Grace is one, Nathaniel is five, Jonathan turns 40

Wow, time sure flies.....

My baby Grace Anna was one a week or so ago. She is walking, she is wanting to have whatever her heart desires that is not hers - beer bottles, brother's sippy cups, chips that cut her mouth. She is taking about ten steps and then falls. We had a wonderful party for her with friends - Alicia and her girls, Kaitlyn and Rebekah, Barbara and Cyrah, Anne and her boys, James and Sammy, Rayne and Mark with Emmy and Grayden. It was a small one hour gathering just for Grace. Bless her. She makes me want to be the best Mom possible. She makes me want to play with the boys. She helops me remember it is not about me.

Nathaniel is growing up so much. I am so proud of him in so many ways. He is getting more patient by the day, can help with getting things for his brother and sister, and dadadadadadada - he got his haircut and let them use clippers for the first time - EVER. Yeah Nathaniel. I enjoy being with, playing top trumps, etc.

Jonathan is forty today. What happened to the time? Gosh it is almost 13 years we have been married. I love him and his smile, the way he wants to put his hand on my back during church that he wants nothing more than to be home with us. That he took over the bills 1 year ago and has been things easier on me - less worrying. He makes me want to be a better wifeand mother everyday. Happy Birthday to you baby.

Benjamin is 2.5 years old next week

Happy Half-year Birthday my beautiful boy. Benjamin John Beverley Chappelle will be 2.5 years old on January 21. He is my cuddler, sleeper, lover and needy little boy. Life does not seem like he ever was not here, although I still feel like there is soo much to know about who he is and what he needs, but I learn everyday.

I do know that he needs his binky to sleep, a hug and a kiss before Daddy goes to work, fruit at every meal, and preferably before anything else is consumed. He loves being warm, loves dressing himself, loves to pick out his own shoes. He is not too fond of the cold, loves to sit in his toy car outside, and also loves one of his two strollers to sit in or be pushed in when we are outside. He loves being read to before naptime and loves his nap, with his two or three binky's with him in his crib.

He is starting to enjoy going places with us. He now enjoys going to Target and Costco. I am wondering if he will be my shopper.... competition with Grace to go shopping with Mommy?

And gosh does he love his Daddy. Daddy is his first choice, with Mommy a second, but I have to say good alternative. Maybe it is the stage of his life right now.

He makes me laugh and smile just to see his sheepish grin after he has done something cute. "My want that" is is favorite phrase for him.

New awakenings

Well it has happened. Benjamin, our great sleeper has officially become one of "those" babies. So, either he is just a two-year-old or is now having a hard time sleeping because he is afraid of the smoke alarm.... that went off on Christmas because we forgot to clean the oven before the rib roast went in it. And when the smoke alarm went off the first and second time he and Grace slept through it, even though it went off in THEIR ROOMS. What is up with that? Sleeping through a smoke alarm that is going off in your room? I wish I slept that good.

So, for a week he has either woken early or woken in the middle of the night. We have talked about only going in once, and not bringing him into our bed. We have done both. But with that we have slept and so has his brother that sleeps in the same room as him.

And now every beep that goes off - fridge, dryer, dishwasher, etc. and his brother making that noise to scare him, scares him and sends him directly to my lap, arms, whatever works for him. I love the cuddles, but.....

Nathaniel seems to have turned a corner. Let's see - I can reason with him better, talk with him like he is somewhat an adult, he is sleeping soooo much better and I am enjoying most of my time with him. Just in time for him to start real school... well in September. But that seems like moments away.

Jonathan got a new car yesterday!!!! And we will find out if he sold his car tonight. A couple is driving down from Seattle to buy it. Yeah! He is loving his 2007 BMW 530 xi. Yeah Jo! Just in time for his 40th.

Back to the real world and a new to us BMW

Jonathan has been off work for twelve days now..... it has been really lovely, fun and a bit stressful for all of us. We have not done lots of things, but hung out, played at home some and went out a bit.

Jonathan took Nathaniel skiing on Tuesday. He ran up and down the bunny slope helping him for about an hour and then they had lunch. Nathaniel then had an hour lesson with a 70-year-old Austrian gentlemen who had him turning and STOPPING!!! Yeah, he is on his way! I can't wait to go up with him and go skiing with my boy. Soon, very soon. But, with Grace still nursing and all that goes with it, I am having a hard time leaving her for the whole day to do that. Hopefully I will get up there once this year at least!!!

We have spent time going to T R Us, hobby shops, out to lunch as well as time that Jonathan and I could go out by ourselves. We went out and test drove cars yesterday and found one that Jonathan loved and I do like, although I am still partial to A4s..... but one day I may have one!!!

Jonathan goes back to work tomorrow and Nathaniel is back to preschool, so we are getting back to a more normal schedule. I think I am a bit apprehensive about this, just being on my own with all three kids again, but should be an adventure......

Christmas Presents

Hope you enjoy the video of our family.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1368559989#/profile.php?v=app_2392950137&id=1368559989

Again, again?

Ahh.... candlelight services..... so we went to our church's candlelight service. The music was beautiful, the service was great, but Benjamin was so eager for the candles to be lit, that he could not concentrate on anything else... one song would go, then another and then another. He was waiting patiently, but that he said "my light candle now", "again" after another song would be sung, "again" after each song. It was about an hour into the hour and 15 minute service that they got to light the candles. By this time, I was out in the hallway with Grace as she was not happy being cooped up in someone's arms for that long.

Earlier in the day we went to Gustav's German Restaurant for lunch. It was nice and relaxed, getting us ready for the next day.

Christmas Eve we finished up the Trader Joe snacks we prepared and then got the house ready for Christmas Day; egg casserole, check, breakfast and dinner table laid, check, stockings filled, check, dishwasher emptied, check, brussels prepared, check, prune compote in port, check. Lots to do for the big day. Jonathan and Nathaniel even made mini mince pies for a Happy Birthday Jesus pie (no cake this year)....

Philippian's Song

At church yesterday Pastor Gene led us through Philippians 2 and why God had Jesus come to us on earth as a man, in likeness, but not a man. He put forth that this is the reason for the season. It was such a different message from the traditional message, that I was awestruck that he found something new to tell the congregation.

We had another home run with the kids yesterday. All three went into their classrooms and Jonathan and I got to sit through the service without them. It was such a gift to us.

The boys went to Portland International Raceway with my parents last night for the Christmas light show. They loved it and got taken out to dinner afterward. Jonathan and I stayed home with Grace. It was so weird, the house felt empty and we wondered what was all the fuss about having just one kid when we had Nathaniel. Oh, yeah, the first one eats you alive....

Nathaniel, with the help of Shanika (our awesome nanny) made a donkey for in-the-tail on the donkey for our NYE party.

Grace is down to three nursings a day, with one bottle thrown in here or there. Yeah Grace!