The boys' singing debut! Our Christmas service at NCC.

Gingerbread House

Our one family tradition at Christmas is making a Gingerbread House! We finally did one this year. Maybe sometime I'll venture to make the gingerbread myself.

The boys each decorated a sugar cookie and added a small bag of M&M's (thanks Stacy) to eat.

Our final masterpiece.

It's really the handy work of Isayas and Ermias. Waymond piped the frosting and I did the tree on the door and the wreath beside.

Christmas break

By 8am on the first day of Christmas break Ermias has asked (in this order) to go roller skating (his new favorite thing), to have chocolates (before breakfast), to have hot chocolate, to have toasted bread with chocolate. The boy will not have in life because he didn't ask, whether it be information or stuff! He has no probably asking!

My answers were (in order), not today but maybe during your break sometime, we don't have chocolates in the morning before breakfast, maybe this evening, and yes, eat your cereal and I'll toast you some bread with peanut butter and chocolate. One out of four isn't bad by 8am, right? 

Our first snow of December

This morning I got up, took a shower, got dressed and went to the kitchen to start breakfast. Soon I heard the boys thundering down the stairs whispering to each other. Then they burst into the kitchen saying, "it's snowing outside! Did you see it, Mom?"

So, I looked outside and sure enough we had a light dusting of snow! It was a VERY icy snow. I took a video of the boys. It's more for the sound instead of the picture! So sorry that its so dark!

And, after school the boys (mainly Isayas) made a little snowman.

32 weeks today!

Today marks 32 weeks of pregnancy! It's kind of hard to believe that in less than two months we will have an infant. I mean super crazy!!

Since its a weekday I was the only one home, so this picture is as good as it gets!

Our little Lillian is growing like crazy and is moving around like she owes the place! Our pregnancy calendar says the baby is due to be moving less and less. I think I'm ready for that; last night I felt like my stomach was doing the wave. She must have been turning over and over.

Family time

Usually I don't win things; I take after my Mom in that department. However, lately I've been on a roll! I've won some chocolates at a ladies gathering, a set of Alphabet cookie cutters from a grocery store in town and recently something off a blog.

Our nights have been super full lately so we took some much needed family time and decorated cookies from the Alphabet cookie cutters I won.

I made a basic sugar cookie and cut out Merry Christmas.

I'm hiding my pregnant belly pretty well under the table!

We all did a few. I should have taken a close up on some of these, because the amount of frosting that Ermias can load up on one cookie is impressive! I'm thinking he's planning on eating the ones he decorated.

We also did some stars. We had a great time. 

Our terrific kids

Both boys were Terrific Kid in November! They were so excited to get to be on stage and get a certificate.

 We went for ice cream to celebrate!

Lincoln Logs

Waymond's mom brought the boys some old Lincoln Logs. The boys have really enjoyed building with them.

They were super proud of their creations. I think I have about 20 pictures of the houses.

Isayas took a picture of what I was doing while they were building! :o)

I'm telling you that being pregnant is exhausting!

Batman in a pinch

As it is known, Ermias loves to dress up. Loves it!

This day he was Batman, but he kept tying his legs up (with old shoe laces) to see if Batman could break free.

Leaves

The boys had their first experience with jumping into a pile of leaves...they had the best time ever!

Christmas deco

The boys wanted to get the Christmas tree and lights up ASAP! They did a great job, in fact, we let them put most of the ornaments on the tree themselves. Waymond then moved around several. He said he now understands why his mom always said, "you are bunching them up, spread them around."

Every morning its a race to see who gets to turn the lights on.

The boys and their drawings

The boys love the dry erase board and use it often!

The many questions

This morning was a late start for the boys so we had an extra two hours at the house. Which worked out nicely because it took them about 30 minutes to eat breakfast! Isayas had an english muffin with a fried egg with bacon pieces, half a banana and then a bowl of cereal! After he put his dishes in the kitchen he said, "my belly is full!" I'm imagining our grocery bill when they are teenagers...scary!

As I was doing their hair this morning Isayas was looking at himself in the mirror. He said, "mom, what makes my eyes able to see?" A rather big question for the morning in my opinion! I told him we would have to Google it to get all the answers.

I think all the questions are the hardest part of being a mom. Isayas is a rapid firer of questions, all day long! He wants to know about everything. How an engine makes the car go, how is eye works, how electricity works are just a few recently. I feel like I should have gotten a Masters Degree in some kind of science to mother him! :o)

Musical Talents

This quite a normal evening at the Hampton house before bed. The video is a bit long, sorry.

Just dressing up

It doesn't have to be halloween for Ermias to dress up. He usually is coming up with something.

This is his Indian Jones look.

And, this I'm not sure...Batman mixed with Indian Jones? He has Uno playing cards tucked inside his belt. He's creative to say the least!!

The costumes

The Hampton boys on their way for a little trick or treating! Batman, Darth Vader and a hipster Indian Jones!

I stayed at home and passed out candy to two trick or treaters. Sad! Thankfully we didn't have a ton of candy to get rid of. I'm thinking of passing our leftovers on to the boys' teachers for their prize boxes.

They got to pick one piece of candy to eat after dinner. It was a hard decision!

Happy Halloween

Waymond carved pumpkins with the boys. He had the boys practice drawing faces on paper and then they picked their favorite for their little pumpkins...Waymond did all the knife work!

Waymond got creative on his and used vampire teeth (something he saw on facebook from a friend).

I'll get some pictures of the boys in their costumes tonight. Waymond will be taking them out. Sadly it's been raining all day, so I think he'll be hitting an inside establishment. 

Waiting on the bus

 The boys' school has started a new program this year and every other Wednesday they have a late start. The bus picks them up at 10am instead of 8am.

