Skyler and Sadie: Catch up!

So, what's been happening?? I have to catch up...last week Michael went on a fairly last minute trip to Afghanistan for the weekend, yep, just a little trip:) He was the Dr. for some congress-people that were checking out what is happening over there. This time the trip was A LOT shorter and a bit more luxurious. I dare say he even enjoyed it. But there is still a form of stress and anxiety that goes hand-in-hand with the word 'Afghanistan', so I packed the kiddos up and we headed up to NJ for a long weekend. It actually was a great decision. The kids weren't dwelling on the fact that Michael wasn't around and we had a CHANGE IN SCENERY! Always good after being home for so long. Kind of refreshes everything when we head home. They love being at Nana and Papa's house. The only problem was that we have all been sick for about three weeks, and of course we germed up Nana and Papa...sorry bout that! Winter is definitely leaving us with a bang and we can't wait until sick season is OVER! Give us back our noses and energy:)

What's new? Skyler is coming into a stage where he is beginning to learn that not everything revolves around him. It's tough. I'm sure it will take time. I feel badly but tend to get a little annoyed when I can't carry on a conversation with anyone without his feeling the need to turn the attention back to HIM...oy...that's all I have to say:) But he is continuing to amaze us with the things he knows and wants to know. Today he found a coin and told me he wanted to weigh it. Than, Michael handed Skyler his tron figures and Skyler asked what he was supposed to do with these 'characters'. What?? I couldn't get second graders to figure out what a character was! It makes me feel confident that moving him to a montessori school is a good decision. And of course he continues to make me laugh every day...especially when he calls me 'dude' when I do something annoying....or when he makes a real joke that makes sense...or when I turn around and find him in a crazy position on the couch....or when he tells me to look at his triangle and he has managed to contort his body into, or the fact he keeps tilting his head and leaning in for a kiss on the lips because that's what he saw in a wedding picture at school...what??? I've tried explaining that he will do that with a girl friend when he is a teenager, not with his MOM! He is soooo patient with Sadie when she takes his toys or knocks down his building. He works so hard to 'trade' something to get his toy back...sometimes he has to go through ten toys until he finally interests Sadie enough to switch. I think most brothers would have just snatched it back. He is the first one to make her laugh and the first one to kiss her good night before bed. I LOVE HIM!!!!!

Sadie...sweet sweet Sadie...reminding me how amazing it is to watch my children grow. I wish I recorded so much more with Skyler. Sadie talks and talks and talks. Her vocabulary has exploded and sometimes she will ask me something and I'll think it's Skyler, but turn around to see her sweet little face looking at me. Yesterday, she walked over with paper and said, "mommy, in garbage." She is definitely going to want to do karate. She used to just sit in her stroller and watch. Well, now I take off her shoes and she walks around the edge of the mat watching her brother intently. She does the stretches with Mr. Daniel and throws in her 'Hiya's" and kicks, claps and yey's for Skyler when he does something.

Ok, enough! On to the pictures that I have gathered from the week....

Monday was bubble day! Never too old for bubbles....