Thanksgiving- short version.

Okay, so it feels like it's been a while between posts. I'm usually a once a weeker, so 20 days in a long stretch, but until this past weekend there was nothing interesting to report. Last Wedensday we took off before the crack of dawn and made the 12 hour trek to Albuquerque NM where my sister and her family live. It was a LONG day, but the kids did really well. We stopped every couple hours to let them out and run around, and they were pretty happy with their snacks and movies most of the day. The last hour however Sammy was beyond done. Nothing was going to make him happy and he made sure we knew it. Once we got out of the car at Kelsies you would have thought we had been pumping him full of caffeine all day cos he was totally nuts running around her house. And then after a while we had to get back in the car to drive to the base where we were staying, and he cried the whole 5 minutes over and kept saying "help, help, out!" By the way, the base accommodations are pretty sweet. We basically had our own fully furnished 2 bedroom apartment for $40 a night. We decided from here on out, all travel plans must be arranged with Kelsie and Cameron. No more room sharing with the kids!
Thursday was thanksgiving and we made way way way too much food. I have no pictures of the day, but you can look at kelsies blog for those. We seriously made so much food that Friday's lunch and dinner for all 24 of us was leftovers, and when we left, there was still food in their fridge. Friday was Porters blessing, and family picture attempts, which turned out pretty cute, and a ride on the "famous" Tram, which we knew nothing about till we got there. Here are the kids enjoying their view on the tram.

Saturday we hit up old town ABQ, and I have to say I was impressed. It was super cute and had fun shops, and was just a pretty little place. We saw several families wandering around in matchy outfits with camera equipment, so it must be a popular place to take Christmas card pictures. Then we headed out to beat the storm, which we did for the most part. The only place we had snow was Tehachapi! Her are the kids after a few hours into the drive home. Pretty gross.

 

And this is yesterday, so happy to be home and out of the car!

We have so much to be Thankful for this year that If I started listing, this post would never end. But Thankful we are, and excited that it's time to put up the Christmas decorations am I!

non-visual documentation

I have no pictures of the two things I am writing about, but I wanted to document these things so I would not forget. Sunday we had family dinner at Walter & Stefs and the kids were running around doing their thing. As all the adults were eating cake we heard screaming coming from Walters bedroom. So I walk in to find Sammy and Ellie holding down the lid of the toy box, with Andi and Walter inside screaming to get out. Andi was totally hysterical about being trapped in the box, but all I could do is laugh because the babies finally got their revenge. Seriously, they thought it was a good idea to empty the toy box and climb inside with the two little ones watching, waiting to make their move. The best part is I know Sammy knew exactly what he was doing because when I walked in he looked at me, then smiled at Ellie, then looked at me again and tried to wipe the grin off his face. Busted.
Last night after work Thad decided to jump up in the attic to make sure the ducts are all sealed for the winter. He asked Andi if she wanted to go help him. I assumed that meant sitting in the garage, or maybe on the ladder while he worked and fetch things for him. I went in the garage to check on them after a little while, and I could hear them, but couldn't see them. Andi really was in the attic crawling around after Thad, up to her elbows in insulation, and loving it.

Seriously?!

So the first week or so of Sammy being in a big boy bed went really well. He never got out of bed, just went to sleep. The last few weeks however are a different story. He get's out of bed to play, we had to unscrew the light bulb in the lamp because he turns it on, he can open the door even with the child lock handle cover thing. It's at least an hour if not more from the time we put him to bed to the time he actually goes to sleep. And I hit him in the head with the door a few nights ago because he was asleep right in front of it, and Thad could only get an arm through to nudge him out of the way so we could get in. Last night however tops it I think. I went in at 10 to tuck him in and I couldn't find him. I could hear him, but he wasn't in bed, he wasn't on the floor with the toys, he wasn't in the closet with the other toys. He was right here.

Yep, asleep under the bed. I did managed to drag him out and get him back in bed without waking him.
Sammy had his 2 year check up this week. He weighed in at 35 lbs and 37.5 inches and is above the 97th percentile for both. He's a beast, but he's still pretty behind verbally. I guess 2 year olds are supposed to have a vocabulary of around 50 words and start putting two words together. Sammy has about 30 words but only uses them when forced(he doesn't get his sippy until he says sip, etc.) He just does not want to talk. So we are going to keep working with him for the next few months and if he doesn't make some big improvements we are going to have to look into speech therapy for him. HE still seems too young to me to be starting speech class, but when I compare him to the other little kids in nursery, it's obvious he's behind. What makes it worse is that he's so big, everyone thinks he's four and retarded instead of 2 and a little behind.