We did it!

We survived the cold!
Both kids are still snoring like little bear cubs, but at least Reni doesn't have to be propped up in the carseat to stay asleep anymore, and the whine factor went down by about eight decibles. We all look a little rougher for the wear, but all in all I'd say we did ok. Now I'm just waiting for the time when we all have the flu, projectile vomit and diarrhea at the same time. Oh, yes, this happens to people. It becomes the stuff of legend.

On a much nicer note, we have managed to sneak in a bit of fun this past week.

Reni is busy growing like gangbusters. Here he is in his new chair, as he got too big for the old one (he was so crunched into the old bouncy chair that he would kick the music on when moving his feet, and lurch himself out of an otherwise comfortable state. Why do they make the so-called music this high-pitched crap that is probably damaging their hearing, anyway?) You can tell by the photo that he isn't feeling quite up to snuff.

Here is Anika in her newest hangout. If you are really cool she may bring you in there with the clothes and dolls and hair brushes. (And on a totally unrelated sidenote, if you are missing something, chances are that it may be inside the Dora tent.)

Yet outside -- in our fire-hazard, ridiculously awful looking yard -- still reigns supreme. I mean, running around in the dirt and the rocks and such is the stuff of childhood, right?

Anika absolutely insists - INSISTS - on wearing her shoes and her hat (and not just any shoes and hat, but these particular shoes which are two sizes too big and that particular hat) before heading outside. She will be shaking with excitement over the prosepct of heading to the great outdoors, but will not set one foot out there -- even if standing in front of the open patio door -- unless you have outfitted her with the appointed hat and shoe combo.

I guess this is a good thing, given the New Mexico sun and the fact that there are usually really sharp burrs and even nails caught in her shoes after 20 minutes in the yard. (Yes, we are working on making our yard more child-friendly. Check back in a few months when we have sorted through all of the contractor BS. Everyone here seems to work on island time, even though we don't live on an island.)