Thankful as always

So very much to be thankful for this year...and especially this month.  After what was undoubtedly
the toughest year of my career, Xbox One and Ryse launched and I could finally catch my breath and start focusing on the holidays ahead.  It's been an insanely busy launch year and I'm grateful to not only be done with it, but to have also had my family's support...because let's face it, I never would have made I without some serious back-up from Chris and tons of love from the him and the Sprouts.

For the kiddos, November was a month to further
show off their quirks.  For Lily this means becoming more and more like a teenager every day.  She now says a very loud "EWWWW!" if she sees Chris and I kissing, hugging, or in any way demonstrating that we like each other.  She also experimented with re-branding herself "Lilly" - that was thankfully short-lived.  What is hopefully neither a quirk or short-lived is her newfound sense of empathy.  When sitting on the floor of Matteo's room one night, she peeked down at me and offered me a chair.  It seems like a small gesture, but for a seven-year-old it's a big deal to notice (and care about) the comfort and well-being of those around you.  And on a funnier note, when I was helping her with her math, I noticed that she had pre-graded it, adding "GOOD!" and "GREAT!" to the tops of the worksheets.  You have to admire the moxie.



New haircut

Matteo continues with all his adorable ways - he is still quite delicate with wiping his hands and insistent that they stay nice a clean (interesting given he will roam around with a full load and is often carting a 1/2 pound of sand in his shoes).  I fear he will be as type-A as me - he is the unofficial class helper - always helping with handing out snacks, diligent with putting away toys, consistently throwing out any garbage.  His tantrums are still fierce, but they resolve pretty quickly and his love of screeching "NO!!!!" has seemed to of faded a touch.  It's hard to hold those moments against him, though, when he is sooooo lovey the rest of the time.  Truly he is the cuddliest of little kids.



Opening her first bank account

This month the kiddos had an extra reason to be grateful....BUNK BEDS!  In the past month Lily had
taken to sleeping in Matteo's rejected toddler bed while Matteo continued to be thoroughly attached to his crib.  Frankly both were too big for those sleep arrangements, but Lily really prefers to have a buddy at night (can't say I blame her - I was the same way) and Matteo had no incentive to move from his cozy crib.  The obvious solution was bunk beds - Lily had been lobbying for them forever and with a side rail we could easily make the bottom level into a crib-like nest for little man.  So we ripped the Band-Aid off and in one marathon night gave the toddler bed away, took the crib down and assembled the bunk.  It was a HUGE hit - the kids were giddy, with Matteo peaking up from the bottom and Lily down from the top, giggling at each other.  Till Matteo puked all over the bunk at midnight.  That wasn't so awesome, but stomach bug aside they've been happily sleeping in them every night since.  They also double as an ice breaker.  When Grandma and Grandpa arrived for Thanksgiving, Matteo was acting shy until Grandma asked to see his new bed, which made him instantly pop up, full of enthusiasm, demanding they come and see it in all its glory.

Cleaning LOTS of taters

That brings us to Turkey Day.  Lily couldn't have made me prouder the day before, coming with me to Our Redeemer's and helping to clean potatoes and set tables for their community outreach meal.  The organizers even commented on what a great work ethic she had.  I hope this is the first of many community service projects for her.  The next day we continued our feel goodness and walked the Turkey Trot along with Matteo - that (and getting dinner premade from Whole Foods) was the highlight of the day.  I hadn't had a good walk in ages, Lily was a trooper and made it in under an hour, Matteo had fun seeing trains, everyone was in a lovely, sociable mood and it didn't rain on us.  Couldn't have asked for a better start to the holiday weekend.

And now for the quotes of the month....

Me: Time to get ready for family pictures!
Lily: I'm gonna dress really cool!

While Mama and Daddy were at Rally car school, Matteo
enjoyed cocoa with Grandma and Grandpa 

Matteo, on observing Chris eating his food: Hey! Dat my fries!

Lily, apropos of nothing: Do princesses fart?

Me: You love poodles
Lily: Yes I do. They're fancy. And sometimes they're in fashion shows
Me: I think that's just in the Barbie movie
Lily: No

Chris: Time to brush your teeth
Matteo, running to the bathroom, arms thrown in the air: Yaaaaaaay!

Matteo: I did it!!!
(Said after climbing into the top bunk on day 3 of bunk beds.  Two years of my life officially knocked off)

New reading glasses - complete
with rhinestones!

Me: What do you want to say thank you to God for?
Lily: Thank you to God for giving Grandma Kate a long and happy life (love this girl and hope wherever she is, Kate heard this)

Lily: Where were you?
Chris: Exercising downstairs
Lily: Working out in your slippers??  Who IS this guy?!

Me: Matteo, use your words, we can't read your mind
Lily: Yeah, cause then you'd be aliens