there's a hole in your smile, dear Liza, dear Liza

Josephine lost her first tooth on Tuesday, the 16th.  Bottom front left one, which has been loose since around Thanksgiving.
She lost it at breakfast, while eating her carrots.  Which, to be fair, have only ever been purported to help one's eyes...

The tooth fairy has not yet been invited for a visit as this beloved granddaughter preferred to first carry it all over Texas in a reliquary, certain that her grandmothers would like to see the "lost" tooth.
:)

All pretty cute business, if you ask me.  I may or may not have been the only one sniffling back tears that morning as she so boisterously grew up before my eyes...

fall

yuletidal wave

In case y'all need reminding, there were hedgehogs present that fateful day in Bethlehem.  

Of course.

undoubtedly.

supervising the fire

The tree had to get taken down a notch this year, as the bottom section needed to be tossed.  The screws had torn it up to a point of instability in the stand and the branches had thinned to a point not worth their width.  So... it's a little squat and crowded, and I'm down to one working strand of lights...  I suppose I could have bought more lights, but I'd kind of like to upgrade to one of those newfangled pre-lit lovelies next year, so I'm holding out.

even Begonia's tank and table got decked.
Bring it, Santa!  (I mean, Uncle Jason.)

Clement's fond of this soft polar bear.
I had just told him he was a good Polar Bear Daddy.
Which apparently delighted him.

so he upgraded to two polar bears.

Then put them to sleep.

Hopefully forthcoming are adorable Christmas portraits of the children together.  Cross your fingers for cooperative kids.  :)

Old Man Jason

I was busy trying to order Josephine's school portraits when Clement very excitedly started reaching in the tree and telling me, "MOM, Mom!!  UNK JAS-ON.  UNK JAS-ON."

I finally got up because I couldn't think of what ornament could possibly be reminding him of Uncle Jason.   I thought maybe he'd found the Texas Rangers one?

After I recovered from a near-death-by-laughing experience, I HAD to get my camera and ask him to show me again-- "which ornament, exactly, looks like Uncle Jason??  Show me."

THIS.

My genius little elf

Teague

The kids went with Sean to Teague for Thanksgiving and had a very remarkable time, especially according to Clement who talked about returning to Teague for a few days after getting back to Austin from meeting his cousin.  He seems to think Badges needs more treats?

According to Sean's iphone, the trip featured a trip for Josephine to the hairdresser:

Leaves:

Being abandoned in a field and photographed against his will:

oh, the cruelty.

I shall never smile!!

And a playground:

I also have it on good authority that they went stargazing one night, which Josephine loved and journaled about for "extra credit" in her Kindergarten class.

These littles have much to be thankful for!
Not least of which is Elmo, who is Clement's first and foremost prayer subject each night.  He's VERY eager to get back and see Elmo at Christmas!