That lovely life list

In February I put together my lovely life list - a list which serves as a compass to open up experiences, not a bucket list of things to do before I die.

#3 on the February 15, 2012 version of my lovely list was run 10 miles.  Let's be honest I am stubborn, I can be strict, and deadlines and results...those I supervise get things done.  However, I tend to not hold myself to the same standards.  A conversation in early August between my freak-of-an-athlete husband and Larry and Jen resulted in me having no excuses and signing up for a half marathon (October, not too hot, not too cold.  Starts at the end of our street.  Ends at the end of our street.  A training program which enable me to check something of my lovely life list.  Only 12 weeks, oh - here is a 12 week training program...).  A week after said conversation Davis and I headed out on my first run.  I made him push Henni in the stroller so as to add a degree of difficulty.  He and Henni had no problem, I begged to die, begged to be left on the side of the road, begged to walk...the distance was 3 miles - the furthest I had ever run.  But, I had printed out the plan and I had paid my $60 registration fee for the half marathon...

Each week following I was running distances greater than I had ever run.  I was super excited, but in pain.  The I bought new sneakers, the pain went away and I was just excited - I was running and not wanting to die!  On September 30th I ran 10 miles.  I woke up early, I put on my shoes and I ran.  I felt wonderful.  I enjoyed every minute of the the run and came home feeling incredible - and feeling as though I could run miles upon miles more.  I was so excited.

I got sick. I had to stop running - a few attempts made it clear I could not run until I was feeling better.

Sunday was the half marathon.  I finished.  I finished 9 minutes faster than my personal goal, but it wasn't fun.  Miles 1-7 were great, after that I wanted to die.  Am I glad I finished?  Yes.  Am I proud of myself?  I guess so.  But, to be totally honest, that 10 miles run is what makes me proud - it is the run which makes me excited.  That one was my real goal - that run was for me - and I loved it.  Of course, there are no pictures of that run - Davis was asleep, my parents were watching the kids... So the pictures from this past weekend will have to stand in.

Another item I realize I need to cross off the list- sleeping more than 3 hours at a stretch (#18 on the February 15, 2012 list).  The wee ones are currently in their room sleeping.  Yes, they will migrate down the hall, but they do that just once.  Yes, once they move into the bed I will get kicked repeatedly in the ribs and face - and a pull-up will leak and I will find myself in a pool of urine - BUT I will sleep for more than 3 hours at a time.  And this I will celebrate!!

The other day I woke up so excited about our sleeping, and in the shower began fantasizing about a blog post about my cherubs.  Fast forward 5 minutes - I am out of the shower and getting dressed.  My cherubs are chatting in their room and getting dressed.  Suddenly there is screaming ... Henni was opposed to Oliver's clothing choice and therefore threw herself at him and sunk her razor sharp badger teeth into his cheek/eye.  Bye-bye cherub post, hello ice, time out, snuggles...

Henni's shirt got dirty later that day and her babysitter chose this one for her (it reads naughty).  While I don't condone the whole scarlet letter thing, it did make me chuckle.

And then here is this morning (oh yes, we were headed to school).  Oliver with a new bike (spotted by me after my run - even after 13.1 miles I can still spot items available on the side of the road), my medal, 4 shirts, a sweat shirt, and a flashlight duct taped to his helmet. (Hollie- he asked me to take this picture for you - to show you the new bike.)

So the question is - #8 on my lovely life list is to start something really fantastic.  I had envisioned something different, but the photos and antics of Oliver and Henni do point to something fantastic.  Can I also cross this off my list?  Something to think aboutI guess.

For the record books

Sleep.  It is a pretty incredible thing.  It is also something which has been fairly elusive in our house.  For four years our nights have involved up and down and the great migration, and then more up and down and then more migration.  And our days - while friends sleep, we play.  No naps in this house.  Until recently, the play hard and no nap equation did not yield a good night.  However, something has changed, perhaps that I am no longer nursing, and the play hard, no nap equation now yields two kids who sleep for 11-12 hours at night.  To achieve this incredible milestone there have been a few bumps, or shall I say kicks.  

Oliver had been going to sleep in his room and then migrating to ours - to join the likes of me, Davis, Henni, Bulldozer, Kitry, Nemo, Rio, a water bottle, and whatever else was "necessary" that evening.  However, the past couple weeks the menagerie that is our bed has included Oliver from the start.  Oliver likes to snuggle by way of trying to stick his feet in between your ribs.  And Henni likes her space and kicks and punches if anyone touches her while she is asleep.  While the kids have started sleeping, Davis and I had begun to dread going to bed - knowing we would endure an evening of torture.  However last night something incredible happened - both kids went to sleep in their own room and in their own bed.  Yes, everyone migrated (with animals) to our bed, but hey - I am not discounting those two hours.  In fact, I am going to celebrate them!  

