2014 Has Arrived!

The last six weeks of 2013 were pretty crazy illness-wise for our family. Needless to say, I had this idea that January was going to be a lot better. I was ready for a change of pace, and expected that to happen. When I woke up January 1st with the worst case of strep throat I have ever experienced, I was more traumatized by my hopes being crushed than by the actual pain of the strep. I immediately went to Urgent Care and got antibiotics, and was glad that Alex had 2 days off to hang out with the kids. They built this awesome fort one morning, and spent hours just playing and watching a movie in it.

I loved Olivia's comment the first time we went out after this round of illness. She kept exclaiming that we 'finally go to the gym instead of the doctor'...

This pic reminds me that I wasn't the only sick one...Carter just couldn't catch a break this winter. We are hopeful that 2014 will be a much better fall/winter than the last one. But in happier news, Olivia was drawing her first of MANY maps. She went through a phase where she would always draw dots and squiggles all around a paper, dictating the map to you the entire time. One time I wrote down the things on her map, just so I could remember. They were: Africa, the room where we go potty before dance, a shirt, and the stairs that we go on every day. Grandma's house (sometimes up to 4 different Grandma's houses, for each of her Grandma's), Kathy's house, Toby's house (the dog house in Kathy's backyard), and the swimming pool that is closed until summer often made the cut as well.

Just a couple pics of one of our daily walks in January. The kids were feeling pretty cooped up after a couple months of staying indoors and away from other kids (for germ reasons). So every day I took them on a walk, and they got outside a little bit. It was SO cold, so we bundled up :)

Shortly after the new year, one delayed Christmas present came in the mail. It was canning accessories for me, but I had my first manners lesson from Olivia after opening them. I was loading them back into the box when she instructed: 'Daddy, now you give Mommy a kiss and hug.' We obeyed, but our snickering hug didn't pass her test. Her next observation, 'Mommy, why you no want a hug today?' demonstrated her disapproval, so we tried again. No dice: 'No Dad, that is too big!' She was quite distressed at this point, and we ended up hugging two or three more times before we passed her test. We were a little worried when moved on to the kissing portion of our appreciation demonstration, but that passed the test on the first try! Funny girl.

Carter went through a phase of always trying to fit where he shouldn't...from a tupperware to the box of new pan box to miscellaneous baskets all around the house. He is a pretty little kid, so I am always amazed at where he can actually fit.

Olivia is transitioning to not sleeping every day at naptime. Her door still stays closed for that 2 1/2 hour period in the afternoon, but she would just quietly play. Some days the nap won the battle, and I loved walking in every day to try to find her. Some days (in the back corner of her closet) were harder to find than others.

Most of my stories right now are of the things that Olivia says or does. We love hearing her toddler thoughts and outlandish explanations for things that occur in her world. I wish I could just record all the time, because I know I miss a lot of things either in translation or because I'm not close enough to hear the first time.

We often listen to toddler/preschool songs throughout the day, and right now her favorite artist is Raffi...and princess music of course. She loves 'Down By the Bay', which has introduced her to the world of jokes. Our dinner conversation has evolved to one of us asking a normal question, and Olivia piping up with 'Have your ever seen a penguin eating popcorn Mommy?' or 'Do you know a lion with polka dots?' She busts up laughing, which leads to all of us joining in, and all hope at a normal conversation is lost. We enjoy her jokes more than our normal talk anyway :).

This next picture is Olivia's motivation to practice ballet. She has a recital coming up, and we try to practice once or twice a day. She insists that every time she completes her song she gets to watch the 'birthday video'. It's a movie she made with her cousins for Auntie Em's birthday. I have seen it upwards of 50 times this month...but bribery works as motivation every time!

There was nothing big the rest of the week, just some every day life pictures. I love capturing the fun moments that we have all the time. We have a new adventure every day, and these kiddos we have been blessed with are full of spunk and personality. I feel extremely lucky to be their mom.