The Mobilians Announce a New Member

There is a very cute neighborhood kitten who follows us on walks. Bo is so sweet with Eleanor that Mike wondered aloud if we should get a kitten. That was his first mistake.

His second mistake was agreeing to take the kids to a pet adoption day at a local pet store. We come home with a three-month-old orange guy who had never lived with a family. He came with the name Pinto Bean but soon became Oscar.

Eleanor loves Oscar. Perhaps she loves him a little too much. She carries him around the house and finds him no matter where he hides.

John likes Oscar, in theory, but has little time to play with him. John is far too busy being either Peter Parker or Aqua Man these days.

Jack, our eleven-year-old cat, doesn't care for Oscar. There was a showdown at the food bowl the other day. Both hissed, then Jack backed down and the kitten ate the rest of his food. Oscar is now in charge.

A Few Notes on Christmas

Mike and I feel so smart. We each put some videos on our iPods for the kids to watch on the plane. Mike bought a splitter for our iPods and two sets of children's headphones. Mike and John watched Wall-E on the first flight and Eleanor and I watched an episode of Mickey's Playhouse.

John and Eleanor are having a great time playing with their aunts and uncles. As usual, they received quite a haul. Eleanor now has several horses to play with, including a pegasus that walks. When we put the kids to bed last night we held firm that they could each take one toy that didn't make noise.

Eleanor was upset that she couldn't take her Pegasus, which not only makes noise, but is bilingual. She sniffed, "But it's very mine."

Among John's favorite gifts is a small pick-up truck with a guitar on it.

Eleanor, always one to share, put Hershey's kisses in front of each statue in Grandma's manger. I think that John ate most of them.

Photos with Santa

Take One: Late November
John was persuaded to stand next to Santa so long as he could clutch the photographer's penguin. After negotiating for a Flying Vee http://www.tachyonlabs.com/veewee.html John took a few steps closer.

Take Two: Mid-December
After mall haircuts and cinnamon pretzels, John and Eleanor wanted to make sure Santa knew who they were. This is the photographic answer to the whole "naughty or nice" issue.

The Trouble with Twins

John and Eleanor are hot on the birthday party circuit. We attend parties most weekends.

This evening they got into an argument over one of the hot new items in our house:

Breyer Mini Whinnies

They are basically a choking hazard in horse form. Eleanor adores them.

The following exchange took place when John took one:

Ellie: You are not my friend. And you are not invited to my birthday party, my Cinderella birthday party!

John: You can't come to my birthday party.

Dad: Johnny is your friend and he is coming to your birthday party.

Ellie: Well, he isn't getting cake and he isn't getting a goody bag.

We had a similar argument the other day. I tried to explain that they have the same birthday, but they didn't buy it.

I guess we're having two cakes this year. Eleanor, obviously, wants Cinderella. John wants a Superman cake. They even have separate lists of goodies for the goody bags. Both lists include candy, but John also wants to give his friends meatballs and cereal.

Something we can all agree on

This video is a new favorite at our house.



It has something for everyone: Cute animals for Eleanor and Johnny Cash for John.

October

Three weeks ago John, Eleanor, and I went to the Little Sisters of the Poor Lawn Party. The Little Sisters had a great party. They had several bouncy slides, a variety of fried foods, and a train ride.

John and Eleanor giving each other a squeeze.
I wouldn't really call it a hug; it was more violent than that.

It ended like this:

Eleanor with my cousin's son, Baby Gabriel. This is at the pumpkin patch that was next door to our house.

To infinery, and beyond!

John can't say "infinity." He tries. But it comes out "infinery" every time.

Dancing Queen

Eleanor takes dance class at her school on Tuesday afternoons. The class is a half-hour of pre-tap and a half-hour of pre-ballet.

We weren't going to sign her up. She and John go to Tumble Time at school once a week.
After the first day of dance class, when Eleanor stayed in the room and all of the other little girls got to put on their leotards and go to dance, she was devastated. We felt like terrible parents and showed up with check in hand the next day.

Eleanor after dance class.