Jacques is enjoying Christmas vacation. He is doing really well in the public school socially...imagine that. As for his grades, well when I talked to his Math teacher about him failing this quarter she says to me, "I'm not worried about Jacques...he is a very intelligent boy, he is just lazy" HELLO! He won't fail the "semester" and gets credit for passing the semester...why is this ok? Well if you ask me it's not. Jacques got a lot of great Christmas presents...he has yet to use/play with any of them. Even with his birthday coming up, he understands that he gets NOTHING till he can get through a quarter of school w/ nothing less than a C. Better he gets A's and B's...perfectly able...but oh Geez he does work and doesn't even turn it in! "Oh I couldn't find it" There it sits right in his binder..."oh I must not have seen it" AAAAAAAAAArgh! Now when it comes to being a big brother...he is golden! He has a HUGE heart and is a very loving person...just gotta work on the grades...oh yes and he really wants to go to college and get a PhD in something...Uh OK?! This is Grandma Mason pulling a stick-a-bur out of his hair...very funny times...he is so good nature'd...he just sat there and took it.

Devin the Monsta! Mike taught him how to growl into a cup because it makes a different noise than if he just growls. So funny! I am going to try to get that one on video. He and Mike will take turns growling into a cup then outside, Devin laughs and laughs.
He has started letting go of things while he is standing...and thinks its pretty cool! So funny how he will just stand there and fussafuss over nothing at all...and I honestly don't think he is even mad...just fussing. When he is doing something he shouldn't...and someone scolds him, he starts waving like he is saying "um yes I know but I'm busy so go away and let me just keep doing this" For about a week every single time Jacques walked into the room Devin HAD to have his attention. They both just think Jacques is amazing!

He took a fork from me the other day w/ food on the end. Stuck that thing in his mouth like he'd been doing it forever. Devin seems to be more daring when it comes to trying new foods. Whenever I make a plate for dad at dinner time, I always cut up a portion into small pieces for him to feed them. They will stand by where he is sitting the whole time he eats and wait for him to share his food.
They both always want what the other has and can tell when the other wants what they have...already giving each other stink eye and even more fun is when they chase around trying to play keep the toy away. Carter will just hold something out of Devin's reach and look at him...when Devin gets on the crawl Carter takes off...I'm certain this will last for years to come!



Carter my sweet cuddly honey bear has developed quite the attitude. When he wants something and doesn't get it, or you take it away...he will throw himself back head first and just throw a fit! Oh it is hilarious to watch. Kinda scary when you are holding him and he just flops back tho. Carter is still the inspector...he takes his toys and if it has wheels, immediately he is spinning them and inspecting.
He LOVES to bang things together to make noise! His fav toys are these old formula bottles I put some dry beans in one and rice in another so they each make their own sounds. He will shake them and bang them together...oh his smile! I think their Auntie Mani plays a lot of music while they are over. I put the TV on one of the music channels, both boys stop what they are doing and start smiling! Then if they like what they hear they will either get up and dance with the beat or sometimes they start singing along. Basically they will sit there and howl with a HUGE smile on their faces with their eyes all wide...lots of joy there! Carter outgrew his jump-a-roo and it breaks my heart to see him longingly watch Devin play in it...so it doesn't get used much anymore. The walk-about transitioned into a play table. We had to take the walker part off when the boys were getting so heavy in it that when they were walking around and around it looked as though the thing might just flip over on them. The play table is getting plenty of use both as a play station and as a block in front of the tv to keep them from turning the thing off and on. That is probably the one thing they are told to leave alone...everything else it free game.
Mike has started setting boundaries for them in the bathtub. He decided they are too big for their bath seats...I don't agree cuz its easier for me, but he does most all the baths so what am I gonna say? Anyhow, they both are always trying to stand up in the tub. He started by popping their butts and setting them back down. He would tell them, "we sit in the tub." Over and over and over and over...he is a very patient person you know. That was last week. I sat in with them the other day, the standing has really slowed down, and not a word is said...they stand, he pops and they sit. Very simple, no battles...just boundaries. Clever guy I married I tell ya! Oh you should see their faces...they really want to stand...and when they look up all longingly...yeah he's a good dad. Now for a new year...we were looking back to this time last year...don't miss that! I was miserable this time last year...my ankles were still swelling at the end of the day...and well that gave way to them just staying HUGE. Mike a Jacques had a good time last New Years, they were at a friends house popping fireworks...the dog and I slept thru the WHOLE thing. I'm really not too worried about how the babies will react to all the fireworks...when the dog starts barking, which is not very often, they just look at him like he's nutz and start scolding him in baby talk. It will probably be a long night because I don't expect they'll sleep through all of it...but we'll see.