Tonight Nika had her first Christmas Concert. She sang so good. Better than at the class Thanksgiving party, where she just stood there. After each song the parent clapped and Nika curtsied. She was the only little girl up there who curtsied. I was so proud I nearly cried. "That's my little girl up there."
All the kids are super excited to see Santa. A different story last year. Since Nika was born I had to force the kids to see Santa. This year Nika poped right up on Santa's lap and told him what we wanted. Nika wants a Princess Table and Christian a ball. Santa says he has that covered.
I sure love these kids. Matt shook his head at me and asked why I insist on dressing the boys alike. I don't know. It gives me a sense of family. Growing up my cousin Jeri (girl) and I always dressed a like. Don't all cousins do it. Nika and Kiley did (I guess it was me who dressed them alike). Christian and Kyle have two sets of matching PJs, but the train are the favorite of both the boys.
Christian thinks he is a super hero lately. Nika is persuaded it is true. Afterall, he did make a spiderweb in his room.
have left it a bit longer, but the little man was on our heels attempting his own version of cleaning.
Well this is not huge news, she has been copying her name for quite a while. But her interest in learning has just rocketed. While to be honest she isn't as interested as a parent would dream, she may just be a late bloomer. I was!
Several months ago the Zuniga's moved to Pittsburg for School. Katie had come over to help our Matt's parents after Jim's Surgery. I was so fun to get to see AJ. I may be biased, but I really think he loves his Auntie Meghan. It was really fun to spend time with Katie too. Aj, Katie and I even got to hangout alone together for a while.
Here is one of our pumpkins.
The actual day of Halloween we were up in WA visiting Matt's Parents. We went to a Havest Festival. Christian dressed up as Superman (they were really PJs)
Kyle dressed as a Monster and Nika dressed as the Snow White.
Ok, I feel a little silly, but that is what being a Mommy is. When your daughter asks you dress up like a princess you just submit and put on your nearly six year wedding dress. Afterall isn't that why I kept it, for my daughter. I tried to get her to commit to wearing it when she gets married, but she says she is going to wear a snow white dress when she gets married.
Both of our kids wake up a bit on the grumpy side, not Kyle. He is always super happy to see us in the morning. I suppose with all the sleep he gets he would be the happiest. Sometimes he sleeps 12 hours straight. Two nights ago, was the first time he woke in the middle of the night in around five months. Our kids wake up more often.
Here Kyle (who was chewing on my hair) and I are enjoying some sun while I read. Isn't he cute?
Nika has sure grown up. I can remember pictures of Nika asleep on Matt's chest at the hospital, when she was born and now 4 years 6 months later she is still doing it.
Hey there are benefits to crawling as Kyle has discovered recently. The other day Kyle found a discarded orange sucker on the floor. Finders Keepers
right? Christian threw a fit that I would not let him open a third sucker to partially eat on it, so threw it on the floor. Kyle sweeped in to the rescue (more like inched wormed into the rescue).
Ask me how I know fall is here. Could it be fall leaves, brisk air, rain, or pumpkins? No! Muddy toes, muddy floors, and wet noses. Last week after watching cartoons of kids playing outside in the mud the kids and I decided to let them play out side in the mud. It went really well on TV, but not on my floors. Christian cried that his boot fell off then figured it would be fun to feel mud in his toes. He came is side to tell me something and tracked mud on the floors. They did have fun, and to be honest I enjoyed clean the mud off the floors and screaming as Christian put his toes in the mud. Hey they were having fun, so I was too. But I haven't sent them out in the rain again yet!
Christian has really been into Trains, so Matt took Nika and Christian up to Portland on the train. They were so excited. I think the only thing that Christian didn't like about the trip was standing next to the Engine just as it was about to take off. It made loud noise, which really scared the little man.
Matt came up with the great idea of taking the day off so we would all go to OMSI. The kids did so well. Kyle stayed chipper through many wakeful hours of playing, as did Nika and Christian without thier regular naps. OMSI is so terrific, we only made it through the biggest of seven or so areas. It is so great that the kids are getting old enough for these things.
It seems like such a big step to send Nika to Preschool. I mean it isn't Kindergarden, but it seems like it should be as important as Kindergarden.
Our neice Kiley came to visit last week. It was such a joy to have her, but I really don't think I can handle four kids. Nika was sad to see Kiley play. Many of you will recall that Kiley lived with us for around four months last year. It seemed like much longer.
Recently the kids made a fort. It is really great to see how well the kids play together. It was totally Christian's idea and Nika had so much fun doing it with him.
