Catching up on old pics...

It's amazing how life can suddenly go from slightly too busy to full-on, dizzying, can-barely-catch-our-breath BUSY. Every time I think we can't get more on our plates, we do. Now it's May. It's been more than four months since my last post. Winter has come and gone and the kids have passed birthdays and milestones and seem so much older. I've strived to capture their lives in as much detail as I did when we just had one child, but wow, is that a challenge!!! Balancing our marriage, parenthood, careers, preschool, travel, countless colds and infections -- all with a perennial lack of sleep -- fills up just about every waking second and ounce of energy we have. I'm torn between wishing the kids were older so that we don't have to be sick and sleep-deprived all the time, and wanting them to stay 4 and 1 forever... because I really think they are at the best ages ever!

Here are some long overdue photos from December 08/January 09!


Ronan finally "got" the materialism of Christmas this year. He knew there were presents for him and for everyone, he waited patiently to open them, and then he became a gift-obsessed, maniacal, over-stimulated kiddo. He opened his Christmas presents over a long period -- a couple of weeks. I don't know if that's better or worse than opening them all at once, but we're trying different things to put the focus on the person and the experience, rather than the toy... Ha! That may be totally ridiculous for a 4-year-old boy.


Ronan and a polar bear from Grandma Linda


Ronan had two things on his Christmas list: suspenders and a trident. A what? A trident, the three-pointed staff used by King Triton in the Little Mermaid. Anyone who knows Ronan knows that he has an amazing and intense imagination, which fuels many of his desires. He is not a "follower." He doesn't usually ask for conventional toys and games. He asks for things like... suspenders (because they can be part of his Fireman and Policeman pretend play) and tridents. We scoured the internet for a toy trident that didn't resemble a devil's pitchfork (of which there are many online), to no avail. The closest thing was an adult-sized King Triton replica costume that came with a nice-looking, but rather intimidating, trident -- but it cost over $200 and it was over in England. So Daddy did some creative problem-solving with Ronan and helped him come to see that a toy sword was just as good as a trident. So Ronan got his suspenders and his sword and, all these months later, he wears and plays with them all the time. He doesn't care at all that no other kid at school wears suspenders; he is perfectly comfortable. Great-grandpa Art (the only other suspender-wearing person in our family) would be tickled to see him!


Wooden train from Daddy's trip to Kaiserslautern!


Opening presents with the boys on Christmas morning


Ronan and his first (of many, I'm sure) sword!


Our sweet little dove, Callum, on Christmas morning, playing with a ducky toy from Grandma Linda


He is all smiles and laughter and gentleness!




The kids love the tube and tent from Papa Jack and Uncle Edmundo


Comin' through!


Ronan at Christmas dinner at great-uncle Dale and great-auntie Pat's house


Family shot, courtsey of Uncle Dale


Our Christmas gathering: Auntie Pam, Cousin Renee, Uncle Matt, Grandma Kathy, Gen, Callum, Auntie Pat, Ronan, Christian, Uncle Dale, and Cousin Cessa


Popo and Callum


Our hosts, Pat and Dale, relaxing after dinner


Pam and Cessa the Reindeer


Ronan the Christmas card


Mama and Ronan taking down the tree.... On to an exciting 2009!


Daddy giggling with his boys


One of Ronan's castles. He has enjoyed such freedom with blocks and castles for the first year of his brother's life, but ever since Callum started to scoot, cruise, and walk, Ronan's frustration level and outrage have definitely increased! It only takes one curious baby swipe to take down a tower...


Our sweet Callum at Costco, devouring a hot dog. He's a focused eater, that boy, and loves signing for "more."


Ronan making music (with three water flutes) with Vasco and Lola, Bryan and Anna's twins, in late December. They called themselves "The Xylophone Band" and made some raucous, riotous band music!


Our friend Ade and his lovely wife Ebun came to visit us from Nigeria on New Year's Eve. We hope to see them again sometime!