More Updates :)

Karl: Lately, I feel like I have been living in a sitcom. Between Erik, Charlie & Karl there is always something amusing going on. Karl has been getting in to all sorts of mischief at our house and has hit the phase where we 'put things in' and then 'take things out' of whatever container is around.

I found in the bottom of an empty laundry hamper a tiny baby hanger and a stuffed teddy bear. Clearly, the adults in the house didn't put that there. Last night, after a shower I came out to our bedroom where Erik informed me that Karl had been working like a madman pulling my dresser drawers open and pulling out all of my (now unfolded) pants.

Erik: Still has been riding to work, but is talking more of the cold on his way to work than ever before. I wonder how long this will keep up. Part of me hopes he makes it through the entire winter just so I can brag to my friends "Oh, my husband? No, he doesn't warm the car up before he gets in it. He gets on his bicycle and warms himself up on the way to work".

Erik also appears to have perfected pizza dough making, even if there is little time for the dough to rise. It's delicious, cheap, and faster than ordering. Plus, we also find that we eat significantly less pizza since we are making it ourselves.

Erik has lost 10 lbs since riding his bike and making pizza. I have lost 4.

Claire: I feel ever busy with life. Karl loves being with me and recently started running up to me and hugging my legs. I think it is the cutest thing in the world. However, it makes walking difficult.

I am waiting patiently for a woman to go in to labor (she was due Dec 1st) and was hoping that it would not happen last night as this morning I had to direct my 5 year old bells ringers at church for the 8:15 and 11am service. After church at 2p I have a dress rehearsal for all of my singers who will perform next weekend at the retirement home. It should be a busy day.

Karl waiting for Cherub Choir to start;

Erik has been so kind to give me breaks from the baby to do all of these musical extra curriculars and I was even able to go see a screening of the movie "Consuming Kids" through the Holistic Moms Network in VA. It was a great film and has me even more up in arms about the commercialization of childhood. If I could convince Erik that we need to homeschool Karl and throw out or TV's I would be a happy woman.

I want Karl to have the opportunity to be a kid and grow his imagination. Electronic toys take away active play and do it for him, so as much as he seems to enjoy them I think I will slowly get rid of them when the batteries dies.

I am also hoping that all of Karl's toys, clothes, bedding will not be associated with a tv show or movie (like Winnie the Pooh, Charlie Brown, Clifford, Elmo, etc). I want to promote active play without having characters already established for him. If he has a bear I don't want him to assume that it talks and is friends with Eeyore. I want him to decide on his own and use his imagination.

If you want to give Karl and gift and don't know what to get him, here are some ideas: books, blocks, balls, a generic doll or stuffed animal, wooden toys, bubbles, bath toys, piggy bank.

You might think this is a bit crazy, and maybe it is, but it's what I feel is best for Karl. (And, ignore the fact that Erik decided on Simpson's characters to portray us)