We Love Lots of Sleep!

We have been having really great nights, and as a result, great days lately. Last night the boys slept from 7:30p.m. until 7:30a.m. (Asher) and 8:15a.m. (Silas). This morning they are happy, higher than kites and playing together so well, that I am able to sit here doing this!!!!

Often on weekend mornings mommy and daddy sit with coffee in the parlor while the boys watch PBS Kids. When we have had lots of sleep there are no requests for TV. Instead we watch the boys perform tricks and tell jokes (Asher) and spout anthropological and biological knowledge (Silas) while we drank our coffee. So, this morning, while Asher was running around being a hawk/baby monster/dessert animal and practicing two footed jumps and handstands (yes, handstands- the guy's athletic!), Silas is looking at a National Geographic with David. They are looking at an article about Neanderthals and Silas (who is so excited about the article that he is hopping around on one foot) is observing all of the differences between Neanderthals and "mom, what are the other ones called, whisper it to me, oh yeah, homo-sapians!".

David: "Silas, do you want me to read this to you?"
Silas: "No, dad! I am going to read it to you.....(chuckling) oh, yeah, I don't know how to read- you can read it to me."
David: After reading bits of the article and Silas filling in gaps of information that he remembers from the first time he looked at the magazine with me, "What are you going to be when you grow up, an anthropologist- they study people."
Silas: "Dad! I already am an anthropologist, and a bug scientist, and a biology guy, and a paleontologist. I don't need to go to school for that, I know all that stuff already!"

Asher-isms

"Wonkey"- we aren't sure whether this is 'donkey' or 'monkey.' It is said while playing pretend animals.

"Wap, mommy, wap!"- 'clap!' this is said to solicit a felicitous response to athletic prowess.

"Yaya"- 'Silas,' much to said's dismay. He would far prefer to be called "Silas," and the title results in endless attempts to get Asher to say his big brother's name correctly.

"Guck"- 'truck'

"Ooo dat?" has now begun to morph into "Who dat?" -'who's that/what's that?'

"Numney"-'yummy'

We're tigers, oh yeah we are!

Silas and Asher love to play dress up and pretend- usually it is animals. Asher likes to be a baby tiger, a baby lion or a baby doggy. Silas is usually something much more fierce, as is being demonstrated here. Silas gets so involved that it can be hard for him to disengage, a personality trait that can, at times, be frustrating for both Asher and mommy.

Asher being precious.

We both got new big boy beds!

Asher's bed is a good spot for reading.
Silas is now big enough for the top bunk and Asher couldn't be more proud of his spot on the bottom bunk!
Asher has been in his big boy bed for nights and naps for 4 days and he is doing so well! We are very proud of him and happy for ourselves too- we have had three nights in a row of him sleeping through the night in his own bed. A first!

Virginia, fall 2008

Asher with Aunt Sarah under their joint birthday banner.
Asher gets a little help from papa in opening a birthday present.
Having a "coo" (short for "coodle") with Sarah and momo.
Reinspired for hockey when we got home! (And now we don't have to fight over the one hockey stick because we each have our own! Thank you papa and momo!)

Joe and Anna visit

First day of school.
Moses and Asher having a one-on-one.
At the zoo.
Moses, Isaac and Silas watching a movie at the bar while their parents ate super yummy Ethiopian food (uninterrupted)....... AKA: lazy parenting

School Days

Here is Silas on his first day of school. School has been great for him so far, so great, in fact, that the days that he doesn't go to school are really hard- I hope that changes, since I look forward to the days off with great anticipation of special times "like it used to be" before we were so structured and scheduled.

This past Sunday night I was going over the week's routine with him and said, "So, tomorrow you have school again-" only to be interrupted by Silas throwing his arms up in the air with a "Yeah!" and then hugging me so hard I lost my breath.

Silas loves his teachers and greets them every morning with, "Hi! You look pretty today/smell good today/have a nice dress on!" He also enjoys show and tell time, art time, playing on the play ground with his friends, music class, and being the "flag friend," yes, the FLAG friend (that's the American flag, friends........). Ah, the irony, our son, a friend of the flag......