February: the calm after the storm

So, apparently in the world of homeschooling, January can be hell. And I think I would have to agree. After 2+ weeks without a routine in the same setting as where school happens, finding our way back to structure and routine was somewhat of a challenge. "Get dressed? Why?!?!?!?!"... "Addition and subtraction? Say WHAT?!?!?!?!"... "Focus on a task of YOUR choosing? Huh?!?!?!". Abby and Elise are mighty. They are a force to be reckoned with. And what January lacked in snowstorms, we made up for on an almost daily basis with storms of our own. But after the dust settled...

We all took turns enjoying the stomach flu (except for Anna). We loved on each other for Valentine's Day - Abby was thrilled with her gift of a Star Wars book about Darth Maul while Elise politely kept quiet when I gave her a book about Padme Amidala that she already had, unbeknownst to me. I can't keep up with their library... Then we handled a busy week of rehearsals beautifully with John out of town for work, which ended with a fantastic dance performance at the Arts Center of Anansi the Spider. The girls loved every. minute. of the performance. And I cannot count the number of older dancers, parents, teachers who said to me "they're SOOOOO cute!", especially when Elise stopped mid-performance to smile and wave at us in the front row. ;) Seriously, though, after the trials and tribulations of January, watching the girls succeed in something as intense as a stage performance is a much-needed "sigh". I'm so proud of their dedication and hard work, their positive attitudes, and their social finesse. 

What's that? The BABY? Oh, right... Anna turned 9 months old. And the doctor confirmed what we already knew: she's perfect. 9 months and still not a single illness... 15 pounds, 11 ounces ... sleeping 10-12 hours a night... eating EVERYTHING (kiwi, quinoa, soup/stew...)... breastfeeding like a champ... saying "nigh, nigh" (night, night), "mama", "dada"... making animal noises for dog and cat... signing "more", "please", "milk", "daddy", "music", "dog". Anna - I speak for every member of our family when I say that you bring happiness to our world. Abby still can't keep her hands off of you and she loves to bounce you up and down saying "Zoom, zoom, zoom, BOOM!". Personal space goes totally out the window when Elise talks to you and, while she will not allow you to touch her lightsaber, she is happy to share other toys, such as Froggy, as long as you don't put them in your mouth. ;) During Baby Sing and Sign class last week, I had to compete with you for everyone's attention - your smiles and squeals were so big and so engaging that none of us could keep our eyes off of you. That's pretty much how I feel everyday - I look forward to seeing you morning, noon, and night.