Merry Fetivus!!!!

As they made the journey home from OP yesterday, my wife heard Paige shout from the back seat as they rolled past some Griswold wanna be houses, "Oh Man . . . and we don't even have a christmas tree yet! C'mon Parents!!!"
Merry Festivus to you all!

Dinner Clean-Up

So, tonight while Mommy was down on her hands and knees under the dining room table cleaning the floor because the kids seem to have issues actually getting food into their mouths, Quinn walks up to her and pats her on the back, begins to pet her sweater and then say, "Good Doggy."
I am just glad she found the humor in it and didn't bite him!

Happy 5th Birthday Paige!!!!

Well, today is the 5th birthday for Princess Paige Rae. She was so excited last night that it took forever for her to fall asleep. On her way out of the houose today she turned to Quinn and said, "It's my birthday today so you need to do whatever I say, OK??"
Bless her heart, she is ready to lead troops!

Maybe he will be an author!?!?

So in an adventure to BuyBuy Baby at 7pm on a school night, the kids and I were waiting outside for the seats to come out and I heard from the back seat as clear as day . . . "Once upon a time . . . a princess, a dragon, a knight, AAAARRGH!"
I whipped around to find Quinn was telling Paige a story, in his own way.
It was clear if not succinct. He continued to concoct further stories, mostly the same same, just jumbling the order of princess, dragon and knight, with an occasional Quinners or Paige. So now Quinn has a new party trick, we ask him to tell a story, to which he relies, "Once upon a time [dramatic pause] . . ." and then he fills in with people, names and animals in a list. Great job Quinn, as Grandma would say, maybe he will be an author!

Don't Fall In!!

After a quick bath to rinse off the stench of the start of another school year, little man Quinn confidently requested to go Pee-pee! I asked him if he wanted to go on the big potty and he said, "Too big." After a second chance at it he gave in and up onto the BIG potty he went. I did know if I should tuck for him, have him tuck or what so we just went with the forward lean and Wah-Lah! Pee-pee! Just like a pro he tinkled away and was he ever proud of himself. He went right for the toilet paper, dabbed and was all set to flush before I even stopped congratulating him! Ah, my boy is a big potty man! Good Job Quinner!

One Year and A Day We Walked Our Love

A trip like none other,
through our soul and hearts.
In honor of thy mother
with her cherished parts.

Guided by Dad and love,
Down stairs and up hills.
Seen clearly from above
as every grandchild spills.

We explored and found
ever so deeply within.
Peace, love even holy ground
causing aches to seep in.

Pushed us on through the trails,
over our loss and pains.
A feeling which always pales.
escaping ahead of cleansing rains.

All day we moved on and looked back,
together a tribe for and of Sioux.
Tears all along our track
all truly missing you.

Handy Paige

While on a day long jaunt to the Medendorps, and during the construction of a donated swingset, Paige Rae was introduced to habd tools. Uncle Dan set her and Macy to work with the rachit to tighten some screws on the base of the swingset. I think I saw the Torsberg tongue while she worked on that little screw!

A Shipley trait sighting!!

Although, Quinn might as well be called Bill, Jr I did witness a trace of his Dad in him. The boys loves himself a magna-doodle! The other morning he was furiously drawing shapes, and I mean shapes. He began each shapes and worked on closing the line at the starting point. He even drew a three sided albeit more organic than straight sided and called out, "tyangle!". You draw boy! We do need to get him to realize that an "oball" is not the same as a "sir call"

What do you think Mommy?

Quinn made every effort to yell for Paige today as Mommy picked him up from daycare. He ran next door to the doorway to the preschool room and put his hands up to his cherub like face and screamed, "PPPPPPPPPeeph!" Or some semblance of that as he tried to hail the big sister.
This little display by Quinn prompted Paige to ask Mommy on the ride home, "Mommy, Quinn can scream but not talk yet, so what do you think his voice will sound like when he does talk?"
Mom deferred to Dad on that, thanks Mom.

Big boy bed

On Thursday, December 31st we moved out the changing table and put up the toddler bed for Quinn. It is still weird to see two kids asleep in one room. Cute but weird.

Her own drummer

Paige asked me about whether or not I knew the shortcut to Grandma's and I told her I did not know any shortcut to Grandpa's house, believing that she had just not made the separation. She stated that she was talking about Grandma's and, of course, I did not know. She then said "It's a ladder straight up to heaven, silly"

where did all the toys go . .

You know Xmas is over when they fore go the new and relish the old. As Marsha reorganizes to make room for the loot Santa delivered, she placed all the balls in one toy bin. The kids promptly made a new game where they roll all the balls across the house and then run screaming after them. The best part is the repeated enthusiasm which they showed and Quinn's newly developed a war cry of BAAAALLLLLL in at least two octaves too high.

All I Want For Xmas

In the blurry days following the visit by the big red guy, Paige was asked what she got for Christmas, she replied, "Too much."