Christmas Eve

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year! I have a few (ahem, ahem) pictures of this years celebrations so I decided to split up my posts. We shall start with Christmas Eve:

Liam very excited that he is eating a candy cane before dinner

Sprinkling our Reindeer chow outside
so Santa and his team of reindeer can find Grandma and Grandpa Fink's house
(oatmeal and sprinkles)

After several attempts and an explanation
that while you smile you must hold still
instead of jumping up or running towards the camera,
he finally caught on.

Also after many attempts with a dog and a toddler
to which we decided to let the dog go

Selfies with Aunt Emily

Sister shot

Elongating our necks like Adriane asked

Blair and my sweet little niece, Ivy (3 months)

Stay tuned for Christmas morning!

Music preferences part deux

Recently there has been one song on Liam's mind. We listen to it every time we get into the car. He sings it while eating his supper. He wants me to sing it as a lullaby.

Adele's "Rumor Has It" has been making an imprint on Liam's memory for quite some time now. In May while Evan and I were visiting Adriane in D.C., Grammie Walles had Liam in the car with her. They were listening to a mix CD from one of Elliott's birthday parties. Adele began and ended and the CD moved forward as usual when Liam started asking Grammie for "More oo-mer."  At 2 years and 4 months Liam's pronunciation of words was still struggling and Grammie didn't understand what he was saying. She thought he wanted more music so she kept playing the CD. Liam continued with his request becoming more urgent with each time he said "More oo-mer." Finally, it clicked and Grammie replayed Adele and Liam started dancing and bopping his head to the music.

Fast forward 7 months and what started as me just playing the CD while traveling in the car, because it is a great record, has now turned into wanting to hear that song every single time we are in the car. Once he has heard his song he is fine with continuing to listen to the rest of the CD but I am beginning to feel like we may never escape Adele. He even starts tapping his foot to the beat and tries to get me to turn around and watch him. (Even though I remind him I'm driving and I can't turn my head because the other drivers may not appreciate it. "Oh, hello officer. Yes I didn't see that tree and all of those cars because my son's new favorite song is Rumor has it by Adele. You know the one right? Very catchy, I think she won all those Grammy's with that record. Yes, well my son likes to tap his foot on the front seat and he wants me to watch so, you can understand, no need for a ticket this time right?)

Well here's hoping we find a new favorite song soon and I'll try to keep my eyes on the road. Enjoy!

Almost there

With Christmas only 7 days away we were almost there. Almost to the day where we didn't have to keep what we got Daddy a secret.

About 2 weeks ago I took Liam to the mall and told Liam that we were going to pick out a Christmas present for Daddy. I asked him what he thought would be a good present for his Dad. He had many ideas like toys and things I know Liam wants for Christmas. So I had to remind him that the present is for Daddy and not for himself. What if we got him x, x, and x. Naming things that Evan would actually like. Liam agreed with me that my ideas sounded much better.

Until we walked into Macy's and Liam saw the giant display of remote controlled cars, trucks and motorcycles. Good one Macy's, you guys are really smart about how you display your products.

So Liam was beside himself with the very cool toys and completely forgot about what we had walked into Macy's for in the first place. And then I realized that Evan and Liam would have so much fun with this toy together. And at just under $20 with little time before we needed to be home I caved.

There were many times where I had to remind Liam not to tell Daddy what we had gotten him. I was sure that he had told Evan at some point when I was not around. But since I had hidden the present from Evan it was out of sight out of Liam's mind. Until tonight, when I got it out before Evan got home from work to wrap it in front of Liam. Once again he was so excited about this toy and wanted to open it right then. After reminding him that the toy is a present for Daddy from him and that he is not to tell Daddy what he got him, Liam put the present under the tree.

When Evan got home I reminded Liam once again not to tell Daddy what he was getting for Christmas. So, as soon as Evan walked into the room Liam said, "We wrap your present and we not telling you what it is cause it for Christmas. It's a motorcycle!"

Me- "Liam! You told Daddy what you got him!"
L- "No I didn't! I didn't tell him! He doesn't know!"

