2013

Starting a new year does have a way of feeling like turning a page, having a fresh slate in front of you. I have a Christmas Journal that I fill in each year, usually not until we begin putting our decorations away and I remember that I've forgotten it again. But it has a page for memorable events from the year and a place to document some goals for the new year. I don't really put much thought into it, but I fill it in and I do enjoy looking back at it each year when I sit down with it.

January has brought with it some structure back into our lives. Kai, through a Nana/DD scholarship fund, is going to Day School three days a week for half a day. It does require me setting an alarm and getting moving and packing a lunch and getting out the door on time. But we are really enjoying it! I have felt more like a normal person again having to actually leave the house on a regular basis. ;-) Kai has really loved it so far. He tells me all about everything he did, he's having fun playing with his new friends, he is memorizing scripture verses, and remembering the things he learned in preschool before staying home with me, along with learning some new things too of course. When we went to meet his teachers he hid behind me until someone pulled out a bucket of legos. He peeks around my legs and says with enthusiasm, "Did somebody say LEGOS?!" And off he ran. Precious memories.

Penelope is still on a good schedule. Her naps get disrupted a bit on our school days, but she seems to adjust fine to that. She turned 5 months old! I can't believe how close we are now to the 1/2 year mark. She can roll from front to back and back to front now, but still prefers just laying there looking around. Not a big fan of being on her stomach for very long. She started playing in an exersaucer this week and really seems to like it. She's thinking about strengthening her muscles enough to be able to sit up but she'd really prefer that you just hold her upright on her feet. She loves to smile and I've caught her this week even smiling at objects in our house as if they were faces. We've managed to get a giggle or two out of her but not a really good belly laugh yet. It's hard to tell if she's trying to laugh or if she's fussing. Kai lights up her world. She will ALWAYS smile at him. Chewing on her hand/fist is her new favorite thing. We are on tooth watch, but nothing yet.