Getting Ready for Christmas

We're getting ready for Christmas around here.  Chris put some lights up outside and the boys were thrilled!  We felt like we needed to.  A few weeks ago, the neighbor was putting up his lights and Seth went over and asked in a pathetic voice 'Will you put lights up at OUR house?'.

The tree and decorations are up on the inside of the house, too.  I've had to explain several times about how some things are just pretty to look at and not to play with them.  Overall, they're doing really well.

Seth

 Noah

We have no shortage of ways to count down the days until Christmas.  Each day we move the candy cane on Santa, tear off a ring and open a window on an advent calendar and have a piece of chocolate.  It's quite the process each day!

On Friday, we took the boys to see Santa.  It couldn't have gone better.  There was no line, so Santa was waiting there for us.  While we went to look at the pictures, Santa wanted to chat with the boys.  They got to sit on his knee for quite a while and asked him a million questions about reindeer and what kinds of cookies he likes.  He was so patient and kind with the boys.  They are still talking about it.

Noah on the left, Seth on the right

We had our first snow of a few inches late last week.  We're not very nice parents and didn't get them out to play in it until Sunday!  By then, it was 40 degrees and most of the snow had melted.  Luckily, Seth & Noah didn't care.  They found the bits of snow left in the yard and had a blast playing in it.

Seth

Noah

We also went to see 'Arthur Christmas' over the weekend.  We didn't take any pictures, but I feel like I need to give it my one second review since I had an opinion about the last movie we went to see.  So....it was good.  I recommend it.

Seth & Noahisms: 4 Year Well Child Appointment Edition
We went to see the doctor today for their 4 year appointment.  It was more dramatic than I thought it would be.

• They are still the exact same height and almost the same weight....Noah weighs just a few ounces more than Seth.
• They accumulated A LOT of bandaids.  Each one had their finger pricked to check their hemoglobin and then each had 4 shots.  
• Noah calmed down fairly quickly after receiving his shots.  He even came into the room to help calm Seth down.  He said 'You'll be O.K., Bubby'.  To which Seth replied (while screaming and beat red in the face) 'NO I WON'T!!!'.
• Seth whined for about an hour after receving his shots while periodically touching his thighs and saying 'Owie'.
• Seth was upset with us, he told us 'But I didn't want them to poke me and you let them poke me.'  Talk about a guilt trip.
• Noah asked if they poked his bones.
• Bandaid removal tonight was not a lot of fun, either.  I had to kiss each one of their boo boos.
• They tried to get us in trouble with the doctor.  When he asked them if they brushed their teeth, they both said 'No'.  Then he asked them if they owned a toothbrush, they both said 'No'.  We tried to prompt them by asking them what they did each night before bed...Seth said 'Watch Shaun the Sheep.  Noah said 'Go Poop!'.
• Other than that, the boys behaved well (we cheated and let them play with iPods) and are perfectly healthy!  The doctor assured us that their energy level is typical for boys their age, especially two of them at the exact same age.  He also giggled because he remembered his own children at this age.  I think he's glad it's us and not him!

-Shelby