Goodnight

I have the privilege of putting Nils to bed a few nights each week. Each night is an experience. We have a whole routine- brush your teeth, put your pajamas on, go potty, read a book, say your prayers, sing- finally, sleep! I always sing until he goes to sleep. If I try to sneak out of the room early, he cries.
Most of the time he is tired. He has busy days, and once the light is out and I'm singing, it doesn't take long for him to fall asleep. But every once in awhile, he gets a little nap in the car on the way home from Chicago. Those nights are insane! He'll just talk and talk or pray and pray the same thing over and over. He can say the funniest out of the blue things; sometimes in the middle of praying. Just the other night we were praying, and he grabbed my hand and asked, "How many fingers do you have?" Great question. He probably heard it at school. He remembers things so well- you just never know when something is going to pop out of his mouth. Then he tried to stick his finger up my nose! I don't know where that came from, but I couldn't help laughing while I told him not to do that. Then he started laughing, and I had to tell him to stop laughing and go to sleep. Then he laughed more just because I had told him to stop.
And I was thinking, "is this kid ever going to go to sleep?"
I love listening to him say his prayers. I always help out, but he gets his same little sentences in there each time. This particular night he said something like this: "Help Nils to keep safe. Help Nils to keep good......and to the republic for which it stands, one nation........" He didn't get much farther because I laughed out loud! It was a classic moment. He has been saying the Pledge of Allegiance lately, but when he mixed it with his prayer it was just too funny!

Dry Shirt: $14.99 Dry Shorts: $ 19.99 Watching Nils: Priceless


I spent last week in Chicago with Nils. On Tuesday afternoon, we took the train downtown. My plan was a field trip to Shedd Aquarium. Once we got off the train, however, I couldn't find the right bus. One bus dropped us off at Millenium Park- the driver said we could get the right bus from there. As I was looking for the right bus, Nils noticed Crown Fountain and pulled me in that direction. I had never been there before so we walked over there to check it out. We took off our shoes to walk in the water. Next thing I know, Nils is under the fountain and absolutely loving it! At first I was trying to stop him from getting soaked, but I soon gave up because he was having so much fun. He ran back and forth for a long time, laughing and splashing, then sitting in the water and laughing some more. People were watching him and getting a good laugh, too. Needless to say, we never did make it to the aquarium, but we had a great time!

Fall Pictures

Tradition

We would go to the Pumpkin Patch every year when I was a kid. Actually, I still go every year. My brother, Mike, just finished law school and has not been home in the fall for 7 years. So, we made a special trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Unfortunately, William is in his first year of college, so he missed out. We did have fun, though- as the only full family of grown-ups there that day!

So they say........

In the car the other day-
Annika: "Roll down the window some more, Melody."
Melody: "More? You are going to blow away!"
Annika (after a slight pause): "No, we won't - we have our seat belts on!"

Playing with Marta-
Melody: "Marta, you are funny."
Marta (with a very serious face): "No, Melody. I not funny. I Marta."