Cousin Corbin's dogs

While driving to preschool, Avery and I were discussing his Aunt and Uncle who are about to have a baby.  I was explaining that he and Aileen may get to have a new baby cousin, and I was helping him understand which aunt and uncle they were - "the one with the dogs".  Avery wanted to go and visit them, and I said that we might be able to.  Then, with a concerned look, he asked if their dogs "eat people?!".  I reassured him that they don't.  He then asked why they didn't "just have a cat?".  Before I answered, he reasoned with himself out loud "Oh,....they probably don't have a cat because they are poisonous, right?"

Brother/Sister friendship

December play

1.) soft, wavy, Baby Aileen hair
2.) Avery and Aileen are now beginning to play with one another.  Avery likes to make pillow traps for Aileen to get caught in.  Aileen squeals with delight that her brother plays with her.
3.) Tis the season for making homemade Christmas ornaments; tearing links off a paper Advent chain; drinking homemade hot cocoa with candy cane stirring sticks; making holiday candy, cookies and cards and watching kid-friendly Christmas movies.
4.) Avery and Aileen watching our sort of adopted cat.  We've been feeding her cheese so that she hangs around the house and catches mice.

Happy siblings

Avery

- wrote on the Thankful poster at preschool by drawing a hotdog and scribbling next to it.  He said the scribble was his “name in Japanese”.

- likes to draw restaurant menus, label prices (he is learning to write numbers in school) and draw the food items.  His restaurant sells apples, ice cream and popcorn.  He said that mommy and daddy are his workers.

- likes to put “Halloween spice” (nutmeg) in his yogurt.

- doesn’t like sour tastes and refused sour gummie treats at snacktime.

- saw his preschool teacher at the church library, kissed her hand, gave her a hug, and said “Oh, I just love you”.  (He is still very sweet and expresses it physically and verbally.)

Aileen

- just turned 9 months old

- starting to get up on her hands and knees to rock back and forth and grab at things

- rather than just grabbing at things like typical babies, Aileen will notice and study small details (like logos, shirt tags, small labels) and cautiously touch them with her pointer finger first.

- takes her socks off as soon as we put her in the van.

Christmas in Illinois

We celebrated Thanksgiving/Christmas in Illinois this year.  The kids really enjoyed spending time with their grandparents.  Aileen enjoyed opening her first Christmas gifts and Avery learned how to shell pole beans and harvest okra seeds for next spring's garden.

Preschool class fun

1.) ringing bells at the lighting of the community Christmas tree
2.) performing a turkey song
3.) making turkey hats and eating treats
4.) turkey cupcakes for class party

Cousin Corbin's baby shower

Avery and Aileen will be adding a new cousin to their family.  Aunt Leah and Uncle Jon are expecting a baby boy named Corbin in December.  We will be so excited to welcome him into our family.