After swimming all morning, we had a dim sum lunch at New China Pearl in Woburn — the dumplings and scallion pancakes were yum yum!
Archive for November, 2009
Yum, Yum, Dim Sum
Saturday, November 28th, 2009Poolside
Saturday, November 28th, 2009
After getting used to the chilly water, the kids had a great time splashing in the hotel pool and warming up in the hot tub!
Gobble. Gobble.
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Some of the Swan clan made it up for Turkey Day to indulge in Marty’s Thanksgiving fare: roast turkey with 9-hour gravy, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, mushroom stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. When I asked Flora to tell what she was thankful for this Thanksgiving, she said, “turkey!” Charley didn’t answer, but he seemed pretty thankful for the pumpkin pie and ice cream for dessert. Happy turkey day everyone!
Yin-Yang Kitties (and other silly photos)
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
BIG Cookie
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
Squeaky Clean
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
And what had Flora laughing so hard? The word nincompoop.
17 Months Old
Friday, November 20th, 2009
Sporting a new haircut and showing off his chipped tooth.
Head of the Class
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
Flora’s Blue Room (transitional preschool) school picture. She looks so grown up!
Charley’s Ladybug Room (infants) school picture. Apparently he was terrified of the photographer and his gear!
Night Night
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
Last night Finn and Greta snuggled up to sleep on Flora’s bed — Finn nestled in near her pile of stuffed animals, and Greta plunked down right near her head.
This morning I overheard Flora playing: “Hi, Ariel? Um, hi. I’m on Facebook. So I’ll see you soon. We’ll do a play date together. OK, bye.” We went to an Ariel-themed birthday party (Raessler’s Fourth) this weekend and Flora hasn’t stopped talking about — and, apparently to — Ariel ever since. The Disney Princess floodgates are slowly being pried open from my clinched fists! Sigh. Well, a little princess goes a long way. Hopefully a little.
More Rain
Saturday, November 14th, 2009
The New Kids
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
“That Is A Cat”
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009I swear Charley has been saving up words, and all of a sudden he can repeat just about any word you say. The other morning I said diaper, he repeated “di-pah.” I say “Flora,” he says “Wor-wah.” His list of words is endless. We were watching Nemo yesterday — he pointed to the screen and said wah-wah (water) and then buh-buh (bubble). He gets such a kick out of himself when he talks — giggles and puts his hand over his mouth. When we were picking up the kittens, Charley said what sounded exactly like, “That is a cat.” Seriously, he can talk in sentences now? I think he’s been holding out on us, preferring to point and grunt instead of speak. The jig is up, little man!
Names
Monday, November 9th, 2009We definitely settled on Greta and Finn for the kitties, although Flora thinks we can “all just call them whatever we want.” We were also considering Fern and Cooper, so she’s been known to call them that, too. But Greta seems fitting, as she has that Greta Garbo movie star quality, and it means pearl, which is rare, and she was the only gray kitty out of the five. She’s actually gray and black, with just a little red-brown and cream. The cat coalition called her a Torbie, which is short for a tortoiseshell-tabby mix. Tortoiseshell describes coloring — red-brown and black (mostly black), and most are female. Tabby describes coat pattern, which may include stripes, spots and swirls. I’m not sure what that makes Finn (I think an orange tabby), but with the orange and cream hair and blue eyes, his Irish name meaning fair is fitting. Plus, I’m Irish on my Mom’s side and German on my father’s, and Marty is German on his father’s side, too. Both kittens have cream around their eyes and mouths, and I think their eye color is not definitive yet.
Greta and Finn
Sunday, November 8th, 2009
Well, we’re 99.9% sure we’re naming the kitten siblings Greta (from German, meaning pearl) and Finn (from Irish, meaning fair). We brought them home today and they are doing well. The two napped all day in a basket under the bed (together, of course), came out to eat dinner, and then played like no tomorrow. We’re showing the kids how to be quiet and gentle (two words not often used to describe Flora and Charley) around the kittens. Quiet is especially hard for Charley since he gets SO excited when he sees the kittens and their toys. Greta is a little more shy than Finn, but he politely let Greta eat first before taking his turn. Finn loves to play with chase toys and Greta really likes balls. We’re letting the tiny ones adjust in our room for a bit before letting them explore the entire house. Our neighbors, Kevin, Ronda, and Victoria, adopted their sister, Joey. She was the tiniest one of the five and has white and sand coloring. Their Mom, Angel, is still waiting for a home. She’s very sweet and loving!
November and Seventy
Sunday, November 8th, 2009
Yes, it’s true, today was seventy degrees and sunny. And it’s November. So we couldn’t pass up one of the last few days to be outside and not be miserably cold, and walked down to the playground to take full advantage of the day. Flora is experimenting with the big swings and Charley loves the BIG slide.
Blah Blah Blah
Friday, November 6th, 2009Last night I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things on the way to daycare, and apparently I entered an incorrect PIN number for my bank card and the transaction was denied. So I called our bank to get it straightened out, and the customer service rep was asking all kinds of specific questions abut deposits, withdrawals, etc. — none of which I knew the answers to since I don’t do our banking. He wouldn’t unblock the card, and I had to abandon the shopping cart there. I was furious. So in the car, Flora asked me if I was tired, and I told her that I was angry about the guy on the phone. She asked me to demonstrate his voice, which I did, and she said, “Oh, I know what you mean. Blah Blah Blah. Sometimes when you yell at me you go Blah Blah Blah.”
Her Own Worse Enemy
Thursday, November 5th, 2009Yesterday the kids and I were sitting on the couch. I heard a shriek coming from Charley, and looked over in their direction. Flora said, “What?” I said, “Nothing. What’s Up?” And she said, “Nothing. Why? Did you see me poke him?”
Last night I was reading Charley a bedtime story while Flora played in her room. She came running over to his door, “I’m not putting lip gloss on or anything in my room.” “Hmmm,” I said. “Then what’s all that purple stuff all over your chin?”
Photo by Gram K
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
Gram K never never seems to get in front of the camera during visits, but this time around she got behind the camera and took this picture of Charley in his Charlie Brown shirt. The kids had a great time playing outside and going to the park, making Tootsie Pop ghosts, and watching Tinkerbelle with their grandmother. And Charley learned how to say Gram K (“gray-kay”) and Flora (“aura”), to boot.
Countess Dracula
Sunday, November 1st, 2009
How about a little kiss?
Chippendale
Sunday, November 1st, 2009
Turns out Charley’s Chaplin costume easily converts into a Chippendale costume for next year.