Is it Twenty Ten or Two Thousand Ten???

Whichever, it's off to a cold, cozy and SNOWY start. We enjoyed nearly a week in Kearney, with lots of yummy food and good game playing: new board games, cards and lots of super hero creations (Laser hero, Doctor hero, Vet hero, Color hero, Ninja hero...). Much to my surprise (and delight) Christmas Eve Mass was a success, as was the entire stay.

Luckily, Santa brought the boys snow shovels, so despite low temps Max and Ted have been able to get out and help clear the walks and tire themselves out a bit. Gus and I stay inside and prepare the hot chocolate and talk in tongues. Besides sucking on his toes, one of his favorite pastimes is mimicking whoever will stick out a tongue at him. He continues to be very good natured and very well loved by his brothers.

Gus is no longer a new born

So Fall, so good. Trick or treating was good fun, Ted in Max's last year's costume and Max in an original "Max Twit". He is Laser Hero, complements of Grandma Diane's handiwork. Gus did Halloween in his sling, where he resides for at least an hour every afternoon when we hike up to school to collect Max and hang out while he and Ted convince other children to play batman, spiderman and "idiada jones". The pic at the park is after school. It was pajama day as well as library day. Some of the others are sent from Grandpa after a recent trip to Kearney. The boys are doing well. Max is geared up for the Holiday season, ready to decorate and invent toy ideas for Santa. Ted is swell, his imagination becoming bigger and grander by the day and Gus has reduced his night sleeping, much to my dismay. However, what he's lacking in sleep he's making up with HUGE and easy smiles. He loves to talk. I'm back in the classroom after Thanksgiving, and TJ is working hard.

Two months with Gus!

Gus is thriving. He's sleeping "through" the night, with 7 hours being a common event. Yay! He likes to talk, take baths and make lots and lots of bubbles! He looks so much like the other two that it seems like he's always been here. I'm absolutely loving having three; I can't explain why it seems easier than two, except maybe my priorities are shifting a bit? However, having three kids has really taken a toll on TJ!

The quintessential middle child

I hang my head in shame that I have to look to Grandpa Mark for photos of Ted. He's doing great, but he's very often doing his own thing when the camera comes out. He's enjoying whatever he's doing at the moment he's doing it, whether he's playing batman with his brother, playing cars, pirates, spiderman, castle or tending to his flock of baby animals. Here he is in Kearney at a pumpkin patch with Max and Grandpa Mark and Grandma Diane.

Max update

Max is doing well. His little leg is healing nicely and he's enjoying learning to read and doing a million "projects", most of them science illustrations and super hero designs for bikes, playgrounds and motor vehicles to send to Santa as Christmas requests. He's loving an art class at Josyln where he's making a Mexican mask, and his devotion to his new baby brother is only growing.... He about broke my heart the day he excitedly dressed up for River City Round Up celebrations at school, but upon arriving and seeing no one else donning cowboy gear, shed his outfit and traded shoes with Ted. Does he have to worry about what everyone else is doing already???? He further proved he's growing up by losing his first tooth.

What we've been up to...

I went on my first outing with all three boys on Saturday. We went to the farmer's market. Luckily, Jessica was home and met us down there as we had a really long wait for the candy store to open...

The next day we did some painting in the front yard.

One month

Gus is now spending more time with open eyes and listens to his brothers play and read books. He has rolled over a couple of times by accident but will soon realize how important this skill will be for avoiding his brothers.