Happenings . . .

Not much entertaining bloggable stuff of late so here's just some of the day-to-day bits.

Punk rocker Annike 3-1/2 and Jack 4.

1) In reviewing the music for Grandma Mariette/Meme's funeral, Petra proceeded to dance the Macarena to Finlandia.

2) Newborns don't blow their noses, even if you ask nicely. Instead, you have to be poised at the ready with a tissue for the moment that they sneeze and act quickly. If you don't swipe the snot stream promptly and with vigor then the boogie blob will be snorffled back in with her next breath.

3) It wasn't me! While breastfeeding, Baby Tova doesn't have the sense to unlatch during a sneeze which causes everyone to gawk at Mommy like I just cut the cheese.

4) Tova has unofficial croup. To be official croup one must be at least 6-months of age and as she is only 8-weeks and 4-days she couldn't possibly have the real deal. She sounds like a barking seal in the middle of the night (after night, after night . . . ) and she has lost her "voice" so now sounds like a wee little froggy.

5) Soren has finally connected with a boy in his class. We're so thrilled that we plan to adopt him and his cute Irish family and pay all their expenses.

6) Annike is still the baby of the family.

7) After much effort, yesterday Petra was finally able to do a front walk-over unassisted. She was so thrilled and feeling so confident right after that she did a perfect front-mill circle on the bars for the first time ever and then for good measure she went ahead and did a round-off back handspring -- the first time she'd been able to put that sequence together. Petra and Coach Lalo exchanged whoops, hive-fives and a good-old-fashioned throw-the-7-year-old-who-is-the-size-of-a-five-year-old-up-in-the-air-trick. With a bit more time, she'll be able to do those skills consistently. Also in a bit more time, Lalo won't be able to toss her 5-feet in the air because the kid is going to start growing one of these days.

8) I'm typing this one handed because I have a phobia of my baby not being held. My triceps are quivering.

9) We are about to embark on our first ever family of 6 plane flight/leaving the state trip. It gets better, since flights to the west-side of Michigan are double the expense we're going to fly to Chicago then rent a mini-van and drive to the G-Rap. I'm not sure how my little monkeys will tolerate such a long day, poor fellas. Fortunately for them, Grandpa Lee is going to take over on Monday while Tova, Lars and I are at the funeral. This is especially a relief because Petra has a funeral/old people phobia.

10) I'm wracked with guilt. It recently dawned on me that every time I birth a baby, Lars and I lose a grandparent. As such, we've placed a moratorium on child-bearing in an effort to extend the lives of our remaining family elders. Grandpa Wendell, Grandpa John and Grandma Dot: don't worry, we've got your back.