Indoor Fun

What with all the recent snowstorms and cold temps, it's been hard to spend more than 15 minutes outside with a toddler. We've been going to inside play places (these range from spaces designed for this purpose to the automatic doors at Lowe's) and having indoor play dates with friends. Here are a few shots I took of Ben and his buddy E hanging out on Monday morning. E later took a nap on our couch and went home to throw up--I think he probably was just overwhelmed by the fun, right?

Hanging out on the carpet:


Here's ecstatic E riding his favorite toy. Ben is opening up a huge chess set in the background--we're encouraging nerdy behavior early.


Ok, this one is so random and just makes me laugh:


Here's The Mommy looked happy but slightly frazzled with hair in her face:

White Christmas

Well, it's not exactly Christmas Day, but it's close enough. Pretty, right?


First order of business is getting dressed. That's kind of hard.


Then we go for a walk with the sled. Mommy and Daddy try hard not to slip and fall.


At last, we arrive at the park! Snow is exponentially more interesting at the park.

Perpetual Motion Machines

This sequence of photos was taken at this morning's Toddler Craft and Cookie Exchange Party. It raises the question: Is it possible to keep five toddlers on a couch long enough to snap their picture?
I've got to hand it to Sven and Shane, who in life are two of the fastest balls of energy I've ever met, but sat still and made eye contact throughout the attempt (Shane, ever the professional model, even waved merrily at the camera). The usually-mellow Ezra had a slight meltdown, Sophia lost patience with and abandoned all the boys, and Ben departed with an air of stoic independence. We five parents with three cameras stood around laughing hysterically, and our children glared at us as though we were ruining their lives.

Advent Activities

Ben is just barely old enough to enjoy some holiday activities (although he has no interest in sitting in the lap of this enigmatic Santa person), so here's a photo journal of advent thus far.

This past Sunday, we went up to Waterville to see our friends' son's baptism. Ben got to play with some friends his age.
I sewed an advent calendar out of felt. All the pockets ended up crooked, but since we live in an old house without a single straight line or level surface in it, it matches. Ben enjoys taking an item out of a pocket every morning (usually a pretzel or a chocolate), and he's learning more of his numbers (he's up to 14 now).

It's getting colder, and we did have snowflakes yesterday, so that makes good mornings for sitting around in your PJs and watching cartoons.

This past Friday, we drove up to LL Bean's campus in Freeport, checked out the lights, did a bit of shopping, played in the Crooked Houses & Enchanted Forest, and watched the Sparkle Parade. Ben's favorite activity was opening and closing the door to the little red schoolhouse.

Here's a little surprise I made for Ben for Christmas (Shhh!): Kipper and Pig felt puppets. Kipper is one of Ben's favorite characters. I got the idea from The Land of Nod, as I also did for the advent calendar.

Time for a Laugh

Little Chef

Chef Ben likes to help chop vegetables at the counter...



But he prefers "cooking" underneath the dining room table. Ingredients: egg poacher, salad server, clementines, hole puncher, and cat.

Maine's Fire-breathing Terror

We had a very fun Halloween, and were so worn out that it has taken me a while to post costume photos. We had an especially nice party on the night before Halloween, with plenty of adorable kids (and several adults) in costume, and entirely too many desserts. Ben and I dressed as the dragon and St. George--a fun way to remember All Saints Day as well as Halloween! Chris dressed as "disgruntled philosophy professor." Boo. Instead of making myself a sword and shield, I used a book of dragon lullabies to subdue the wee terrifying dragon.