November

Well, since I've been so delinquent this month, this blog is a summary of anything of note in November of 08!!

• Kira is a BIG fan of chairs she climb up into of her own accord. Of course at the beginning of the month it was to sit in, and now, she pushing the envelope and standing, even in her wooden rocking chair, joy!
• Eva is finally really grasping the idea of Santa this year, and really loves all the "beautiful Christmas lights". She is very into imaginative play, so it is no surprise I caught her playing with some of the yet-to-be displayed decor!
• Kira and Eva continue to really enjoy one another......most of the time anyways! In one video clip, you can see them playing chase, and Kira does one of her piercing squeals as she takes off for big sis. And then in the other, well, make sure the volume is turned up so you can really appreciate it. Eva, as only Eva can, ever so discreetly moves from being sweet and gentle rocking of her sister to rocking a little more roughly so Kira falls out...listen for what Eva exclaims as she catches Kira in her arms, as if it was pure coincidence! (Please pardon the lack of editing abilities in the clips!
  
• We also ventured out on another hike for one of Eva's friend's birthdays. It was a nice little jaunt to the Gorge, and of course they were falls we had never seen as they were trails too short for us in the past......my how kids change things!
• Eva's hair redefined bedhead one morning, does she have her mommy's hair or what??!!!
• My mom and sister Kirsten came down for Thanksgiving. The older girls were simply THRILLED to decorate the entire tree...a little uneven in the disbursement, but they diligently put up every single ornament on their own! As you can imagine, Mammy was coveted at every turn, and here you will see her reading with all the girls. Notice how Kirsten's girls sit quietly listening intently to the story while my two wiggle and touch those around them....oh genes. I guess my spazzy energy is coming back to haunt me in my children!
• Although no pictures to attach with it, Eva has continued her swim lessons. Her previous teacher had left her a bit traumatized and fearful of the water again, and had Eva so anxious, that she started having her first nightmare. It kept recurring and she would wake up crying that "the house is going up and down". It took us awhile to tie the two together, but she felt so anxious/stressed that the teacher was going to dunk her or free float her in the deep end again, it manifested into this nightmare. Wouldn't you know, as soon as we went back to another teacher for the next set of lessons, it immediately stopped. On a happy ending, Eva is doing even better back with her old teacher, and will finally, willingly put her own face in the water, progress!! Meanwhile, Kira and I swim in the background and she submerses herself willingly and seems to enjoy it already..............
• Mike had a great end of the month at work. He was the first and 2nd place winner in a sales contest at work and they handed out loads of fun prizes and gift cards, he brought home quite the booty! It's nice when his work is recognized.