Nov 2012

Hi all,

So you know that at this point we sold our house and are living in a temporary apartment while we look to buy, right?  Well…

 On our way to Charlotte for Thanksgiving we bought a house.  Literally.  As we drove, I exchanged texts with our realtor who informed us that we had just bought a house.  Yay!  Yes, I know, another house.  But hopefully this will be the last for a good long while.  The suburbs didn’t really agree with us so we are moving on back to the city.  Or close to it anyway. So we are now proud owners of our permanent, never moving again, stay there until I fall down the steps and break my hip and have to go to the old folks home, house.  And thank goodness because this apartment thing is killing me. 

We have had lots of cousin time this year.  This summer we got to spend a week at the beach digging in the sand, flopping around on the beach, putt-putt-ing, and just generally enjoying each other’s company.  And while we were there, we made the executive decision to celebrate Thanksgiving in NC and fly Grandma Shay in for it.  Peter and I were so happy to get the invite and soooo happy to get out of our craphole apartment so off we went. 

Our kids were darn excited about it too.  Bek overheard me telling Rin that we were going to go to Sam and Sara’s house and he chimed in with “Sutton?  Home?”  and I replied that we were in fact going to Sutton’s house too.  Well, after that it was never ending between Rin asking if it was the day we were going yet, immediately followed by Bek asking a thousand times a day “Sutton home?” until we finally got on the road to see the cousins.  Whew. 

When we got there, the kids made the fort of all forts in the playroom and proceeded to sleep in it every night for the remainder of the trip.  It was so cute.  Wish I had a photo. 

On Thanksgiving morning we headed out to a parade and the kids just loved all the fanfare.  Walt and Sara walked with the Y Guides and it was so cute to see her up there dressed in her outfit and waving at everyone.  Then we came back to an amazing turkey dinner.  I swear Nan and Walt had been cooking for a week.  Seriously.  On the menu was not just turkey (personally smoked by Walt) but also ham, brisket, stuffing, corn pudding, mashed potatoes, green beans, chess pie made by Grandma Shay, and it was all wonderful. I just love Thanksgiving.  But the best part by far is after we put the kids to bed and we all had turkey sandwiches and more pie.  And all was good in the world.

While we were in Charlotte, we headed to Discovery Place which is a great time for the kids and for us.  What could be better than a million things to entertain them and give their little brains a workout.  And we managed a pajama day full of hanging out playing until they were worn out, and just having some fun cousin time.  The weather was cold and the hot chocolate was plentiful.  Makes me look forward to Christmas. 

Overheard one morning as they hid away in the fort was this- “Sam, you know who my best cousin is?”  I dunno, who?  “You…  And I have other cousins too.” (No offense to Oscar of course, it’s just that who couldn’t think Sam is the most awesome big cousin ever?)

My boys just love their cousins.  Rin’s favorite thing was the cast off shorts that Sam gave him.  So sweet.  I mean, I had no idea anyone could get that excited about clothes.  I think he was more excited to get those shorts than I was to get my wedding gown a million years ago.  And Bek and Sutton tortured each other all week as two year olds are bound to do but the day after we got home, he was asking when he can go play with Sutton again.  Little boys don’t always make sense but they sure are fun to raise.    

But no one told me that your second child’s babyhood is so much shorter than your first.  Our little Bek has gotten so big already.  Gone are the days when he would crawl into bed with us (and Rin- our early riser) and we would all snuggle in together every morning for a slow wake up.  Now he wants to be so independent and such a big boy.  I know it was inevitable but still I feel like I missed all the baby stuff.  I sometimes wonder if it’s because he joined our family so much later than Rin did or that it’s because he WANTS to grow up quicker.  He wants to be just like his big brother.  Second kids don't want to dig in the sand when cool big brother is riding bikes. They don't want to get pushed on the swing when they could be playing basketball like a big boy. And I wish would have appreciated Bek’s babyhood more.  Rinat’s baby years went quickly but Aibek's literally flew by and before I knew it, they were over.  And, barring some sort of miracle, it will most likely be my last chance to have a baby in my house.  Sorta sad to think about.  But it makes me want to soak up the time that I have with these two sweet little munchkins and be thankful they are in our lives.  And I AM thankful.  Maybe not every single second of every single day, but very thankful for them and for all of my extended family.  The whole clan comes together to make this amazing and wonderful group of people who we are lucky enough to call family. 

Love to all, -m 

Oct 2012

Hi All,

So, back to October.  It was a really busy month and I am so glad that it’s over. 

The month started with our annual trip to the pumpkin patch with our friends.  There was a new activity there (this place is much much more than just a pumpkin patch) and Rin now has a new obsession- panning for gemstones.  This kid gets so excited about things and it is so fun to watch.  Every new thing is exciting and he dives in headfirst to learning about new things.  So now we are collecting piles of rocks.  Fun stuff.   

Back at the house, there was pumpkin decorating and carving.  Rin tried his hardest to get me to give him the butcher knife but no luck yet.  Maybe next year. 

Then we moved.  Yup, again.  Turns out the ‘burbs didn’t agree with us.  We sold our house the week before Halloween and what was Rin saddest about?  He wouldn’t get to ride the bus anymore.  I swear, him waiting for that bus was the best part of the day for him.  Oh well.  But we moved- temporarily- into the apartments right next to Rin’s school. 

I let the boys go crazy decorating the place with stick on bats and witches.  And for Halloween, we headed back over to the neighborhood we just moved from (two blocks away) to go trick-or-treat-ing.  Bek was really into it this year and after the first couple of houses, had it down pat.  Rin, who is a pro candy getter now, was running ahead the entire time.  The boys had a blast and came home with enough candy to literally make “candy angels” out of.  Ah, the dentist is calling our names. 

More soon.  Love to all,  -m