Christmas!

Parts one and two of Christmas are done up here! We first celebrated Christmas with my Dad and Janet on Thursday up here in CT. It was nice to have some snow on the ground still left over. We had a great time watching the kids playing with their new toys (yay!). Then on Sunday, my mom came up for part 2 of Christmas 07. We headed to church on Monday night, but didn't plan enough time and had to sit in the basement for the speediest Christmas mass ever (no music...well, unless you count the little old lady on the tin organ at the front), and unless you knew the 2 songs by heart, you were out of luck following along!

Santa was good to everyone this year. Olivia got her much requested (well, I did drill it in pretty good) tea set which was a hit, and the costumes have both gotten some wear.

Luke is enjoying all his toys, as well as the tea set!

While we were opening presents, Luke wandered over to Santa's cookie plate and noticed some of the cookies were still left over...so he polished them off!

We head to NJ tomorrow for the final leg of Christmas at the Krout house!

The hoodie

For some reason Luke has suddenly begun pulling his hood up whenever he's wearing a sweatshirt (which is funny because if Olivia does it, he freaks out...). This is how I found him napping this morning...Maybe it keeps him warmer since he's always pulling off his socks!! Isn't that what moms always say, wear a hat and your feet will stay warmer? Or was that just a con to make me wear my "touk" at the bus stop??

White before Christmas

Well, hopefully Santa will be able to brave this NE weather we're having! After a foot of snow last week, and then a whole weekend of freezing rain, then ice, then snow and back to freezing rain, the texture of everything can be best compared to meringue...it's crunchy on top and softer underneath! Not really great driving weather (good thing Brad is home studying for his new drug!) and not great playing in the snow weather!

Luckily Olivia and Brad were able to make a snowman before it got bad!

Now the snowman is glossy!

I was stupid enough to try M&Ms for the face...which apprently don't just melt in your mouth...

Oh Christmas Tree

Yesterday when we went to cut down our tree, the one we chose almost a month ago, we were sure we had (once again) chosen a tree that was not the proper size for our living space! Let's run down the trees of Christmas past...

The first year in Stamford...we brought our tree back from NJ to our 650sqft apartment...and it really felt like we had another person living with us, it was so huge! Then there was the late night disposal of the tree (real ones weren't allowed in Southwoods Square) trying to cover up the trail of needles to the door!

The following year in Stamford, we bought our mini tree from LL Bean. It was the perfect size for the place, but our presents kind of dwarfed it!

Our tree in Danbury...well, in our defense, it looked great when we cut it down. But, note to self, never pick a tree that grew up on a hill! It was definitely not the straightest of trees!

The last two trees were here in Wethersfield. And though they were good trees, none of them can top this years! It seems to be just right!

Though Olivia really thought this was the perfect "Charlie Brown" tree for her!

Olivia meets Santa!

We took the kids to "breakfast with Santa" yesterday. Olivia's first offical meeting of the big guy. I had coached her pretty well to ask for a certain present (one she is sure to be getting) just to get her comfortable talking to him. She was so excited to see him, she ran right up into his arms and gave him a big hug and sat on his lap. Apparently she was pretty cute to someone else too, the lady from the local paper took her picture and told us that she would put it in the next issue (it's a bi-montly issue, we'll keep you updated). Luke was much more interested in a Christmas countdown chair and refused to sit for a picture.

He did seem pretty happy to sit in the fire engine though afterwards!

Thanksgiving in NJ

So, last weekend we packed up the car and headed to NJ for our house-hopping Thanksgiving. First it was Thanksgiving Brunch with "Grandmama Scott" and Frank and Francine in from Canada, and then on to the Krout's to see the other part of the Krout family (this is just part of the "kids table")

we also celebrated Luke's birthday again, and then finally on to my dads for Thanksgiving with the Delciello's which included a rousing hour of liqour fueled kareoke which featured the usuals "Born to Be Wild", "The Pina Colada Song" and sadly "I've Got You Babe"...sorry Dad, it's just not cool to do that in kareoke!

He's One!!

Whoo hoo! It's hard to believe a whole year has gone by, but today little Luke hit the big numero uno. We celebrated with a special train cake and opened a few gifts. Luke will be lucky if Olivia lets him play with some of them...

