spooky week

There were so many plans for this week, but this one like so many others reminded me of what it's like to have kids. Things don't really go according to plan. The weekend was low key and we were feeling well rested, until Sunday night hit, and Luca fell asleep on the couch for 10 minutes. Something is not right when Luca is actually resting outside of his bed and not during a nap time. Then he fell asleep as I was reading him his bedtime story, a definite first. An hour later he was busy throwing up all of the delicious pizza he had eaten for dinner. After changing clothing and bedding, he was down with a bit of a fever and we left a nice bucket next to his bed, just like what my mom used to do.....sigh.

Monday, no school for Luca, and Tuesday which was supposed to be his first ever field trip with school, collecting apples and making apple marmalade...we missed that too. Bummer, but I was determined to keep him out of school until Thursday, tomorrow, when we go to the French Alps for a much needed 3 days of being cooped up in a rustic mountain cabin with a fire aglow all waking hours.

But the nice thing about having kids, is they still can surprise you in the sweetest ways, even when your plans are not fulfilled.

 2 years and 7 months, first time reading on the job

 finally, a fire in the fireplace

 sick day choo choo train

 Last minute Halloween dash...

sweet success

Look who's standing, with a little help and constant supervision

Jolene

Ever since Mark introduced Luca to the White Stripes version of Jolene, he's been yelling his version of the chorus ever since. 

White Stripes: "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, I'm begging you please don't take my man."
Luca: "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene's a man!"

Sweet Sound

This past week we decided after 2 weeks of Luca waking up 2 or 3 times a night, and Ella on the contrary, sleeping through the night, that it was time for a change. Two changes. Change number one: We got the boxes out of the laundry room and Mark assembled the Big bed that Luca got for his 2nd birthday. Change number two: Ella got a new bed (luca's crib) in her big brothers room. I figured part of the reason Luca was waking up at night was knowing the 3 of us were together, while he was all alone in the other room. As soon as the last screw was screwed and the mattress fitted, Luca was jumping, like only a Super Sardus could. Then, i shooed Luca and Mark out of the house while I cleaned and made the transformation of Luca's room into LucElla's room. Luca's old crib got a girly makeover and Luca got a comforter and a pillow to make his Big bed the real thing.

That night, Luca and Ella had their storytime together. Ella crashed first (not much of a pillow talker yet), and then finally Luca. An hour later when I was heading to bed, I stuck my head in their room and the sweet sound of two babes sleeping together was enough to draw tears to my eyes. I can only imagine what my own mother thought the first night me and my sister slept together, and bond that lasted until she moved away for college.

Well, Luca and Ella slept through the whole night. I, on the otherhand did not. I think I was too excited about this beautiful moment, and was listening to every pin drop to make sure one didn't wake up the other. It was short lived, Ella and Luca both got sick and haven't slept in the same room since, but they'll be together again soon. In the meantime, Luca might need a nightlight and a gate to keep him from wandering around the house too much.

Big bed!

Storytime together

What a Laugh

Celebrating 5 months of Ella-bug today. This week was very eventful as Ella started sleeping for nearly 10 hours at night, had her first taste of homegrown, homemade applesauce, and broke into hysterics when Luca randomly started ramming into my back with his head. It didn't feel so good, considering how hard his head is, but it was well worth the bruising when we watched Ella's reaction!