Simon - 20 Months

 

- Simon will try to say almost any word.  He has an ENORMOUS vocabulary.  He likes to take roll call and say hi to the different members of our family...Mom, then Dad, then Nolan, then Livi...always the same order.

- He is very goofy and likes to clown around.

- He is stubborn, obstinate, and does things in his own way on his own terms.  Sometimes just asking him what he wants for breakfast will cause him to fall on the floor in protest.

- He adores his brother and sister.  He likes to do what they're doing and really loves to rough house.

- Simon still loves shoes and likes to put on Mom's big boots and wear them around the house.

- He needs ALL of his babas with him all the time.  He still uses a nuk for bedtime.  He has a group of stuffed animals he also needs for bed...Lambie, Donkey, and his big bear.  

- We started seating him at the table in a booster instead of his high chair.  It was startling for some reason, because it was one of the first times that it really sunk it that we're a family of five.  I think we were a family of four for so long that sometimes it still seems surreal.  Seeing all three of our kids at the table was a moment of wow for both Eric and me.

- He knows all his body parts - ears, eyes, nose, mouth, etc.

- He is really grumpy about waking up and needs to just sit in his crib for a while.  If you rush him, he covers himself up with his blanket or growls at you. 

- He still has his dairy intolerance, which makes feeding a challenge.  He is also going through a picky stage, though he'll ALWAYS eat ketchup (by itself), coconut milk yogurt, fig newtons, and golden oreos.  

Winter Photos

Katie stopped by this morning for a quick winter session.  I realized that life was crazy in the fall and I didn't get pictures done of the kids like I planned.  They are all growing so quickly - I really wanted to capture them and their sweet personalities.  Simon was elusive and not terribly cooperative, but I still love how these turned out.  My sweet babies.

 

Thankful for You

This year, staying connected to friends and family looks very different.  We have been recipient and giver of acts of love that look like cards, care packages, video chats, treats, porch talks, and door drop offs.  These opportunities to connect have been so treasured and I hope they are something that sticks after the pandemic is over.  They are a blessing in the midst of this crazy storm.  

Sweet notes and delicious truffles from the Ryans

We made Thanksgiving care packages for our family members we couldn't see over the holiday.  We made handprint turkey towels, various Thanksgiving crafts, and Grandma Edie's caramel corn to send to our grandparents and Auntie Brigid.

Grandma stopped by to play outside (at a distance)

Ms. Kaster stopped by because she collected ALL of these books for us from the school book room that was closing.  She specifically chose books according to the kids' interests.  We made her a care package for Thanksgiving and enjoyed a nice porch talk with her.

The kids have been playing Go Fish, Memory, Checkers, and Crazy 8s over video chat with Grandma about once a week.

Olivia and I use our wait time in the Culver's drive thru line to catch up on our library book reading.  It turns a boring errand into a date!

The Vadis girls have taken to baking over the pandemic and they dropped off a sweet Advent bag filled with all sorts of yummy treats - cake pops, gingerbread, sugar cookies and more!
 

The famous Mr Rogers quote is all about looking for the helpers in the time of crisis.  We have been blessed to have so many helpers in our circle.  We have also been blessed by the opportunity to be helpers to some of the people around us.  It's amazing how these simple little acts can make such a big difference, but in this time of isolation, anxiety, and stress, these acts of care and compassion have never been more important. 

Birthday Bonfire

We haven't seen my parents since Grandma Edie's funeral back at the end of September.  With Covid running rampant through our state, it just has not seemed wise to get together and risk someone leaving the outing ill.  We miss them.  But, my Dad called on Thursday and said that Saturday they would be coming up to Rhinelander to pick up their new pontoon and wondered if we could find a way to get together.  Saturday also happened to be his birthday.  We decided that we would try to make the best socially distant yard birthday party that we could.  We hung a birthday banner over the garage and made colorful sticker snowflakes.  We turned on all the Christmas lights and made paper snowflakes for the windows.  We built a super toasty bonfire and set up a table for a few snacks.  I made hot cocoa (with chocolate liquor for the adults), popcorn, and chocolate dipped oreos, all individually wrapped to eliminate contact.  It was so much fun!  Mom kept saying it felt like it was out of a Hallmark movie.  It wasn't cold at all, and with the Christmas lights all aglow, it felt so cozy and inviting.  The kids danced with glow sticks and Simon ate his body weight in popcorn and it was so good to see them, even at a distance.  I'm so glad we had an opportunity to do something special for them and celebrate, even if it looked a little different than normal.