The walker

She's been working on this for a couple weeks but she sort of turned pro today.  Next stop...walking at 10 months??

Growing up fast

And I like it.  I've never really been sad about my kids getting older.  Sure I remember the fun times and doesn't every one love the new baby smell?  But I've always...thrived, for lack of a better word, on seeing them grow and learn things both from us and by themselves.  That being said these kiddos are growing fast.  Here are some of the fun times in the last month.

I see now that I used this in a prior post but it's a good one so I'll keep it!! :)

Deven's first picture - me!!

Tova hanging with me at Starbucks during an early morning wake up, usually we let the boys sleep but Deven decided to wake up and come with us!

As noted above Deven decided to join Tova and me for early morning coffee...by early morning I mean 6am!!

Tova helping me shop at Target

Tova loves the guitar just like Daddo and Deven

Just cuteness in a hat Auntie Shan got for her

Deven trying out an older leapfrog book.  Such a big boy.

Christmas time

This is Tova's first Christmas and I haven't been doing a very good job of documenting.   I will try to catch up via pictures here. 

This year we went to a tree farm to cut down a tree.  It took forever, FOREVER!! To find the right one.  We settled a little bit but it looks great in our front room.  

We've had a lot of Santa hat wearing, hot chocolate drinking and cookie eating...good things. 

Deven had his first holiday show.  There were 5 carols he 'almost' memorized making up for any forgotten words by being the loudest and most energetic (said the biased momma).  
 

 
We took a trip to a Christmas park, basically a light display with fair food, out in Stanwood.  So something for the kiddos and something for the momma, you get the idea.  Mini cinnamon donuts to die for.
 

 

 
Tova's first hockey game, school pictures and home made Christmas cocktails have rounded out the season so far. 

7 more shopping days until Christmas.  Santa is definitely on his way to the Johnston's this year.  That is if Deven's Elf provides a good report to the man up north.  Hopefully he forgets about a few of the most recent meltdowns.

Turkey day - two days later

a. My homemade cranberry sauce, the only way to eat cranberry sauce, b. Our first turkey brine, c. The base of our stuffing, we used dried French bread this year (uugghh so good), d. The turkey all buttoned up and ready to cook, e. The table, someday we will have a real dining table, f. Free style serving when you have three kids and three adults, there was no "passing" in this scenario, g. A temporarily healthy boy lovin' on some turkey, h.  I mashed up some sweet potatoes for sister, more got on her face than in her tummy, i. Renee and Dev jammin' before dinner

As you may have previously read we had to miss out on the official thanksgiving holiday but thankfully we had planned to do our own dinner the Saturday after and had already started the thawing process.  Deven was strangely fever free over the weekend so we kept the dinner on the calendar.  We had the Burgess's over and decided to do all savory dishes.  There was sage and rosemary all over our kitchen.  There was Turkey, sweet potatoes with roasted cashews, homemade cranberry sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, stuffing, spicy green beans and butter rolls (aka a croissant in roll form).  Our goal was left overs and boy we succeeded.

Nick make turkey stock and then some turkey noodle soup and  I made turkey mishmash (aka turkey, stuffing and.potatoes in loaf form).  Lunches have never been better and I think we gained five pounds.  Thankfully I made Renée take her delicious apple pie home (one of the best pie crusts ever) otherwise it would have been 10 pounds.  The rest of this week we are going to use the stock in some other soups and stews.  I LOVE food!

Sick Day - dev's turn

So this year we woke up on thanksgiving with all intentions of braving a day of travel with our new little family.  This was Tova's first thanksgiving and we were going to test her ability to keep it together without good naps and lots of driving.  Well turns out we can wait until xmas to test her abilities. 

We should have known when Deven woke up at 8am (an all time record - not exaggerating) that something was amiss.  After complaints of a headache, hacking coughs, and a trip to the toilet we took the man's temperature and it was over 101 and soon reached over 102.  It didn't get any better by the time we needed to leave so we decided to take this official thanksgiving day off.  We curled up on the couch and watched Elmo and big bird all day - except for his 4 hour nap.  I made palak daal for dinner and we called it a night with a bottle of wine (that is nick and I not the kiddos :). 

It could have been better but could have been a lot worse (see this past post).  After a Saturday and Sunday of no temperature and feeling great he woke up again Monday morning and topped out at 102.3.  We're hoping he'll be back to school tomorrow after having 6 days off.  Cross your fingers.  The pics here are from various points through out the holiday/weekend/week.  As you can tell it hasn't been really fun for anyone least of all dev.

Family Pics 2012

We recently got some family pictures.  I decided we needed them for a couple of reasons.  First, I wanted to get a good picture of all of us for our Christmas card, you know, one where I don't have an extra 40 pounds hanging around.  Second, I wanted a professional picture of Tova smiling.  This second request was easier said than done.  Apparently Tova decides to smile when SHE wants to and not a second sooner.  Here are some of the fun out-takes.  I'm saving the super sweet ones that make us look like a normal calm and relaxed family for the Christmas card. :)  I have to give credit to Kristy Ray.  You can see her other work at lifecandids.com.  She's pretty much totally awesome and will do anything to get a good picture including wearing an alligator hat to get your kiddo to laugh, or smirk in Tova's case!

Tova is wondering why we are torturing her in this way.

5 minutes in - Dev is starting to lose it - Tova has discovered leaves

Tova is still not certain she belongs here, or with us...

She does this face a lot.  Sup guurrrl.

Deven has officially lost it but we still have 10 minutes left.

Eskimo Kisses - Deven working hard to keep it together

Tova still unsure

Times up, so she smiles! :)

Good Morning

Tova this morning (5:30am) - I busted out her 9mo cloths last night and decided this would be her first outfit.  Feisty animal print with a bucket of pink!

