Happy Friday!!!

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”

Winnie the Pooh

Becky left tonight. Things seem so different around here without her. It is really hard to believe that she has been with us since the beginning of October. We are really going to miss her. She not only watched our children, but did laundry, dishes, made dinner, graced us with baked goods, and took out the trash on a daily basis. We basically would have been lost without her over these last four months.

With Becky leaving however it also means that I will be home with Ian and Emma full time after Monday. Wow! It is really hard to believe. I still have so much to finish up at Williams and Jensen so my excitement hasn't quite set in but I already have lists of things I want to do with Ian and Emma.

I cannot believe the month of January is almost over. Unfortunately I feel as though work basically consumed us this month, zapping us of energy, but on the flip side Ian and Emma seem to be sleeping much better. We have a bedtime routine in motion and cross your fingers, it seems to be working well. Both Ian and Emma are going to sleep on their own which gives us a few more minutes of extra time in the evenings, and they are sleeping fairly well at night only waking a few times. I always hesitate to show any sort of confidence on the sleep front because as soon as I do one of them starts crying or completely changes their habits.

January did bring a lot of "new" beginnings however. Ian FINALLY got a haircut...spread out over two days by two different people- Uncle Jesse and Tim. Emma is getting ready to crawl. She gets up on her knees and rocks back and forth. She is also starting to eat rice cereal and veggies three times a day. So far she likes peas and squash. Emma is still a little peanut for her age weighing in at 12 pounds at six months.

The spirit of Christmas is still alive in our house. I don't think Ian will let it die until next December. He prays for Santa every night and also insists on lighting candles every evening while we sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus. He whines for presents every day as well. When diapers were delivered yesterday he screamed, "My PRESENTS! THANK YOU MOMMY!"

THE HAIRCUT IN PICTURES

Seriously Mom, I can't see out of my eyes.

Jesse, do you even know what you are doing?

Hold Still.

Of course you can finish cutting the other side IF you let me watch Wallace and Gromit.

The new do..not too shabby.

Our little sunshine

Always smiling

The Night Before Christmas

Ian is really into fighter jets these days. It all began with Tim showing videos to Ian of "what Matt does" on youtube. Ian climbs into Tim's lap and says, "fighter plane Daddy, fighter plane." This morning as I was putting Ian's shoes on to go to the store he says, "Mommy, I want to buy fighter plane at Harris Teeter. Balloon and fighter plane. " So off we went to Harris Teeter and looked and looked down the aisles for a fighter plane but alas we could not find one. I told Ian that Trader Joes might have them though.

These days are filled with many questions, "What?", Why?", and "How turn on Mommy?" Those are Ian's three favorite things to ask these days. The four and a half hour trip (which turned into a six hour trip...not quite sure why though) to Sewickley for Christmas provided ample time for Ian to ask away. Pointing to a cement truck he asks:

Ian: "What?"
Me: "Well Ian, that is a cement truck."
Ian: "Why?"
Me: "Well Ian, it turns around and mixes dry cement and water together and then out comes gooey cement that is used for sidewalks and such."
Ian: "Why?"
Me: "So we can have sidewalks to walk on."
Ian: "Why?"
Me: "Well because."
Ian: "Why?"

You get the picture. Usually I know how to respond. I mean, what is so hard about explaining the entire world and how everything works to a two year old? Anyone can do it right?

Ian: (pointing to an electrical tower): "What?"
Me: "That is an electrical tower."
Ian: "Why?"
Me: "So we can talk on the phone and plug things in."
Ian: "How turn on Mommy?"
Me: "Well Ian I really don't know."
Ian: "Why?"
Me: " I am sure there has to be a BIG switch somewhere that turns on all of the electrical towers, but then again maybe not."
Ian: "Why?"
Me: " Tim, a little help? "

We arrived in Sewickley safe and sound and Ian maybe a little bit smarter or maybe just ruminating over a bunch of our made up answers about how things work. Sewickley was constantly covered in snow ( it snowed every day we were there) and it was just so perfect for Christmas. We ate a ton of yummy food including the best popovers ever, got to visit family in Ohio, and also met Cate's fiance Mark.

We sat down each evening to read The Night Before Christmas. Ian has the entire poem memorized and it is so fun to have him complete the sentences. My favorite is when he yells out, "KERCHIEF...CAP...NAP!"

Tim and I even got away for a night and went to downtown Pittsburgh for some great food and a much needed night's sleep.

Ian has us all wrapped around his finger. He even had Uncle Pete feeding him cookies. Emma was all smiles and continues to amaze us with her joyful spirit.

Merry Christmas

why we didn't send a christmas card this year...

Great Wolf Lodge

A few weeks ago to get in the Christmas spirit we went to Great Wolf Lodge with my sister Emily, sister Sally and her kids Cate and Will. I think some of the words used when texting my mom while I was there were madness, insane, overwhelming. We are lucky not to have lost any kids. Ian on the other hand can't stop talking about the wa-wa park. Everything is geared toward children... decorated trees, snow falls in the lobby each evening after a show and pajama story time, and all there is to eat is chicken fingers, french fries and ice cream. It is every child's dream. I couldn't really take many pictures of the water park as I was trying to avoid getting Emma soaked while making sure Ian wasn't drowning. It was quite an experience to say the least. I think if I ever return I am definitely making Tim join me.

O Christmas Tree

Tim and Ian went to Fragers Hardware this year to "cut down" our Christmas tree. One of these days we will get out to a real tree farm and cut down our own. Ian wanted to help carry the tree, put it on its stand, string it with lights, and decorate it with ornaments. In short, he wanted to do EVERYTHING on his own. Emma on the other hand was no help at all.

The Christmas tree, now out on the curb, was the highlight of December. Ian played with the tree every day. He would throw all of his toys in the tree including lego pieces, a tape measure, and my favorite a flashlight. We found many lost treasures as we were taking the Christmas tree down this past week.

Ian is so completely attached to me at the moment and while at times it can get a bit annoying, I am trying to savor these moments and choose to laugh instead of get totally upset. But how can a two year old be attached to you while he is running around and being the crazy two year old that he is, you may ask? Well, just a few examples...He still makes me carry him up and down the stairs. I still have to sit in bed with him until he falls asleep. He holds my hand while falling asleep. He gets really upset unless I sit in the back seat with him and Emma on long car trips. He cries if I go upstairs while he is downstairs and vice versa. I could go on and on...

However, like I said, I choose to laugh. Ian really is hysterical and makes me laugh every day.

Just this morning as I am trying to teach Ian his ABC's...

Me: A is for...
Ian: Apple
Me: B is for...
Ian: Pizza box.

Either he has a pizza box confused with bananas or his mind is elsewhere.

And right after that when I mentioned we were going to church tonight, Ian said, "No church mommy, let's go to Harris Teeter."

Ian and Emma are so adorable together and while the below photos may be a bit much, I am adding them for all the grandparents and great-grandparents. It is funny to see how Emma is starting to annoy Ian. She will grab at his hair and even try to take things from him. Watch out Ian, here she comes!