busy body

Watch out, friends! Our baby boy is now 10-months-old. He's a very busy baby. Making sure to not be out done by his brothers, he's determined to leave his mark on our home! He loves toys, the piano, electrical wires (under the desk is his favorite place), and the KITCHEN.

Exhibit A: The sugar.

I guess I should be happy it's not salt. But. No. This was just a pain to clean up. Usually those tupperware containers hold up to toddler handling, but this lid wasn't put on all the way (*cough*grandma*cough*). ;) Make a good mental note of that oatmeal container as we visit...

Exhibit B: The Oatmeal.

Grandpa cleaned up this mess-- so I can just gush about how cute he looked caught red-handed playing in the oatmeal. :) I wish there were an easier solution to child-proof the cabinets, but there really doesn't seem to be. I'm pretty sure my landlord would not appreciate holes drilled into all of her cabinets. And the entry way to the kitchen is too small for a gate. I'll just need some better FOOD childproofing, I guess!

Cold

It's dang cold here, folks. We're making the best use of our winter gear though, and braving the elements. Grandma even made the trek through the snow with us so we could introduce her to our favorite animals. I was surprised to see so many new baby animals (goats and pigs). Wrong season, silly animals!

Grandma feeding our shaggy donkey. :)

Frozen duck pond. The boys were intrigued. Good thing they have a fence up!

Poor baby boy wasn't feeling very well. It's turned into a very nasty cold. Time to keep him indoors!

Go ahead... just try to not even crack a smile when you see the 'Ausfahrt" signs everywhere in Germany. It means Exit. Americans can't help but giggle though. What a childish lot!! *giggle*

Cameron sums it up, friends. We're COLD.

Heidelberg

We had to take N's family to one of our favorite castles (ruins). We love Heidelberg! I would love to see more of the building than they have available to the public, but ah well! Behind Nathaniel and Andrew is a big wine vat, that is actually only about 1/3 of the size of another one off to the left. Cameron was very intrigued by the big "wine bats" and kept asking to go back to see them.

Why not have a family picture in front of a big wine vat?

Better location for the family picture. :) So beautiful! (AND SO COLD).

And Andrew was all nestled all snug in his.... dad's coat. I got worried about how cold Andrew's feet might be getting and came up with this solution:

Mittens. HAHA. It looked so funny every time he wiggled those little feet-- like he had little fins instead of feet.

That bridge is famous, though... I couldn't tell you why.

Hancock Family love.

Christmas Eve

Andrew couldn't resist asking for his two front teeth for Christmas. He's chewing on everything!

Santa-Grandpa reading a Christmas story to the family.

Getting ready to open their first Christmas present. I have it on video-- I'll have to try to find and post it. Cameron was hilarious "OH! A SHIRT!" You'd have thought it was a whole treasure trove. Love these boys!

Aunt Abby reading with my bookworm.

Again with the chewing. Andrew's favorite thing about Christmas was definitely the wrapping paper. :)

Christmas Morning

We had a great Christmas! Nathaniel's parents and youngest sister were in town until today, so we've been busy! Lots of posts to come!

My sweet Christmas angel boys sporting their new jammies and Woody dolls. The older boys are also wearing their super-capes and William is holding his cherished harmonica. The boy loves his music! Mmm. My boys are so scrumptious in their matching pajamas!

Grandpa Ralph to Andrew's gift-opening rescue!

Note to self: Next year, take a picture of the tree before it dies (and take it in better light!).

laying low in the snow

After FINALLY recovering from all of the illnesses snow hit our little spot of the country big time. We've been largely house-bound as it's hard to track all 3 little monsters in the big snow!

William tricked me. He sweetly said "Mommy, can I paint Handy Manny?" Five minutes later I went up to check on Andrew and came down to my little artist in action. What could I do, but supply a mirror to make sure his whiskers got to their desired location? My silly boy.

--click to admire--
Sunday church was canceled. Big bummer-- especially for this momma who missed church the two weeks before that due to sick kids. I'm ready to get out of the house! We spent the morning hanging out in our jammies sipping hot chocolate and playing in the toy room. I'm working on the art of rotating toys, so for the extra day stuck inside I busted out some of the toys they haven't seen in a while. The busy ball popper was a hit, as usual. Best $20 investment ever.

