Library Time

Since winter is here and the weather isn't very pleasant to spend lots of time outdoors
we try to our best to find places to go. The library is a weekly treat for the kids. They enjoy
playing in the kiddie area where they have a puppet stand to put on puppet shows (Ryan's favorite), a large doll house (Anya's favorite), and a variety of other toys.
At the moment, Ryan's favorite books are Charlie and Lola books by Lauren Child. This has been his favorite for the past several months. I think I know every book and video by heart.

Gymboree Playdate

Ryan and Anya had a playdate at Gymboree this morning. One of the moms from Ryan's preschool works here and invited all the kids and siblings in the class for a playdate. They had lots of fun!

Outside

Here we are going for a little walk through the neighborhood and
taking some Christmas cookies to Mr. Howard and his wife.

The Doctor's Kit

The Doctor's Kit has been great fun! Ryan runs around trying to get everyone to be his patient. He loves to give shots! Anya loves playing with the glasses!

Anya's new kitchen!

Anya and Ryan just love playing in the kitchen! I had to eat many tasty treats like a stew made out of lemons, apples, and oranges.

Ryan's Pirate Ship!

One of Axel's...oops!... I mean...Ryan's favorite gifts this year was his Pirate Ship. What detail this Playmobile toy has! Amazing! Axel had a great time assembling it. Even Anya had a fun time making the pirates walk up and down the ladders.

Christmas Morning!

What a wonderful Christmas! The kids had so much fun opening their presents! It was so much entertainment watching their little eyes light up after unwrapping each gift and their joyous laughter while playing. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

The kids are now snug in their beds. Ryan is sooooo excited for Santa Clause to come! His excitement is quite contagious. I find myself anxiously waiting for Christmas morning. Christmas is so much more magical when you have children. They bring back nostalgia of your own childhood Christmases.

Better go help Axel put the gifts under the tree...

Sitting on the potty...ALL day

Anya is once again into the potty but this time she is a bit more obsessed. I think I spend the better part of the day in the bathroom with her. She sits on her potty goes pee and then insists she has "more pee!" I would just allow her to go pee by herself but she likes to dump her pee pee into the big potty and usually spills it all over the bathroom so, I have to be there to supervise. I'm just going to follow her lead but I hope she potty trains herself soon so I have some freedom from the bathroom.

St. Nikolas Day

German Tradition has it that if you leave your shoe out St. Nikolas will fill it full of treats. Ryan was so excited to check his shoe in the morning! Anya was still sleeping so I didn't get pics of them checking their shoes together. Ryan was sure to show her how to check her shoe, though. : )

Playtime!

Kids having fun playing in their "boats".

Anya "princess au natural"

It all started with socks and shoes. How fun it was to pull off socks and shoes especially right after mommy had just put them on. How fun it is to take them off in the car, in the grocery store, in Ryan's school. Even if it is a bit cold outside.
Then Anya found that it was even more fun to take off her pants or tights. This leads to an easy removal of the diaper. The shirt can sometimes lead to a great deal of frustration when trying to pull it off over the head. After tons of tugging, a river of tears, and a little help from a friend (Ryan) Anya is free at last. Free to run wild through the house stark naked. Free to feel like she
did the day she was born. Free to be as nature intended her to be. Free until mommy catches her and her chubby little naked body.

Anya misbehaving

I caught her on the table after she destroyed Ryan's Gingerbread house. After asking her what
she was doing on the table she replied, "Go night-night". Ryan was VERY unhappy about
his house being wrecked. : (

Frosty the Snowman

Ryan really enjoys Frosty the Snowman movie. The same one I loved
when I was a child. So, when Anya was napping we went outside and made
Frosty. After putting on his arms, eyes, nose, and smile Ryan insisted he
needed a hat. I got a hat and when I put it on the snowman Ryan couldn't
understand why his snowman wasn't coming alive. He just stood there
waiting for it to walk around and start talking. It took some time explaining
that Frosty was just pretend.
Isn't it amazing what children believe...

Friends

We met up with our friends when we got our pics taken. : )
The kids played while the moms drank coffee and talked.
The kids in these pics are Ryan, Anya, Sydney, Sophie and Harrison.
Not sure why Caity and Jamie never made it into any pictures. : (