11 month summary

Last post - january, 2012. Really? Really??? Well, life has been busy, but you'd think I could have had time for a post or two rather than the pressure of summarizing 11 months in this one post. Sheesh.

The quick (in an organized bullet list):

-Had a fantastic trip to visit Alex's extended family in the middle-of-nowhere Texas end of February, beginning of January. They live on a huge farm in a location where you can't see any other houses from there house. We enjoyed amazing food, art and company and had the pleasure of meeting many salt-of-the-earth people and making new family connections. Ended the trip with a little jaunt to San Antonio, where I fell in love with cowgirl boots and purchased my first pair.

-Got hired in a tenure-track assistant professorship position in the spring (to start September 2012). Stressful process, but exciting.

-Summer was nice. It felt like summer. Lots of time at the pool and park. I feel like we all sufficiently soaked up enough vitamin D to make it through the winter months.

-We took a big road trip this summer. Went up north and hung out a couple of days with Lauren and family (super fun!). Drove across northern Canada (beautiful and desolate). Stopped by Almanzo's (Laura's DH...Emmeline is into the Little House books) childhood home in New York. Spent sometime with friends in Vermont and then finished up the trip in New Hampshire. I got to see a Shaker Village which I very much enjoyed. Drove 16 hours home. Fun and stressful trip - most likely, a typical family road trip vacation.

-September came quickly. Emmeline started preschool and is thriving. It was an effortless transition that I am grateful for. I started my assistant professorship position and then...

-About two weeks into starting my new job, we found out that I am pregnant. Yikes! We had really settled into the idea of being a one child family...she's thriving, two good careers...I had even planned a couple week trip to Italy next summer. And then there was that + sign on the pregnancy test - the plus sign that I had tried four long years to achieve and only did so with the assistance of IVF.

-Oh, and did I mentioned that at an ultrasound at 10.5 weeks they discovered it is twins. Two babies. TWO BABIES!

So here we are. I'm going to try to keep this blog more updated as an overall family blog, but I am also going to start a separate twin blog. I documented my entire pregnancy (even pre-pregnancy) with Emmeline and I am so grateful I did so. I want to give the twins the same...because it may be the only thing I'll be able to do "the same".

And now we have three chickens instead of four. Bad raccoon!

January randomness...

Who is Emmeline this January?

-You love the alphabet and recognize most letters. Your favorites are H, I, O, M and F. I have no idea why these are your favorites. I'll sing you the ABC's and whenever I stop or pause, you fill in the next letter. It's fun. Maybe our first game?

-You say "I tried" a lot. You didn't enjoy sledding. When we came in, you took off your gear and said "I tried". When you can't poop, you say "I tried". It's like you know that trying is the important part of it all.

-You love to play "chase". Just randomly running around the house, either me chasing you or you chasing me. You can do this for a very long time - very long.

-You like to keep things orderly. At music class, you put away the other kids toys. Umm...good, but yikes. Maybe your ma should be a little messier.

-Speaking of music class, you have a small obsession with it. Particularly with holding hands with this one little girl (she's about 5). Her name is Sophie. You call her "Soph". Unfortunately, Sophie is not that into holding hands with you. But Olivia is. You seem fine with that. You just want to hold someone's hand. Yesterday, you insisted on putting on your coat 45 minutes before we were due to leave for class. You literally couldn't wait.

That's some of the stuff - you're a hoot.

Your first neighborhood birthday party...

It was for Annabel, your 5-year old friend that you know from the park who lives down the street. Man, it was fun. Your daddy was so excited for you to go...I think he feels that you are "popular" if you are a two-year old getting invited to a 5-year old's party. :-) He's kind of right...the kids kind of flock around you.

You were by far the youngest, but that didn't matter. You just got right into the action. When they started running circles around the house, you did the same and joined their congo line. When they are bolted up to Annabel's room, you jumped off of daddy's lap and said "and me!" and took off with the rest of them. You waited somewhat patiently for your favorite party - the candle blowing. And you would have at an entire piece of flourless chocolate cake and a big scoop of chocolate ice cream if I hadn't scammed some off of your plate. Initially, you didn't quite get that the presents weren't for you, but you learned pretty quickly. Then, when all the planned party activities were done, you went upstairs with all the big kids and played in Annabel's room. You know how small dogs often don't have any self-awareness of their size when they are with big dogs? Well, I think it was like that. You thought you were a 5-year old today.

You loved everything about it. Really, I think you love parties because you love people.

Holiday festivities...

This was a fun and interesting holiday year. You loved the trees. We had a small one at the top of the stairs, a big one downstairs and a small white one in the sunroom. As soon as you would get up, you would ask me to piug in the small one at the top of the stairs. Then you would head downstairs and ask me to plug in the big one. You loved pointed and touching all the ornaments. Although we had a couple of ornament fatalities, your touch was usually quite delicate. I also got a little house with 25 little doors. It was right up your ally this year, as you are really into houses right now...with "doors" and a "roof" and "win" (windows). In fact, as a side note, you are actually trying to draw them right now. You also love the train around the big tree. You love trains so much right now...choo choo, choo choo.