Tonight the same thing happened - two kids, their room, each in their own bed.  But something else incredible happened - Henni asked me to leave when I was putting her to sleep.  I did.  She put herself to sleep!  I have no idea how long the wee ones will stay in their room tonight, but I will celebrate each and every minute.

Helping cook dinner

Henni helping in the workshop

Oliver road up the driveway and commented "I am the hardest man ever!"

Sitting in one of the many holes dug by Charlie.

Snack on the rake.  Sans pants.

Paper Route

Our neighbor's have a paper route.  Ten year old Shannon is usually the one who does the route, but this past week Shannon's brother Quinn and Oliver have talked her into letting them help out.  The route definitely takes twice as long with Oliver and Quinn along - they need to stop and chat, jump in leaves, look for cats... but they have so much fun and take the paper placement very seriously.  Shannon is so patient with them and is the most smile-filled paper girl I have ever seen.

Our family doesn't get the paper as we read them online.  Oliver is therefore not very familiar with the concept of a paper.  Given this he made the most wonderful comment on his first go at the route - Shannon gave him a paper for house #1, he deposited the paper on their step and then went back to Shannon and got a paper for house #2.  As he was about to place the paper at house #2 he exclaimed: "Wow!  Look, the same paper!  What are the chances!"

My oh my!

Henni had to have a time out this morning because she was devastated by the outfit Oliver chose this morning - so devastated that she tried tearing his clothes off him while at the same time shoving her choice of outfit at him.  Imagine this insanity with Henni wearing a pink shirt with turquoise birds on it, "matched" with baby and royal blue striped shorts.  And Oliver wearing his animal print pants under his blue sweatpants and his tie-dyed shirt. 

Fast forward to this evening when Henni was sharing what she was carrying in her purse: keys, phone, daddy's credit card.  What?!  How did the pretend card become "daddy's credit card"?!

Then we move on to my friend Rocket.  Oliver has been taking speech so as to aid him in his pronunciation.  Oliver has made great strides, but there are a few words he just plain refuses to correctly pronounce - snake and snow, for example.  This afternoon we were talking about snow and I suggested the correct pronunciation.  His response: "Mommy, let's move past that."  Really?!

Seriously, these two are hysterical.  Even more hysterical are their conversations.  I try to stick on the sidelines or in the other room when I hear them starting to chat.  The ideas they come up with.  The things Oliver gets Henni to do.  And the things Henni gets Oliver to do.  These two are thick as thieves.  And then there is Charlie - when the two of them get Charlie involved, Davis and I have no hope, no chance.

Our grocery bill also has no hope.  Henni has started consuming an obscene amount of food.  While putting back more than her fair share she makes eating an extreme sport.

Note Henni's bag and baby - must have accessories 

And then there is crafting.  I keep fantasizing about doing crafts with Oliver and Henni.  This afternoon's craft time went the way all of our craft time goes - to the bath.  I made apple stamps, the kids looked at them, covered the apples in paint, tried to eat said apples (ok, ate said apples), then covered their entire bodies in paint.

No need go get your glasses, yes, he has combined camo with animal print

Fall

This fall has been wonderful, hectic, and stressful all at once.  Last year I was so spoiled in that I was home with Oliver and Henni.  This fall I am adjusting to working and being home with Oliver and Henni - and trying to balance Oliver's school time.  The great nanny fiasco of 2012 and craziness with Davis' job has made adjusting anything but easy -- since the start of school we've not had one week where the basic structure and/or caregivers have been the same.  That being said, Davis has been Mr. Mom quite a bit - which the kids and I have enjoyed. 

And - because our schedules have been so crazy, we've been able to sneak in a lot of fun adventures together.

We've selected our pumpkins.

Chosen our Halloween costumes...

And worn said costumes to the dog park, the grocery store, walks, and pretty much anywhere and everywhere...

And we attended the Topsfield Fair.  Unfortunately this picture is horrible, but I had to include it.  Both Oliver and Henni went on their first roller coaster and LOVED it.  We got off and they yelled for more.  Mind you neither Davis nor myself like roller coasters, and my parents aren't big fans either.  The four of us each took a turn so our thrill seekers could take a second ride.  Henni waved like the queen the whole time - and her face - a huge smile.

In other news, Oliver has decided that he is going to be a vegetarian that only eats meat from the bone, shrimp, lobster, and no vegetables.  Not sure how that is going to work out, but we will see.