Fall Fun

We've had lots of fun this week playing in leaves, looking for pumpkins, and enjoying the nice weather in Winona. Surprising, but even though my birthday is in the spring I think I have decided that Fall is in fact my favorite season. Colorful trees, cool but warm temps, fires outside, candles inside, Halloween and turkeys and pumpkin pie. Spring may have my birthday, but everything else is pretty much crap. Oh wait....there's Joseph's birthday too...and Frittata on Easter and Matzo Ball Soup and Brisket for Passover....hmmmm. I'm still sticking with Fall.

Things that make you go hmmmmm...

• Joseph is terrified of eyedrops, as in screaming and refusing to open his eyes
• Leah lays down under tables and behind furniture when she is tired (on belly, thumb in mouth)
• Hannah clings to my arms and squeezes to no end whenever I try to hand her to someone else

Mama and Dada

We are pretty sure that Hannah and Leah are saying "mama" and "dada". Or these just happen to be the next logical phase of sounds after "ra ra ra ra". Not sure I will count it as their first words yet, but Leah's "mama" is pretty clear, and so is Hannah's "dada". (Clearly they've made their picks.) Leah has turned into quite the eater over the past month, she eats as though she is in competition with her sister, even though Hannah has a completely separate chair and tray of food, well at least at home. At daycare they had to be separated at meal time because Leah kept taking Hannah's food. I'm guessing at their one year weigh in Leah will have caught up to her not so bigger, bigger sister. They are down to two bottles a day and loving the three meals plus two snacks. (Sometimes a third snack to promote happiness and reduce screaming.) Their eyes are still what I am calling hazel (dark grey with a ring of light brown around the pupils), but we think their hair is starting to look more golden. Still straight as can be! Leah is starting to suck her thumb more and more...it used to be a sign of sleepiness but now I think in general she uses it to calm herself down. Around 4pm each day at daycare she crawls up a little ramp and into a pit of stuffed animals and lays there on her back cuddling with her thumb in her mouth (this is after crying of course). I can't seem to remember when we took Joseph's pacifier away, but I hesitate to pull the plug on Hannah's. I think he was able to talk, so he must have been older. Are other people's memories better than this? Seriously, I can keep track of a zillion things I need to do in a given day but can't for the life of me remember details like this. Perhaps my brain has run out of long term storage. (Note to self: clean out brain).

Joseph's First Interaction with a Policeman

A police officer cruised through our alley a few weekends ago while we were out back playing with the neighbors, we must have all looked extremely excited (maybe the waving and pointing?) because he parked and stepped out of the car to talk to all of us for a bit. Joseph was shy at first (though he said it was Ruthie that was being shy at him), but after he warmed up he asked the policeman all kinds of important questions, like "which do you like best...Nemo movies or games?" Thankfully the guy did know who Nemo was and said how funny the seagulls were in the movie. Joseph then followed up with "So which do you like best....seagull movies or seagull games?" He also told him that he had a big toy story puzzle inside. And that he was three years old. Born in April. I suppose we should work on phone number and address more....they are a bit more important than favorite movies and puzzles. Hopefully he knows now to go to a police man when you need help or are lost, and not just when you are wondering what movie to watch.

Daddy's Birthday

Yesterday was Jay's birthday, so we started out with ice cream cake (dairy queen of course, since it is Jay. I am more of a baskin robbins girl) and presents after breakfast. (the notion that cake cannot be eaten for breakfast is completely ridiculous). Joseph was so excited you might have guessed it was his birthday. He loves singing "the birthday song" and had fun helping blow out the candles. Amongst Jay's gifts might have even been a little something for Joseph to enjoy. The kids got dad a miniature hockey set, with a net, two sticks, and a ball. And yes, Hannah and Leah were present for the morning festivities as well, but no, they did not partake in cake. They had some delightful puffs. Then it was off to the basement for some hockey, out with friends for golf, a quick stop at home and then out with me and our neighbors to Sobelman's for the best burger in Milwaukee. A perfect dad day.

All for Football and a Picture

This was such a ridiculous attempt at getting a picture of the three kids together that I felt it wouldn't do justice only to post the "best" one. I was attempting to do so because everyone was dressed up in their Steelers-wear on Sunday and had no idea that it would lead to so much frustration, mainly for me.
"Joseph, open your eyes"

"Leah stop crying"
"Joseph smile"
"No that's not a smile, smile for real"
"Hannah stop crying"
"Joseph why aren't you listening?"
"Leah where are you going?"

First Hair Appointments

Jay thought it was odd that I was referring to the girl's first bang trims as their "hair appointments". Apparently I have never called them this with Joseph. One of the many differences with girls I guess! Saturday morning we ventured out in the rain and double stroller to the appointments while Jay and Joseph went to Betty Brinn's Children's Museum. I suppose I should have realized there would be stairs as I heard this place was located in the basement (you are probably wondering what type of place I am taking my kids too but actually we are now trying a kid's specialty place as I am tired of the crazy cuts that Joseph has been having at all the other places we've tried). But thankfully the girl at the counter offered to help carry the massive stroller full of an additional 50 pounds of girls and things. They actually didn't need much done, just a trim in the front so that Hannah could stop trying to blow her hair out of her eyes and Leah would no longer look like she was trying to grow a point in the center of her bangs. They do appear as though they have half a head of bangs (which I always made fun of my mom for doing to Gina and I) but that is because the hair on the rest of their head just isn't growing much yet. Eventually we will go bangless and have hair we can put barrettes and pony tails in. This sounds like fun to me now though I'm told it is not.

Hannah Lu and Leah Too

Leah has now also fallen victim to the pink eye....though this shot shows off her teeth and a little bit of the bruise that she got going to battle with a toy shelf at daycare.

It Comes in Threes

First it was the diaper area and mouth (yeast), then it was the hand, foot, and mouth (sores), and now it is the eye (pink). Hannah has been to the doctor every week for the past three weeks! Picture was taken pre-oozy eyes. Kind of a nice shot of her first two teeth (and the thumb stuck in the jean jacket). Hopefully that's it for the season.....though I'm sure there is an ear infection in store for us. It's just a matter of who and when!

Well He Loves A Rainy Night

He loves putting on his raincoat, trotting around in his boots, splashing in puddles, listening for thunder, watching for lightening.....and of course....playing in the basement and watching a movie. Even though our labor day started out rainy it actually cleared up and we enjoyed a few hours outside before going to bed. And after everyone was in bed Jay and I had dinner outside by a fire. A nice end to a long weekend of hand foot and mouth (Hannah), runny nose (Joseph), lost voice/cough (me) and fasting belly (Jay). Leah is apparently the strong one of the group!

Saturday Morning Comedy

Some of the things that come out of Joseph's mouth are quite amusing. He was wet this morning for the first time in a few weeks, and asked Jay "Daddy, aren't you happy I didn't pee on this?" and pointed to the wall. He then asked the same question, and pointed to the window. The answer is quite simple I suppose. Yes Joseph, we are very happy that you didn't pee all over the walls and windows.

Where My Girls At?

I think the most common question asked these days is "Where's Hannah?" or "Where's Leah?" Might rank right up there with "did you feed the dog?" and "do you have to go potty?" And either our house has gotten louder, or Jay and I are both going deaf. Because "What did you say?" or "WHAT?" are also quite common. Though all is very quiet at the moment...just the hum of the air conditioning. And of course I know exactly where the girls are, snoozing in their cribs. In fact everyone is asleep, the house is mostly clean, I don't have any recorded shows to watch and I am not quite sure what to do with myself. How bizarre?