If you're cute and you know it...

I love both my nephews, Max and Teagan, who were just here for a visit from Colorado, with their mom, Em. (I love Em too, btw. I treasured every moment, most of them interrupted by many things - namely children, we had together. I felt a funny, empty, sad feeling when she left after a lovely but way too short visit.)

Max is 4 yrs old and quite a charming and talented fellow. Teagan is only one yr old. Other ages have their appeal, but for sheer cuteness, you can't beat a one year old. You can try, but you just can't.

A testament to the warmth and cooperation between the four-yr-old cousins is evidenced by Max playing with Jasper's special sparkly sword. No one ever gets to play with that sword except Jasper, but Jasper willingly let Max have a turn. No one even asked him too (I wouldn't usually make such an extreme request of him...)

In the Swing

I haven't had much to say for myself lately here. We're rockin' along in a decent rhythm. The boy has evened out a ton this week. I'm chalking it up to more protein at lunch, a priority given to sleep, and a bit more time outdoors. He has been solidly in the bottom bunk bed all night for at least a couple of weeks. And it is his cozy place that he loves now.

Some moments are hard, but lots of them are good. Jasper is still loving the Nutcracker music and acting out the scenes, made more dramatic by his $2.99 drugstore sword. Lucy is into making a huge mess in the art room downstairs; interesting creations do eventually emerge. She's also dancing in a flowing emotive way - quite different from Jasper's nutcracker march. I asked Lucy what she wanted to know more about the other day: answer - swimming, magic tricks, building things, and art. She is loving piano lessons and well, the rest of her life too as far as I can tell. She loves to be at home with just me. She loves lots of space and silence. So do I.

I'm in the van too much. I know I've said that before. It is the riddle I can't solve, it is the "Knock, knock" joke I just don't get, it is a blessing and a curse. I don't think I'm making much sense any more... I need to go to bed... Tomorrow, my sister, Em, and her babies Max and Teagan arrive. We can't wait...

Autumn Again

We've definitely had a little bit of everything this fall already... Lots of sweetness, also our share of strife. Jasper is in school three mornings a week which is a big transition for all of us in many ways. I miss him when he's gone. We're back in the mini-van first thing in the morning on those days which I am trying and failing to learn to love.

Jasper seems to be holding it together well at school, but then he unravels much more often at home. Lucy is so calm and steady-as-she-goes that Jasper's tempermental tantrums seem all the more bombastic and even absurd. He is a natural performer so he always has a bit of dramatic flair to add to the tantrum - loud grunting seems to be the favorite lately, along with full body back arches ( I thought those days were over, but apparently not) and body slams into various pieces of furniture. If I still smoked, I would definitely be lighting up and blowing smoke rings by the wide-open window when he starts one of his doozies... But he also can be as sweet as ever and I ache for him when he is gone, even while I cherish the one-on-one time with Lucy. Watching her take hold of more academic skills and musical skills and subtle understanding of herself in the world and dancing with her every morning as we get warmed up for the morning homeschooling program is just plain old fun. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything. Here are some random pics from the first week of Autumn.