Today I am trying to be thankful for 4:30am wake up calls. I gotta say its pretty tough (especially after a 10:30pm, 1:30am and 3:30am wake up calls).  I know there will be a time when she sleeps all night, and perhaps all day and won't want anything to do with me.  So today Nick and I woke up with her and we both got to work really early and were able to pick them up from school really early and had a pretty great night.  So please remind me that waking up at 4:30am is a good thing sometimes next time a try complaining.  Or rather maybe just let me whine...that helps a lot too. :)

America

Today I'm thankful to live in the US.  A country that strives to give everyone a voice.  I can't say I always agree with the decisions we as a nation make but the fact that this many people get together every four years and tell a person to keeping making this the greatest nation in the world is amazing. 

My guy

Today I'm thankful for Deven.  This kid can be driving me totally batty one second and all he has to do is wrap his arms around me and say, "momma, I sure love you."  Then I'm melted butter.  My first kiddo is getting to be such a big boy and I love it.  The conversations we've been having with him this year are hilarious.  Never a dull moment with this fella that's for sure.  Luv 'im

Halloween 2012

The Gang

We are just starting to get to the point where we can start pushing Tova's bed time if we want to do something fun in the evening.  Hindsight says perhaps we are not quite there (see previous post which is likely the result of this late night (6pm) excursion).  I decided we must continue the tradition of going over to our friend's the Burgess's house to eat pizza, trick-or-treat and watch Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin.  Thankfully, the rain stopped for the out door portion of the evening and Tova slept most of the time we were out.  We had a great time and are making some really fun memories.

Tova's first Halloween trick-or-treating adventure

Charlie leading the procession - The men prepared with their hot toddies

We may need to watch these two in the future

Our little Ghost and Mickey Mouse

Deven got so tired he was practically begging us to take him back to the house

Tova dress up for school in he morning

Cute little elephant

Deven ready for his school party

We made Deven's costume!  Gold star for us!!!

Sick Day

So I had a feeling today, well last night really, that I would need to take part of today off of work. 'Tis the season, especially in that first year of school.  Tova was not feeling well last night and Nick I took turns holding her all night (her favorite thing when there is something wrong (anything wrong)).  When I had to wake her up this morning, out of Nick's arms, she was not a happy camper.  This is pretty unusual because the morning is her favorite time of day.  I had some important meetings so I hoped for the best and took her to school.  She made it half the day.  Her teacher gave me a call after a few temperatures showing a low grade fever.  I probably could have left her there because you aren't required to get them unless it is above 100 degrees or so but per her extra needs (see above) when under the weather I decided to leave a little early and have some extra special momma/Tova time.  When I arrived one of her teacher's commented that I was really lucky I could just leave work to come get her early.  I sort of shrugged it off but said ya, I am. 

I have been thinking about her comment all day. 

I saw a bunch of people posting "Thanks Giving" blogs.  So I guess this is turning into my thanks giving blog.  I was so grateful to be able to just decide I should go get her, just email my boss and then take off.  I was so happy to be able to be the one to feed her the bottle that had just been made when I got there.  I (me, the momma) was so comforted when I comforted Tova by being able to nursing her all afternoon until she was finally filled up and ready to sleep off some of her fever.  I as so relieved when she woke up 2.5 hours later because she woke up with the gigantic smile.

For me being a parent is hard, I mean really hard.  Sometimes I think I am just too selfish to be a momma.  Can't a girl just go to the bathroom by herself?  But days like today reminded me of one of the reasons I decided to be a momma.  This little chick needed me and I was so so happy to be able to just go pick her up and provide.

Getting a little reading in before nap time.

Field trip

The other day I got to take some time off work and go with Deven to his first field trip to Craven Farms.  It was a lot of fun getting to be with him all day and getting to peak in on Tova a few times.  I was able to share momma duties with his teachers - I am honestly not sure how they do it.  I only wanted to kill him a couple of times and we came home with a huge bag of kettle corn, so I would call the trip a success.

The equally fun part was getting two full hours to myself while the kiddos napped and had a snack (at school).  I had TMG ("the momma guilt") for a little while but my solitude at Starbucks and deal finding trip to Target was totally worth it.  Hey I had two field trips.  A great day!!

Waiting outside the pumpkin patch - they had a bit of a guided tour.

Yes, that is Deven's blond little head standing in A LINE.  Who knew??

Climbing over everything and yelling...this is the boy I know and love!!

Seriously??

So Tova has pulled herself up to a standing position on us before but not on the furniture...until today!  I had to grab some breakfast so I put her down in the living room (off my kitchen floor that is way past the need for a mop and away from Deven's sharp toys).  I literally was a way from her for about 20 seconds and she had crawled to the coffee table and pulled herself up!  She was so proud of herself, as you can tell! : ). She happily posed for picture evidence!!

P.S. Tova was 6 months on the 4th.  We are taking bets on how long it will be before she is cruising and/or walking!

6 month Checkup - Tova

Tova had her check up this week.  She is officially short and chubby, just the way I like 'em.

Fall

I think I have finally decided that fall is my favorite season, at least this year.  Sweaters, hot chocolate, Goonies, hats, pumpkins, soup, boots...so many things!!!  It's especially awesome when the rain waits long enough for the leaves to be crispy when they fall, like this year.  This last week has been really pretty so I tried to capture some of the colors to remember them next year if the rain comes too early.

On a walk yesterday through the neighborhood, we've lived here for 7 years and never noticed these before.

Deven found a leaf for me and I had to promise not to lose it.  It's in my car as write.