The Crazy Ones

Took some quick camera shots this week.  Brody got a new outfit for winter skiing, long underwear top and bottoms.  He loved them so much while trying them on for size that he left them on all day!  The fire hat was an added outfit bonus!  Most of the day he also wore the new snow boots!

Claire wanted in on the photo op action as well.  She can't quite let go of her summer wardrobe, this is a tank top with leggings and a sweater to cover her arms in the chilly fall weather!

Max spent 1 1/2 hours on this project!  Cutting pictures of "Seasons" with decorative scissors.

He would just cut away and cut away and cut away until he liked the result.  His tongue always helps!

Medical crew!  This group of cousins have so much love for each other.  Claire got a paper cut on her finger and was in such pain.  There was a tiny drop of blood, so instead of the usual ice pack, we used a warm washcloth.  Brody and Max immediately wanted to ease her pain in their own way.  Brody found a book he knew she liked and started to read to her.  Max is taking her vital signs.

She is struggling to get through the pain, the distractions help.

Below is Maverick with his new obsession of putting things on his head, this time, a red purse!  It is a perfect fit, but makes pushing the shopping cart such a challenge!  (sorry, no new shots of Mara on my camera right now!)

Little Stories

Claire – is 4 ½ years old.  She has started preschool this year, two times a week.  She loves going, she thinks she’s a pretty big deal – picking out an outfit, packing her backpack, fixing her hair, waiting for Scott and Everleigh to pick her up.  Guess she and Everleigh compliment each other on their outfits each day during their drive.  They both love pink and purple, and some days it is difficult to make that happen and work, although Claire’s opinion on what works in an outfit and my opinion are often different (she wins).  She seems very grown up when she arrives home after preschool, as though the weight and knowledge of the world have been bestowed on her while she was there.  Claire is my little helper and leader.  She is usually willing to do anything that I ask of her throughout the day.  She loves to feed Mara her bottle and her food, she gives Maverick and Mara hugs and kisses ALL day long.  Brody is her life-long buddy, even though they clash at times, she is his champion, and he takes care of her when she needs that strength.  It is fun to see her interact with her brother, Max.  She understands his language when I do not.  They seem to have an inner understanding of each other and will break out laughing and giggling at each other, especially when they are alone in the car on our drives to and from the farm.  She protects him from things that go bump in the night for him and cheers for him when he needs it.  Claire has a favorite dolly, her name is Audrey.  I gave her to Claire when she was just a baby and somehow she became her favorite, she is already on her third outfit.  Claire has straight blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes.  She has the cutest little freckle on her hand, most likely the first of many.

Brody – is 3 ¾ years old. He is smart and talks non-stop.  He remembers everything.  He is not afraid of trying new things.  He is shy with strangers, but not for long.  He is a care-giver/champion to Claire, he takes care of her when she is uncomfortable with a situation, kind of blazes a trail for her.  He enjoys fighting and wrestling with Max, and doesn't ever understand that someone always gets hurt.  He likes to giggle with Maverick, when he takes time to think about it.  He can be gentle with Mara when he wants to be.  He is very competitive. He does not like being told what to do by anyone.  Brody started preschool this year, one day a week.  He is having a really great time.  He appears to be a leader in his class.  His teacher says he doesn’t talk too much or too little, just right.  He loves to be on the farm.  He rides along with Papa or Uncle Sean in the tractor or truck and is as good as gold, mostly observing everything he sees happening.  He is also very interested in working with them in the shop.  He gets a charge out of taking his snack with him in a little cooler.  Brody seems to want to climb on anything and everything.  He investigates how everything works.  He LOVES snuggling with blankets, he has a thing for blankets.  He has a sleep friend called Moo Cow, but he has always called it Buppo.  They were inseparable when he was little, but now he is just his sleep buddy.  Blue is his favorite color.  His short hair is blonde and his eyes are brown.

