Man! It’s sure quiet around here. I guess it’s been quiet around here because our lives have been exactly the opposite! I can’t believe the last time I posted was just after Tatiana’s birthday. Oops!
So what have we been up to that is keeping us so busy, you ask? (Or maybe you didn’t, but if you’re here and still reading, you’re going to find out anyway!) Let’s see. First, for all 3 of us, there was Halloween and a tale of Red Riding Hood. Then, I got buried at work with back to back to back trips. Ugh. Suddenly, it was Thanksgiving and shortly thereafter we took a quick trip to Florida to see Grampa and Gramma. Then this week, Alex had his latest Rite of Boyhood Passage. Whew. All caught up? Ok good.
Alex’s first Halloween was a huge hit! He LOVED dressing up. This year Tatiana was “Little Red Riding Hood” – a costume that mama smartly purchased last year 1/2 off. Sadly, I think that was my last year to be able to get away with that as she really started to get opinions on what costume she wanted to be as the year went on. I was able to convince her that “Red” was cool though, because it had a really cool cape and dress. I found a “wolf” costume for Alex, which was a double bonus because up here in the north, you never know what type of weather you’ll get on October 31st. In my lifetime, I have seen snow and I have seen 70 degrees. Crazy. However, more typically than not, it’s COLD at that time of year, so the wolf costume was the perfect fuzzy warmth for a little guy. Plus it also hid the sweatshirt, sweatpants combo underneath! Having two social butterfly children on Halloween, we weren’t able to cover TOO much ground, but trust me when I say there was more than enough candy to go around. 
Halloween Festivities
I wish I could say that I had the type of job that got quiet near the end of the year. Not so much. Not only was there the day to day business to maintain, a year end number to achieve, but add to the mix 2012 planning with a whole mess of customers. I logged a lot of miles in late October and November! And even though I am home MOST nights, after a long day of go go go, and get ready for tomorrow’s go go go, I pretty much just want to go go go to bed bed bed. Thankfully, I can report that as of last week, I made the revised number that I committed to back in September. HUGE weight off my shoulders.
Continuing in the line of Alex’s “firsts” – next up was Thanksgiving. I LOVE Thanksgiving. Always have. Always will. In my family we have a GIANT, massive Thanksgiving. My grandfather was 1 of 7 boys and all 7 families still get together each year for the gathering. An average year for us is 75-80 people. The adults all talk and catch up (where do you start with that many family members to catch up with!) and the kids literally run around and whoop it up. I did it when I was young and now it’s my kids turn! This year in attendance were 3 Kindergartners – all from the same school and obviously, from the same family! Tatiana, her cousin Riley (MY cousin’s daughter) and their cousin Jayden (my Great Uncle Lyle’s great grandson) all go to the same school. You have got to love a small town. And even at two years old and only home for just over 6 months, Alex figured out his role, and ran around with the rest of the kids like he had been doing it his whole life. 
Tatiana with cousin, Mary, at Thanksgiving
WOW! Almost caught up to present! Last week, to escape the cold and snow, we hopped a plane and headed to Florida to see my dad. It’s always good, even for just a couple days, to get away. I will admit that I wasn’t looking forward to hauling all the belongings of 3 people to the airport, and flying alone with two kids 5 and under. I used an off site parking service – so I had an extra set of hands with luggage – relief! To my amazement, both kids were EXTREMELY well behaved on both flights. In fact, both times the people next to me/behind me said “your kids were SOOO good”. SHOCK and AWE! While in Florida, we saw Santa (Tati LOVED him, Alex – not so much); saw my Aunt Kay/Uncle Dick; went to a bouncy house – big hit; and Tatiana rode her bike (with training wheels) EVERY night – and if I may add, got really good at it! Loads of fun.
Seeing Santa: Tatiana (the old pro) and Alex (somewhat hesitant!)
Fun at Bounce U
Riding bikes in Florida!!
Back in reality this week, Alex completed another rite of passage for boys… STITCHES. Long story short (who me? never!), his eyebrow area collided with the lip of the car door. He couldn’t achieve this feat again if he tried, but yesterday, he did it perfectly. 4 stitches and 3 ER hours later, we were home and he was acting like nothing ever happened. He’ll probably have a small scar on his eyebrow area to taunt future bullies with, but mama will have a huge lasting scar on her heart having to hold a normally happy go lucky two year old down while someone puts needles in his eyebrow over and over again. YUCK!
We’re in the final countdown to Christmas, here. School sing is done, parties are underway and presents are pretty much a WRAP. (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)
School Sing
I promise not to be away this long again. I may have said that in the past… but I really do THINK that I mean it! We’re engrossed in Christmas festivities now, so bring on the fun! A couple more firsts on the horizon for Mr. Alex!
