Baby d walks!

Walking D baby

D swings

Ready, set, gooooooooooo!

Merry Christmas!

Mary and the Cathedral of Learning

We went to Oakland for a family date night. Lulu's for dinner. Elevator ride to the top of the Cathedral of Learning, where they were fixing something so we had to go back down right away. (interestingly, two days later A said something about 'the guy fixing the elevator' which was super cute.) Then we played in the Commons Room, and took a spin by the Catholic Cathedral to see if Jesus had made an appearance. He wasn't there yet, so we got our picture taken with Mary, and the lamb too.

Holding hands

We were grocery shopping. D fell asleep on the way there. I was on the phone with my Dad and noticed the cutest thing. A didn't have anything to say about it, didn't even want to smile for a picture. Just wanted to hold hands with his bro.

Too. Stinking. Cute.

A is a wild child

First, I get these raisins.

Then I put them on this potty and share them with baby D.

Take a picture with you? Heck no. 

Making Christmas Cookies!

Bath tub ball pit!!

10 months

Of this guy!

Picture collages

A paints a penguin for his Grandmother. 

He rides EIEIO.

D dumps cereal on his head.

A date with baby D

We went to Smashburger together. Shared some fried pickles.

Babies come from bellies

Currently on our fridge is a Christmas card/photo from our friends Jes and Dexter. Jes is very pregnant and Dexter is wearing a kilt. When Tim opened the card he laughed and said "I'm never ready for this guy!" meaning that Dexter is often hilarious and unpredictable. So now A points to the picture and laughs every time he sees it.

This morning he pointed to the picture and laughed. We exchanged this conversation:
S - Are you laughing at Jessie and Dexter?
A- Yeah.
S- Do you see that Jessie has a baby in her belly?
A- Yeah.
S- Who else has a baby in their belly?
A- Mama.
S - No. Who do you know that is going to have a baby?
A- Ummmm.  Steve!
S- (laughs). No. Not Steve.
A- Ummmmm.  Who is baby in belly?
S- Does Friend X have a baby?
A- In Buddy's belly!
S- (laughs) no silly. Is Buddy having a baby?
A- Yeah!
S- Right! Where is Buddy's baby?
A- In X's [Friend X's] belly!
S- Right! X has a baby in her belly!
A- Mama, goldfish please?

Train's house

Our morning adventure today was to go to Barnes & Noble to play with the trains, and to go to the grocery store. A was really upset that we had to stop and get some mama juice (a.k.a. Starbucks) at the "train's house" before we went to play with the trains. I was so distracted holding D and chasing A, I almost got suckered into buying a "fresh smores cookie" for $457.00 from the bakery case. I had the mistaken impression Mr. very-young-barista was being generous to a obviously exhausted and stressed out mother during this holiday season, but no, he was just doing his job and not offering me a free cookie. 

These guys are really cute in their matching L.L. Bean coats (one purchased new last year for $79 the other purchased "like new" at consignment for $15. - Score!). However they are waterproof and slippery and very difficult to securely hold onto squirmy children who would like to escape. 

We had success though and while I was sipping my small non-fat gingerbread with whip latte, I watched the boys play with trains and a cute little girl who kept offering A to "buffer up" to her trains. She knew all the train lingo and I was super impressed with her. 

On a semi-unrelated note: I bought the above mentioned delicious beverage because I needed a pick-me up. I had earlier left the top pantry door open and then smashed my face into it later. I am the queen of leaving cupboard doors open, so really I deserved the bloody face smash I gave myself. As you can see from the selfie below, I shot fire out of my eyes for awhile after smashing my face. 

Ok so the fire isn't real. But I did finally get a phone, and although it isn't fully functional yet I can doodle on pictures I take. :) I really am terrible with expensive things and also communication, so an expensive communication device really is useless in my possession.

What? I'm reading.

Diaper cream

A diapers his baby.

Bros.

EIEIO and his elf

A rides his horse and might be dressed like an elf.

Driving the trash train

This is a typical day in the Raufer house.



This is pure, adulterated toddler creativity and baby joy.
It is kind of terrifying, and hilarious, and annoying, and cute, and really just totally insane. I am the kind of mother that lets my kids play with trash. Whatever.

Car Cart

These carts are sometimes increditably difficult to steer. Sometimes I think the boys really had control. 

EIEIO

Attison's Pap pap gave him a horse for his birthday. We want to take it upstairs, but he rides it 50 times a day so for the time being it is the centerpiece of our living space.  He recently named it "EIEIO."

2nd day of Advent

And the Romans were mean to the Jews and boomba-ed them.

Hugs