Happy Thanksgiving! And another Magical Disney Trip

Happy Thanksgiving!  And I have not one picture of the entire event.  We did our now long-term tradition of Peking ducks, coupled with brussels sprouts and bacon, string beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes.  We also didn't go around and say what we were each thankful for, which I'm hoping we can start implementing as a tradition when the kids get a little bit older.  For my part I'm so grateful for my family, especially for my parents, my sister, my husband, and my kids, and for all of those people who are not direct family members but who still form such an essential part of my small community, including our helpers, our children's teachers and tutors, and our friends and their children.  

Thanksgiving may have been overshadowed a bit this year though, as Lola went with her friend to Disney the day before and we have Lola's birthday party on Saturday...  it will be quite the celebratory week.

It so happened her school didn't have class except for a 30 minute Zoom session, so we made a day of it and Lola like the 21st century kid that she is "worked" while in full Elsa gear at Disneyland.  I thought a lot about bringing the boys but as they're still getting over a middle ear infection and still napping in the middle of the afternoon, it ended up being a very magical day just for Lola, mommy and daddy.  

A random weekday is definitely the right time to go, as Lola got to meet Jasmine, see Rapunzel, Belle, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, ride Winnie the Pooh, Dumbo, the carousel, eat lunch, watch a Moana show, watch a Lion King show, ride the jungle cruise, ride the magic tea cups (twice), ride It's a Small World (twice), eat ice cream and popcorn, watch a Mickey Mouse Christmas show, ride Slinky the Dog, catch the parade, ride Orbitron AND pick out souvenirs, all before it was time to go home.  It was an action packed day!

Slinky the Dog was Lola's first (very gentle) roller coaster and it was just enough to scare her a bit (She kept asking for it to slow down) but also still be manageable and exciting enough that when it was over she promptly declared it "so fun!" and reassure us that she wasn't scared at all.  It was very sweet.  The whole day was such a treasure.

Phwoooooarg, Another Month that has Flown By

Hellooooo mid November!  I am so remiss in these blog posts, gah!  

In looking back at my old picture rolls, I have to laugh because there is such a marked change.  My pictures used to consist mostly of food, scenery, travel.  There were so, so, so many pictures that had no people in it. Now I take predominantly video instead of pictures, and there are so, so, so few pictures where there isn't a person (specifically, at least one kid) in it. 

But these guys, they're on the move, always, and so busy.  I can barely keep up.  It's no wonder they take up my entire camera roll.

The kids are so cute and entertaining and just full of personality.  Not a day goes by that we don't marvel at some new trick, occurrence, or something that just gives us such a barking laugh of delight.

Like Al and his  "no," said very politely but insistently.  It has a little inflection when he voices it, almost like a question, but not.  When this guy says no (no to lunch time, no to nap time, no to changing his diaper) he really means no.

Like Teo and his obsession with cream, vaseline, and lotion.  One of his favorite activities is to play with his lotion and lately, he will come and delicately and lovingly dab some on your face/neck/arm.  What a character.  

Like Lola and her funny mannerisms that we don't even know from where she picks them up.  The other day when playing Michael asked her why she wouldn't be the owner [of the property] and she demurred, saying "Oh no no, it's too much responsibility."  She also gets a kick out of sayings like "easy peasy!" and, most recently, "that's preposterous!"

 It's not quite "cold" yet here, but beautiful, sunny, dry weather.  Really amazing and lovely and everyone has been basking in it, though we've also been battling some coughs and runny noses.  Teo seems to have the weaker set of lungs and a more susceptible immune system, unfortunately.  He may be slightly asthmatic or at least be prone to respiratory tract infections.  They scared us a bit last month with some high, spiking fevers.  We thought it was finally over except it seems like he is congested and coming down with a cold again.

There was a couple of nights there where the boys got into a habit of sleeping in our beds and refused to go to sleep on their own properly anymore.  It was a very sad and awful night (I believe last Monday if memory serves) where we had to re-train the boys to sleep on their own.  It consisted of an hour of crying on Teo's part, and nearly double that on Al's part.  I needed earplugs and a mask and an alarm set for every thirty minutes to check on them.  It was horrible.  But then the next night we were back to normal and the boys were happy to go to sleep on their own again.  

As the boys are getting more active and stronger, they have more thoroughly enjoyed soft play areas and slides and playgrounds.  They are so fearless and Al in particular is so strong and matter of fact about it.  He will just pull himself up and keep going, no fear.  Teo is not as strong but he is adventurous and full of mischief.  

The two of them together are already proving to be a dynamic duo full of energy and mayhem.  They now look for each other and call each other's names, so that Al is always shouting "Teo, come" and Teo is always dragging his brother "Al, come."  If one gets sent to his room for a time out the other anxiously hovers around outside.  They are inconsolable at the moment of separation when (in the very rare event) they do different activities.  But then when it comes time to share toys or play together the two of them fight the hardest and immediately slapping and biting tendencies emerge.  During playgroup one morning I had the pleasure of witnessing Al introducing his brother during the name song.  It was so sweet.  I'm still trying to teach Al and Teo to report their own names, but it's almost like they spend so much of their day locating their other half that they haven't quite figured out their own names yet. 