Piles and Piles of Leaves

The leaves are falling at a rapid pace due to this crazy wind we get everyday. I've been lucky to have a few nice days of warm weather to get out and rake and let the kids play. Olivia and Luke have been LOVING the big piles I make them. Luke got right in and the two of them threw leaves at each other. It was pretty cute. But Brad mowed the lawn and the pile is gone now :( I'm sure more will fall tomorrow!!

Trick or Treat!

Well, it took "Fairy Princess" Olivia 8 houses to finally get the "trick or treat" out of her mouth...oddly the candy receiving didn't take as long to click in! She got that right away...and no dad, she didn't eat any of it until she got home...unlike her mommy! Luke even got a few treats in his pouch! I think I should start making Olivia's costume now since it took me so long to get it done this year!

We stuck to the neighborhood and rushed home because Brad was afraid to get stuck with all the candy we had bought...we did end up with a bowl full at the end that I have hid for emergencies.

Pumpkin Carving

Uncle Kevin and Jessica came to visit this weekend and we treated them to a trip to Stew's (who doesn't want to go there?) and we had some fun carving the pumpkins. We also headed to the Nature Center for the Pirate Party they had going on there! Only two days left until Olivia discovers what Halloween is really like! I'm sure she will be excited to get all that candy (that mommy will immediately confiscate and dole out in tiny proportions over the next few months!!)

He Can Stay

After a year of speculation, it looks like Olivia has finally decided that Luke can stay with us permanently. There were some moments when I was pretty sure she was going to find another home for him. But, now he seems more interesting as he chases her around the house and plays hide and seek with her! Now if only he wouldn't wake her up so early in the morning...

Fall Festivities

It's October, which means we get to go on Hayrides, go apple picking and of course Pumpkin picking!! This year the MOM's club went to Robb's Farm in Glastonbury to hayride and pumpkin "pick". All the kids had a blast. Olivia loved the "bumpy, bumpy" hayride and as usual was really picky about which pumpkin she wanted, being the last one back on the ride!

I tried REALLY hard to get them both in the picture, but Luke was more interested in picking grass...this was the closest I got!!

10 years later!

We traveled deep into Amish Country to attend my 10th college reunion this weekend. It was the kids first trip to Susquehanna, and my first trip there in 5 years...a lot has changed!! I knew it wouldn't stay the same forever, but they've really improved it since we graduated (not fair!)

We were lucky to meet up with some of my college buddies, Dana, Melissa, Angie and Staci (we missed Lisa and Kristen) as well as run into some old acquaintances. The kids got along really well, hardly any quarelling over toys or food throwing! It was lots of fun to see them together, and to catch up and let the guys chat too. I really miss having everyone around and I wish we could do this once a year.

Mr. Bubbles

Bathtime has always been a favorite of Olivia's, but now Luke is really getting the hang of playing in the tub. He not only lays down and blows bubbles, but he thinks he is hilarious when he gets the bubbles all over his face!

5:29

I often hear a lot of my friends talk about "waking" their kids up in the morning (even cousin Ainsley sometimes needs to be waken)...what is that? What are they talking about? Doesn't everyone have children who wake up before the sun is even glinting in the sky? Doesn't everyone have a little Luke who wants to jump into your bed at 5:29 every morning (OK, sometimes it's 5:31). And doesn't everyone have an Olivia who pretends to go back to sleep only to hear noises from the other room and come to sing the "Lukie" song? My alarm clock buttons are so stiff from lack of use...really, why set the alarm when you can have a 10 month old waking you up instead? Maybe one day these two will sleep until 7:30...or dare I dream 8??

Dora, the third child

Walk into any of the kids rooms in this house and you are likely going to run into Dora the Explorer...whether it be book, doll, blanket or game (Dora Candyland anyone?). I noticed that Olivia wasn't really playing with the Dora dolls much, or even wanting me to read her one of the many Dora books we have...even the TV show isn't on much anymore. I thought maybe if I put all the toys together, she would remember her favorite character (Sorry Curious George) and play again...but it was Luke who discovered Dora yesterday, pressing all the buttons so we heard "It's great to be a big sister" over and over again. Olivia was too into her books to really take note, though after a while, she did manage to steal away one of the swimming Dora's for bathtime later!

Why does it always seem like the Dora dolls have bed-head?

Labor Day

Back in NJ, we got to spend some time with Brad's family, which Olivia loved! She really enjoyed the pool with her Uncle Kevin, and going to the super cool playground at Mercer County Park! She has really mastered the climbing wall!

