Week one: The routine begins

Had a great week, settling into the start of a routine. It's been nice having some uneventful days, though the kids have been a bit out of sorts.

Nathan's been up and down (literally - up at 5:45 am the past couple morning!), and seems to be getting all of his remaining teeth in at the same time.

Mela was fine until yesterday and then wouldn't let go of my legs and cried at everything that happened.

Assume it's all the change starting to get to her.

We've been trying to ratchet the parental attention and patience up a notch but really, I do still need to do things like cook dinner and go to the bathroom without a toddler hanging on me.

Today we went to a little music class and she wouldn't even get off my lap but smiled a couple of times despite herself.

Oh, and Nathan is officially walking now! Wednesday was the turning point - he can now go across a decent distance on his own and his stance is much more stable. He is bursting with pride, of course, and laughs out loud every time he does it.

He's also learned to climb down the stairs (goes down backwards, on his belly) which is good and bad: good because there's a lot of stairs here, and bad because he can now get to Parker the cat faster (which almost always results in loud hissing and crying).

Nothing to say about the housing front, other than it may be a long while before anything comes up. We're settling in for a wait but also trying to be optimistic that it won't be forever.

I'd love to celebrate Christmas in our new home but I didn't have to change Nathan's toxic explosion this morning (Grammie got the hot potato) so it's good times here too!

Here are some recent Mela gems:

Me (as baby kitty): Mama, mama, come play with me.

Mela (as mama kitty): NO, little kitty! No! Mama too busy, cook dinner.

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Me: Mela, how's your dinner?

Mela: Mama, take away food. Mela no like perogies. NOT tasty. Mela eat cookies!

Me: Yeah, nice try.

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Me (as baby whale): Hi mama!

Mela (as mama whale): Hi baby killer whale! Eat food baby. Eat food!

Me: Okay, mama. Yum, yum. More food, Mama?

Mela: No baby.

Me: Please, Mama?

Mela: No whining, baby!

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Say click:

I see you!
Double the fun at bath time:
Loving the crazy forts:
Yogurt at lunch means happy, messy kids:
Mela decides that it's easier to carry her monkey in a sling:
Grammie and Grandad's seem to have some kind of infestation:
Mela discovers that you can stretch your mouth and people will laugh.
Once the kids are down for naps, Parker can emerge from hiding and finally relax: