We've been in Portland all week having a blast! This was my first week of vacation from fellowship, and I can't describe how great it is to be a "normal person" for awhile. I've been able to be there for mornings and bedtimes with the kids, not to mention all the time in between. Going to make it that much harder to go back to work this weekend.
Our first family Christmas without snow and ice did indeed still feel like Christmas, thanks to all the effort by Fran, Grandma Beth, and others. I asked Erin to go with me to pick out Fran's gift and made her promise to keep it a secret. News flash Dad-- she's 3. Not long after, Erin excitedly grabbed mom and said ""I'm going to call your present a secret... but when I forget, I'll call it diamond earrings!"
Nora continues to grow up by leaps and bounds. Her babbling has been made up lately of spit raspberries and squeaks-- Fran has dubbed her the "dolphin whisperer." What she seems to lack verbal acrobatics, she more than makes up for with physical ones. She crawls, pulls up, and treats the changing table like a UFC cage match with whomever is trying to get that diaper on-- usually mom. Now 7 1/2 months old, she is a 2 nap-a-day and sleep (mostly) thru the night kind of kid. We've started table foods, and applesauce is definitely the favorite so far.
One of the best part of Portland visits for our kids is the time they spend with the gaggle of cousins. Instead of regular gifts this year, Fran and I took the older boys to a bouldering gym this week. The next day was a trip to the indoor ice rink with the younger kids. Both activities were a hit (and thankfully injury free!) so I hope we can make these kinds of Christmas week activities a tradition. We finished things off with a trip to Burgerville for lunch (this is a reminder to myself to not forget that tradition either next year!).
As Minnesotans, we were embarrassed to realize this was probably Erin's first time on skates. She represented well, nonetheless. Wish we could say the same for mom...
Erin was thrilled with the brief intermission in skating while the Zamboni did it's thing. This prompted lots of questions along the lines of... "is the driver's name Zamboni?", "Dad, why don't you have one of those?", etc.
In between boluses of Christmas candy-fueled mania, Erin really enjoyed reading the books she got from friends and family. The Frances series is always popular, the Polar Express is a solid choice, and the newcomers to her rotation are Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (thanks, Jan!) and The Night Before Christmas. The last one she has memorized, and we need to get it on video ASAP.
With all the fun Brennan and Benjamin had bouldering, I was excited to take Erin there this morning. She didn't disappoint! A little kid in climbing shoes may actually be cuter than one in figure skates. She was fearless. The photo below shows her push to the summit... success!
