Follies In Motherhood: A Very Thankful Month !

Is it possible for a month to seem both short and long? It seems like just yesterday I was trying to finish up the October blog and Blair was pounding on my keyboard. After Halloween passes I always feel like the last two months of the year fly by, so it is nice to slow down and look back on the month.

We kicked off the month with Blair turning 10 months old. These pictures are getting very stressful for everyone in the house so while I don't wish time away I'll be happy when we're done with them! Really though, was there ever a cuter little lady muse?

Colin had a school field trip this month to a local fire station. His school is a blessing and a curse because I get the opportunity to go on the field trips with him, but I also HAVE to go on the field trips with him, so we always have to find a way for someone to watch Blair. Even so, it is so cute to see all the kids having fun and playing with each other.

Chris was out of town for work, then went to Denver during the first two weeks of the month so there was a lot of "mommy & me time." It was hard. For whatever reason it always feels like the kids know when I'm stressed and act out even more. I put on my Super Mom cape and tried to pack the day so full that they would be exhausted. Needless to say I was happy to see Chris walk through the door!

We voted! I was worried it would be hard to do with both kids but people saw me and were very kind and very willing to help out, which I was thankful for!

There is a small candle company downtown that has a kid's candle making session on Tuesdays. For $10 you get to pick your own scent and make your very own candle. It was super cute and Colin loved it, and even Blair got into it. It was fun and we'll do it again, but hopefully Colin won't pick the worst smell possible: bubblegum.

What better way to get rid of old pumpkins than to SMASH them? In my mind these made a larger mess and bigger smash than they actually did, but I think Colin had a fun time nonetheless. Him beating the pumpkin with a PVC pipe is somewhat alarming though.

I struggle to find an explanation of why I do things to myself, like make cloud dough for this kids to play with while I make dinner and the husband is out of time (read: stress level 1000). I'd love to say it was worth it for the 5 minutes it took for them to destroy the dining room, but I'm sure I still have the stuff in between cracks in the floor.

I even strapped on my big girl pants and took the kids to see the Holiday Parade in downtown Kalamazoo. It was a very cold day, but we made it through the whole thing and both kids did amazing! Except for the walk home, when Colin finally realized how cold his hands were; he opted out of gloves and chose to put candy in his coat pockets instead of his hands. Lesson learned kiddo.

This month gave us our first taste of snow! I love winter and I love playing in the snow so with even the littlest bit of it I was outside with the kids playing.

Colin loves the snow and the cold/wet doesn't seem to phase him at all. He is very creative and surprises me with his imagination. It never gets old watching him play.

It was Blair's first real snow, so I was nervous how she'd do, but wouldn't you know that little monkey loves it! I pull them around in the sled and she just squeals and laughs, until I stop; then she screams! Poor baby can't do much in the snow, but if nothing else she just sits there and laughs at her brother!

I even took the kids sledding this month. Again, I was nervous how Blair would do (Colin is fearless; grabbed the sled and just went down without a second thought) but I went with just her a few times (when I could pry the sled from Colin's hands) and went with both kids, and each time she loved it. I asked my friend to borrow her sitter sled and had Blair go solo, and wouldn't you know! The look on her face says it all. It makes me so proud and happy and relieved my kids enjoy & aren't afraid to try new things.

Cannot forget about Thanksgiving. We headed to my parent's house to celebrate the holiday. The kids had a blast getting all the extra attention, and I appreciate the extra hands to help.

I had heard amazing things about the Children's Museum and wanted to take the kids. Unfortunately Blair's nap schedule didn't coincide with the museum's hours, so just Colin went. It was incredible! It was such an amazing space, as if Colin's dreams had come to life. Without a doubt he spent the most time in the Innovation Lab, which was basically water everything. He was soaked, but man did that kid have a great time. It makes me jealous they didn't have that when I was his age!

This year, I wanted to have Colin send a special letter to Santa. We included some items he would like for Christmas, including a car and a super race track, and Colin decorated with stickers and crayons. I sure hope we hear back from Santa!

Now onto the kiddos...

These two still get along pretty well, but now that Blair can play & entertain herself more independently there are points of contention. Blair gets curious with what Colin is doing and that upsets Colin, and Blair will be playing quietly alone and Colin will come in and mess with her just to mess with her. Still, there are the moments when you can still see that sibling love. And it still melts my heart.

Colin, my not-so-little boy. People constantly think he is older than he is, and therefore expect more from him. So when he exhibits 3yo behavior, people look like "Shouldn't he be over that stage?" This month has been particularly difficult for me with Colin. It seems like he is acting out for attention, even though I give him so much attention already. I think he also suffers from a bit of boredom when we're home; there isn't much I can do about that either until Blair switches to one nap per day. I try even harder to do more one-on-one with him but some days it seems like his goal is to drive me crazy. Chris is trying harder to get home from work earlier to spend more time with Colin, which seems to be helping as well. I know it is a stage, but the tantrums and the insistence and the constant push back seems never ending.

I am starting to notice more changes in Colin that I attribute to him being in school. He can spell & identify his name, and can tell you his last name, his age and where he lives (though he does sometimes say 'Colorado' instead of Michigan). He is still keeping up with his chores and doesn't have to be asked to take his plate to the sink. Colin also loves to "share" which usually means me sharing whatever I'm eating with him. We have also noticed him doing more sorting, and using superlatives (smallest, bigger, biggest, etc). We are so thankful he has found this preschool, and wish we could send him to Kindergarten next year! For now I'll just enjoy the moments where my baby still falls asleep on his mama.

Blair! How is my little baby ten month old? Every day she is showing me more and more of that personality and it is the cutest. Blair has no issue letting you know how she feels, eliciting a high pitched scream and even shoving you away. She doesn't like to be held as much, and would prefer to flip through a book or play with toys on the floor. Blair does a great job of entertaining herself as well, but she has to be watched because it would seem her favorite past time is to make a mess. She will empty my wallet, pull out all the diaper wipes, toss her dresser drawers. The girl leaves a mess in her wake! Good thing she is adorable.

She is also a few weeks away from walking. Blair moves around the couch with speed and confidence, and can stand on her own then lower herself down with control. A few days ago I thought I'd try her out on a walker and she took off! She loved it, and (much like sledding) only screamed when she ran into something and it stopped. She thinks about taking steps but then looks like she's second guessing herself. Blair has taken a few tiny steps, but nothing full walking yet. It is just around the corner, no doubt. For now she has no problem crawling right over the dog!