This and That

Don't know how it happens but another weekend has flown by. On Saturday morning we took the kids to Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem. Christkindlemarkt is a holiday craft fair housed in two huge circus tents featuring shopping, food, live holiday music, kid's rides and activities and of course jolly, old St. Nicholas. We hurried past 5 or 6 busses unloading seniors to purchase our tickets and get inside. The place was mobbed but Molly and Aidan did well. There was so much for them to see. After shopping a bit we made our way to Santa's place. Amazing no one was in line so we pushed our strollers to the front to let the kids see the fat man. Molly immediately began to grind her teeth and say no ho ho, no ho ho. We eventually got her to give a half-hearted wave. Aidan was not all that interested until I mentioned that if he wanted a school bus for Christmas he would have to tell Santa. The boy leapt from his stoller, climbed on Santa's lap and requested said school bus (remembering to say please). No sure if old Santa understood but Aidan was quite pleased with himself and got a box of Mike & Ikes to boot.

We went out to dinner and a movie with the neighbors on Saturday evening. The Rau girls (also neighbors) baby sat. They are the first non-family memebers to put Molly and Aidan to bed. When we got home Jenna reported that the kids went down without a fuss but that when the went to check on them after they were asleep they discovered that Molly had taken her pajamas off. Not to worry we said it's par for the course. All went well and we look forward to having them sit again.

Molly if officially on potty training hiatus. I'll put her on the potty, read a few books and nothing (maybe a drop or two). She then proceeds to wet in her pull up. She just isn't interested. We've decided to give it a rest for a while and pick up again later when she becomes interested. Aidan on the other hand will soon be ready for underwear. "Hooray for underpants" to quote Elmo.

We had a surprise on Sunday night after the kids were in bed (not sleeping mind you but in their cribs). They are doing their normal thing, hopping, talking, laughing. Pat and I are in the kitchen making dinner. Suddenly we hear real wailing. Pat heads up the back stair and I tear up the front (he tells me later that he chose a diffent staircase to avoid being run over by me). I'm sure the holiday candles in the window have ignited the shade. We enter the room to find a little boy wandering in the dark, dazed and crying. Yes, it has finally happened. Aidan climbed (or fell) out of his crib. He wasn't hurt, just startled. Molly was apparently startled as well which accounts for her wailing. So, tomorrow someone from Sherwood's Furniture store will come to convert the cribs to toddler beds. Wish us luck. We'll be entering new and uncharted territory.