Andy and Dori

Eggs!

 

We're doing it again!  12 eggs this time.

One week down, Two to go!

Caden & Mateo checking them out.

UPDATE:

Oops.  Humidity wasn't high enough so the eggs fully developed and then didn't hatch.  Ugh.  So we're giving it another try.  New hatch date: April 12.

A round

 

 We just finished a terrible round of sickness - starting with Andy & Simon, then onto Jordan (who is a great patient) and ending with Elliot (also a pretty good patient) who had it the worst.  Elliot's fever etc. dragged on for 9 terrible days!  He finally kicked it, just in time for another visit from Doda Neeli.

 Crowding around Jordan to share in the best part of being sick - unlimited movies!

 

 

Snow Day!

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

As if snow day wasn't enough!  The kids all walked to Stafford Park after school to celebrate Lily's birthday.  I seriously sometimes worry that these kids' lives are too idyllic.

More Open Gate pictures

Now that Open Gate has gotten so great for Jordan and she only has a few months left, I keep wanting to take pictures!

Jordan always starts her day in the art room and takes the art projects very seriously.  Here they're making dragon masks for the Chinese New Year.

Telling Apollo where Hailey is hiding

Play-doh with Soleil.  Last year, when I asked Jordan how school was, her answer was often something like "I asked Soleil to play with me and she said no."  It was so hard to watch - day after day, Jordan pursued Soleil and was never rewarded.  Andy & I kept trying to explain why she should move on to other friends but she never wanted to.  This year, she stopped trying but she also hated school altogether.  Then in the last month or two, coinciding with "The Change," they've suddenly become buds.

Charlie & Kaylin - the first real couple in Jordan's class.  She led him to these steps with her where they had a serious discussion about treating cuts.

Clean up time

Simon

 

 

 

 

He's crazy

 

 

Terry's glasses (which Elliot labeled for her with a Sharpie)

 

Andy loves it when Simon climbs on me etc. while nursing.

 

Dodes

Roni returned from Bangladesh while Neeli was visiting and she came down with authentic Bangladeshy clothes for all of us.

Elliot & Simon wearing their punjabis and doing an experiment together.

Neeli, Roni & I had a long skype call with Mom & Dad.

while Elliot read a Magic Treehouse

Ardenwood Farm

 

 

 

 

Siblings

Jordan & Simon's relationship has officially grown into something really sweet.  She really enjoys nurturing him now - helping him put his shoes on or getting something for him - and he seeks her out: "Come on, Jordan!  Come on!!  You wanna do the jumpy house with MEEE?!"  She still gets the fish face at times (violent urge) and tries to smother him in a not-so-loving way.  And he has started pre-emptive stirkes in the last month - hitting and pulling her hair.  But I guess he couldn't stay our absurdly easy-going baby forever.

Elliot is less interested than Jordan but he is such a sweet big brother.  He gets a kick out of the funny things that Simon says and the way talks - everything is yelled out with such exuberance!  Simon LOVES Bill Nye and he sees Elliot as his Bill Nye partner.  For about 2 months, the first thing said when he saw Elliot in the morning was "Oh, Elliot, you wanna watch Bill Nye with me??!!"  Yesterday, he kept telling Elliot he wanted to watch "Kemaction!"  After a while, we realized he wanted the chemical reaction episode of Bill Nye.  Unfortunately, because of all the sickness we've had recently, there has been a lot of Bill Nye so we'll have to wean him (again) once we're all healthy.

Elliot & Jordan continue to be best buds.  Here, they took turns reading each other stories.  Of course, Jordan is just making up a story and Elliot just listens with a sweet smile.

Elliot

Elliot's first song lyrics - written at our friend Julia's house for Julia.  She's almost 8 years old and she was Elliot's first (and only, we think) crush.

He's not the first kid to love Magic Treehouse books but when he starts one, he goes until he finishes.  Don't try to interrupt him with details like flossing.

Sometimes I watch him switch positions 6 times because he gets so uncomfortable sitting down but doesn't want to stop.

Solar Oven

He's built several of these solar ovens.  I think the marshmallow we usually melt in it is a big motivator.

Building one with Morgan (and Andy)