Fall update

As always this time of year, the past two months have been a blur.  Between Savannah, Angela, Mom, Mere, Carrie, and Ben's birthday, the all church retreat, the Life Challenge, Trunk or Treat, and Halloween, I'd say we've been pretty busy.  Thank goodness, things now begin to slow down so we can enjoy the holiday season as a family.  I'm determined to build in rest this year.  I don't want to blink and it be 2013.  So, as of today in the Santiago house, the Christmas season has begun.  Decorations will be coming out soon.  Christmas music is already playing.  But before we start that, I wanted to give a two month update on my kiddos.  More than anything, it's for me.  So that in 10 years, I'm reminded of all of the ways they grew and developed in such short time spans.

Miss Lila is growing more and more into her spunky personality.  She is so fun.  She was a watermelon for Halloween, and had to be the cutest watermelon I've ever seen.  She toddled down the street like she owned it.  She didn't even really need our help going to the doors.  She knew what she was doing and had no fear.  Her latest thing is shoving things up her nose and in her ears.  Pretty much anything small enough to fit, she attempts to lodge.  Drives me nuts.  If we can't redirect those efforts, we may end up in the emergency room!  And if she's got something we don't want her to have, she knows how to make a run for it, giggling the whole way.  Until it gets taken, then that giggle turns into a meltdown.  But she get's over it pretty quickly.  She's easily distracted.  Thank goodness.  She's increased her vocabulary quite a bit in the last 2 months.  She now says:  mama, dada, daddy, bubba (for Ben, bible, book, and bubbles), wawa (for water and watermelon), nana, yaya, sassa, ssshh for sugar, shoes for shoes and ssss for please.  Her favorite foods right now are watermelon and donut holes.  She went crazy for all the halloween candy.  I've actually already hidden the extra, so she can't see it.  It was sticky central yesterday!  Lila is not a big fan of school.  She would much rather be home with mom.  But typically she does well once she get's there.  She just doesn't like me to drop her off.  Lila's favorite song has always been Jesus loves me, but now it's the version where you clap and stomp.  Typically, it doesn't matter how upset she is, if you start singing that, she stops.  She loves to dance too.  I've gotta get it on video.

Benjamin turned four two weeks ago.  I can't believe it!  He's growing up so fast.  He's doing great in school.  He likes it better than last year, although he would rather be home too.  I'm afraid he takes after his mama in the school department.  Let's hope not!  He helped Hector decorate for halloween and is already singing Christmas music with mom.  He's no longer needs my help with the remote control, which is a little scary.  He's playing video games, which he still needs a little help with.  His new love is Ben 10.  He was the spider monkey alien for Halloween.  Since Ben isn't driven by food or candy, he wasn't very motivated at Halloween.  And he'll probably not ask for candy today.  But he had fun trick or treating with Noah.  He had more fun handing out the candy to the other kids at our house.  I can't wait for Christmas with Ben this year.  He's to the age where he can do so much and understand so much.  Hector and I really want to start some Santiago family traditions that he and Lila can look forward to each year.  One thing we've noticed lately with Ben is his interest in older women, whether it's Caleb's girlfriend Maryn, or the girls at McDonald's, he's drawn to them.  Cracks me up.  It starts early!  He's a great big brother, but we can already see Lila starting to drive him a little nuts.

All in all, life is great as always.  God is good and we are blessed.