The Ethan Update...

I can't believe that our little man is 3! He is intelligent for his age...doesn't every parent think this about their child... with an amazing vocabulary and understanding and I often forget he is only 3 when I try reasoning with him...his insight sometimes leaves us baffled! Ethan is very much into learning how things work. Thanks to his grandparents he enjoys reading encyclopedias! Superheros, trains & construction vehicles top his list...and to date he would like to be a scuba diver, train conductor or an astronaut when he grows up.

O' Christmas Tree...

We headed to Lowes for our tree this year..."Fraiser" is indoors and loosing more needles than any other tree we have had in the past...this may have something to do with the kids literally "combing" the tree...hopefully it will be fully decorated by Christmas at the rate we are going!

Our "super duper" Ethan is 3!!!

Happy birthday little man!

14 months old...

Our darling Daphne has a budding personality. Daphne is overall laid back although she has a fiesty side and that little glimmer in her eye that lets you know she is plotting something. She is very good about expressing her likes and dislikes...

Daphne DOES NOT like vegetables but loves dessert! If left up to her choice, she prefers a cheese and goldfish diet, she will eat teriaki pork but is very picky about her meats!

She continues to adore Ethan no matter how rough he is with her. I am enjoying watching them "play" together and learn!

Happy Thanksgiving...

The day started out with our first snow flurries of the season...which quickly changed to rain...

We celebrated Turkey Day at our house with 11 for dinner and 15 family & friends for dessert. Once again Jimmy made a delicious turkey and we had help with the yummy sides and desserts. As usual we have been noshing on the leftovers for days...one fabulous benefit of hosting Thanksgiving! We are soo thankful for all the good things in our lives and able to celebrate with our family & friends.

Holly, Joey, and Ryan came down from Boston for a few days. Ethan enjoyed playing/wrestling with Ryan...Daphne tried to keep up with the both of them. We fired up the fire pit one night, the grown up "boys" went virtual golfing, the grown up "ladies" went Black Friday Shopping...and tracked down some good deals. We enjoyed our time hanging out and catching up. (Ethan even ate some of Joey's sushimi...we knew he liked sushi but sushimi?!...it went down without even a grimace! Any excuse for Ethan to use chopsticks I guess!)

13 Months old...

Daphne continues to grow before our eyes...

She has a back tooth poking thru...that brings the chomper count up to 8.

She loves to communicate...whether it be by babbling, signing, or screeching! (New skills: words: "bye" & "water"; signs: ball, hat, and milk; animals: makes "fish face"... and retrieves items you ask her to get pretty accurately. Daphne now gives kisses too!)

The "no fear" attitude is shinning through as well...thanks Ethan! She still is quite the peanut...as she is still within the weight and length limit of the infant seat... (Plus, the new recommendation is to keep a child rear facing until the age of two... my how things change between children!)

Trick or Treat...

We had a little family gathering before heading out with the ghouls... It was a little crazy so I must say I was not good at capturing the moment... we had to stage the still shots a few days later! Our pack consisted of ring leader dinosaur Ethan, a little bumble bee Daphne (and when she got a hold of her cousins prop she turned into a "killer bee"), a handsome fireman Harrison, and a darling butterfly Emma. I think Ethan took more than his fair share of the candy...we are still working on manners...however, he was able to get away with this behavior due to his wittiness of taking just one at a time and numerous please and thank yous...

That left the grandparents and the rest of the aunts and uncles at the house to deal with the other packs of trick or treators...I must say Gramzie Ladybug definitely was better at distributing the candy than I was... I would hold out the basket in horror as the greedy tweens dug in without even a thank you, I am not sure they even said trick or treat... where ladybug asked them if they were from the area and handed them each a little handful... I must work on my technique a little for next year. Although it was fun to go trick-0r-treating with the kids this year as Daphne and I stayed in last year due to the rain. Other than the night being on the chilly side it was perfect for trick or treating!

I almost forgot to mention...at the after Halloween sales Ethan begged for a "super dupper" (a.k.a a super hero) costume for dress up... that is where spiderman comes in... He asks to wear this "outfit" daily!