What's a happening here

It is almost February - cold and windy. No snow. This is the month that I start to look forward eagerly to spring. It is the post holiday doldroms. At least it is not Utah with the inversion and lack of sun. Just blustery cold.

All is well here at the Fairchild home despite the constant stream of boogers and incessant coughing - not me of course. Took Ben to the Dr.'s office today for a followup and it turns out that he has pneumonia - still. How was I supposed to know? He has all the symptoms of a cold and cough but I guess things are different for my little munchkin. Also, he just never seems to slow down unless he has a fever and is throwing up or having a coughing fit. Oh well.

I am working with Ben on developing reading skills. He is not reading yet, but he is understands the sounds all the letters make so I am trying to help him understand phonics. It is funny to watch him because he lasts for about 20 minutes before he starts to squirm and lose interest. He'll start talking about transformers or Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and that is when I know it is getting close to end time. He is all boy - learning has to be activity related.

Mike is busy with work, trying to make a buck or two - which seem to fly out the door awful quick.

Nothing too new to report though. We are looking forward to having a fun year - with friends and family visiting and doing some sightseeing in the area.
Love to all!
Jill

Goofy yet still so handsome

Gabe modelling the latest in hat fashion wear.

Putting on our best faces.

How could I not be hopelessly in love with this man?

Ben is modelling the sweater that Sharie knitted. It fits perfectly and is of course, cozy warm. Just perfect! Thanks Sharie!

Gabe eating his cake

Gabe loves food - especially if it is sweet and chocolatey!

Gabe playing with the bubble blower - he loves bubbles - what two year old doesn't!
I can't believe that he is two already. It makes me a little sad. He is more a little boy than a baby. He is so much fun though. He loves to ham it up and be silly, he adores his older brother Ben (he has many bumps and bruises from trying to do everything Ben does), and he loves to snuggle and cuddle. He still believes that Mommy and Daddy kisses can cure any owie, and when he hears "no, no, no" he generally listens. People say that the two's are terrible, but I have been a witness of a headstrong four year old and it frankly makes a two year old look like a walk in the park! (I love my Ben too!)

Gabe is 2!!

Gabe admiring his new cars - he love Disney cars. Grandma Featherstone gave Gabe a group of cars and he struggled trying to hold all five of them at once. He takes them everywhere he goes. He'll say,"Done cars." and hand them to me. So I put them aside and two seconds later he'll desparately say,"Cars! Cars!". We do this little drama over and over.

Playing with the cars that Grandma Fairchild gave him. The red car moves on it's own after you shake it. So, Gabe figured it was easier to throw the car and have it bounce several times, turn it on it's wheels and it speeds away on it's own. Much easier and more fun than shaking it.

Gabe know seems to understand that there are some toys that are exclusively his. Most of the time he is okay with Ben playing with some of them. But every once in a while he remembers - hey that is my toy and the screaming begins - from both Ben and Gabe. It is so much fun to play referee.

Ben showing us another fierce fighting pose. He has been wearing his power ranger costume all week.

Aventure Aquarium

My boys - always hamming it up. They truly take after their father.
Philadelphia from across the river.

Adventure Aquarium

On Saturday, instead of cleaning the attic, we decided to take off and go to the aquarium. The aquarium is lots of fun, but it happens to be in Camden, NJ - not a place one would like to be stranded in at night. But, we made it there safe and sound, only got lost once on our way home.
Ben, giving us his "I am genuinely surprised!" look.
I love these reflection pictures. So cute.
Look at all the pretty fish. Gabe calls them "whish". It's very cute.

New Year's Eve cont

Ben giving us one his fierce "fighting" faces. He likes to listen to the music from Mission Impossible and fight. Here he is fighting with fancy horns. He is so fierce!

Happy New Year!

Gabe and his party hat and horn. We partied hard on New Year's Eve till the late hour of 8:00 PM. I know, I know - you are thinking that it is waaay past their bed time, but hey - it's New Year's Eve! ;) We turned on some groovy dance tunes and boogied the night away!
We are so styling!
Gabe loved the poppers. He kept bringing them to Mike saying "again, again!" He is so different from Ben. Ben plugs his ears and runs away whereas Gabe is fascinated by the sound it makes.

Playing with tools and the patient (his majesty)

Gabe modeling the latest fashion in eyewear.
Working hard to get to the candy. Gabe loves candy!
The patient eating a popsicle. He kept getting bloody noses because of dehydration so I had to get fluids in him any way possible.

Christmas and the invalid

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were a little on the mellow side. Sweet little Ben came down with Flu, so he fell asleep at 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve. I was a little saddened by this because I was so excited to go to this local church - one of the oldest in PA (George Washington went to services there) - where they have a candlelight vigil and a live nativity. Instead we stayed at home and watched a Christmas Video about the birth of Christ. But, it was still nice - quiet and mellow. On Christmas Day, Ben woke up with a little bit of energy. At about noon, he was spent. We watched movies and hung out with Grandma and Grandpa and ate a LOT of food. I made crepes with my fancy new crepe maker that I got for Christmas (thanks to the Fairchild's). We kept our pajamas on all day. It was great! By Thursday Ben was really sick. I took him to the Dr. and got all the medicine he needed to recuperate. On Friday, when Bonnie and Kent left Ben was starting to perk up a bit. He is not a very nice sick boy. We were yelled at a lot by the patient. "Leave me alone!" "I just don't want you to be by me!" "I just want to be alone!" "Give me some cold cold water from the fridge!" Poor Bonnie and Kent weren't allowed to go near His Majesty (as ordered by the Majesty himself). He could barely tolerate me and Mike and Mike is his best buddy. So, now I am in the process of bringing His Majesty down to earth. Even though he still is a little sick, he has to cater to himself. No more ordering around! (Yeah right).

Christmas Day

Ben showing off his drill. The boys were supposed to get this great tool bench, but as we opened it up (I ordered it online) on Christmas Eve - full of anticipation - we realized that it was (gasp) broken. Lesson learned - never open up something that has been shipped the night before Christmas or better yet, don't order big stuff online. I don't think the shipping companies have a white glove policy. Never fear, we returned it and got them a new tool bench - the day after Christmas.
Ben and his Fire Engine. Once he saw that the seat opened up he immediately put all his new little tools there. The perfect storage place. I wonder what else is in there.
Ben working hard with Daddy.
Showing off the presents Ben got from Grandma and Grandpa Featherstone. We spend lots of time learning. As Ben says - "It's time for my learning."