This last week the boys occupied their time...

Ermias read a magazine, pretended to be a mailman, played with his cars, and then we did a craft.

Isayas played Bingo by himself while I had some breakfast and then we did a craft.

We try to do some kind of crafty art thing on late start days.

This is usually what our dinning room table looks like when the boys get on the bus!

Baby clothes

I've been washing and sorting baby clothes that friends have been handing down to us. We have quite a little shoe collection going. Ermias was browsing through and came across a pair of silver Puma's that he thought were amazing.

He had to try them on!

Isayas commented the other day that the baby has more clothes than he does. I told him that because she is a girl, it might always be that way and that she will be borrowing things from him too. He has no idea what lies ahead!

A preview

We got a digital copy of the boys' school photos yesterday. Waymond added the gaudy picture frames himself.

We were out of town on picture day and some friends were staying with the boys. Before we left Waymond helped both boys pick out clothes for their pictures. Isayas has his on, not sure what happened with Ermias!

Ermias had been working hard on his smile and boy can you tell. I told Waymond he looks like someone is stabbing him and saying "smile!"

I might need to volunteer on picture day next year, just to help kids with their collars and smiles!

The best part of these photos is someday pulling them out when they are adults! Kindergarden and 1st grade pictures aren't supposed to fantastic, right?

Painting race cars

Waymond made race cars with the boys this last weekend. Both boys had a great time, but they are so so different.

Waymond said that Isayas was so meticulous about painting carefully and getting every square inch; however Ermias just got the paint on however possible. He had paint all over the paper under the car, and on himself.

Ermias also used every sticker that came with his car, cramming them on anywhere they would fit on the car.

While Isayas was selective on which stickers to add to his.

25 weeks

I had Ermias take this picture last night! Waymond thought I really looked pregnant in the sweater.

Our little baby is quite a mover! She's been moving my belly around when I'm sitting still. A lot of force for someone so small! Maybe we'll have an acrobat in the family!

Hats

We just got these from a friend who knits! How cute are these? I can't wait to get them on our baby's head!!

She made them a big bigger than newborn size so the baby won't grow out of them too soon, but I have a feeling we'll try to get them on her from the beginning!

So good to know people who are talented!! This picture does not do these hats justice; they are ridiculously cute.

She also knitted the boys new hats. Waymond put Ermias' on him this weekend and he said, "oh, this hat makes my head nice and warm daddy!" I think it's going to be another long winter for them here in the NW. They are already missing the sun and we've had a pretty good fall so far!

The beginning

So here are the beginnings of our nursery. We aren't exactly the kind of people that need everything new and all matchy, just coordinated.

We also decided to not paint the room, it's a light teal (its the boys' old room). We figured we could decorate with feminine items. Neither of us were too fond of overly pink and frilly, so I think this will work.

So, Waymond found this poster online that we are going to decorate around. Blues and yellows mainly. I was surprised at how little Babies R Us had in yellow for crib things (sheets, blankets, etc.)

We are excited! The boys stroll into the room every now and again to check it out.

Oh, and we've picked a name...Lillian Genet. Lillian is Leigh's Grandma's name and Genet is an Ethiopian name meaning promise. We will probably go with Lillie for short.

Classic feminine name with a similar decorated room...perfect!

The boys like the name. However they are still making suggestions. Ermias told me this morning, "maybe we could call the baby Lynn." Not sure where that came from...the most normal name he has suggested at this point.

Ermias' homework

Ermias loves to draw as much as his brother. I think his teacher LOVES to get his  homework back because he covers every square inch and colors every picture possible!

Here is a picture of K for kitten with a few flowers thrown in.

Ermias is really enjoying Kindergarden. I think he finally feels like a bigger kid since he is in school all day (and rides the bus). He tells me often, "mom, I'm getting bigger."

He loves that he's doing what he saw his brother do last year. He comes home and tells his brother what they do in class (he has Isayas' old teacher). Plus they now have two computers in his class they get to use (Isayas couldn't believe it)!

Spanish class

As of this year the boys' school has started a Spanish class for all the kids. They go like a regular "specials" class, i.e. PE, Music. Both boys have LOVED it. They are always counting and saying random words in Spanish.

Waymond was helping the boys with their homework while I was finishing dinner. I kept hearing Ermias singing in Spanish, so I thought I would catch at least a bit of it. Apparently it's working for him. I think he could learn anything if it is in a song.

This summer their sunday school class was learning the books of the Bible. Those Old Testament books have really hard names for 5 and 7 year olds. We made up our own tune and it really helped Ermias.

23 weeks

I'm pretty sure I'm 23 weeks along now. I feel like every time I see the midwife it changes. Plus my brain isn't what it was 23 weeks ago, so things don't always stick. Waymond tells me my long term memory is fine, it's just that the short term memory isn't what it was.

I'm borrowing one of Waymond's shirts that he never wears. It's a win/win for both of us. He just can't stand V-necks and I need a size Large right now! Plus it's been a bit chilly the last few days and layering and maternity clothes just don't go together! Thankfully a friend is letting me borrow some of her maternity clothes and she had a couple of long sleeved shirts.

Plus Waymond has been sharing some of his hoodies with me and my rain coat still zips up!

Ermias' musical talent

This is such a typical Ermias moment. He spends most of his day singing and then random things come out. Some time I need to record one of the many songs he makes up for the baby! Classic. I'm sure he'll love it when he is an adult.

FroYo

Ermias and I went for some FroYo the other day while Waymond and Isayas went to a birthday party.

I let Ermias serve himself and pick out three toppings. I think he could have filled his cup up with chocolate chips and oreo cookie pieces alone!

I think I ate 1/4 of what he did!!

Ants

Ermias has been bringing home pictures of ants. I think they are on trees.