Me and Evan- laughing hysterically
L- "it's not funny! I didn't tell him!"

Love this boy!

Making Daddy's favorite Christmas cookies: Peanut Butter Kisses

Bring on the snow

Last weekend Bloomington got quite the snowfall. I do believe it was 4-6 inches in our area which means, in our house:  boots on, suit up and get outside! We love playing in the snow!

So happy to be out in the snow

Most definitely Butters favorite season. She was doing belly flops in the snow.

Evan building the base to the snowman

Liam's snow fort

The finished snowman. We later added a carrot for his nose.

Poor dog

Evan has recently taken up running. If you have known Evan for most of his life you will know that he was in track in junior high. He ran the entire season of track on a fractured foot. When his parents did take him to the doctor they found out that the foot was starting to heal itself but that he would have to wear a boot for the remainder of the healing time and would be out the entire baseball season.

He hated running.

But now that he is getting close to 30 and wants to reduce stress in his life, not from me of course, he has decided to run. His running partner is none other than Butters. Butters hates running. Before we had Liam I used to take her on the trail and try to get her to run with me. I was practically pulling her with the leash every time.

She has not changed her mind with time. Evan tells me that he is always pulling her or jerking at the leash for her to catch up to him. She is such a "free spirit" that she just wants to sniff everything and enjoy her time outdoors.

Tonight Evan was getting his running gear on and Butters laid down next to Liam's chair and stared at Evan. We can only imagine what she was thinking but I'm pretty sure it went something like this,

"I used to love going on walks with you, just me and you without the loud little one and the slow short one. Now I am disgusted with you, making me run, hardly letting me stop to smell what other dog had peed here or there. I am especially upset with you that you insist on taking me before you eat your dinner because I know the loud little one and the slow fat short one eat without us and I can't scrounge for any food that fell on the floor.  You disgust me."

Maybe I was reading too much into those hateful eyes she was sending Evan's way but I don't think I'm too far off.

Some grocery store humor

Ever make a decision that at first you think will be so much fun and then 5 seconds into it you wish it had never popped into your head? I do this pretty much on a daily basis but my most recent disaster involves the grocery store, three days before Thanksgiving.

Liam and I had to go to the grocery store to pick up just a few things completely unrelated to Thanksgiving preparations. As we walked into the store I spotted those carts with the plastic toy car or truck at the front and thought, "Liam will love that, we only have to pick up a few things so we will be in and out and he will get such a thrill from riding in that car."

We have never picked up this type of cart before and within 10 seconds I realized my bad decision.

1. This cart does not turn. It's like the wheels are only designed to go straight, forward or backward. If you want to make a turn you literally have to put your whole body weight into making a gigantic circle.

2. Three days before Thanksgiving means there are at least 50 extra people in the store that would not normally be there on a Monday night. Correction, no one goes to the grocery store on a Monday. So maybe I should say an extra 75-100 people in the store.

3. The super annoying squeaky horn that your son constantly pushes. And since it should fit two children there are two steering wheels which means two super annoying squeaky horns.

4. There are no restraining belts in the car. So that means Liam was literally sticking his hands and legs outside the "windows and doors" and turning in circles in his seat.

5. While pushing this cart my son decides to start singing the jock jams hit, 'Move it, Move it', It goes like this, "I like to move it, move it, you like to move it, move it, etc." except all you can hear is Liam saying "move it move it" and honking that annoying little horn. I'm sure everyone we were passing was thinking that his parents clearly have road rage and he is mimicking their behavior.

6. As discussed in #1 as I was trying to make turns to go down the very few aisles that we need items in I was trying to avoid hitting other people and their carts. In doing this I almost took out 3 displays that were in the middle of the aisle.

7. As I tell this story to my husband late that night and can barely get the words out because I am laughing so hard, he will think that I have completely lost my mind.

8. We will never get this cart again and my son will ask to get in it every single time. And for someone who has never driven it themselves, they will stare at me as I tell my son no way and he is screaming his head off, and think I am the worst mother in the world.