Recent conversations with Franklin

This is how we get Franklin to eat something green . . . 

Like father . . . 

. . . . . like son.  Franklin fell asleep on his toast after church

As this is by default Franklin's baby journal, I want to post some of the things he's been saying lately.  We are not sure why he is so verbal.  We planned on him being slower than the girls, but I actually think he is ahead of where they were at this age.  We haven't read to him more or let him watch TV less but he has 2 big sisters to listen to.

Early Saturday morning he got up before everyone else and I was rocking him in the hopes that he would go back to sleep.  He would raise his head from my shoulder to ask me these questions.
Franklin:  "Daddy, gone?"
Me:  "No, Daddy's sleeping"
Franklin:  "Daddy, work?"
Me:  "No, Daddy's sleeping."
Franklin:  "Daddy sleeping."
Me:  "yes"
Franklin:  "Amy house, play trucks?"
Me:  "No, not today, we can't go to Amy's house."  (she has 2 boys and a bin of trucks, Franklin has spent 2 blissful mornings there recently and asks regularly to go, even getting his shoes on and trying to leave by himself.)
He continued to ask a dozen 2 word questions, but I have forgotten the details.  It was quite a lovely dawn conversation.

At 4am Christmas morning, he woke up crying and I picked him up out of his crib, he asked for his milk, so we headed to the kitchen.  I knew I could not sit with him in the living room which was full of toys, some wrapped and some not.  Another problem was that there was a bike hiding in the kitchen, but  I hoped he wouldn't notice it.  He had his head on my shoulder and he sat up and said "look, bike."  When I ignored him he said "mom, look bike!".  So I had to acknowledge it!  Thankfully he went back to sleep.


Later Christmas day I could hear him whining from the table.
Franklin:  "Fall down, koclate milk!  Fall down, koclate milk!"  He had spilled his (now cold) mug of hot chocolate he had tried to reach.  Somehow it had not all spilled and he was taking drinks in between exclamations.  So funny.

Today he overheard me tell the girls if they made their beds, they could then watch a show on TV.  After a few minutes, he ran into the kitchen from the living room and said:
"Mom, where da mote?"  (remote)
I was so surprised, I asked him "did you just ask me for the remote?!"
He gave his new favorite answer to everything "no please!"

Christmas fun 2012 with flashback

Ada and Odessa, Christmas 2007

Some of you may remember this horse.  We bought it in Chicago off Craigslist and although it was a little worn then, it has since gone way downhill.  Stephen decided to fix it up for Franklin for Christmas.  He got an old broken bridle from a co-worker who has horses and sized it down, we did research on how to sew yarn hair.  He sanded and stained and painted.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Christmas Ballet

Ada as a swan in a "winter showcase" meaning not as serious as a "recital".  LOL.  She is in the middle.

Perfect Saturday

Yesterday was so fun.  This is our fifth year cutting down a tree in the Snoqulamie-Baker National Forest and this year we invited some friends along and tagged a stop in Issaquah at the end for burgers at the Triple XXX drive in and Mozart Kugels at Boehms Swiss Chocolatier across the street.  Snow, 50's diner and chocolate- with friends!  = perfect day.

The kids are finally old enough to play in the snow while the Dads hike down to find a tree!  Getting down to the river bed with 6 kids 7 and under wasn't in the plan

Yes, Ada lost a tooth this week.  Yes, she forgot to put it under her pillow and then yes, the Tooth Fairy forgot her the next night and YES there were notes exchanged and YES terrible parents doing plenty of self-flogging

Franklin liked eating the snow

Odessa is my snow bunny.  She was rolling around in it the whole time and had to be dragged back into the car.  Note the Saran Wrap "gaters" and glove "snow proofing"- our friends are geniuses

Here come the boys with the trees!

Yes, we all almost got stuck turning around, and yes, you really should have chains- we (meaning I) experience the anxiety every year!!

Triple XXX - homemade rootbeer, tons of memorabilia

Yah, this mug is actually even bigger than this photo shows . . . . 

This dainty gal was not planning on a burger as big as her head!!

Helping Stephen with his

Yes, he finished the whole thing- but the whole family helped!  lol

They even made a huge deal about our little friend's birthday, she was so delighted!

We love you Triple XXX

Although we don't have pics of Boehms Candies, it's across the street and sells some DELICIOUS chocolate- our favorite is the dark chocolate Mozart Kugel!  They tried to tell me they were out! but fortunately had some unwrapped in the back.  Phew.  That was close.  What a great way to kick off the holiday season, our house is all decorated now and the smell of fir tree wafts through the air.