my guys

I love this man.

He is this amazing blend of strong, gentle, silly, firm, capable, creative, expressive and so loving and joyful...  He is all these things with me but also with our son.  He plays endlessly with Jack and Jack is rarely happier than when rough-housing with papa.

thanksgiving day

We spent Thanksgiving Day at Tio Victor and Aunt Chloe's house.  Jack helped prepare the 7-Layer Cookies the night before and was excited to spend the day with, amongst other people, his cousin Lindsey and new little baby Amelie.

(Fixing Tio Victor's fake mustache.)

At the end of the night all of the guys, from very young to quite old, were making their best paper airplanes and flying them off the stairs.  Jack loved it!

( Jack was so taken by baby Amelie.  He has been campaigning very recently for a brother and a sister.  More on that later.)

And finally, here are some pictures Jack took that day:

thankful

Children Circle Nursery School has been a home for Jack and our family for the last two and a half years.  The community there is something that I am so grateful for everyday.  Just how amazing it is can be seen on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving when they hold their annual Thanksgiving feast.  The children create decorations for the feast like the leaves below that they paint and on which they write what they are thankful for.  The leaves are hanging everywhere the day of the feast.  The children also help set up for the feast the day before.  The director of the school makes two big turkeys that are so delicious and then each family signs up to bring a dish of their choosing.  

When we first arrive the children play and adults talk -- all of the families and staff of the school.  Then we head inside for a crowded but intimate storytime let by a few of the teachers, in which they read books about gratitude and thanksgiving.  The children are then excused to wash their hands and find a seat at the long table.  Adults either stay with their child, if necessary, or go pick up a dish to serve to the children.  You see, the adults serve the children and staff and then eat afterwards.  The children have been practicing at school how when asked if they would like some of a particular food to either say, "Yes, please." or "No, thank you."  Everyone eventually eats and then cleans up after themselves, followed by more playing and talking.   It is a fun and nourishing tradition that I will miss next year.

halloween

Once again we had a little dinosaur on our hands. 

The halloween parade at Children's Circle...Jack suddenly became very willing to participate and take pictures.  

At home waiting for his cousins to arrive to go trick or treating...

 (you don't want to mess with this dinosaur)

 Jack and Jennifer, from down the street.

 Jack and some of his cousins.  He is the lone boy.

Jack enjoyed trick or treating this year and coming back to the house to hand out candy to all of the kids who came by.  And, of course, the quintessential inventory...