I'm happy to report that it has been an altogether good year for our family! No big troubles or earth shattering happenings for the Clode/Bannister family this year, just a normal year of growth and living. This is just fine with your dad and me. You both continue to make us smile each day and wonder what we did right to have received such wonderful little people in our lives. It goes without saying that naughtiness and mom LOSING it on a semi-regular basis has also been a part of our year but we don't like to show off around here. We're all learning and growing together.
Let's see, this year our family has joined a church which we're still getting used to but seems to be a nice fit for now. It would be true to say that I'm the happiest about our little Sunday visits but you're both willing and I think, getting used to your classes. Gavin, you're learning about what it means to be a friend, share with others, and what to do when you feel sad. All good things. Jacob, you're also learning about some of these things but most importantly, you're slowly learning about the concept of justice and what it means to be treated fairly and equally in this world. Another good thing. I'm calling church a work in progress this year and hope that we can have more and more conversations about our thoughts on God and our responsibilities to our community( hard one) and ourselves ( also hard).
Sam Clode. Sam Clode was born this summer and what would we do without him? He is the most adorable and loved baby that ever was ( obvious exceptions being my kiddos OF COURSE). We are so happy to have a new cousin and I hope the new year brings us more times together, getting to know one another even better. Grandma and grandpa now have three wonderful grandsons and who knows, maybe a granddaughter in the mix soon? Keep hope alive grandma.
Christmas 2009 was a good 'ol time for you guys. We visited Papa and Nana in Kinston as we do most years for Christmas Eve and then were home late that night for Santa preparations. Santa preparations included leaving treats that Nana prepared by the fireplace with a note written by you, Jacob, telling him as much. We also left water because we were afraid the cats would drink the milk. You boys played lots with your cousin, Hannah, and enjoyed a full house of family on Christmas Eve with lots of yummy foods Nana made and presents, presents, presents and some more presents! Jacob, this year you received a DS from Papa and Nana, something you've been pleading for every year since you knew they existed. Dad and I were a little hesitant about it (mostly me) because you currently have so many good ways to entertain yourself ( ex: playing outside with friends, Legos, making stuff in the arts and crafts room) that we were worried you'd be reduced to a slug on the couch with your face pressed against a screen. I'm pleased to report that this is not the case and you've managed to keep it in check quite well. In fact, it sat on the fireplace for several days this week while you busied yourself otherwise. This is GOOD. This will likely not be the same story in a few years but goodness knows I'm not one to cross bridges..... :)
We didn't see grandma and grandpa this year but I'm hoping next Christmas we'll be able to include them in the holidays. They got you two fantastic Lego sets which you have both been playing with lots so far. Awesome gift! Gav, Papa and Nana also got you a cool kid scooter and a flame helmet so that you can be smooth and cool all summer long. Love that. What else? Oh yes! Santa has been placed on the suspicious list this year by you, Jacob. In fact, here it is January 6th and you're still pumping me for the real deal. I have been telling you this: Santa is a fun and magical person to think about, right? You'll work it out in your brain when you're ready. So, not sure how this is going but what else is a parent to do? I sometimes still think I hear little reindeer hooves on the roof just before I fall asleep on Christmas Eve. I hope you'll both hear them too each Christmas.
Gavin, you have been so, so enjoying your last year of preschool at Seedlings. You love being the big kid and you are, more so than any other year, coming home with little stories, songs in your brain, and thoughts to share about what you see, eat and do at Ms. Jana's. Your best friends are Tucker and Simon and if school could just be the three of you boys, the chickens, Ms. Jana and the cabin, you'd be golden. When you're not at preschool, you're doing your best to keep up with the older crowd here in the neighborhood. You tag along with Jacob with his friends and have been exposed to WAY more than Jacob ever was at this age. In fact, the funny little words for your anatomy that you and your brother bandy about endlessly these days is getting SOOOO out of control that I've started charging you both a quarter for offenses. This is working:) You are proud to be earning an allowance this new year for the first time. You take out the recycling and clear your plates from the table along with some regular old putting away. You did not miss the stubborn streak from my side so this continues to be a work in progress but we're getting there. You're full of funny things, Gav. Some of our favorites: " Come to papa!" "What's cookin' good lookin'?"while I'm making dinner and " Sweet Home Alabama and Ridin' in the cowboys!" when you let go a windy-pop. Nice. When you're especially pleased with what's happening you come out with " This is THE life!" Towards the end of the year we signed you up for a music class which you loved. You still dream of guitar lessons .... maybe this year we'll so something about that :) You have so many good questions these days about what's happening around you and why things are as they are, Gav. We're going hoarse trying to get them all answered but we love your little brain. And if anyone is missing anything around here, we are likely to come to you first because you seem to have an uncanny ability to locate items and remember information that the rest of us forget or never had. Hmmm, what will you do with this?????