Max – is 3 years old.  He also talks non-stop, so by lunchtime, my head is about ready to pop off with their ramblings.  He is very sensitive.  He loves to sleep, so gets up late in the morning, still takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap.  He has a little baby named Sam, but he loves almost any baby or stuffed animal.  He has a LOT of beautiful brown hair that has to be cut all the time, and his eyes are a dreamy color of green.  He does not like to have his toenails and fingernails cut, even though I have been cutting them for him (and all the other grandkids) every week since they were born.  He is always afraid I am going to hurt him, even though he admits I never do.  As I cut their nails, we sing together “This little piggy went to market”, and they finish the sentences for me.  We sing together a lot.  I have a few Christian kid CDs in my car that we listen to while we drive to and from daycare.  It amazes me how quickly they learn the words and melody.  Max is obsessed with the Toy Story movie and characters.  He was Woody for Halloween last year and this year he is going to be Buzz Lightyear.  He is excited about anything you give him that has the characters on it, and he has a lot of things!  Max loves to look at photos.  If you can’t find him, chances are he has found a photo album to look at.  He says “I don’t know”” before he will answer any question, even if he knows the answer!  Green seems to be his favorite color.

Maverick – is 16 months old.  He is a piece of work.  He talks all day long, we just don’t know what he is saying yet, although his vocabulary is growing quickly.  He can say baby, Mama, Daddy, Papa, GG, more (and do sign language for more), hi, bye, Brobro, Mara, Claire, moo, buppo (moo cow), car.  The way he signs “more” is so darn cute that we give him more even when we shouldn’t.  He LOVES Papa, his world lights up when Papa comes into the house.  Maverick heads right over and holds up his hands.  Maverick loves to snuggle.  He will snuggle his head on your shoulder and lay his hands down at his sides.  He doesn’t have to be tired, it can be anytime.  Rocking with him in the rocker is an added bonus.  His white hair is a beautiful hoot, and he has bright blue eyes.  He has his hand around his “Ellie” almost at all times.  It is his gray stuffed elephant.  He goes to sleep with her, but also loves to have her with him all day long.  It is adorable the way he curls his little hand around Ellie’s nose and then gets his thumb into his mouth.  He has skinny little arms and legs and fingers and a round little Santa tummy.   Maverick is able to reach just about anything you don’t want him to reach.  He loves to climb on the furniture and the table.  He loves to play peek-a-boo/hide-n-seek with Mara, and loves to steal her toys from her.  He scowls most of the time, but his smile will light up the room.  We don’t know his favorite color yet, but his favorite thing is food and eating.

Mara – is 1 year old.  She has beautiful auburn hair that is starting to curl.  She has olive skin like her daddy and big brown eyes.  She is a very good baby and smiles all the time, and is happy most of the time.   She loves baby dolls and bottles and is very good at feeding them in my little rocker, while singing rock-a-bye and rocking.  Mara adores eating.  She really liked her bottle too, but had to give that up recently.  She likes to stand at the kitchen and play with the dishes, her favorite is to stir the handled cup with the wooden spoon.  We have tiny symbols that she likes to clang together.  She likes to dance to any music.  She can throw kisses, do high-five, wave hi and bye, tip the head, so big, patty cake, says moo, cheese (and make crazy cheese faces for photos or videos), all done/gone (with sign language), and more (with sign language).  She is a delight to everyone around her.  She was a very good sleeper, but has taken very short naps recently at daycare, we’ll see, I guess.  She is not a snuggler – at all – but when she is not feeling well, she will snuggle with you under a blanket for quite awhile.  We take advantage of that.  The other kids just love her.  Maverick doesn’t give her a break, but even he enjoys playing with her, especially now that she is more mobile.

Fall Days

Kaija is doing playdoh with the kids outside on a beautiful fall day.

The three Ms - Maverick, Max and Mara - hamming it up - they love that chair.

More ham...

What do you think?

Mara is learning to walk - loves shopping too!

Another day with GG teaching kitchen skills.  Today they are cutting up pears for
pear crisp.  GG peeled them, and Max and Claire cut them up.  Claire stuck with it
for an hour, until they were all cut!  Max was OBSESSED with the crisp until it was gone!

Time for harvest - the kids just love this time of year.  Here we are peeling baby
Indian corn.  They are so excited to open each ear and see what is inside.  I have to 
help Max take off the silk (and he wants to tear off the husks - I like to leave them on
for the "look"), Claire only loves the ones with pink kernels, Brody likes the dark colors,
Mara likes to make a mess out of the - well, everything, Maverick just enjoys climbing.

Brody is showing off his last ear.  Mara is trying to tell Claire what to do, OR, is Claire
trying to tell Mara what to do??  Max DOES NOT like the silk.  Mav is roaming the 
periphery.

Mara AnnMarie is NOT a snuggler!  She has had some health issues lately (teething,
cold, runny nose, fever, regular milk), so I find her snuggling often.  I take advantage
of each opportunity, believe me!!