Where, oh where

So, what have we been up to? I realize that for the most part, I've been MIA for the past month. So here is the update...

Matt took a full two weeks off around Christmas and I have to say that it was blissful. Actually, that is mostly why I have not posted anything...I didn't want to miss out on just being with him and the kids. Seriously, I can't remember the last time that we have had that much down time together in the last few years (but then again my memory is terrible these days so maybe we did the same thing last year...).

For Christmas, my folks make the journey west and stayed with us. This is especially notable because we have a finished basement that should be able to house guests, but up until now, we've found other places for guests to sleep. Not this time! We made a cozy nest for them and it worked out really well. Anyone else want to come visit?

Back to Christmas...even though the kids were here last Christmas, Pish and I really felt like we were parents preparing for Christmas morning this year. It was great. We had so much fun getting their stockings ready (juice boxes in the very bottom because, of course, as that is one of their favorite things) and wrapping the presents in ways that we thought they'd enjoy.

Favorite moments from the Advent season and Christmas morning 2009...
* gathering with our church family on Christmas Eve to sing the familiar songs of Christmas and hear again the story of the incarnation once again. It never ceases to amaze.

* the kids asking for 'baby' which is actually a Russian nesting doll santa ornament with a little santa stuck inside. Both of them insisted on taking the little santa 'baby' out, giving it a kiss and then putting it back on the tree. Then they put their index finger up to their mouths and say 'shhh' indicating that 'baby' has gone back to sleep.

* watching Noah grasp onto the whole idea of Christmas morning. He immediately understood that his stocking belonged to him and toted it around the house until we told him that he could open it. He carefully took each item out and identified it. Unlike her brother, Ella had no interest in opening her stocking. We kind of helped her along but she wanted to only look at one thing at a time. She did however get very excited to see so many juice boxes at the end of her stocking.

* seeing my folks enjoy one another. They are so sweet together.

* seeing Ella really engage with a toy. I was really into my dollhouse as a kid. I loved 'miniatures', as we called them. When I saw Ella take notice of a dollhouse at a store, I took notice. She ordinarily desires social interaction over toys. Anyhow, I was thinking that I'd try to find a little dollhouse for her but stumbled upon an awesome one on craigslist. Thankfully, she loves the dollhouse. Favorite dollhouse activity? Finding the two tiny toy cars (really small since they are toys for the dolls), putting them in a cabinet and then taking them out and putting them in another cabinet, or the dollhouse potty. This can go on forever.

* Ella snuggling in the hooded bath towel that my sister make for her. These towels have since inspired a new post bath tradition of the bundled munchkins sitting together on the chair in their room playing peek a boo with their toes in their towels.

* Watching the cousins chase bubbles together

* Being together with both sets of parents, Matt's sisters, their families and Uncle Roy for a Christmas feast that evening.

* Lots of late night cuddling with Noah. With all the clamor of the holidays, Noah had a bit of trouble making it though the night on his own and he spent many a night in bed with us. While I could have put him back in his bed once he settled, I loved having that little man with us. In the morning he'd wake me up to tell me 'Ya Ya ake' (translation: Ella's awake).

Since then, my parents left town and we have celebrated three birthdays...more on that to come. In the mean time, we've been recalibrating and getting back to our weekly routine. This means that we've spent lots of time playing with trains/cars/construction trucks, babies, play dough, tools. We've read lots of books (Babar is a new favorite) and made huge messes while letting the kids 'help' in the kitchen.

I've been thinking about how much of life is fleeting. There is much uncertainty and messiness and I have so much less control that I think that I do. I'm ever learning to depend on the one that hold us in his hands. These are good, sweet times. We are resting.

The dog says quack

Things that would change about our eating habits if I were a 'good mom'

1. Meal planning. I'd do it. As it goes right now, I grab whatever is available and stick it on a plate.
2. Teeth would be brushed twice a day, regardless of how much I don't feel like it.
3. Eating food off the floor would be verboten.
4. The car would not be mistaken for a traveling compost bin.
5. My children would not be eating Balance Bars for dinner...in the bathtub.
6. Ella's bedtime snack would not be bacon. Seriously, what child asks for, and eats, bacon for a pre-bed snack?
7. A dinner of clementines would not be considered nutritious.
8. Our major food groups would not be frozen blueberries, yogurt, and pancakes.
9. Vegetables on the plate would not be treated as garnish.
10. I would not laugh when I read 'experts' say that toddlers like to try a variety of colorful foods.

Dance, dance, dance

Endearment

Some things that make me smile throughout the day:
1. Noah's sense of order. The other night I was cuddling with the kids on my bed and Ella sneezed a few times. Noah got off the bed, got a kleenex and asked to get back on the bed. He then wiped her nose, got off the bed, put the kleenex in the trash and asked to get back on the bed. Then he went back to resting.

2. Every morning Ella asks for vitamins. I give her two of them and tell her that one is for Noah. She always finds him and gives him one.

