Catch-up

I don't know where I've been, neglecting to record the excitement and the cuteness of November and December! I've been making a real attempt to savor the moments, reminding myself in every frazzled event that one day the dink won't pronounce "l" like "w" and baby K won't stick his hand down the front of my shirt at every opportunity, and even more likely, I will actually get eight hours of sleep in a row sometime in the future...so I need to soak it up now.

So what's been happening? In November, the dink turned three, an event that we probably told him was upcoming way too far in advance because the anticipation nearly killed him, singing Happy Birthday to himself before bed at night for weeks. Halloween was a great distraction leading up to the big event, a night that probably ranked as "best day ever" for the dink, since he got to dress up in his cousin (hero) Caden's old Mickey Mouse costume and chase after Caden trick-or-treating all night. He was so intense about keeping up that he didn't even fuss once about his costume--actually kept the ears on his head and enormous white mittens on his hands all night while he jogged behind the big boys with his little plastic pumpkin. I don't think he even asked for a piece of candy until the next day!

And of course cousin Caden was an integral audience member in D's birthday celebration when it finally rolled around. We incorporated Declan's birthday into a Saints-watching and chili-eating Sunday afternoon with just a family crowd, which is all it takes to thrill the dink. I think his favorite presents were a bag of old Legos given to him by Samuel and Caden (and a box of new ones) and his very own baseball bat and tee, given to him by Papa and Maman. He also loved his little blue piggy bank that his Nana and Pop got him, although, like the Legos, he is only allowed to play with when baby Keane is asleep or otherwise distantly occupied for fear that he'll ingest any dimes or little plastic men.

We finished out November with a trip to Nana and Pop's for Thanksgiving, where we visited with the Nashville Womacks. On one of the nights there, we were supposed to have a get-together with Jon's cousins and their five kids who  the dink has met in the past but doesn't necessarily remember. Still...he was looking forward to the event. Unfortunately, he woke up from his nap sick that day, ran a high fever for a few hours and threw up all over the porch (and my lap). So our visit with the crew that night was reduced to a quick rendez-vous in the front yard, for just long enough for us to say hello, exchange a few gifts, and blow kisses goodbye. At some point when they all arrived, we told Declan he couldn't get up close to the visitors because he was sick, and it just broke his heart. His tears poured and he was just crying "I want to see my cousins." He ended up being held by Pop on the outskirts of the crew, and that ended up being okay. But it cracked me up how desperate he was to see anyone that might be labeled family--whether he knows them, recognized them, or not. Sometimes I wish that Jon and I had more siblings, especially that lived near, so that D could grow up like I did, with fourteen "cousins" to play with at every birthday party, Father's Day crawfish boil, or Easter egg hunt... But at least I think I can count on him always making the most out of what he has. He's pretty good for that.