Jakes, your year has been filled with third grade in Mrs. Sexton's class, playing with friends in the neighborhood, mountains of drawings and creations, Legos, cub scouts, and finally a pottery class through Chapel Hill Parks and Rec. You're not big on joining "classes" at this point so dad and I were surprized that you wanted to take the pottery class but so far, you've been loving it. You get to work in a real potter's studio with real equipment and in fact, have just begun to learn to use a potter's wheel this week. This is not an easy thing to learn but your creations looked good! We're so proud of you for staying positive and being patient with yourself. You call your pottery teacher a pirate because he has long dreads and a braided beard and what's not awesome about a teacher like that? You spend many long afternoons with your brother in the front room of our house drawing strong guys with muscle arms, monsters, "contraptions", and things that blow up. How many elaborate explanations have I sat through that included the words this guys shoots out of....? You are still a bit of a reluctant reader, although you are a good reader and seem to enjoy your books once you are made to sit still and read. You love a good story and are starting to notice that some of your current reads have simple plots. When I suggest that maybe you're ready to move on past Geronimo Stilton, you wave me away and tell me I'm interfering. *sigh* Of COURSE I'm interfering....
Along with all of the good things in our year, we've also been struggling with the eternal parent/child struggles at our home. Jacob, you and I have come head to head more this year. I don't like it but there it is all the same and we're both working to keep the lines of communication open. Gavin, you're asserting yourself LOUDLY this year and we are ALL working to keep our volume down and our voices calm. H-A-R-D. In anticipation of mom heading to nursing school this year, we're trying to guide you boys towards more independence. Jacob, you're working on getting ready in the mornings and evenings by yourself and Gavin, you're working on cutting down on the whinging and following instructions. Hmmm. You are both working on helping yourself to snacks, endless snacks. Jacob, you are learning to use the stove to cook cheese quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches. You're hesitant to do it ( afraid of burning yourself - you're a cautious guy) but proud once it's done. Before long, I expect you'll be making dinner once in a while and THAT is fine by me! Um, learn to clean it all up this year, okay? Thanks. Mom and dad are working on streamlining some of these things and staying faithful to some family rules. We're using transitional objects to help. For me, this means coffee in the morning ( get going!) and a small beverage in the evenings ( wait, come back!). This helps. Due to mom's headache issues, the evening beverage is often water in a wine glass but it seems to work just the same :)
I'm thinking that 2010 is going to be an even better year for us. Grandpa will be retiring and we're all looking forward to having grandma and grandpa in our lives a little more. Mom might be in nursing school and THAT ROCKS!! And you boys are going to be able to do more and more on your own. This is wonderful, all of it. We all have so much more to learn together but each day is a new opportunity to do it right. We need them all. When I think of your sweet faces I want to run and hug you both. I am so grateful for the time with you and the promise of more to come. Thank you for continuing to be patient with me. Please don't stop. Thank you Gavin for still giving beloved snuggles and hugs at five years old and Jacob for being my partner at night. I love brushing teeth together and reading in bed with Bingo.
Here are some pictures of the latter bit of 2009.
Hahahahahahahahaha!!! I love this one of Sam!
A visit in early December. That's a Tar Heel Santa hat friends!
Visit to Ganyard Hill Farms before Halloween.
Corn pit. Gavin lost his shoe ... really.
Hayride at Ganyard Farm.
Hot chocolate breaks were frequent in 2009. 2010 holds the same promise.
A friend of ours gave this moose mug to Gavin and he loves to use it for special drinks.
Mom had direction to carve the pumpkins this year. Not too shabby! But Gavin DID notice that the "a" in treat was all messed up. Curse that beginning literacy.
Leaf cookies for Thanksgiving. What's not pictured is right after this was taken, all tempers exploded and it was goodbye leaf cookies. *sigh*
Gavin after his first haircut place haircut. Hmmm....
Poor Gav decided his hair was too long and he took matters into his own hands. This picture also features a slightly reddened nose as days earlier he tried to transform himself into Rudolph... with a REALLY red marker. Poor Gav. When I sent this photo to Brad at work( after I calmed my freaked out self down) he sent back an image of Jim Carey in a certain movie ...
Gav made a pilgrim hat after we read a book about pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving. I tried to choose a "real deal" version of what happened but all he remembered was that pilgrims had cool hats. So here it is!!!!
Legos forever.
Um, where did the "help" go to? We're starving over here. Yes, that's our kitchen counter.
With Papa and Nana.
Four turkeys.
Note Jacob left for Santa above the treats and water on Christmas Eve. He wanted to be sure credit was given properly.
More Legos! Yay grandma and grandpa!
Santa left sleds. If this camera had a time on the photo it would have read around 5:30am. Jacob woke us all up at 4:30am. Awesome.
DS!
Gavin running away from home. I forget why now but I think he took some stuffed animal friends and he was busy asking me to pack him some snacks as I snapped away at him with the camera. He mentioned something about no one listening to him or something ...
No gingerbread cookies for you Saki. They'd go right through you and you know it.
This was our only Christmas baking this year and we had a lovely time. I'll go ahead and take credit for the one on the right.
Put-the-camera-away-mom.
I ran away and left Brad and the boys to make creations out of candy with a hot glue gun. They turned out SSSOOOO much better than I imagined they would, they had a blast, and I had NOTHING to do with it.
Jacob's artwork.
Building with dad.
Starting to decorate the tree. Lights untangled by Jacob, special ornaments unwrapped by Gavin, and hot chocolate and beer for all!!!! Hot chocolate for children.
Christmas with cousin Hannah, playing memory
It's not Christmas until .....
