"that one birdies"

Is what we tell Luke to keep him from eating off the floor when we go anywhere. . . And it really seems to work. He loves to think that the goodies that he just dropped will feed the little birds (even in the mall).

Except Saturday. At my nephews' birthday party (which was at a fire hall. . .and I tremble to think what might have been all over that floor).

Luke was eating pretzels (the only thing Aunt Erin had in his I will eat inventory). And he dropped a precious pretzel on the floor. Only to look dismayed when I told him "That one, birdies."

Do the birdies like to eat yuckies? He asked. Do they have germies inside them?

Hmmm.... Maybe?

meet Ivan. . .

All dressed for the long cold winter. . .

in his Russian Reindeer Hat. . .

Another snowy morning. . .

As the snowflakes began to fly again this morning. . . very fine. . . and softly. . . I looked out on the porch to discover:

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.These guys. . . black starlings. . . with tiny spots on their chests. . . finding a sheltered spot from the snow. . . They landed, one by one. . .

Maybe a dozen. . . And I called the boys over to watch them as they landed on the chairs and railings, huddling together. . . Their feathers fluffed to keep out the cold. . .

We held our breath, so that we wouldn't startle them away. . .

And then they were gone. . . one by one they flew. . .

Finding new perches out back on the branches thick with snow. . .

Flying here and there. . .

And to a warm spot on a chimney. . .

One of my favorite moments of the day. . .

conversations with Luke

[yesterday]

I'm sick.

Yep, you're sick. We'll have to get you some medicine.
[We're all down with some sort of head cold right now.]

I can't go to the doctor.

Why not?

The doctor can't make me bedder.

But that's the doctor's job: to help you get better.

No, I have to go to the hospital.

To get better?

Yay-ah. And then I can have my baby.

Oh, you want to go to the hospital to have your baby.

And his name is Thomas.


Luke's baby is not forgotten, obviously. Too cute.

snow

Friday night the snowflakes began to fly. . . quietly at first. . . their arrival on tiptoes. . . and then heavier and heavier. . .

And we awoke to a snow-covered little village. . .

Sleepy under this soft white blanket. . .

We all awoke together. . .

I poked my head into Luke's room to say good morning, and found him peeking out his window. . .

I peeked out with him (his bed is the perfect place to just lay and watch the backyard). . . and soon Jack joined us, and we watched together. . .

the birds. . . flying from branch to branch on the growing apple tree. . . flying from the birdfeeder to the apple tree. . . and back again. . . happily. . .

And happily we watched. . . until our bellies grumbled for breakfast [a chocolate chip pancake morning]. . . a perfect way to start our morning . . . sweet moments together . . .

his southern drawl. . .

.

Somewhere, this little boy has picked up a slight southern draawlll... Although some fingers have pointed in my direction. . . I can't imagine why, because I was born in southwestern PA. . .

.

Anyway. . .

.

As we headed home from school, he asks:

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Where are we going? Home?

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No. I need to make some copies at Staples.

.

.Are we going to get some gay-as?

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Are we getting gas?

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Yeay-ah.

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No. We're going to Staples.

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My little southern boy. At home on the plantation. Sipping lemonade [and eating goldfish crackers].

creating

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This weekend I took a peek down memory lane at some old mini books. . .

.

They live here:

.

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But I have these grand imaginings of having a little nook or corner where they might be accessible for the boys [and us] to enjoy and look through when the mood strikes. . .
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It was a joy to peek at our little excursions. . .a trip to the Children's Museum. . .our trip to Colorado (pre-boys). . .walking on the rail trail (some of my favorite photos come from there). . .

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This was a particular fave:

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Created in my Heidi Swapp class I took two years ago (?). A page a day from October to November. . .nothing fancy. . .Nothing but a photo and journaling on the back. . .And just absolutely full of wonderful little moments that I otherwise would have forgotten. Hoping to create one for February.

.

And maybe a mini with our beach photos from last year. . . Grand hopes for this short month. . .

he read me a bedtime story

tonight. . . He navigated the world of Ahsoka and her Jedi training as I listened. . . Last year at this time I would never have imagined we would be here, reading actual stories. . . And, for the first time in seven years, I got to hear the bedtime story . . . and it was truly amazing.

Thank you, Jack.