Hippispotomas...

Hippispotomas - Katie speak for hippopotamus

Toynota - Allison speak for Toyota, Spence's beater truck

Embarrassed - defined by Katie 'to really like' as in "I was embarrassed to have all these wonderful toys

Mother & Spencer - Katie speak for Mom & Dad

Christmas at Home

For the 2nd year in a row we celebrated Christmas at home (Spence too!) with Yia Yia, Grandpa, Gregory, Matt, Misty and Drew. It isn't often that so many family members are with us at Christmas so we took advantage of every moment together. We were busy shopping, decorating cookies, building gingerbread houses, cooking - lots of cooking!, playing and mostly enjoying.
Christmas with four little ones isn't without hiccups... We spent part of Christmas night in the ER (there were no other options). John and Claire both have ear infections. Spence is now being treated as well. Allison is borderline. I think her little body is fighting it off quite well; she'll be watched closely. Katie and I are healthy. Of course Katie is the healthy one - she is the other mommy in the family. She happily helps take their temperatures, check their ears and dispense their medicine. They are usually happy recipients of her help.
Everyone is on track to be completely healthy by the new year. We will celebrate our health, enjoy the present and look forward to all that is to come.

Everyday Happenings

My recollections of the 'normal' moments from my childhood are very dear to me. We make those memories every day and often I think "Ooooh! I am going to remember that forever." Then they float away as other thoughts crowd them out. So, for now, many of my entries will be short reminiscences from the day.

Katie to John I am Mary. You can be Joseph. Allison is Baby Jesus. (pause) I need a donkey! Claire is Baby Jesus and Allison in my donkey. (Allison hee haws - is that the sound donkeys make?; she appreciates being included.) Holly and Daisy (the dogs) are the wisemen.
John to Katie We only have 2 wisemen. Mommy can be the third.
Later, at the dinner table, John to Spence You can be the sheep Daddy.

Claire brings her hands together to sign "more" and to clap. It is her newest achievement. Her first sign "milk" appeared about a month ago. She shows it off when she is breastfeeding.

Allison's favorite things:
her blankie
her books (especially Goodnight Moon and Gossie & Gertie)
her bunny rabbit
baby dolls with accessories like cribs, strollers and bottles

Happy 4th Birthday Katie & John

John has been asking for a camping birthday all year long. It doesn't matter that we live in Indiana and his birthday is in December. Spence to the rescue! We rented a cabin on Camp Atterbury. Spence built a fire outside for roasting marshmallows and making S'mores. I stayed toasty warm inside. Someone had to be ready with warm hands to rub cold fingers and toes when the marshmallows ran out! We even went out to the tree farm and watched Spence cut down our Christmas tree.

Katie, who is much happier in her home environment, chose a Dora rescues the bear party. She dressed as Dora and followed her map (the cake) and a half dozen picture clues to find Brown Bear. Once rescued the bear joined us for cake and presents.

Both parties were a huge success by Katie and John's standards. If only they could always be so simple.

Christmas Programs

Katie (far left with Brown Bear)

John (left of center, red shirt)

Allison (far right, thumb in mouth)

Tis the season... And I enjoy it so! The bustle. The gift giving. Reading Christmas letter updates. Family visits. If I could change just one thing it would be the weather. Perhaps I will lobby my family for Christmas in Hawaii next year. :) If it must be cold then Let it Snow!

Yesterday morning was Katie & John's CCD Advent program. John, no doubt because of his easy going willingness to try anything, was chosen to place the ornament on the Jesse tree and to deliver the gift from the 3s class. The walk onstage was slow - there were awkwardly spaced steps to climb. It gave me a few extra moments to proudly admire him doing what most other children his age would be afraid to do. He even spoke clearly into the microphone when he presented the gift. He is such a good boy...

Last night was the preschool's Christmas program. It was Allison's onstage debut. She has been singing (screaming) Jingle Bells at the top of her lungs for weeks. I've contemplated moving her carseat to the far back row for noise control. :) She was't nearly as loud onstage but she was perfectly Allison. She sang every note with her thumb securely in her mouth. John and Katie also performed (is that really the right word?) in the program. John did exactly what he was supposed to do. He is so easy... Last year Katie bolted from the stage sobbing hysterically. So this year she decided a little extra emotional support would be useful. She carried Brown Bear (an honored member of the family) on stage and held him in front of her face most of the time. Katie pouted a bit and hid behind BB (or Bravo Bravo as Spence likes to call the bear) often. Still, she stayed on stage and never shed a tear. We (Spence, Katie and I) were thrilled with her perfromance!

My New Year Resolution...

...will be to blog something every day.

There are few things sweeter than watching the wee ones learn something new. Claire likes to talk on the phone. Only Daddy's phone. (Guess who she sees talking every day!) She puts it right up to her ear and jabbers away. Too cute! Just yesterday she learned to make kissy noises. She doesn't do the traditional pucker, it's more of a tongue on the roof of the mouth movement. I could just eat her up!

Holiday Recap

Like all great Anderson celebrations there was one big glitch in our Thanksgiving meal - Daisy, the dog, ate 18 individual homemade apple apricot strudels just an hour before dinner. I am still furious 2 days later. She is still vomiting.

It still doesn't trump John's performance at Heather and Mitch's wedding reception where he vomited at the table where all of the wedding guests were seated and waiting for dinner to be served.

Or my great fall at dinner the night before their wedding. I was holding 9 month old Claire in my arms... Great save by me!

Surely there will be many more to share...

Happy Thanksgiving

Today we will celebrate with Cousin Drew! Katie, John and Allison adore him and can't wait to get there. I am thrilled to be sharing the holiday with Matt and Misty (and not only because Misty is doing the cooking). It isn't every year that we have family living close enough to share special occassions with.
May everyone recognize their many blessings this year!
Jenn

Introducing

Me - perfect (oops, I mean perfectionist!) , household manager, labor and delivery nurse (on hold for a few years), always looking for healthy recipes and new ways to make our home and lives more earth friendly

Spence - laid back, easy going, looking for a helicopter to fly and hoping for meat and potatoes with a tall glass of cows milk at every meal

Katie - master of puzzles, precocious, wary of new experiences

John - chef in training, carpentry apprentice, willing to try anything

Allison - aka The Roja - intense, organized, capable of doing everything she wants to do (sadly that list does not currently include banning diapers from her wardrobe)

Claire - mama's girl, enthusiastic for Daddy and the big kids, adores the pets

Notable moment of the day:
Me - "Katie, go to the naughty spot."
Katie - "But Mom I wasn't hitting John."
Me - "What were you doing?"
Katie - "I was only trying to hit him!"

My 1st Blog

Today I start blogging in order to share my thoughts, memories, funny moments, and experiences with Spence, Katie, John, Allison, Claire, my family and my friends. I hope it will mature and evolve into something you will each enjoy reading. Please share your thoughts, questions and advice to help my process along.
Jenn