Christmas is Coming

It seems like so much has happened this past week! Baby's arrival is getting so close now. I've got about 6 1/2 weeks left, which isn't much time at all! We've been able to get pretty much everything else we need for the arrival and I'm feeling fairly set. I need to just spend a bit more time in the room preparing and then we should be set.

We ended up over at our neighbor's house tonight for an impromptu play date.
It started out this morning with our first snow fall. I promised Miles that if he was good at school today, we could play in the snow when we got home (all 1/2 inch of it!). He was very good at school today, but the snow had about all melted and only had patches left here and there. Miles was still ready to play on put on his snow boots, hat, gloves, and coat and went out to play. The first thing he wanted to do was to taste the snow. So we found a few patches of snow on the wood pile and had a few tastes.

Then he played on the swing set and we made a few snow balls. About that time, he noticed Evelyn playing in her kitchen and wanted to say Hi. The next thing I knew, we were playing next door even though Katie and Eric weren't home (Kathy was there with the kids). They soon arrived home and announced that they had sold their house and would be moving the middle of January. :( We are so sad! We love having them as neighbors and playing with the kids all the time. Not to mention we are both having new babies about the same time and were going to be on maternity leave together and be able to raise our children together (at least for a little bit!).

So sad. But, we'll still be able to be in touch and get together, it will just take more work. We ordered some pizza and had a good time, planning to get together before Christmas to celebrate.

Yesterday, we got our Christmas tree and were able to decorate. Miles had a great time and really got into the tree decorating. After we got the lights and garland on, he put the first ornament on and continued to enjoy decorating the tree.

We finished the tree together, but did the rest of the decorating while he was napping. When he woke up, he noticed every decoration and we had to go through each one and explain what it was and why. It was very cute. He was still processing everything today and is getting there. He started out saying that Santa was going to come and bring ornaments. By tonight, he had it down that Santa would come to our Christmas tree that had ornaments on it and would put presents in the stockings. He's getting it!

Miles is playing pretend a lot more now and it's too adorable! This week he sat Ahmad and I down a few times on the floor in a circle and imitated his circle time at school. He pulled out his Go Fish cards and called them his flashcards. He put them in a stack by his side and directed us to sing songs before doing the flashcards. We sang a variety of songs and even sang the ABC's one letter at a time (each of us having one letter and going around the circle to complete the alphabet). Then we'd do a few flashcards before being excused.

Miles has also really been into his music again this week. He pulls out his guitar and plays music and dances and directs us on different instruments. I play the keyboard and Ahmad plays the mixer. Last night, Miles decided that someone needed to play the maracas and the other keyboard. So, he decided that baby needed to play too. He was very cute as he came over to my belly and pretended to take baby over to the floor and decide which instrument would be best for baby to play. Then we had a jam session!

Miles continues to have an entourage with him when he goes to bed and when he leaves for school in the morning. He has his elephant, moose, kitty, and gorilla as well as 3 blankets. He does well in the morning and leaves everything in the car except his one blanket he takes to school for his nap. He has all the animals and blankets when he goes to bed as well. When it's time to finally lay down and go to sleep, he balls up each blanket and places one on top of the other on top of his pillow. Then he places the gorilla on top of the 3 blankets. He then lines up the elephant on the right pillow next to the blanket tower and then his kitty on the other side and finally the moose next to kitty. Then he lays with his head on gorilla and we cover him up completely with the sheet over his head and the blanket over him. He turns on his fish and we turn on moon and he goes to sleep. It's too funny! I need to try to get this process on video. Inevitably, the moose will fall and Ahmad will have to go put it back in line.

The other funny thing that Miles does sometimes now if pretend to order food from a drive thru. He asks for an 8-9-10. I assume he's ordering a number off the menu; guess he's been through the drive thru a time or two! :)