The toy store is open

Merry Christmas to everyone. We have had a fantastic day. We, like many families, have been preparing for Santa's visit for weeks. Last night, it was time to lay the groundwork for a good visit.



Jason and Michael grabbed paper from our kitchen--post-it notes that perhaps were a little more colorful than they should be for the Man in Red. Nevertheless, the hand-written part was straight from the heart.

So was the hand-made big cookie for Santa and nine carrot sticks for his four-legged friends.



The boys have had a fine time this week. School is out, Amah, Akong, and Uncle Tim were here--everyone is all smiles.

We extend a special thank you to Uncle Tim who woke up when Jason did at 6 a.m. They watched cartoons for an hour so we could "sleep" in.





We were blessed to spend the day with family and friends.

We are looking forward to seeing Grandma and Grandpa this weekend. We wish them a safe and uneventful trip!

Happy Holidays to all!!

Santa Baby

Yes, there he is.



My Santa Baby.
Joshua is all too quickly zooming toward the ripe old age of 1. He turned 8 months old on Sunday.

Just two days before that, we took him to the doctor, where we learned he weighs 15 pounds now.

We celebrated the milestone by giving all three boys flu shots.

And, this is the crazy thing. Upon hearing the news, Jason and Michael screamed, "Yay!" and jumped up onto the doctor's table. No tears, quite the opposite. And, when it was Joshua's turn to roll up his pants for a shot, both older boys wanted a front row seat. The nurse had to ask them to step aside a bit so she could get to work.

The only "crybaby" was Joshua--but, his big brothers didn't hold it against him. When they went to the treat chest in the doctor's office (a box filled with stickers and plastic gadgets and stuff), they duly picked up a toy for their little brother.

Center stage

It's time for Joshua's big brothers to get space in the spotlight. Holiday programs dominated the week. As the oldest boy in his class, Jason had some critical roles in his production.



He led the program by addressing the waiting crowd. "Parents, welcome to our program. We'll start with 'America,'" he said. He was so calm.

Michael, too, had a successful show.




Michael's class took the crowd through "Jingle Bells" and "Do You Know the Muffin Man?"



At home, we are simply trying to get ready for the holidays and the visitors we're very excited to see.
Presents are a BIG focus for our older two. We are enjoying a gift basket filled with food from Buffalo, courtesy of Uncle Bud and Aunt Joyce. Thanks so much for it!

You may be happy to know that the ENTIRE gift is being appreciated.
The box and the styrofoam peanuts kept Jason and Michael occupied for a good TWO HOURS. That was some gift!

Football season is just about over, but that isn't stopping the boys from enjoying a friendly game. Even the baby is getting involved. It's never too early, you know.

It's showtime!

Jason and Michael are good-natured and generally pleasant boys. We couldn't love them more.

But, they weren't exactly the happiest babies on the block.

Now that we have one, though, we can't stop capturing the moment.



Joshua smiles at everyone.
He loves the sound of his name, the sound of my name, the sound of your name.
He enjoys being held by strangers, he loves to look at the lights and play with hanging toys.

The one thing that is making him uncomfortable, and as a result, making the rest of us feel the pain...is his new teeth.



Jason learned the hard way what happens when you get too close to his gums.



During lunchtime today, Michael was urging Joshua to reconsider: "Joshua, big brother's hand is NOT FOOD!"

Toothy

Yes, it's official.
There really was a reason behind all that drool.

Baby Joshua is sporting a brand new tooth. One of the bottom ones.



Despite his lack of interest in the Christmas parade, I think he likes our in-home holiday decorations.
Might be something to do with the pretty lights.