2016

Our year 2016 as a family has been a pretty good one by most accounts.  We sadly lost our beloved Maynard Krug early in the year.  I’ve been thinking about him quite a bit this holiday season as I’ve been reflecting on the year.  His passing is perhaps the saddest thing that happened to us personally this year; I want to celebrate his life.  He had a sparkle in his eyes always.  He loved us, his grandchildren, and wanted only the best for us.  I wish I had recognized that earlier, I had so much more to learn from him and appreciate in him.  
We got Alyssa just 2 weeks before we lost Poppop.  She is the joyful little person who makes our family complete and has made this past year one of the best.  All 3 of the kids are incredible little people with their own strengths.  I am so proud of them.  Alyssa is still a very sweet baby who sleeps less than she used to, but is so lovable and easy going.  She is nearly 11 months old, independent, mobile, chatty, learning new sounds and movements every day, and very interested in her big brothers.  
Luke is 2 and a half going on 6.  He’s incredibly bright, kind, good natured, a lover of art and music, and a tiny engineer.  He thinks he can do everything that Preston can do, and is often successful. 
Preston is thriving and having a fantastic time in Kindergarten.  He’s a very social kid, a leader, usually a good influence, and quick learner.  He’s still master negotiator, and he comes up with some really unique ideas and solutions to problems.  
2016 has been good for us as a family.  It’s the year that marks the end of an era for us, so to speak.  We are moving away from the baby-phase and watching our little family grow up.  John and I are very much looking forward to the next few years when we can do more fun trips as a family and gain a little more independence.  
When I started this blog, nearly 6 years ago, it was a way for me to remember all of the little things, to share Preston with family and friends, and to keep track of milestones.  It was simpler back then to write.  Preston was a tiny baby and didn’t have a voice so I could write one for him.  Now he is almost 6, certainly has his own voice, and deserves a bit of privacy.   I still want to share what’s going on in our lives, but I’m working on finding a new voice.  I’ve become a bit wiser which the arrival of each child.  3 isn’t a lot of children by many standards, but it’s enough to know that comparisons between children are absolutely useless and that each child will achieve his or her own greatness at his or her own pace.  I feel like when I write about each child I want to make comparisons to the others and it’s literally like comparing apples, airplanes, and alligators.  
So in 2017 I will evolve. 

Sweet December

​My favorite part of Christmas is the magic.  It’s so fun to have a Kindergartener who is so full of wonder at Christmas.  It’s mysterious for him, and he has so many questions and ideas.  He soaks it up and wants to participate in all of the festivities and continue the traditions.  He wants his little brother and sister to experience it with him.  John took Preston to a little shop at school and they bought little presents for everyone.  He was so excited to give them to everyone.  
I often dread Christmas with all of the traveling, driving, packing, repacking, not really sleeping, fretting about all the little details. Somehow we made it through this year with fewer moments of frustration.  We have many photos to share! 
Mom made the little dress for Alyssa.

Santa Train with Grandpa

Christmas Tree and Santa on a Firetruck

Christmas!

Luke is a very kind and even-tempered child.  He’s going through a “Let ME do it” phase, but is fairly patient with himself so it’s not painful or frustrating for me to just let him do everything.  He takes his clothes off and puts new ones on.  He cleans up toys without a fuss, takes naps without argument, is a pretty good listener, and just a sweet boy.  

John and I took the kids to New York City yesterday.  We met Mom, Dad, Debbie, Mema and Poppop Locker, and Mema Krug to go see the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall thanks to Mem and Poppop who got everyone the tickets.  It was challenging with such a big group, and it was raining in NYC.  But we did it without a hitch, and we were impressed with ourselves at the end of the day!  Luke loved the Rockettes show.  I’m always hesitant to take him to shows, mostly because of his age.  I was sure he would make it through the first half hour before completely losing interest and getting wiggly.  From the moment the show started he was on the edge of his seat.  He watched intently, clapped when everyone else clapped and kept his focus on the stage.  Then the show slowed down for a few minutes for a costume change about 45 minutes in.  Luke sat back in his seat to relax and dozed off….  In the last 15 minutes he woke up again, went right back to the edge of his seat, and watched the rest of the show.  He absolutely loved it.  He said his favorite part was Santa, the reindeer, and the snowflakes.  I was so proud of him.

This was also Alyssa’s first trip to NYC.  She spent most of the day in front pack with me, and she was also really well behaved.  She didn’t want to be cooped up the whole time, so she got passed around on the train, during the show, and at lunch.  She nursed on the train and at the Rockettes show (I’m really adding to my repertoire of exotic nursing locations).

​Preston has been to NYC before and was really a pretty good kid for this trip.  He had some attitude at lunch, but ended up eating most of the salmon that he ordered so it wasn’t a complete lunch bust.  

We rode on the train 4 times: there and back and twice on the subway. We managed to go to the M&M store, see the show, and have lunch all together, and got home around 6pm.  Not bad for a cold rainy day in NYC.  Adventures with 3 little kids are doable!!
 
2017 is a big mystery right now, but holds a lot of potential.  It’s was right before Preston’s first birthday that I started Cherry Lane Designs, and a little after Luke’s first birthday I got pregnant with Alyssa.  I want to do a bit more with Cherry Lane, and re-evaluate my work situation.  As a family we want to stay balanced, declutter, and spend more time outside.  John and I are looking forward to a trip to Germany in July, and I’d like to maybe pick up my graduate work again.  
 
Happy New Year!