Charlie is pretty much weaned now.  It was planned (b/c the baby is coming and b/c I'm dried up enough that it was getting really quite painful), but it still kind of happened by accident.  He didn't nap for 3 days in a row (for various reasons) and then fell asleep those nights without nursing.  After 3 days i figured we should just keep the no-nursing thing going.  It's now been nearly 2 weeks.  He asks once a day (if that), but is easily distracted.  It's a good thing... but a little sad, too.

I just made an awesome baby blanket--it's blue, orange, and white and a starburst pattern.  Beautiful.  I have enough yarn to make one in pink, orange, and white, too.  Then I'll be ready for someone to have boy/girl twins.  And if it's me, my mom has promised to send me a Publix cake.  (Same gender twins would get me a cake, too.)

Ultrasound is tomorrow, but don't hold your breath.  :)

Mary and Nathan are loving their aquarium class.  I was a bit nervous about them taking a class together--b/c Lil'Nathan likes to put on a show and Mary likes to publicly call him on it!--but so far, so good.  One week during their class, I took Joseph to the Boston Common to go ice skating.  (He had a blast, Charlie shut his finger in a locker and the nail wound is still growing out!) The past four classes, however, another mother has let us into the aquarium on her pass (all legal, I promise).  It's been big hit with both little boys.  Joseph loves the top of the aquarium tank, which is supposed to be a coral reef.  Charlie loves the penguins.  Lil'Nathan and Mary like the sting ray and shark touch tank best.  (Charlie likes the splashing part, but won't have anything to do with the actual touching.)

I just sold a bunch of homeschool stuff on Ebay.  All our Saxon Math books are gone.  Writing Strands is all gone.  I made enough to buy half of the books I was hoping to get for the kids' school.  Lil'Nathan is moving to Pre-Algebra (1 with biology and 2 with economics) and Mary is finishing up her Saxon 3 workbook and ready to start her own Life of Fred books.  I may as well get Joseph going, too.

I don't think that made a lot of sense.

House hunting update:  Mess.  We are on a deadline for a decision (tomorrow!) and overbudget (due to necessary repairs) with one lender's plan.  Can we get a second opinion before having to abandon the house?  I'm not a huge fan of this house, but it does have potential... and I can get some chickens!  As we move further through the process, I'm getting more and more unwilling to just drop it.  No emotional attachment, but we've already put in a lot of time (and a bit of money).  

Joseph turned 5 last Friday.  He split his celebration to cover Fri evening and Sat morning/afternoon so Daddy could enjoy a cinnamon roll for breakfast and so he (Joseph) could have 2 pieces of birthday cake--which he isn't allowed (even on a birthday) right before bedtime.  Sorry, camera-free event.  For his gifts, he got slippers (which were too small, but the new ones have already arrived), a betta fish named Sapphire (who had to move to the bathroom b/c the kitchen was too cold and Charlie kept trying to take him off the dresser), and two of his favorite books (so now another child can have the chance to check them out of the library).  He had a great two days.

Charlie is rapidly picking up new words.  Everything small and edible starts as an "appa", everything alive (person or animal, real or photo) starts as "baby," and all liquid is "wa wa."  But he will repeat what you correct--Opa, bear, puppy, tiger, orange, cake, juice--and he often remembers for next time.  He is also very good at identifying articles of clothing (pants--as in "where's your pants?  Ack!"--shirt, coat, shoes, boots, socks) and he knows many body parts--"han" (hat), "han" (hand), "toos" (toes), "e-o" (eye), and "moot" (nose).  He runs through all these parts (and clothes) to the librarians every time we go to the library.  The stove--and everything on it--is "hot."  He dresses himself--even from the freshly hung, still wet clothes on the drying rack--and has his decided favorites.  His favorite past-time is attacking the little DVD player, plugging the adapter into it, and taking it for a walk around the house.  If he can't find where we've hidden the DVD player, the computer mouse will serve just as well--and it has the decided advantage of doubling as a cell phone.

Joseph refuses to go to Primary.  I think it's an issue of personality clash with his new teacher.  He sits through Sharing Time and then bolts out the door after the closing prayer.  Three weeks in a row.  At least now we know his routine.  He enjoys coloring and eating (Charlie's) uneaten Sacrament meeting snacks in Elder's Quorum.  One advantage to this new system is that we never have to hunt him down after church b/c he's already with Daddy.

Charlie, on the other hand, goes (mostly) happily to Nursery.  The magic charm:  bubbles.  As soon as we have closing prayer in Sacrament meeting, the first sound heard throughout the Chapel after "amen" is Charlie's distinct voice joyfully exclaiming, "Bubbles?!"  He goes in, watches and blows bubbles, and then moves on to the old-fashioned Fisher Price Lil'People.  Then I can leave.

It's lovely.