National Christmas Tree

This past Sunday we took the kids to see the National Christmas Tree. We were going to try to do it Saturday afternoon and evening but it was way too cold so we decided to go Sunday morning. We bundled the kids up and headed to Springfield where we hopped on the Metro. Can you believe that as much as Lenny loves trains, this is the first time he ever rode the Metro? I can't believe it either. Edited to add: He has been on metro before when we went to see Disney on Ice. I completely forgot about it. And evidently, he has never been on an escalator before either. After I thought about it, I guess any mall that we go to is only one level and I don't know where else we've been with Lenny that has an escalator. That was his favorite part. He told me that he wants one in our house. That would be cool. I wouldn't mind laundry so much if we had one.



Look how bundled up Brooke and Nathan are.


Yes, we are a little camera crazy in our house. We go out with my camera and the video camera. We don't want to miss anything. Dominic was hoping that he would see the President's helicopter land. No such luck this day.


Lenny and Dominic in front of the National Christmas Tree.

Me and the kids in front of the White House. Well sort of. Okay it's a good ways behind us but it is back there. Lenny was too worried about going back to watch the trains under the tree. Which by the way he loved and we could hardly tear him away from them.


While we were there Lenny and I went into Santa's workshop.


Lenny was able to talk to Santa and tell him that he wants lots of Thomas toys and Proteus (a new Thomas engine).

I just had to post this picture below because I forgot to earlier. This is one of Lenny's ornaments. He hung it on the tree and told me that it was chugging on the garland.


Twin Stories

The other day I noticed that Brooke lost the back to one of her earrings. I got another one and was putting it on. Nathan noticed and wanted me to put an earring in his ear. I told him that boys don't wear earrings. I said that Lenny doesn't and Daddy doesn't. After I said that Nathan ran to the other room, got his little Captain Feathersword doll and brought it to me. He showed me the earring in Captain Feathersword's ear. That boy amazes me! It was hilarious. I guess he proved me wrong.

Brooke or Nathan neither one talk a lot yet at all. I did have them evaluated in September. They were 22 months old. Brooke was talking on the level of a 12 month old and Nathan was on the level of a 15 month old. Yeah, they were starting to worry me. Within days of the evaluation, they both started talking a lot more. They are still behind where they should be but their pediatrician is not worried. Nathan says about 60 words and Brooke says about 40 and they will both try to repeat anything.

Anyway, Nathan has no problems communicating with me. They both know a few words in sign language. But Nathan has made up his own sign language. It's hilarious but also very good. He would be very good at charades. He acts out everything and I do mean everything. And when you figure out what he is trying to tell you, his acting makes complete sense.

Here's a Brooke story. I never ever wear socks in the house. I just don't like them or shoes. When we came back from the national Christmas tree, I hadn't taken my socks off yet and I was sitting at the table. Brooke came over and was touching my feet and acting like she was scared. Then I put her on the floor to change her diaper. My feet was next to her head when she looked over and saw the socks on my feet. She would not lay down. Dominic and I laughed about it.