(I know, it's been forever, but that's beside the point.)
We're headed out tomorrow for the traditional holiday trek to Utah (even with a Winter Storm Warning in effect, because that's the way we roll), but I just wanted to take a minute and say ...
*WARNING: This post is extreme Mommy Blogging. Meant mostly for grandparents and Doubting Thomases of the familial sort. You know who you are.
My daughter, who shall remain named, Ruby, has two moods and two moods only. She is either the best thing around or the ... well, I don't want to actually say, "the worst," so let's just say ... the opposite of the best.
Unfortunately, whenever we leave the comforts of home she tends to clam up, whine a lot, and cling to me, therefore greatly reducing her ability to showcase her warm and cuddly side.
I present this video as proof to my family members who believe Ruby to be a cross, whiney, near-mute.
p.s. If you stick it out to the end, you'll be rewarded with a semi-nude chubby baby.
It snowed today. My kids wanted to go out and play in it. Contrary to my sometimes cranky and lazy parenting style, I got them ready and let them loose.
They loved it.
While watching them play, I felt sad for the time thinking of Henry going to all-day Kindergarten next year. We won't have days like this. Ruby won't have anyone crazy enough (and old enough, Abram still won't count yet this time next year) to go out and play in the soggy snow with. It made me sad. And made my heart hurt a little to think this boy will spending so much time away from us next year ...
But he took serious advantage of it.
Do you think he's somehow aware of his limited stay-home-and-play-in-the-snow days?
As for this girl, once she managed to pull her attention away from her graham cracker (this girl is OBSESSED with food!) ...
... she got into it a little more ... 
... and then sweet release!!!
(I think I love this so much because it seems like something my brothers would do.)
When Henry was six weeks old, we kicked him out of our room. We (mostly Scott) were afraid that he'd get too accustomed to sleeping in our room.
When he was four months, his doctor told me I could let him cry through the night. (That's right, I'm one of those people.) So four months on the day, I steeled myself for a night of hell. It sort of was, truth be told. As usual, he started crying about three hours after going to bed. I went in to comfort him briefly after 5 minutes (without actually touching him, doctor's orders), then waited another 10 minutes, then 20, then 40, etc. And all the while, I sat outside his door "reading" a book, like a sentinel, trying to brave it out with him, every step of the way. I was dedicated. I stuck to it. And every pathetic whine broke my heart.
At 6 months on the nose I started him on cereal, waited two weeks, and slowly began introducing green veggies, then orange ones, and finally fruit (Heaven forbid the boy taste bananas before sweet potatoes), after consulting with my doctor and talking to all friends and sisters to get their input on the best way to introduce food.
For his first year I was pretty "by the book." It was for the best after all.
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Fast forward four years. At six months old, I started considering moving Abram out of our room. He's my baby, could be my last (according to my husband, bah humbug), so I'm hanging on to this one. After regressing in the sleep department I finally decided he might need to go it alone at night. The first night I tried I'm pretty sure he was the tiniest bit congested. Oh well. I'd rather bring him into my bed anyway.
But then I got serious after another week of bad sleep. He was healthy. He was getting chubbier every day ... all systems go, little man. He woke up at 2 so I walked upstairs, consoled him a little (don't tell my old doctor I actually touched him) and left the room. I turned on the bathroom fan to muffle his sad crying (more whining than actual crying), came downstairs, and thought, "Poor little guy. I know I'll just lay here straining to hear every noise he ........ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz."
People, I lasted like 5 seconds. I'm not kidding. We didn't hear another thing from Abe until 9 in the morning.
And then there's the food. I haven't even started it.
