wisecracker

mom: they use heavy duty salt to melt the snow.
matt: mom, we don't say duty

here is how you play at the playground after a blizzard....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp7QaPRv9GI

9 months and snow fun.

9 month doctor visit went well. especially since there were no shots. ahhhh...

ben weighs 20lb. 6oz. and jack 18lb. 10oz. doc said jack is moving extremely well for a 9 month old. and to prove her right, he started standing unassisted last night. this critter may be walking in the next few weeks. this was us taking over the waiting area.

 a funny sign we saw resting before the walk back which included many treacherous climb/tug/pushes over 15 foot snow piles on the sidewalks with the giant doublewide (stroller).

9 months old and we can now flush at our favorite hangout. seriously, what is up with these guys and bathrooms??

 post-blizzard fun on the greenway..

... at the pace playground...

 ..up at myrtle street..

 ..and in the stroller.



christmas travel blur

christmas was a giant blur, but this is how i will always remember it....

 i have a new respect for the virus. sorry to all who became infected and thank you to scott for joining me for a chick drink.

 these guys liked baby lundy's walker the best. (we do not have one as we do not want to rush them into walking.)

 one of two giant cement mixers for matt. it's a good thing we had saved a little floor space in our living room for them.

 the big celebration.

 the hit in albany. all three kids took turning giving rides...and i think i saw jenn go by once or twice on it.

 making potato art. a whole new respect for creative uncle vic.

 matt sharing his new "aquarium."

we drove back a day after the blizzard and were greeted by a mean looking charles river...

brrrrrrr!

thank you to all of our wonderful family for the generous gifts. we had a very merry christmas!

so much fun

 there was confusion as to why we were not all snuggling in mom and dad's bed like we do every other morning.

 jack caught on with a little big brother help...

 ..while ben seemed to prefer the ease of just playing with his old toys.

 then he got the hammer toy. sigh. mom doesn't always think things through. jack is a banger and banged on ben a bit.

matty was hunting, opening the big ones first...

wow, a christmas train like cheetah's

 and a giant bulldozer.

 this got a better reaction

 but the big smile...

saved the airport set!

 (ben also got haircut #2 later in the morning)

 and then we spent a mild, beautiful day in boston walking around. and around. the frozen pond in the garden.

merry christmas! 

ho ho ho!

merry christmas! yes, it was early this year again. so we will be hiding indoors until we fly to VA tuesday morning...matty was confused in church and asked why father dan kept saying christmas was saturday and not "tomorrow"...this may be the last time we get away with it. anyway....

he had to wash the carrot we bought because he touched everything with it on the 3 minute walk home from whole foods.

 and while we were gone the elves brought three (!!!) pairs of christmas PJ's. (thomas is our elf on the shelf elf.)

 never have these three, well at least the big one, been so excited for bedtime.

 then....santa called! thanks uncle victor!

 a last snuggle before heading off to bed

 santa's goodies. (carrot was sliced and put on the balcony because reindeer are not allowed inside.)

 wow! santa must not have a memory like mom's because he left lots of presents...

..but seriously, is there anything better than little kids on christmas morning? i will forever remember how matty woke me up this morning.

we're back

mom, jack and i caught a stomach bug. after i threw up at school mom sped home and i puked several more times before passing out. she managed to get us to nap together (on the floor of the living room) before she started puking.

this was not a pretty illness.

but we survived, did 78 loads of laundry, lysol-ed everything and have pictures to prove it. mom snuggling a sleepy jack. he is almost 9 months and finally getting some chub.

this is really how jack and ben play with this thing. no one goes near it until one is forced in. then the other wants to play too...

making the gingerbread house that gigi claus sent. thank you for finding a crafty--not sugary--one!

ben did not catch the sickness (he and dad miraculously escaped) but caused his own ruckus.

weeee!

so much for airing out their little bums.

globe santa rocks!

santa had 16-month twins on his lap as we arrived, so knew he could handle these three!

 matt got a little nervous and was only able to tell him one thing he wanted. he said he would rather let santa decide than go back.

wild animals and photos to one day embarrass matty

we went to zoo new england on saturday. saw some camels before hitting the playground..

 sweet ben racing a peacock. they seriously just roam the zoo.

 wild jack feeling out the wood chips. he really just rolled all around before tasting them.

a fun tractor ride. took 45 minutes.

 matty the rooster...

 ..the goat..

 ..and the cat.

 the happiest baby ever. seriously. always smiling. 

 two injuries. one tennsy, tiny scratch that only a snoopy band-aid could fix. 

the other injury. fixed with a bowl of pureed squash and lots of snuggles.

all are well tonight.