of course, but I think that Patrick and I deserve some sort of victory celebration for having survived thus far.   Our little man is quite a funny guy, full of words and too many opinions.  He loves bicycles, his sisters (most of the time), trucks, throwing things, blueberries, feeding the dogs, and having Mommy carry him around.  He does not care for sleeping, limits, outlet plugs, being in his carseat, or having his diaper changed.

 

A month of photos

We went on the annual trip to Meramec State Park with friends.  Hiking, bonfires, all sorts of good stuff.  Holden particularly enjoyed the attention, including getting to take a bath with an adoring crowd.

 Downtown Children's Center had its Fall Festival, complete with popsicles, pony rides, and a petting zoo.  There is some debate at our house as to whether or not Noella is allergic to llamas and/or goats.

 Avery also had its Fall Festival the same week.  Mariel and Patrick went for a "late" night adventure and came home with goodies, bellies full of cotton candy, and face painting.

 This weekend we went to a friend's Halloween party. You will note that there are no incriminating pictures of me (yet), but I did go as a pumpkin.  Patrick is very proud of his new costume.