This Day Documented: Saturday, November 13, 2010

9:30am - My sister, Becky, arrives with her boys and we load up her van

9:37am - Gas, Starbucks (grande latte w/ 3 raw sugars)

9:45am - 57 Northbound to Chicago

9:48am - Nella requests a snack (typical)

10:10am - Silas asleep (praise God)

10:15am - Ilan asleep

10:30am - Nella asleep

10:45am - Silas awake (oh snap!)

10:48am - Ilan awake (double snap!)

11:07am - Nella awake. Resumes snacking

11:10am - All boy screamfest; Marley, Silas, & Ilan

11:15am - Marley asleep, little boys still going strong

11:30am - little boys asleep again (finally!)

11:45am - Scrounging for change on I-355 Illinois Tollway

11:46am - Receiving IOU slip, we were short 54 cents 

11:50am - Milo and Otis

12:09pm - FLIPS!!! Our favorite Glen Ellyn eatery

12:49pm - Family photo in front of Flips. 3 generations of Flipsters here. My parents have been going since the 70's

1:15pm - Wheaton Popcorn Shop. Another favorite childhood spot; we had so much fun taking our own kids there!

1:17pm - Nella touches all the candy

1:18pm - It's an alley-turned-popcorn/candy store. It has the BEST ceiling!

1:23pm - Heading back to the car with her loot. We spent $1.19

 1:24pm - Nella and Marley are excited about their bags of candy

1:26pm - These cousins are buddies!

1:28pm - "Look at all my lots of candies, Mom!"

1:29pm - Sneaking a bite of a gummy butterfly

1:31pm - Me and Becky with our cousin, Jeff. We used to hit the popcorn shop together as kids

1:45pm - My dad takes us on a driving tour of Wheaton, where he grew up. He loves to tell us stories about and show us places from his childhood as we drive around town. We love Wheaton.

2:36pm - Oberweis Dairy, chocolate malt

 2:37pm - Grandpa shares with Ilan

2:40pm - Grandpa shares with Silas

3:00pm - Trader Joes

4:00pm - My youngest cousin Brett's 16th Birthday Party

 4:15pm - Nella plays with the ferrets (Gross! I, myself am not a fan, but she loves them!)

 4:20pm - Photo time!

 4:25pm - Photos with family. Nan & Pop were in from San Antonio. Here they are with all their grandchildren & great-grandchildren (and my parents, who somehow snuck in the photo)

4:45pm- Silas falls and bites his lip. Bleeds on shirt and couch. He must leave his mark of destruction somehow!

5:50pm - Cake

6:00pm - Nella notices the fire pit and freaks out. Not sure what that's about, but it was quite the scene

6:10pm - Hugs & kisses & goodbyes

6:18pm - Load up van

6:25pm - Starbucks, round 2 (grande latte w/ 3 raw sugars. It's my fave. hint hint. If you love me, you'll buy me a latte!)

6:29pm - Silas & Ilan asleep

6:33pm - Nella & Marley asleep

8:38pm - Home!

Actions Speak Louder

Download "Actions Speak Louder" tomorrow on iTunes! 100% of the proceeds go to His Voice Global to build a fourth orphanage in Southern Sudan. 250,000 downloads will build the orphanage and make it self sufficient. Spend $1, download a cool song, help build an orphanage.  Tell your friends.

Nella Answers Catechism Questions

Nella has been learning the catechism as a part of Redeemer Church's children's program.  We work on it at home during the week and the children review it together on Sunday morning at church.

What the heck is a catechism, you ask?  According to our children's ministry literature, catechism is an anglicized version of the Greek word,  katekeo, which simply means, "to instruct."  The word has come to be known as a style of instruction that teaches the essentials of the Christian faith.

It's a series of memorized questions and answers meant to give someone a general overview of biblical theology.  If you're interested in learning more about it, Desiring God Ministries has a great overview as well as the Baptist Catechism, here.

Anyway, one night I recorded Nella answering the first 10 questions.  She and Silas were in the bathtub, which should explain the splashes and screeches.  I figured at least Granny and Nana would get a kick out of it.  Kid's capacity to learn and memorize is incredible.  Nella is 2 and 1/2.

You'll have to download the audio file because I cannot figure out how to embed it into the post.  Sorry.

Nella & The First 10 Catechism Questions.m4a

Fall Pumpkins: Round Two

We took the kids to Curtis Orchard and pumpkin patch this afternoon for the classic 'kids in a pumpkin patch' photos.  It was a lovely, chilly afternoon but very sunny.  The kids were mostly distracted and not at all interested in having their picture taken.  They had lots of fun though.  Here are a few photos:

I posted the rest of the pictures on facebook. 

Fall Pumpkins: Round One

Nella helped me pick out pumpkins at the grocery store last week. I got a large one, she picked a "little tiny baby" one. I had planned on buying some paints so we could paint them. She was just so excited and could not wait so I grabbed a couple of Sharpies from the desk and we went to town. 

She had so much fun! I did too! 

I still may buy some paints and another pumpkin so she can do it again. There's always room for more pumpkins!

Pumpkins - $6
Sharpies - $4
Watching your little girl enjoy being creative - Priceless!

Silas Turned One!

Our silly baby boy is one!  Silas is a little guy:  19 pounds and 15 and 1/2 ounces (5th percentile) and almost 28 inches long (3rd percentile), but he's in the 50th percentile for head size.

He's active.  He loves dancing and will start bouncing any time he hears music.  He is capable of walking, but usually chooses to crawl.  He crawls fast and with his head down as though he's charging something like a bull.  

He loves cars, balls and wooden puzzles.  He loves playing outside (especially in the dirt), playing in the bath, and watching videos of himself or other babies.  He loves bananas, yogurt, carrot muffins, and almost anything covered in a red sauce.   He loves playing with his big sister and can make her laugh like nobody else can.

He doesn't like green beans or chicken and he didn't really love his birthday cake.  He also doesn't love having his diaper changed, his hair washed, his face wiped off, getting dressed or having his clothes changed.  He hates being restrained in a high chair or car seat.

    

He's said:  mama, dada, baba, and uh-oh.  He shows no interest in talking, but does communicate in other ways, mainly by pointing, babbling and or shrieking.  

He is:  a momma's boy, an early bird, an entertainer, silly, adventurous, extremely curious and a fast learner.

Damage he's done:  scratched DVDs, torn pages out of books, knocked my laptop off of the end table,  spilled beverages, pulled hairs from doll's heads, knocked over a reed oil diffuser which stripped paint off of a wall and piece of furniture, unrolled toilet paper, dropped a shampoo bottle into the toilet, 'highlighted' documents,  etc.

Things he's eaten or we've pulled from his mouth:  a peanut, fuzz, a penny, a button, half of a dead fly, guitar pick, rock, bottle cap, pen cap, clump of dirt, leaf, chalk, twist tie, small puzzle piece, dried old pea/cheerio/macaroni noodle/grape etc. from the kitchen floor.

Silas, you are a handful!  But you are a precious and fun little boy and we love you and can't imagine our lives without you!  

Thanks for the video Aunt Lisa!  She's the only one who got any video footage of the birthday boy!

Stickers and Sad Faces and Hello Kitty Underwear

Nella has improved immensely with potty training in the past week.  I think it's the chart.  The girl is crazy about stickers!

The simple potty training chart is from here.