I Forgive You For Thinking They Might Be Angels

It is the bike that is the give-away. They look peaches-and-cream, butter wouldn't melt, innocent as vanilla ice cream, etc. and so forth. But the bike tells the real story.

And the story of the bike is this: Octavia inherited it from a friend. It was beech with a red seat and blue wheels. She rode it until we finally had to hide it in the attic last year. For the re-gifting, we tricked it out as the Sparky Mobile. Flames up from the wheels, shiny blue. Sparky for a couple reasons. 1. The new rider is Aodh, born in front of the fire and named 'fiery one'. 2. The guy is obsessed with lamps and how they work with outlets. I am constantly peeling him off the frosted glass lamps at the bedside. Here in N.I., electricians are called 'sparks'. Is that the same in the good, old USA? I don't know since I didn't really hang out at building sites or have to have anything re-wired.

That's What One Looks Like

Flashbacks

Noah is now taller than me as you can see from this photo taken at point-blank range. He seems not to have noticed and I'm doing my best to keep it that way. All reprimands and commands are given from afar. I try to speak to him when he is sitting down to keep him in the dark as to my apparent shrinkage.

The height difference adds a peculiar challenge to the family santa photo and the elves at C___court are perhaps not graduates of the same training programme as David Sidaris. They do nothing to try to make the photo for which the parent has coughed up cash a good one. I suppose, since it is pre-paid, they don't care if you stomp off in a huff. At any rate, the Skunk Family Christmas (S and I have not called it this to the kids) is a cute look.

Dancer and Grumpy

Today was the big (dread?) day of the winter...off to see Santa at Castlecourt. If you get awe-struck at the name don't read the next sentence. A city centre/centre shopping mall thronged with people in the throws of consuming and stress of making the season more than it ought to be and less than it could be. But none of that puts little dancer off the beat.

Mr. Zero soon to be 1 didn't like it so much. There was a nice skunk under one of the fake trees that caught his eye. Perhaps because, what with this year's colour theme, he thought it was another sibling. The wait wasn't
worth it from a parental point of view. In about 20 photos there is not one where all of the children are looking the same direction, all visible, all smiling. Shots for later laughter, yes, but not for the mantle piece.

Now I must dash away to bake sweet potatoe crescent rolls like I did the night before Aodh was born. This time I will be able to enjoy them with breakfast.

A Perfect Morning Walk

This is Belvoir Forest, just on our doorstep. Really.
You pass a few houses and then it is trees down to the Lagan.

Aodh and I decided to have a wee walk in the forest. The first 15 minutes were sheer bliss.

And then I heard a ker-flumpf, ker-flumpf. Rats.
The return trip over the stiles was definitely a fitness-boosting exercise.
There are big thorns in our forest.

Aodh's day was not ruined, however.
How could it be with his rainbow hand-me-downs from Octavia and our the other American Alex who is now in Minnesota needing stronger stuff than rainbow legwarmers.

Best Dressed Up Photos

Possibly the absolute best photo ever taken of Alex.
I can't stop laughing and it was over a week ago.

Miss "Kyleyock" (I am not even gonna try to spell the Irish properly) and her buddies, Bones and C3PO.

Baby Aodh didn't get any candy. Didn't need any because he had the couch.

Halloween! (Oiche Shamhna)

Prepping at school for the celebrations.

Martin the Warrior with friends Jester, C3PO and the neighbourhood ghoul.

Our bitty giraffe...

wasn't sure what to make of carrot and apple muffins.

The Big Move, Part 1

New red chairs for the wee'uns.

While Noah's away the sibs will play with his things in his room.

Baby Aodh is cat spotting at the front window. Perfect "hype" (height) according to Octavia.

I found this old beauty done by Noah, circa 2004, during the clearing out. Is it a train or a ferry?

4

Cheesey omelette and sausage in bed!

The New and Improved Ulster Museum with some of the usual crowd.

A brief moment of cooperation in the course of the day: aquabeads are fun!

Grandpa Big Mike's Paint Box was a hit.
Other photos/footage to follow will prove that the Birthday Girl enjoyed her day immensely.
But now we've got to get MOVING!

Autumn Sunshine

Belgian chocolate. How d'ye say that in Irish?

A pile of cute kids.

The Mr. Darcy hairdo.

Herb Hunting and Safety Concerns

S: Tate, I'm not in the business of fixing your goggles. You don't need goggles to cook.
O: I do, Papa. I do in case something splashes up to my eye.

A. E. Update

I don't like to see a baby cry but this is a great accidental photo of the teeth.

Yep, those are Noah's Carharts from days gone by.

Swingin' is A.E.'s hobby.