3. When Noah tries to catch a ball, he puts his hands out. The hard part is that they are right by his chest and he is so excited that he opens his hands so much the ball will roll right off.

4. Every time I turn on music Ella starts spinning and generally does not stop until she is dizzy and unable to stand.

5. Noah's funny faces. He knows that he is being silly.

6. Ella will occasionally go around the house and identify what things belong to which people. For example, she points at Matt's backpack and says 'Dada' until I acknowledge that it belongs to Matt.

7. The fact that they love Curious George and ask for it by saying 'jawdge'.

8. Noah has discovered how to walk backwards and thinks that it is really cool.

9. The fascination with trains 'choo choos' and airplanes 'aye'. The are ridiculously good at spotting them, the sound of them, or the environment in which they usually see them.

10. That it is typical to see Ella with a piece of food in her hand. While she does not eat much, she does prefers to hold a piece of food for long amounts of time so that she is ready for when she gets hungry --I think that she has had a clementine in hand for most of the weekend.

And below, I love that Noah is delighted to show me his clementine and that Ella has neatly organized hers in a line.

Halloween Weekend

Our Halloween festivities started with a Friday afternoon visit to Pish's office. Upon arriving in the building, the kids were given iced sugar cookies in the shape of a ghost. There was so much clamoring over these treats that we immediately ate them when we got to Pish's desk. Given that they don't know much about where daddy goes during the day, I bet that they now think that he 1) rides the choo choo and 2) eats cookies at his desk all day.

We stopped by Millennium Park after dinner so that the kids could interact with the Cloud Gate sculpture.

The shops in the village where we live invites kids to trick or treat, so we headed out for that on Saturday morning. It was pretty cool out so we bundled the kids in their costumes, hats, mittens and a pile of blankets. The town was crawling with candy hungry kids that were shivering cold. Ella and Noah could not have cared less about the candy, but seeing two trains at once was pretty enthralling. After that, we could not take the cold so we headed back home.

Later in the afternoon, we headed over to Nana and Grandpa's house. I know that you may not have seen them in your neighborhood, but the dragon cheerleader costume that Annika is sporting was very popular this year in the Chicagoland area. Noah is just a regular dragon and Ella is a little bumblebee.

After one house, the kids got the idea of things: get out of the wagon, stand on a doorstep, nice people come to the door with a bowl of shiny things, pick one, put it in your bag and get back in the wagon.

That kind of day

I'll skip the details but it was not an especially peaceful day in the Potoshnick household. Ella's outfit is evidence. Getting the kids dressed was such an ordeal that I stopped before getting socks on her. She then proceeded to bring me a pair of MY socks and motioned that I put them on her feet. I knew that this was a battle that I didn't really care about so this is how she looked today. Mom's socks pulled up to her mid thigh, over her leggings. Awesome look, huh?

Team Hendo + Team Poto

This past weekend, our friends the Hendersons made their way up to the windy city for a visit. We met them during our first week at Duke and knew immediately that they'd become close friends. This was the first time that we have all been together since 2007. Our time was mostly spent cooking meals and playing on the floor with the kids, but we did manage to get out to Cosley to see the animals. Who would have thought four years ago that we'd spend a Saturday morning demonstrating animal sounds for our kids? We had a blast though --thanks for making the trip Team Hendo!



Ella pondering the huge pile of hay bales.

Noah so big.

Jenni and Will --he is one smiley little dude.

Checking out the very rotund sheep.

Ryan with Will, pointing to the llamas.

Attempted group shot. It is pointless to even try to get the kids looking in the same direction.

Of course, Ella tries to pick up the biggest pumpkin that she can find.

Noah telling Ella that it is pure silliness to attempt lifting a pumpkin of such heft.

And Noah demonstrating that small pumpkins are much better suited for little people .

Noah likes his new little buddy.

Tasting

As previously mentioned, we've processed quite a few apples in the past weeks. Knowing that he comes from a long line of apple butter lovers, we documented Noah's first tastes. He's hooked.

Remembering Today

I've been thinking lots of about living in the moment. Rather than rushing in to make dinner, we stayed outside during the last light to roll in the grass and enjoy the cool evening. Here are a few shots that I want to remember.

Autumn begins

In our house, autumn means apple picking. Last weekend we headed up north to a new orchard (well, new to us) and had an awesome time piking apples with the kids. We came home with nearly 4 pecks of apples, one bag of pears, 5 lbs of sour cherries and a pound of fresh honey. So far, I've made 4 crock pots full of apple sauce and one batch of apple butter. Perhaps some mini apple crostadas this weekend...we'll see.

Pish showing Noah how to get just the right apple.

Ella in Noah's cap from last winter. I'm not sure where she found it but she was sure that she wanted to wear it.

Ella's first time eating the whole apple (not sure why I have not done this before). She polished it off and we had to pry it from her tight little grasp before she ate the core and seeds.

Noah taking a cautious bite.

Enjoying...

Noah wanted to carry the bag of apples on his own.