Walkin' Around the Christmas Tree

James has spent the last week and a half perfecting his walking skills. He started with a crouched over, lurching duck-walk before moving on to a twitchy, sideways sidle and had now settled into the traditional controlled stumble. Choice of mobility methods has also shifted, each day bringing more displays of his new abilities. I think he might have switched over, today. Anyway, here's a bit of video (it's kind of long) to tide you over until we see many of you for Christmas.

So Unfair

I've been trying to keep up with Marin's 10 lbs in 6 weeks Challenge, but I'm having a hard time pushing myself to exercise (don't we all?). I don't belong to a gym, or even the YMCA. There are very few places within walking distance that don't involve shopping or wouldn't bore the kids to tears. It's painfully difficult to hold Proud Warrior or Wide-Legged Downward Dog when there are small children literally climbing all over you. So, today we went for a walk. All those who had the coordination carried themselves. It was a leisurely 30-40 minute trip out to the Rec Center. We played on the playground for a little while, but not so long that Joseph would collapse on the way home. James was asleep in the sling, so he and I stayed mostly in the shade. Walking home took longer, as energy was finally flagging, so we paused every other block to check out interesting sticks. After being out for nearly two hours, we arrive back home and I pass around water to everyone and make snacks. Shortly thereafter, Jonathan gets home from work and tells me I have a sunburn. My husband doesn't get sunburns. It drives me crazy because I burn pretty easily. I grumble a bit, feeling stupid that I'd forgotten the sunblock, but check the kids to see what the damage is. Joseph has rosy cheeks. That's it. All four of us got the same sun exposure, and who ends up looking like a lobster? That'd be me. Even the baby still has perfect porcelain skin.

Truckin' Baby

I love the video upload! Here's Joseph walking around outside.

Step By Step

Joseph is up to two steps in a row, now. He's got a little more practice to go to catch up to Corrinna, but he'll be there soon. Good job, Baby Boy!

"I Can't!"

For the last two days, every time I ask Elena to do something, she tells me: "I can't." The sheer volume of things she can't do is quite staggering, actually. Not only is she apparently unable to go potty (she does anyway, just at a different time--no worries there), she can't eat tortillas, she can't play puzzles, she can't say sorry, she can't take breaths, she can't take baths, and she can't let anyone else say any prayers. I put her to bed a few minutes ago ("I can't go bed!") and as I left I told her I love her. On my way back down the stairs I heard "I can't love you!" echo down the baby monitor, accompanied by much wailing and proverbial gnashing of teeth. I'm running out of reverse psychology tricks to run on her, and in the meantime we seem to be butting heads all day long. It's a good thing my mood is up and I've been pretty mellow today.

In other news, Joseph was proclaiming the presence of the car out his window, yesterday, on the way home from church. "Gah, gah!" he said, staring at the SUV in the next lane. He also took a step (stumble) across the room, today, reaching for Daddy.