cody ☆ cordelia ☆ emma ☆ gabriel: 2016

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Emma Elisabeth (Ann Seton)

Emma's taken to calling herself "Emma Elisabeth Ann Seton" lately. We've been wall to wall with sick kids, but here are a few sweet E moments from the past few weeks…

Saturday, November 5, 2016

The Abbreviated Grand Old Flag

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Emma: "Mommy, when is Gabriel's invisible cord going to fall off? I can still see it."

Emma: "Mom. Do you know how to play Wizard's Chess?"
Me: "No! In fact, I don't even know how to play regular chess."
Emma, disappointed: "Oh. Well, do you know how to use binoculars?"

Me: "Time to clean up the playroom, Cora!"
CML: "I didn't mess it up."
Me: "Everyone did, so we will all work as a team — but it needs to get straightened up."
CML, scornfully: "I think you and I are having some creative differences about this."

Emma: "When my bunnies hatch from my belly, I am going to feed them from here [points at nipples] too!"

CJP: "Mom? Do you ever run out of milk?"
Me: "Nope. My body makes as much as he needs."
CJP: "That's so cool. You're like a cow, but for Gabriel!"
Me: "Thanks, buddy. I do my best."
CJP: "It's kind of amazing how that works, isn't it?"
Me: "Completely amazing."
CJP: "God made you women really complex."
Me: "You have no idea."

CML, stumbling downstairs to use the bathroom at 2:00 am while I was nursing G: "Wait, Mom? You have to feed him at night, too?!"

Me: "Oh, Emma. What a great picture! You're becoming quite the little artist."
Emma: "Well, I have watched a lot of Bob Ross. I'm basically just like Bob Ross!"

In no particular order — I'm just slapping these here while I have a few moments — behold some of the cutest children in Virginia.

Cora's new glasses! (Just like Grandma Robbie's!)

Sensing a theme?

Gabriel's first vest!

Gabriel does not lack for affection. Or noise.

Firt smiles for Daddy!

First smiles for Pop-Pop!

Emma the fairy.

OMG Cody is SO HUGE.

Finishing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

This one is a long story.

Where's Emma?

The kids were browsing videos while I browsed wine, and here's what Cody begged for:

He is Pop-Pop's boy! I couldn't stop laughing.

Cora did her own hair.

At Chuck-E-Cheese, "Where a Kid Can Be a Kid!" Or, as I say, "Where a Kid Can Get the Stomach Flu!"

Halloween 2016

So we've all agreed not to comment on my lack of posting in 2016, especially since Gabriel's birth, and how this totally doesn't reflect on how much we love him, right? Good. Happy Halloween!

Here's our latest polar bear — the fourth to wear the costume. Or wait — is that Cody? Or Cordelia?

This year, Cody dressed as Harry Potter (he has his Triwizard Tournament uniform on underneath his robes). The girls could not decide whether they wanted to be mermaids, fairies, or princesses. So, we just decided not to decide. Behold, Fairy MerPrincesses!

OMG. I have so many kids.

Notice that Gabriel is now a ghost. The polar bear costume only lasted about 5 minutes before he puked on it. We have learned to have backup!

The kids had a great time going house to house, and I was so proud of them for greeting everyone and thanking everyone, without exception. To boot, at every house Emma would exclaim, "Happy Halloween! I'm Emma. This is my sister, Cordelia. My brother is Cody. He's Harry POTTER! And that's Gabriel. He is my baby love bug! And he is a ghost."

This is probably my favorite Halloween picture ever, and that's saying something. :)

How beautiful is my little Cordelia?

The kids had quite a haul! Cordelia went straight to sorting and she and Cody actually did a trade (peanut for peanut-free) without us needing to break up any fights. Miracles do happen!