In a Nutshell

I've had a couple of blog posts rolling around in my head for the last week and decided to lay it all out on the table at once! I tried to highlight at least one "event" or something newsworthy for each member of our family...

1. ELIAS is once and for all night-weaned and sleeping through the night
All I can say is a big "HALLELUJAH"! I don't know exactly how it happened, but it must have been the right time in his 17-month old brain for his brain to tell his mouth to tell his body to go go sleep if you wake up and feel like nursing at 12 am, 2 am, 4 am and 6:30 am. I was beginning to feel like I had a newborn again. No wait, I take that back. My newborns never nursed that frequently. I feel a tremendous sense of relief and freedom over this new phase in our life.

2.NICOLAS is showing a keen interest in the alphabet
The other day, I noticed the word "ET" written in light pencil at the top of a page he had colored on. "ET"? His first written word besides his name! I know I may be getting sentimental over such a small feat, but the thing is that he figured out how to spell that little alien's name phonetically and was correct. He has also been identifying more letters and has been pretty obsessed with a new show on PBS called "Super Why". I have to admit that I underestimated this young lad and thought that he cared more about swords than sounds.

3. What's been keeping JILL up late at night
For many years I have complained to my husband about a) not having any free time for leisure and hobbies and b) not knowing what I would do with my free time if I had it.
I know, I know... my poor husband. Imagine what a quandary he would find himself in trying to solve THIS dilemma!
Well, after three babies, 50 months of cumulative time spent nursing those three babies and some down time to think about what I enjoy doing with my free time, I am proud to say that I have finally and officially chosen "hobbies and interests" to pursue! These hobbies/interests include sewing/quilting, reading, singing and blogging. I cannot tell you the great satisfaction that is derived from these hobbies. Just the other night I stayed up way too late making bibs!
I have to say that I am very happy with them. I found some adorable masculine fabrics in brown and blue and put them with green, blue and cream colored flannel backings. These bibs are intended for a gift for a new baby boy that we know.
And as for reading, I am currently reading My Sister's Keeper that my friend Amanda has let me borrow. I am loving the story, but admit to be a slow reader. Thank you Amanda for putting some fiction under my nose! It has forced me to take a break from all of the "useful and reality-driven" manuals/books that I usually read in my spare time.

4. MIKE's change of plans for the Hartford MarathonMike brought up his old high school football and lacrosse jerseys the other night. Nicolas couldn't get enough role playing out of them and thought that Elias would too. He was soooo wrong!

Mike is very athletic and always has been. Whereas he used to play lacrosse and football, he has now switched gears in his "old age" and began running marathons two years ago. He was really looking forward to running in the Hartford Marathon in two weeks. It would be his third time in this race. But after a visit with an orthopedic physician, he was given the red light for the marathon. His knee has been bothering him for a couple of months now and although it is nothing that physical therapy cannot help, he simply cannot run 26 miles on it. So, in true go-with-the-flow Mike fashion, he has switched gears and will instead run the half-marathon. Race day is October 13th.

5. SOPHIA's role in the Nutcracker this ChristmasSophia is in her second year of ballet at CT Concert Ballet and auditioned for the Nutcracker performance that the school puts on every December. She was very anxious to find out what role she would be cast in and was really "trying for Clara"! I tried not to burst her bubble, but rather chose to let her down gently when I reminded her that the role of "Clara" would be reserved for a girl who was much older than she and who had been studying ballet for years and years. She took the reality check well, then remarked that she "did not want to be an animal," that she was tired of playing animals (she was a sheep last year in our church Christmas play)!
Drum roll please... she will be playing the part of a "party boy" and a "reindeer" this year. She is relieved and humored that she will be playing a boy.

6. Our trip to Mystic Aquarium
My Mom and I have made it a tradition to visit the aquarium every Fall. Our "group" seems to be growing by the year so far every year we've had a stroller in tow.



So this is what our family is doing these days in a nutshell...