This week’s i heart faces project is “Hilarious Outtakes.” Being the mother of two under three (and just eighteen months apart), I find that “hilarious” is a word I use quite often…because if I were not laughing…I’d be crying…

When our son, our first child, started to be on the move, we were the ever vigilant new parents. We carefully safeguarded cabinets and door handles, to prevent him from wreaking havoc on himself or the house. Apparently, we missed a cabinet.

The kids go to a Montessori school where they teach them to be independent. The independence sometimes becomes before mastering silverware…or the patience to eat one bite at a time.

Thane is a miniature version of my husband. Sometimes I joke that I just incubated a clone for nine months. Here he is in Daddy’s shoes…they are some big shoes to fill.

I once heard the story, with the first child, if the pacifier falls on the floor, you pick it up, run it under water and then give it back to the baby, with the second, you just wipe it off, and with the third, you let the dog lick the pacifier. Here is Mara getting into (of her own accord!) our Airedale’s very large dog crate.

Our daughter is the adventurer of the family. I guess it comes from being a second child and wanting to do everything big brother does. Here she got on the treadmill (which was turned off) and then tried to get off of it. She went head first and stayed that way for a moment at a friend’s house a few weeks ago. She had not quite mastered the stairs yet, I think we will keep her off the stair master for a few years!

check out i ♥ faces to see some more hilarious fun

The winter session of ice skating is coming to a close. It is Thane’s second session.

Thane is an observer by nature. He watches, takes in the situation before he participates. We can tell his sister is going to be the one to jump head first into the pool (actuality, not just speculation).

Thane is the youngest by 6 months, and, in most cases, 1+ years in his Snow Plow 1 class. That is a daunting situation for any 2.5 year old. He has done well. Friends of ours have said, “as long as he wants to get back on the ice after he leaves, it is a good day.” And he has. Each and every time.

In the first session, he watched. He stood carefully on the ice. Walked when needed and maintained a perfect statue pose. He generally showed more enthusiasm for the sticker that was placed on his helmet after class.

In the second session, Thane has earned that sticker (and sometimes two!). He walks with ease, glides when asked, shimmies, and bends. He listens to his teachers and has even gone faster than some other kids, nearly pushing them out of his way. He is not at the top of his class, but not at the bottom either. Thane will never remember a time when he did not skate.

After class, his reward (in addition to the sticker) is to watch the big kids (aka 7 year olds) play hockey. We tell him that he will do that one day if he keeps listening to his teacher and doing as she says.

On Monday, a makeup dau for us, I made the mistake of letting his watch the hockey players BEFORE his lesson. Big mistake. He put up a fuss when it was time for class and you could tell by the slump of his skates when we finally coerced him on the ice that his heart was not in it.

Of course, Monday was graduation…and grade day….

Below is his report card. We are definitely keeping him in snow plow 1 for one more session, to get his sea legs and really get comfortable. The two things Ellie mentioned (not his regular teacher) as not accomplished he can actually do…when he wants to.

The type is bad so what it says is:
A. Sit and stand up with skates on: off ice? YES
B. Sit and stand up with skates on: on ice? YES
C. March in place? YES
D. March forward, 8-10 steps: NO (But he can)
E. March then glide on two feet: No (He just learned this last week)
F: Dip in place, bend knees: YES

Shab introduced me to a new photography site-i ♥ faces. I love the chance to have someone give me an idea on something different to try and this site has good ideas and seems to be a welcoming place. So here goes!

Each week, there is a new challenge…faces, jumping, winter, feet. Something to “focus” on (all puns intended).

This week is hands. It is Week 8 of the challenge…

Since the deadline is tomorrow night, I dug into the archives. This is one of my pics (no, not Jay’s). It was taken when Thane was just seven months old, on December 23, 2007, a few days before his first Christmas. He found this old mirror (which is now broken) and was mesmerized by it and the baby on the other side of it.

check out i ♥ faces to see some more fun