Gas Station Run

If you know me, you know I have a slight dependence on soda. Usually just one a day, but it's something I crave like crazy if I don't have it. While Kyle may enable me when it comes to chocolate, he never buys me soda unless I outright ask him to. I looks like that job has fallen to Ash.

The other night when Grandma and Grandpa Lein and Aunt Kiki were visiting, I came out of my room to find Ash fully dressed in outdoor gear. He had put on his hat, mittens, boots, and jacket all by himself for the first time ever! Granted the coat was on upside down, but he was ready to go! I asked him where he was going and he said "I going to da gas station, get mama a pop!" Oh that boy, I swear I could eat him up! He went to the back door and started struggling to unlock and open it. I had to remind him that we were just pretending, and he was ok with that.

Since that night, this has become one of his favorite games. Except now he can get his coat on the right way, with no help from me. Sometimes there are variations, like a run for "pop and ah cream for ju" (ice cream for you) and once he asked Kyle "hand me the keys, please". Lots of times he tries to get out the door and gets upset when he can't unlock it. But once I say "just pretend, right?" he says "oh yeah" and is over it.

Sometimes I feel bad that my obsession with Mountain Dew is so obvious to him, but it sure makes me feel good that my little guy wants to take care of his mama.

The First Snow of 2010

Yesterday we woke up to the first snowfall of the year. What a wonderful sight to see, especially since we were planning on getting our Christmas tree. I LOVE snow! Maybe it's because I never have to shovel. The past few years I've either been pregnant or had a small baby, so I always had a good excuse to stay inside. Yesterday I offered to help but we only have one shovel, so again I was off the hook.

I also love driving in the snow. That probably sounds crazy but it's an adventure that's even better if it's dark outside. I grew up in a family that was never held back by snow. We had snowmobiles and used them almost every weekend. Our 800 mile round-trip to Minnesota for Christmas was never hindered by snow. We were going to get there if it killed us! A couple of times it was close, but out of 24 Christmas trips we only stopped once. That was the year I was pregnant with Ash and we had Lula (our 6 month old beagle) with us. It took us 8 hours (instead of 5) to get to Duluth, and once we got there most of the roads we not being plowed. We wanted to visit my mom's friend but couldn't even get to her house. We had to park a few blocks away and walk in. It was wild! A Christmas we'll never forget.

Yesterday was awesome because it was the first year Asher noticed the snow. When he woke up I took him to the window and he got all wide-eyed and said "oh snow, probly go sledding!" He couldn't get outside fast enough. He kept asking, "Daddy, take me outside, pleeeese?" Finally, after breakfast and bundling up, he got outside and he loved every minute of it. Last year he sat like a bump on log in the snow, but today he was all about it. Running, jumping, laying in it, shoveling, he couldn't get enough. There's always something magical about the first snowfall, but today, experiencing it through the eyes of a two year old, was pure joy.

Oh Livie

Yesterday we took our 5th trip to the doctor in two weeks. Both kids have had double ear infections, gotten over them, and now Ash has another single ear infection. Luckily the kids are feeling good overall and are acting like their happy little selves. We rented a Mickey Mouse Christmas video from the library in case of whiny emergencies and so far it's chased those blues away lickety split.

As you all know, Livie's given name is actually Olivia, but we never call her that. And I mean never. It's to the point that when someone does call her that it catches me off guard, like hey, that's not her name! But at the doctor's office they call "Olivia" when it's our turn. So yesterday when we were in the waiting room Ash starts calling out in a sing-song voice "Oh Livie!" (He's just so darn cute!) I told him it was his turn to see the doctor today so instead of saying Livie they would say Asher. So he starts calling out "Oh Asher!" Like that's just how the doctor calls everyone.....Oh Jean....Oh Kyle....Oh Mr Marble. Hee hee!

KaChow!

Just this week, Baby Liv has fallen in love with Lightning McQueen. Maybe I will get to live out my long lost dreams of being a racecar driver vicariously through her, as she becomes the Danica of the 2030s! KACHOW Baby!!