Happy 10 month B-Day G-man!

Moira drew this, one of her many creations. It's an angry polar bear in case you couldn't tell.

Moira and her boyfriends Denison and Davis. She changed about 10 times before they got here and kept wondering who would think she was prettiest.

Can you tell what color my eyes are? My mommy can't!

The other day we went to the the indoor play area at the community center. I head Moira tell another little girl "That's my brother. We call him G-man". Also, she decided on the way there that she was going to tell all the friends she would make that her name was Sally b/c that is "more fancy". So funny b/c we go there and some little girl came up to make friends and asked her what her name was. She said "My name is Sally" and I heard the other little girl calling her that as they played. Then she came up to me and said "I decided I am going to tell people my name is Alison" but couldn't find a friend to tell that one too. ????

Moi had her Christmas program at school today. It was funny. They did an obstacle course (not sure what that has to do with the birth of Jesus) then they sang some songs. She got to sit next to her best friend Carly. Carly plays Max & Ruby (bunny show on nick jr.) with her so they have really bonded. Moira is really into drawing these days. She spends hours a day just drawing pictures. She is pretty good! Really good actually. Today she made a book complete with a story line and taped it all together.

So I am going to brag here. Grady is up and cruising along the furniture. He will take a step from the furniture to me while holding my hands. He says "ought oh" on command and at appropriate times. He says his word for ball which sounds like "doll". Chris took the kids to a museum Saturday and they had a ball room and he was going crazy saying "doll! doll! doll!" He says it anytime he sees one. You never realize how many balls are in your house until you have a little man pointing them out to you. He calls balloons balls too. He also says "ma ma" and "da da" not on command but frequently in the right context, especially ma ma. Sometimes he says mom. Also, on Moi's learning desk there is a song about animal noises and I noticed that he was roaring along with the lion sound. I say "up" when I pick him up and he makes the "p" sound back to me. He says "I" for hi. He is very verbal, I must say. He does the sign language for "all done" when he is doing eating. He loves to smile back at everyone and I even saw him smiling at the poster of the lady holding the cheese its in the grocery store. Such a happy guy. Loves Chris, and it's so nice b/c he will let him hold him all day long. Such a relief and help for me!

Trying to get to the Christmas tree

Kissing the baby in the mirror

At the Snowflake Castle at the Senior Center.

Grady's first snow fall.

Moira funny: "Mommy, if my butt was invisible, would it still be stink?"

Moira funny: "Mommy, God made this bathtub and he made you and me. But we aren't "woman" so we wear clothes."
(I guess they were talking about Adam and Eve at school?)

So Sorry....

Moira and I waiting for our horse drawn carriage that rode around uptown westerville and our house during the Holiday midnight madness.

Franklin Park Conservatory Holiday lights night

They have really fancy Gingerbread competetion.

We made a gingerbread house. She is in her bathing suit b/c we were pretending like we were in Florida.

Moira on our "Girls Day"

Me and Moi on Girl's day!

I love this pic. So artsy and beautiful!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Life has just been crazy lately! As usual I guess.

Where to begin. I am so behind. Let me just do a little random stream of consciousness. That's the best I am going to be able to do I am afraid.

Last night we went to see the Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek. It's $10 a car, which is kind of high, but the lights are just spectacular. 1/2 way through, you can get out and see santa and have some cookies and hot chocolate. Never before has Moira actually wanted to get near Santa. High five 2 years ago was the best we've ever done. I didn't figure she would want to see him, espcially b/c he was in this little room and it was just him, actually kind of creepy if you are a kid. But, I put Grady on his lap and she hopped on the other side. Grady totally freaked out. It was kind of funny. The lady taking the pictures didn't even want to show me the pictures, she just said "you won't like this". Although I would have, for posterity, but didn't have time to argue, I was too curious to see what Moira would do. She sat on his lap and said "Grady would like some new Mams (his pacifier, she decided beforehand that's what he would like. She is right.). I would like a new Videa dress (she saw this at big lots, I already got it for her, it's the mean fairy from tinkerbell, she likes this b/c it's blue, her new favorite color b/c it's Grandma's favorite color), a pupet theater and a cat." She saw the pupet theater and the cat at meijer. Not a real cat, this "furreal" cat that cousin Maren got last year. I ordered them online today b/c I wasn't sure when I could get there w/o her and didn't want to be looking last minute. Although the pupet theater she saw was blue and they didn't have that one online, only a purple one so I am hoping she doesn't throw a big fit. Anyway, a very successful trip to see Santa!

Grady is into everything. He eats everything. Things I can't even babyproof for, like curtains, sides of chair legs, the couch. Oh, and he's learned how to get outlet covers off and stick his fingers in them. He also bites people. He bit Moi really hard today. Poor girl didn't even see it coming. I tell him "no" but he's only 9 months. I swear I think he's talking. He looks at me and says "mom" (even Moira said "he's calling you mom and not mommy")and Chris and says "da da". Also "hi" and "ought oh". I could be wrong, not 100% sure. He is also standing up very well and stood by himself today not holding onto anything for like 30 seconds. Moi took her first steps at 9 1/2 months, but she also crawled earlier so we'll see. Oh and he's learned how to climb the stairs!