I really just can't believe they're already nearly two.

This little girl knows she's about to have a birthday (and birthday party, and trip to Disneyland) so she has been planning and plotting and wishing and hoping for all kinds of presents.  She's smart enough to ask her aunties to take pictures to send to her parents... a digital wishlist, if you will!  I've been very busy planning out all the details of this little girls' birthday, from tracking down trolls-themed decorations, booking a venue, ordering a cake, procuring goodie bags, planning balloons... it's pretty intense, but made so delightful with anticipation of how much she will love everything.  

I really just can't believe she's already nearly four.  

One, Two, Three: Happy Halloween! Trick or Treat!

 So it isn't taking me as long to post this time around!  And boy have I got some great pictures.  We went all out for Halloween this year.  

Lola was Poppy (with pink hair!) and Moana, and Elsa, and briefly, a pirate, and even more briefly, a Birthday Detective.  The boys were Bruce Lee and Woody and Buzz.  I was inspired to wear my astronaut costume (purchased three years ago) but yet again failed to don attire, due to a combination of hectic scheduling on my part and excitement-induced anxiety tantrums on Lola's part.  Maybe next year it will happen.  Michael has an astronaut suit also (this was back when I was coordinated enough to buy him, me and Lola matching costumes) but he informs me he is never wearing a costume.  Some people are so not fun.

Our festivities kicked off on Thursday, the 28th, when we went to The American Club's fabulous Halloween Party.  They hold it over two nights at the Club and it is hands down one of their best events (for kids).  They have booths set up with face painters, clay makers, paper cutters, wax hand makers, tattoo and craft stands with tattoos, coloring, and projects.  There is a stage with entertainment and it was emceed (this year by Captain America and Elastigirl) and the buffet food is enormous.  They bring in smoke machines that billow green smoke over the pool and turn the whole thing an eerie neon green, and turn the Eagles' Nest into a spooky haunted house.  Every decorative touch is thoughtfully prepared, from pumpkins to spiderwebs to bloody hand-print splattered table cloths, to the most beautifully decorated Halloween cookies and treats. It's crowded, hectic and awesome.  

Someone got her face painted and was very, very excited about it.

We tried the wax hand dip but Lola didn't like having to keep her hand completely still in warm/hot wax.  Maybe next year.

We invited Lola's friend this year and the girls had a lot of fun together.  Lola got a clay pumpkin and a beautiful clay spider, as well as the most adorable Elsa crown.  She loved it so much she refused to wash it off and slept with it on.  It was so sweet.   As I said, very, very excited.

On Friday, Al dressed up for playgroup as Buzz.  Sadly, due to Teo being sick and skipping playgroup, I have none of Teo in Woody costume at Fairchild.  These costumes were great because they were essentially pajamas.  Their school had asked for a "friendly" Halloween, meaning no weapons and no scary masks and (1) a costume, (2) pajamas, or (3) pink (to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month), and bonus points if all three.  I figured we hit two out of three, not bad!

That Friday night, Lola dressed up as Poppy the troll and she and I went to the Aberdeen Marina Club with our friends to enjoy their Halloween festivities.  They had a whole floor for play, with various booths set up so the kids could collect toys and treats as they cycled through the activities.  We then went to eat dinner, and Lola seriously overstayed her bedtime because we didn't leave until nearly 8:30 pm.  She was so excited though, because she got to run around the club going to all of the restaurants and asking for candy.  She's a fan of this trick or treating thing!

On Saturday we were actually pretty devoid of Halloween activities, but Lola turned plenty of heads wearing her Poppy pink wig and outfit onto the ice for her ice skating lesson.

In the afternoon we went to Exchange Square and ran around, before making it to Legoland (Michael's first time)!  Lola was over the moon to introduce her dad to all the new and exciting events.

Legoland was a bit stressful with three little kids running in three different directions, but we ended up making it work.  Lola and Michael mostly went to activities together, and Al, Teo and I hung out.

I was super grateful for the rare time to chill with them.  I think Michael felt the same way.

We ended Saturday night by going to dinner at American Club in town and here is a very blurry but meaningful candid shot showing just how happy and loving Lola was being toward her daddy, and how much he was enjoying it in return.

On Sunday morning, Lola took a turn in a unicorn angel Halloween outfit in the early morning, then changed into Moana for a spooky minisport Halloween program, before finally reprising her Poppy outfit one more time for Halloween 2021.

We finally ended our epic Halloween weeklong celebration in the best place of all, Happy Valley lower village where all the shops turn out with generous baskets of candy and welcome everyone from the neighborhood (and beyond).  The kids loved it.  Al and Teo also had their first lollipops, oh boy!