Callum very proudly identified this large, blinking letter C. "C is for Callum!" he shrieked. 
Jude loved it, too, even though this picture doesn't really illustrate as much.
The trouble is, romping around learning science is really tiring. It means you have to put on your shades (a new, completely perplexing thing.) and nap in the car on the drive home.
Now, we are gearing up for the countdown to a new year!
Grandma Crowley's birthday is on Christmas Eve but we celebrated with them on Boxing Day (otherwise known as the day after Christmas). We also got to open more (!!) gifts. 
I played soccer with grandad.
And, sang Happy Birthday on my new cd player (that I'm crazy about!).
And, I thoroughly enjoyed my new bean bag chair (which is also an ocean, and a teacher's seat, and a parking garage in case that isn't obvious.)
Papa was determined to build a snowman despite the fact that the snow wasn't very packable. 
He talked to him at great length and gripped his stick hand. He also insisted we sing to Malcolm before 'leaving' him outside alone. 
Unfortunately, the rain washed him away a few days later but Kieran told Cal that he left, to go to his home with other snowman so everything is ok.
There is a whole lot of watching. And, we see it. We're watching him, the little brother, watching his older brother. So intently and so eagerly.
Sometimes he finds it funny and sometimes...
with fierce concentration.
And, then we see him try to hurry up and BE like his older brother. There is no rush, baby, no rush.
lots of yakking,
lots of chocolate,
lots of time enjoying the snow,
lots of fun new books and
LOTS of crazy, goofy time! Wonderful Christmas.
We had a glorious snow last weekend and awoke to a snow-covered world. Cal was happy to don his snowpants and firefighter boots and make merry in the snow. And, so were we! Everyone was also happy because it ensured a white Christmas. 
Hi! 
Cal wore his firefighter costume pretty much the whole party. We don't like it during Halloween but we pretty much want to wear it at all other times!
You start with hot cocoa...
Then, read (or eat) a holiday book...
Then, one ornament at a time you decorate the tree...
And, eventually, turn on the lights and enjoy! Welcome December.
Not really. But, we did struggle to pull him away from the computer...oh, the next generation.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Our long, food-filled Thanksgiving time together was enhanced with a great visit from Grandpa Steve. He was a great sport--reading books, playing cars, answering a million questions, singing songs and running everywhere with us. 
and nose nuzzling (our new big thing from the Corduroy books). We also got to swim in the hotel pool and enjoyed our first time in the hot tub, which was extra fun with the bubbles. 
This is not to imply that the week was without mishap. Cal's favorite new activity has become playing at the sink on a step stool. Washing his hands and brushing his teeth and generally just enjoying the water. During one such adventure, we heard an ominous *click*. He had managed to lock the deadbolt lock. Very calmly Kieran spent the next 15 minutes talking him through unlocking the door "Walk your fingers up the door to the lock" while I paced frantically. He did manage to unlock it himself, thankfully, as the next best solution would have been sawing a hole in the door. Needless to say, the deadbolt has been removed and our hearts have moved back up from our stomachs. Cal, just kept humming along with no idea anything happened.
The addition of a step stool to some weekend morning muffin baking meant a full scale cooking operation. Cal managed to drag out every stirring utensil, grab mustard from the fridge (mmm! mustard and muffin!) and provide ongoing conversation the whole way from mixing flour and soda to warm muffin. 
Callum decides to 'play' with Jude and offers him something to eat (can you tell Jude is teething right now?)
The game continues with different offerings...
and directions on how to play...
Until Jude lunges for the wrong thing and there is an eruption of "NO jude! It's mine." Jude remains pretty calm and sits observing most of the proceedings, just hoping to get to gnaw on some toys again and bask in the big brother glow. 
