Just to remember

I don't remember much of Abigail's first year of life. I come back to this blog often to help me remember when certain things happened. Apparently a lot of her second year is also a blur because I don't remember when we switched from a crib to a toddler bed. Aaron said to check the blog, and I can't find any documentation of Abigail growing out of her crib. Sadness!

So, just so I won't forget here is a little glimpse at my kids right now. Olivia will be 5 in March. Since we aren't sure yet where we are going to be I haven't enrolled her in Kindergarten yet. I am looking at different Montessori schools, and considering all the options that are here. It is exciting. I can't imagine her being gone all day! It makes me sad and happy at the same time. She is learning to read and it's so exciting. She fights with me about homework, but she loves going to school. Her best friend there is Simeon and they are kind of in love. She is feisty and if she gets overtired, seriously watch out. This hasn't changed since she was a baby. She hates sleeping and fights it like the plague, but then when she is tired she isn't just tired she's the grumpiest human being on the planet. But when Nate cries she is always the first to run to him. In the mornings she climbs into his crib to cheer him up. She really is a great big sister. She keeps things interesting all the time, and I'm so grateful for her.

Abigail started dance class last week. She loved it so much. I just told her a little while ago that in 3 days she gets to go dance class and she exclaimed, "AGAIN?!" Cracked me up that it never even occurred to her that it would happen more than once. Such a sweet girl. Her speech is still hard to understand. I actually called the school today to start the process to have her evaluated to see if she might need speech. I have been working with her and I just don't know. I can understand her clear as a bell, but most people look at me puzzled after she's done talking to them. She continues to be a dream child. She will put herself down for naps. She can easily entertain herself all day long. Her and Olivia have their fights but she's very often the peacemaker and lets Olivia have her way. I'm so grateful for her sweet spirit.

Nathan reminds me so much of Olivia at this age. And that scares me, because I know what to expect the next two years! But Aaron keeps reminding me that we are smarter and wiser now. And that he's not exactly like her. And that I shouldn't keep saying that or it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. But, he is a lot like her in how verbal he is. Yesterday he stacked three blocks together and made a little tower. He was SO proud of himself. It was so toddlerish - and so not babyish. He is growing up. We got a space heater for his room and he has been sleeping much better ever since. I don't know if it's coincidence or not, but I'm not about to mess with it. He loves to cuddle. I'm sure I've written about it several times but he is by my far cuddliest child. If he has anything remotely soft, he brings it to his face and sucks his thumb. Warms my heart every time. His face lights up when he sees his sisters. He loves to climb up into the bottom bunk (Abigail's bed) and play with her in there. He steals her binkies and cracks up because he knows he's being funny. He is my little boy and I just love him so much (most days).

In other news ... it is COLD here. Like really. Not just we're wusses in the desert. Our lows were in the 20's! Of course our highs were in the 50's. But still in the morning and at night it is freezing. Actually, literally freezing. Today has been a bit warmer and I think every day this week is going to be warmer than the day before. And before I know it we will be scorching here in the summer and not even able to remember what COLD felt like.

What else? Not sure where we are going to be and that is stressful. Aaron finally got all the applications done and he's already gotten two interviews! So now the stress isn't in the doing, just the waiting. I'm alright with that because then once the interviews are over we will have to decide where we want to go, and then hope we match. All I do is focus on one day at a time. Right now there's nothing to do but wait, so I try not to think about it. I distract myself with wonderful things like delicious food found on blogs through Pinterest, and Downton Abbey. For some reason nothing soothes my tired soul quite like Pinterest browsing and/or Downton Abbey.

And I guess that about sums it up! Aaron is at an insurance company this rotation. He's gone 12 hours a day. I feel bad for him. It is a long commute and he has to get up really early and he's just not a morning person. But he's doing it and I'm proud of him.