New York, New York

Brad and I took a delayed 5th Anniversary trip into NYC over Labor Day to actually spend some time alone! We had a great time, meeting up with Steph and Dan to reminice about old times at NBN, realizing that we must have been the most annoying people to work with! We had a great lunch down by the seaport (which was pretty much Boston, only in New York!), and walking around the shops a bit. Then Brad and I headed up to our hotel (the Whales Hotel) uptown and had a great dinner...though getting there was a bit painful. Thirty blocks didn't seem like much when I was in the city all the time, but our feet were not very happy with us crossing all that distance in dressy shoes and in 30 minutes!! A few blisters and a stomach lurching cab ride back completed the evening! The next day we hit a "haut-chocolat" store and bought ourselves a few fancy chocolate bars (who would have though curry, coconut and chocolate could be so good!). After that it was brunch at Orsay...which being French certainly reminded us of 5 years ago in Paris when we were on our Honeymoon!

Five years has gone so fast, but it's been so great!

Mr. Independent

Luke has now mastered eating most things on his own, including his bottle. With his beefy left arm in the air, the bottle is now emptied in record time, which means Cat doesn't have to contort her arm around the back seat anymore to feed him those bottles on the go! He has also come close to mastering waving. Many a late night in the hotel room, while we tried to get the kids to go to sleep, Luke would be standing in his crib waving at the room in general...while Olivia yelled out "Lukey's waving!"...apparently that was keeping her from sleeping sometimes. Now we just need him to wave to actual people...

Piano Girl

Olivia discovered her inner Mozart while dining with Frank and Francine at their new condo. Entertaining us with renditions of "Old McDonald" and her "Canada" song, Olivia found a whole new level of musical talent. It was hard to tear her away! Frank took us for a tour of the new complex and showed us his new "toy", his red Mazda Miata!

Hey, is that Bono?

Was that Bono sitting at the end of our table at the Hard Rock Cafe? No, just Luke doing his best to remain incognito at the head of the table. After flirting with the waitress a bit, he was able to score Olivia some extra orange slices. Way to go little brother!

Oh Canada

We took the family on the road (again) this time up north to our relatives in Canada. After a successful border crossing (you never know!), we made it up to our hotel, the Sheraton downtown Montreal. The kids quickly staked out the room, Olivia claiming the big bed and Luke apparently taking a fancy to the airconditioning unit in the corner. He really spent a lot of time over there! They did pretty well sleeping in the room...though Luke somehow lucked out waking up in the big bed every morning! We had some really great breakfasts at a great Jewish diner Beauty's where Luke had to experiment with a booster seat and almost took out the whole table of food...and Olive and Gourmanado's where Brad was really enjoying his Cafe au Lait...and of course Cat found something chocolatey to enjoy! Lunch and dinners were spent with family. The two Therese's treated us to a great lunch by the water and we escaped the rain enough to enjoy a little walk afterwards. Cat's mom met us up in Canada and had a great time hanging out with the kids!

Sandbox

We enjoyed a BEAUTIFUL weekend up here in CT (sorry NJ, you got rain!). And we spent a lot of time in the backyard picking up all the branches from the winds on Friday. Luke was crawling around the yard when he discovered the sandtable...previously enjoyed by just Olivia, the sand/water table was just sand, but since Luke discovered it, we added the water back. 20 whole minutes of fun! (that's an eternity for kids!) And check out Luke's tooth, you can really see it!!

Olivia the animal lover

Olivia continues to not be afraid of animals or any creature for that matter! She has been to the "Popcorn Zoo" many times with her grandpa and never shies away from feeding the animals, even when they steal her treats and consume it all...box included! This weekend was no exception. Well, except for the camel who tried to get fresh with her! We took the kids to the Forest Park Zoo in Springfield, Mass where we fed the animals many crackers. Luke was pretty excited to see the animals, but not like Olivia...she told us her favorite animals were the spider monkeys, not the kangaroos because they were sleeping.

Olivia and "the fie"

We took Olivia's pacifier (aka "the fie") away about 5 months ago...which is when naptime became really bad, and bedtime was no picnic either. But, she didn't seem to miss it much other than the occasional mention of it for the first month. We were impressed when she kept giving Luke his pacifier back anytime he would lose it (especially when he was crying, and even when he didn't want it, she would shove it in that little mouth!). But nothing surprised us more than finding Olivia asleep in her bed last night with Luke's fie (the spare one, his main one was firmly wedged in his own mouth) in her mouth...