Quarentine: Week 2

William is on the mend. He got worse, a lot worse, before he got better though. Still trying to pack weight back on and fluids back into the boy. Cameron's chest/cough issues have flared up again (pretty mild so far) and Andrew seems to have RSV. I generally love winter... but not the stupid winter 'bugs'. We're all lacking sleep and I miss my cheerful fever-free children. William finally went back to school, but with Andrew's fever and Cameron's cough, it looks like I'm gonna be camped out at the house again for most of the week.

During quarentine week 1: Cameron out in our backyard to "shovel".

When I stepped out to take pictures of Cameron, separation anxiety and beginnings of sickness closed in on my poor baby all at once!

While William was sick, he was a weak bum on the couch for about 5 whole days. I took advantage of my break from refereeing toddler fights to get some good knitting in! William patiently watched me knit a couple things before he began begging me to make him a RED hat. He finally got it yesterday. My boy is so silly when he gets something new, he gets very attached to it. He went to sleep in his hat last night and wouldn't take it off when he got to school. Love my passionate little boy.

The German word for Owl is Uhu. I love it! :)

Sad Baby!

I put Andrew in this festive sleeper Sunday night because we were going to take him out with us to a little party while a friend stayed with the older boys. Andrew was so tired at FIVE PM, I put him down for a nap-- but he slept until well after we were home from our party! My poor baby. I had to take some shots in his Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit (as Daddy calls it) yesterday morning.

Sick Day

Our William is sick. I'm anxiously hoping that the other boys don't get it too. When I realized I'd be keeping him home from school for a few days I was a little stressed about missing out on that break that I've become accustomed to. Silly me. William doesn't even have the energy to lift a pencil, let alone destroy my house or torment Cameron. Silver lining to the 5 loads of laundry I've had to do?

Beautiful Angel Andrew. This kid is on the fast track to toddlerhood. Heaven help me.

Sick boy watching the snow fall while we listen to Christmas music.

The scene I'm looking at right this moment. Put on some Bing Christmas tunes and it's like you're here with us.

My sweet William,
As you beg me over and over to "cuddle me" or "I hold you" (in between demands of yes rubbing your back, no rubbing your hair, no patting your bum, etc...) I can't believe how BIG you've grown. Just 3 short years ago you were the baby. Sometimes I have to remind myself and even daddy that you still kind of are, even if you have two little brothers. The other day as you were trying to get comfortable on my lap I was joking with Daddy that you're kind of like a dog who doesn't know he's not a puppy anymore. I'm happy that you're still my little boy who wants to cuddle with mom. I hope that you feel better soon.
xoxo, Momma

When will I learn...

... to clean my kids nose before I go buck-wild taking his picture?! I couldn't resist the perfect light and willing subject! Also couldn't resist posting almost 10 pictures taken of the same kid within 10 minutes. What can I say? I'm his #1 fan. *There are a couple of precious baby angel boy too!

Anyone else see the resemblance to Glynis Johns (the mom in Mary Poppins) here too? Gotta admit, this picture and Emma Watson's new pixie cut is part of what motivated me to give him his hair cut today. Loved the long hair, but need to keep those gender lines clear! ;)

a note from the littlest monster in the pack:

Hi. I'm Andrew. I'm gorgeous and a total angel! Most of the time anyway. This past week I've really started to hold my own. I SCREAM when my brothers take away something I'm playing with, and I really yell when when Mommy takes something away that I'm racing towards. (Poor mommy really has her work cut out for her these days, thanks to my brothers' gift of destroying a house in 5 seconds). I'm incredibly mobile and just started walking along furniture. I fall all the time and bruise like a peach! I think there are about 4 bruises on my head right now (I even got one tonight in the bathtub when I sneezed and hit my face on the side of the tub. oy.). I climb all over everything: toys, stray coats and boots, Cameron's dinner left-overs, stray brothers, and even up to window sills. I keep trying to get near the stairs, but mom intervenes. She swears that I'm trying to give her a HEART ATTACK. What? All I'm trying to do is learn how to climb stairs!

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THESE stairs: