christmas part II

Tucker cooking up leaf soup in an abalone shell.
These leaves are so silly. Look at me fling one on my head.
Whitney not feeling well on Grandma An's couch. Very sad.
Kicking the leaves to dig down deeper.
The real use for a truck rack. To swing on, of course!
Tucker burying himself in the leaves.
"How does this thing work? Do you think it's safe?
Yep. It's safe. You can try it now, Whitney!
Oooo! A tire swing.
Tucker and Whitney supervising Grandma and Grandpa
Checking out the "chickens" at the zoo.
There was a monkey in this pic hanging upside down from half way up his cage to get the best sun spot.
what the "supervisors" were really doing. Eating fish crackers, of course.
Whitney playing the piano with Mommy. She also hung out to be with Grandpa and Mommy while Grandpa played his recorders.
Whitney page turning for Mommy Christmas Day
After Christmas dinner.

Playing with Uncle Erik


With the exception of Christmas Eve, we still hadn't seen Jim's family. Monday morning, my dad drove us down there on his way to work. Poor Paul and Cathy. The sleepless week begins.

Tucker had a bit of a cold when we came down, but he picked something else up along the way. He shared it with Whitney and we pretty much didn't sleep the rest of the time we were in the area. But we still had fun. Mommy decided, if they are going to be awake and grumpy, might as well have fun doing it. It was nice and sunny out most afternoons, so we went to the river to throw rocks and look at ducks, went to a couple of playgrounds, helped with yardwork a bit and went to the zoo. We also had Christmas with them a week later when Lindsey could finally get off work and come out with her boys.

This is the part of the post where I can ask for input. Due to the sleeplessness. I honestly don't remember much and didn't take pictures. I do remember that Tucker learned to say "snuggy papa" when he wanted to be held. That and he had a diet consisting of fish crackers. and a few cheerios once in a while. (for the record, he lost weight). So. if I'm missing any pics or funny stories, email them to me and post it later.....

christmas- part I

Tucker was entertaining us with the placemat at dinner. I wanted to put the pics in order of him putting it on his head, but I can't figure that out...



Whitney woke up grumpy from her nap on Christmas after church

The sister pic. I only wish I were taller than B.
Tucker taking cars in and out of his shirt pocket at the Anderson Christmas Eve party
Just for the record. Tucker, full of snot, of course had to throw up at dinner. Gross. This is him after, using the bowl correctly, just in case. Thank heavens he was done.
Siblings
Another for the record pic. Tucker does help Whitney. Tucker passing her her water bottle while waiting in the car for Daddy's plane to arrive Christmas Eve.
The sand box at Camino school is the best. We visited at least 3 times with hours of successful, happy playing. Tucker is burying himself.
This is actually in the car waiting for Daddy to show up, but this is what Tucker did for about 1/2 hour on the plane while we were sitting on the plane at the gait, waiting for repairs on the plane to be completed. Good thing there are buttons that are ok to push on the plane.
Whitney playing in the sandbox. I didn't quite capture it, but she was cleaning the sand off the top.
Whitney using her sugar pinecone as a walking stick. She started pronouncing pine cone very clearly on this trip.
A rare picture. Me with the babies. Tucker carrying the pine cone for a bit.
Of course, the sand DOES belong outside the sandbox.
"Mom. YOU feed the goats. We'll watch this time..."
Watching the donkey eat.

Going for a walk at Sly Park. Check out that sun and blue sky.
Sidewalk chalk at grandma's!
"OK Grandma. You give me the pieces of tanbark......"
"... and I'll show you what they are used for"
More sidewalk chalk.
Tucker
Tucker's nose.
Tucker talked Aunt B into sliding down all the slides first. They were frosty.
Whitney loves to "hang out" at the playground.
Discussing political cartoons with Aunt B
Note the dazed look. Tucker refused a nap, even though he had been up since 5 am. He started falling asleep on his feet looking at the donkey.
Tucker looking up at Aunt B
Watering the flowers at Papa's house.
This was hours of entertainment also. Very cool to pour the beads from the counter, into B's hand, into the container, repeat.
Watching the mechanic to make sure everything was repaired correctly before take off to..... GRANDMAS' houses.

Eyeing the animals.


We had a blast this Christmas. I flew out with the babies early, the week before Christmas, and stayed with my mom for most of that time. The second week we spent together at Paul and Cathy's. Here's our story.

Planes are REALLY exciting. And so is grandma's house. Tucker stayed up from the moment we got him up to go to the airport until bedtime at 6:30 pm. Crazy. It was a foreshadow of the next two weeks.

The plane ride with the two of them was better than I thought it would be. Whitney was perfectly fine with staying dry. They both played fairly well and I had some patient passengers around me. Like the lady that sat in front of Tucker. He kicked her seat or put the tray up and down, up and down, most of the time and she didn't say a thing. Next time I know to bring a candy bar for awesome strangers like that. The teenage kid sitting next to me was pretty patient, even when Whitney knocked his cup over on his tray. Good thing he ordered water. Whitney did watch him carefully though. He had a package of candy in his sweatshirt pouch pointing out toward her. I think she really wanted him to share, but didn't snitch any candy for herself.

We spent the week pretty much hanging out outside. At the park, at Papa's house, with the donkeys, at the lake, at the park again,etc. B spent some quality time with her new BFF, Tucker. She kept trying to teach him to say B, but it was Whitney that caught on the fastest. Although she didn't display her talents until AFTER B left. She saw a picture of B and said B! as well as look for her on the couch and in the kitchen when she had left already. Uncle Scotti is officially scary. But S isn't concerned. He said "I'll be the cool uncle when you are older". We'll see. Uncle Ryan got hugs and Whitney attempted his name.

Oliver made Whitney look amazing. Whitney had one accident the whole week and Oliver had 3 a day. Mom blamed it on having guests and a change in routine. But Grandma, really, what do you call traveling? Status quo? Whitney is amazing!!

To end this post of the first part of christmas, I'll have to describe Christmas. We were having so much fun watching the babies, we didn't get pics, really.

The babies know how to open gifts. Tucker and Whitney especially loved their stockings. We didn't get past the fruit snacks for awhile as Tucker had to eat every single packet before moving on to any other present. Whitney got a pretend fruit basket. The banana peels, so I did it to show her, then went to offer to her to play with the toy banana. Instead of grabbing it, she took a bit. Uncle Scotti got a helicopter. The babies eyed it and he almost crashed it on Whitney's head (see above comment of Uncle Scotti). But this observation came in handy once Tucker got his hands on Grandpa's remote helicopter later.

On to the next post.....