Moi decided she wants her name to be "Colonica". Grady should be "Tex" and I am "mommy Megan", Chris is "chrysaliss". ???? She changes her name a lot though. Today she was "Sally"

During the fantasy of lights, Grady was really fussy. He stopped Crying and I turned around and Moi was holding his hand. She said "I am holding his little tiny hand and he is smiling at me. I love him". So sweet! Also he got up from his nap and I sent her upstairs b/c I was in the middle of something in the kitchen and I heard her on the monitor going "It's okay Grades, nofing is wrong, it's okay". I went up there and she was laying in the crib with him holding his hand.

Funny Moi story. We were listing to this song and it goes "the more we get together the happier we'll be, cause your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends, the more we get together the happier we'll be". She said "mommy, that lady said she was going to take my friends". I tried to just explain what it meant, how if you share, you'll have twice as many and she said "Well, she can't have Allie or Daniela!". Then the next day we were listening to it and she said "That lady thinks she can take my friends, but my friends can't get into the tv (it was a lady from the Noggin Channel singing). ha ha ha!" Like, ah-ha, I got her!

Moi and I had an awesoem girls day a few weeks ago. It was our best day together ever I would say. She overheard me and Chris talking about how I was meeting a friend for a movie that night. She asked if she could go. It was the OSU/Michigan game day, so I got the idea to leave Chris and Grady at home to watch the game and nap and Moira and I had a girls day. She needed a haircut, so we did that. Then we went to the mall to get her glasses adjusted. I bought her a pink tutu, b/c you know, it was girls day, and then we played at the play area and did some shopping. AFter that we went to the dollar movie theater and saw ice age 2. She sat through about half of it. Then we went to the park on the way home where Chris and Grady met us. Chris surprised me by cleaning the whole house and he picked up dinner. Then I got to have a "date" with a girlfriend to see the New Moon movie.

Both kids have been really sick with bad colds this week. Moi finally seems mostly better, I sent her to school today. But it's been a looooong week. Speaking of school, Moi got an evaluation sheet last month. She got check marks for meeting or exceeding every category and the comment that they had was "Moira is a sweet little girl and has become quite the leader with the other children". That's my girl!

Grady is a daddy's boy. It is so nice, yet a little weird to me b/c Moi was soooo not like that and Chris doesn't get to see Grady that much. We went to the Franklin Park Conservatory the other night for the candlelight night (which was very very nice) and Chris met us there. Grady reached for him and he let Chris hold him for 20 minutes. I tried to take him and he didnt' want me! So weird! Then the same thing this morning. He loves his daddy. Chirs is already trying to figure out how quickly they can go to NASCAR races together!

Grady 9 month Dr. visit

Grady weighed in at 22 lbs, 1 oz, 30 1/2" long. That's 95% for height, 80% for weight. The Dr. was pleased with everything and said he is "above the curve on every level" with his crawling, amount of teeth, verbal skills, and size. He said to expect molars next, and the other teeth will fill in after that. I think he might be getting them. He's been putting his fingers way back there and chewing on them a lot.
Both kids got the h1n1 vac today. The Ped office had it in stock finally. Moira had to get a shot, not the mist. She was mad about that and freaking out. Perhaps b/c she heard me and the Dr. talking about how weird the govt is being about distributing it. I made some joke about there being a tracking device in it and I think she heard me. She kept punching her arm for like 1/2 an hour saying "get this out of me!". Whoopsie.

Hi guys! It's me! Sorry... been busy over here. Grady is crawling. Really really fast. And boy is he determined! It's funny b/c he's such a happy guy, you don't expect him to be so determined. He is strong too. When he sets his mind on getting something he twists and turns his body and uses his will to get it! It's pretty funny, and a lot of work! He is also really big on putting things in his mouth like most kids are. It's a full time job to keep stuff out of his mouth. It makes me realize how much stuff is on the floor b/c he is very observant and insists on picking up everything and putting it in his mouth. I think I am going to have to teach Moi the hymlic just to keep up! Sheesh. He seems to be a very verbal little guy. He says daddy/doggy (can't tell which) a lot, frequently when daddy/the doggy are near. This is a good thing b/c he is intent on getting on top of the dog, banging on her etc. I usually know when he is giong for the dog b/c I hear this word. Also sounds like he says "tee tee" when he sees the cat.

Moira seems to be maturing a lot. She has been much more accepting of things that she doesn't want to do. I try to give her lot of warnings about things coming up I know she won't like and she doesn't fight me too much on most things. She really is a good good good girl, we are in a good phase right now. She has so much love and kindness. She says "I love you" so many times a day, I can't even count. She tells Grady she loves him a lot too. She is very excited about Christmas and the holidays. She certainly has the Christmas spirit.

Well, I have more, but Grady is up from his nap now. Until we meet again....

Grady really likes frozen raspberries.

Moira in fancy pink dress for trick or treat. She said she was cinderella. It was too cold to be wearing this, and she refused to put on a coat or wear comfortable shoes. She made it about 15 minutes and gave up. Fortunately for her, the neighbors were very generous, I think each house gave her about 4 or 5 pieces of candy. She hasn't asked for it since Saturday night.???

Grady as Pooh Bear!

Dressed as tinkerbell for trick or treat at Missys.

Moira's preschool class.

At the school haloween parade

Dorothy! Complete with ruby red slippers.

She kept reprimanding "to to" the whole morning.

Haloween Preview

I talked Moi into getting in her cowgirl costume so she and Grady could be matching for some pics. If she doesn't want to wear something, it is very hard to get her to do so.

Grady is full on army crawling. It's funny. I wonder if he will ever "real" crawl with his belly off the ground.

We got Moira's glasses adjusted Friday, they are fitting much better.

That's all I got!