It was hard for the kids to say goodbye to their grandparents and go back home to our normal routine. Everyone was tired and cranky for a couple of days. Thank heaven for a couple more days of vacation before school and work started up again!
The girls spent a few days playing with friends which left just the boys at home. Tommy played with his candy LEGOs from Brady and Madison and really enjoyed his trains. We didn't do anything special for New Years - but Mommy and Daddy did get a chance to sneak away to see Star Wars. It was super fun to watch.
Joey spent a lot of time in his new exersaucer toy. He loves being upright and off the ground. The kids like it too. Now they can play with him at their level. It has been great for all of us.
Joey started rice cereal! The first night he slept from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. Mommy was so happy. But unfortunately that was a one time deal. He is sleeping better but he's still waking at least once a night, usually around 1:00 a.m.
Mommy was excited to get back to her exercise routine. Lily came with me for a Saturday morning Zumba class. She was awesome. She used to get tired and need to sit out for most of class but she made it the whole hour right by my side. She loved it.
As a one last hurrah before school and work started again, we took the kids to Wendys for frosties and fries. We got two extra frosties free of charge because the staff mixed up our order. The kids weren't complaining. They each got to try a vanilla and a chocolate one. Yummy.
Jeremy grew quite a beard during our family time. He said he felt like an L.L. Bean or Eddie Bauer model. We were all a little sad to see the scruff go away so Mommy snapped a quick picture before Daddy shaved it off.
Lily has been saving her nickels and dimes, and Tooth Fairy money since this summer. She finally saved up $8, which was enough to buy the game Minecraft for the Kindle. A lot of kids love this game. After doing some research on it, Mommy and Daddy decided we would let her buy it and play it. She is only allowed to play it after school and after she has done her homework and chores. So far, she has been really responsible about playing. She is so proud of herself for buying something with all of her own money.
With the girls back in school and activities, the boys have more time with Mommy again. Every day Tommy and I create a new track for his trains. He likes to build one or two track loops that he can sit inside while he drives the trains around him. We are thrilled that his language is improving each week. We're trying to get him to use words to ask for and explain everything - even if we already know what he wants - just so he has to practice more. He is also very interested in books and wants Mommy to read to him all the time.
Just when life was getting back to normal, the three youngest kids got sick! Tommy and Joey had a bad cold with lots of coughing and congestion. But Annie spiked a high fever that would barely respond to medicine. After a day of watching her refuse to eat, fall asleep every few minutes, and complain of feeling achy and dizzy every time she got up to go to the bathroom, I knew we had to take her to the doctor. She tested positive for strep throat! She didn't have a sore throat but the swab came back positive and she had all the other symptoms. After a scary two days of trying to tame her fever and keep her hydrated while she threw up and refused to eat or drink much, Daddy's priesthood blessings and the antibiotics finally worked their magic and she started to improve. The illness really had an effect on her. She still had to take it easy for over a week to fully recover. We are so thankful for the power of the priesthood, modern medicine, and modern conveniences that help our children!
Tommy is still a picky eater. This month he decided he wants to live on bread and jam. He eats a thick slice of bread with raspberry jam at least once a day. It is his favorite thing right now. At least it's better than Cheetos!
The girls found big icicles hanging off our back door before bed one night. They ate them like popsicles.
Tommy fell down the stairs at a friend's house. It's never fun when your child comes home crying and bloody. He had a pea sized bump on his eyebrow and the skin split a little. After getting cleaned up and having a popsicle, he felt much better. The first injury of many to come.
Joey rolled over the for first time on Wednesday January 13 while Annie and Tommy were in gymnastics class. He completely surprised me. One minute he was on his back, the next, he was on his tummy. He is growing and changing daily it seems.
After missing preschool for a week, Annie was itching to get back! Her class was learning about space, planets, and astronauts. She absorbed everything like a little sponge. She could remember all the planet names and their order in distance from the sun. She wanted to see and read everything we could find about our solar system.
One night she even got Tommy and Lily to paint pictures of space with her. The kids had a great time together imagining what it's like to be in space.
Due to their illness, the kids missed a gymnastics class. When they miss a class, they can come to an open gym time for free play as their make up. Tommy ran and played so hard. He was completely worn out.
Annie still wasn't quite herself that day so she stayed with me and we gave Joey some lessons in rolling over. We set him on a wedge mat with a gentle incline and helped him roll. He seemed to enjoy it.
I took the boys out to run errand with me. They were both so good. Tommy wanted to ride the Poo Bear airplane in the arcade at Walmart. I didn't even have to put the money in. He just wanted to sit in it and pretend. Such a cutie.
JoJo is doing just great. He likes to take baths on his own - without big brother splashing him. He lays in the water and kicks and laughs. It is adorable.
On Saturday night Joey got to sit at the table with us in the high chair. It was the first time we have sat together as a family of six for dinner. My heart was so full as I saw each chair occupied with someone I love. Tommy very bravely gave up his seat for Joey. Tommy doesn't like change and we were all surprised he was willing to share the high chair with Joey. It was a sweet moment for me. Never thought I'd have a family of four kids.
Sunday after church we played on our snow pile in the front yard. The neighbor dogs decided to join in. Everyone stayed out for over an hour. The snow was so much fun on Sunday that we decided to give it another try on Monday since the kids were out of school and Daddy had the day off for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
Monday was not as fun due to the conditions. It was blowing wind and snow. The snow was icy and hurt our faces when it hit. But we went to a new sledding place and the kids were excited to try it out. Tommy and Lily kept riding together and Annie rode solo on the saucer. Every once in a while they would let Mommy and Daddy have a turn too.
After an hour and a half we were wet, cold, and tired. Tommy and Joey were grumpy and ready to leave about a half hour before the girls were. But on her last run, Lily bonked her lip and was finally ready to call it a day. The kids said they had a lot of fun. Our gear was so soaked we had to hang everything up all around the front room.
Mommy and Daddy signed up for a competition with friends to establish healthy habits and hopefully lose weight. After the first week, Mommy lost three pounds and Daddy lost two. Seven more weeks to go! It has been good for us so far.
Here's to a fabulous 2016!
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