escape artist

In the past week Gabe has learned to:

1. Climb out of his pack-n-play

2. Climb out of his crib

3. Open doors

So until the crib tent I ordered arrives, this 21.5-month-old will successfully be avoiding naps. (Still not sure what to do about nap time when I teach preschool twice a week, which used to happen in the pack-n-play.) And of course this is the week Jonny and I will be leaving on our California get-a-way. My sincerest apologies to my mom and sisters who will be taking on our newest little escape artist. Best wishes and good luck.

As for the doorknob thing, until Gabe thinks to move a chair over to the front door in order to reach the top lock, we may be able to keep him safely indoors. I give him two days.

P.S. Julia didn't climb out of the pack-n-play until she was two. (And I believe it was the very last day of preschool that year!) She never climbed out of her crib, and slept there happily until we gave her a big bed for the third birthday. I had a feeling the Gabe monster would surpass his sister in such matters.

No pressure, Jonny

Jonny began working on our unfinished basement last month. It's a big job that will take several months, but it'll be so nice to have a designated playroom when it is done. (We may or may not finish the three bedrooms and bathroom at this point. But he is planning to frame it all.) With all the hammering, sawing, and construction-talk going on around here, Julia has taken especial notice to how our home compares with her friends' houses.

A few weeks ago a concerned Julia said to me,"Naomi has an upstairs, Lassyn (Allyson) has an upstairs, but we don't have one. Mom, can we go to the store and buy an upstairs? Please!?"

And last week, after playing at the Chamberlain's home in their newly-finished basement, she said, "Ums (this is how she says them, or thems in this case, meaning their) basement is all built. Ums dad built it as fast as he could. Ours daddy is not building ours basement as fast as he can."

But in Jonny's defense, he is doing the best he can! He is down in the basement for an hour or two after work on most weekdays and spends free Saturdays down there as well. (He'd work into the evening hours, but all the noise would keep the kids awake.) And, mind you, this is his first time doing such a project. The deck was a big one. But this is an even greater endeavor. You can do it, Jonny. I have no doubt whatsoever.

  Julia is crazy about helping whenever she possibly can.

 Okay, okay, I don't help out all that much with the hard labor. But on this day we did all carry in some wood. 

And Gabe mostly gets scooped up and out of the way. 

And of course I kiss him when I scoop him up.

awaiting your return...

Julia is in the habit of leaving the pictures she draws or paints for Jonny on the mat by the door so he'll see them first thing when he walks in from work. (One picture from a few days ago has his dusty footprint on it!) Well, he is out of town this week from Wednesday until Saturday. I found this in the laundry room this morning:

In other words, we miss you, Daddy! When you come home this and surely other masterpieces will be waiting. And so will we. With open arms. Love you.

P.S. Please DO hurry home. Gabe has not had a decent teeth-brushing since you left. Why he will calmly let you brush his teeth while he fights and screams every time I try is beyond me. And you know my bedtime stories for Julia are nothing to yours. Yeah, we miss you pretty badly.

Julia's dream garden

I finally got around to making a recipe my talented friend Jessica Crapo created - pumpkin cinnamon rolls. They were completely delicious. But you don't have to take it from me. Here is what Julia had to say:

She and Jonny had been talking earlier in the day about what we should grow in the garden this spring. As we were eating the warm rolls, Julia said, "Mmmm. I want to grow these in the garden too!" I still don't know if she was joking or thought it was actually a possibility, them being pumpkin cinnamon rolls and all. I wouldn't mind putting in a row of rolls between the spinach and cucumbers. Then if we could just find some key lime pie seeds... Hey, some girls can dream, can't they?

Skiing

Melody and I went skiing for just the 2nd time in 6 years. Although it is a sport that both of us participated in much as teenagers, the cost and time has really made it difficult to get out and enjoy the slopes.

After debating whether or not to go and where to go, we decided on a half day up at Sundance. Neither of us have ever been to Sundance to ski before and it was a great little mountain. The conditions weren't excellent with no new snow in the previous week and frequent icy patches, but the weather was great, the crowds were the small, and we had a blast.
Anyway, here are some pictures and a video.