We had a fun time at Greenfield Village Holiday Nights with Denise, Tom. Andrea and Jackson. There was a Santa there that yelled out "Merry Christmas, Emmeline!" and you road the carousel - a rooster. It was fun and I think it may become a tradition.

We also had our family get together at our house, which you loved. You love people - having them over or going to their houses. The highlight of this party is that Santa showed up, at our house. When we asked you if you wanted to sit on his lap, you simply said "no ways" (one of your favorite sayings these days). Same at the mall - our Santa picture this year is of the three of us, me holding you near Santa. You got some fun presents, including your first "puter" (computer) from Aunt Barb. You love it because you can type and send emails like ma.

Santa came to our house on December 18th this year because daddy was scheduled to be on reserve on the 25th. You sat out cookies and milk and we explained to you that Santa would come down our chimney. We I put you to bed the night before. You told me that Santa says "ho, ho, ho" and brings "pres" (presents). The next morning you came down the stairs to find that Santa did indeed visit and brought "pres", including a doll crib, some books, a puzzle, a doll and some Sesame Street decals for your wall. You truly enjoyed opening and playing all morning long. And Santa also brought a stocking filled with various things, including chocolate. You love chocolate. Just like your ma...well, actually just like most people. :-)

And then Christmas day came. And you barfed in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. Then ma was sick and in bed all day Christmas Day. Grandma and Gramps came over on Christmas Day to help take care of you while ma was in bed. Then daddy was sick and in bed a few days later. It was okay, though. At least we were all together in our house. And Santa had already come a few days earlier anyway, so it all worked out for the best.

You were fun and enjoyed all things holidays...and because of it, I found myself enjoying them as well.

Your first poo...

Yes, this is worthy of a post. Your daddy and I went on a trip to Chicago to celebrate his 40th birthday and Grandma and Gramps watched you. You had a great time. They claim you never cried and wined. I believe it - you are such a good-natured, adaptable kid.

Anyway, it's simple. They said you told them you had to "poo", so they sat you on the pot and you did the deed. You were proud, they were proud and pictures were taken. You haven't done it since (it was about three weeks ago). But I do think you are ready to take the potty training plunge soon. It's more of a matter of when I'm ready :-). We need to have a couple days of downtime to make it happen. And, baby...you will learn that your ma is not big on downtime. :-)

Your actual birthday...your's and daddy's

So I'm trying to catch up on posts so I can start the New Year and maybe be a little bit better about writing as things happen. Although you had a little party earlier in the month, I tried to make your actual birthday (this year, the day after Thanksgiving) a little special too.

You and daddy got breakfast in bed...well, you helped my assemble it, then we brought it up to daddy, then you got to sit in our bed with daddy and eat pumpkin pancakes (a current favorite right now) and bacon. I think you got a kick out of it. You always get a kick out of hanging out in our bed and to be able to eat breakfast in our bed...well, I bet that just blew you away.

A relaxing morning, then an afternoon trip to our park after your nap. It was a beautiful and unseasonably warm day. As always, you loved going down the slides...the "BIIIG" one and the "TI" (tiny) one. Then we headed to the arboretum for a little walk.

We topped the evening off with a homemade chocolate cake. Again, you LOVED blowing the candles. I have a feeling that you wish every cake had candles. Fair enough. A few presents..a cute outfit from Michelle, some horse pajamas from Auntie Lauren and some train cars from Grandpa and Susan.

Happy two beautiful!

Little party for you...

Hey Little Miss. So yesterday we had a little early birthday celebration for you. Great fun! I didn't realize that you would get the concept of a party, but it is clear you did. For days before, when I would ask how old you were going to be, you would say "Twooooo!" in your usual enthusiastic voice. And then we would proceed to have a conversation about the "Par" (party), "take" (cake), as well as all the people who would be at your party - Auntie Lauren, Sam, Aaron, Ben, Matt, Susan, Grandpa, Grandma, Gramps, Debra and ma and da. You were really big into "all"...as in everybody. You like having everybody around you - such a social creature you are.

Ma made you a Sesame Street cake - you are big time into Sesame right now. It was strawberry cake with yellow cream cheese frosting. You loved blowing out the candles - LOVED it. And boy, you made out with the presents including a "cell phone" from Grandma and Gramps that you immediately took over to your car, climbed in, then started talking on it. Yikes! Ma needs to talk less on her phone while driving. See, you're ma's little mimic. You also got an Abby Cadabby doll from Auntie Lauren, some great puzzles from Debra, a very cool pilot jacket and teddy bear from Grandpa and Susan, and ma and da got you a train table.

Great party - I can only imagine they get better and better. You know, people always say "it goes so fast", in terms of raising kids. I haven't felt it yet. Maybe someday I will. But as of now, I feel like I've spent a life time with you. These past two years have felt like twenty years...in a very good way. I feel like I have savored every moment. And your party yesterday was no exception.