In January, Fish Hang Out at the YMCA

Things we learned during Gracie's January swimming lessons at the YMCA...

 1.  Arm strokes and kicks…Gracie loves the water!

 2.  Pool noodles make surprising water weapons when aimed correctly.

 3.  Goggles should not be left at the pool or Daddy will drive back to get them and have to take them off of other kids' swimming heads.

 4.  Warm aquatic centers make for great napping environments.

 5.  The game center at the Y is so fun!  The kids played air hockey, foosball, 

and fun board games and tech games!

6.  And near the end of the month, we realized that Jeff and I could take turns working out while the kids were in the pool.  

But the biggest lesson learned:  It IS possible to go to the gym with three kids!  

Possible, AND entertaining (for bystanders?!).

"There is nothing more beautiful…"

"…than a well-loved baby."  

I wholeheartedly agree.  Thanks for the great thought, Laura!

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Music listened to the most in January:  the Frozen Soundtrack!  We found this on Spotify and the kids have been HOOKED!  Grace's favorite song is Let It Go; Josh's favorite song is Summer; my favorite song is Love Is an Open Door.  I'll include a video just to show off some of their dance moves.  (And by the way, the living room seen above is what it normally looks like these days--the kids are into making special areas or "Super Fab Labs" around the house.  I prefer to call them rats' nests…and I try to love the chaos!)

Bedtime Stories

I love this picture.

As I catch up on blogging, I realize how much changes in a month.  This was taken in January, when Micah used to sleep with us every night…what a great snuggler!  I was SO tired in those first weeks, that having him sleep right beside me was much easier on my put-the-binky-back-in-the-mouth muscles and my foggy brain.  Now that he's getting up only once a night (at 2 1/2 months! yay!) I'm JUST tired instead of SO tired.  At his present 11 weeks, he's graduated to the bassinet, right beside the bed.  He still loves to be a baby burrito--all wrapped up with another blanket on top of him.  If he's warm, he'll sleep.  He's such a good baby...

Chosen Aunties

In our family we have lots of aunties--Auntie Katie, Annie, Kelly, Jen, and Angela.  These are the aunties that were given to us through blood and marriage.  They are amazing and we are so blessed.

We also have a handful of aunties that we chose.  I had a 5th grade student a few years ago who told me that his family went on vacation with Uncle So-and-So, "but he's not REALLY my uncle, he and my dad went to college together so he's LIKE an uncle."  Say no more.  We sing that song, too!  Auntie Cassie came over to visit the other night and I started thinking of all of our chosen aunties:  Auntie Debbie, Heidi, Julie, Sarabeth, Rachel…  How did they get that title?  I'm pretty sure that their love just invaded our home and our lives, and they became so dear to our hearts that the title of Auntie just happened.  They, too, are amazing, and we are so blessed.

Micah Show-and-Tell

During the first week of January, I took Micah to school with me to show him off!  I had promised my students that I'd bring him by in December, but it was way too crazy for everyone, so we made a January 8th date.  I was so excited to see all of these faces that I'd been NOT thinking about for the last 6 weeks!  :)  I got quite excited to see them with longer/shorter hair, new Christmas clothes, same mannerisms.  :)  I do have to confess to new-mommy brain--there were about five kids that I couldn't remember their names!  I had to call on other kids while I racked my brain to remember some of their names.  Ridiculous!  At least I have until March to practice up!  (But funny how I remember names when discipline is needed!)

They had all sorts of great questions:  "Did Jeff faint when Micah was born?  Because my dad did [when I was born]."  It's so sweet that they all have their own stories of the day they were born.  :)

 Aren't they the cutest things?

Then after school, Melissa arranged a meet-n-greet time when teachers could come by our room to meet Micah.  It was so fun to see them all again--and I even remembered to snap a few pics!

I walked away with a new diaper bag--stocked with everything!  The staff also gathered some money for us--which I promptly spent on Costco diapers!  :)  It was such a fun afternoon.  I left the kids with G'ma Dianne for the afternoon and was a bit nervous about the drive home--it had snowed all afternoon!  But we made it home just fine.  Exhausted, but fine.

G'ma Colleen is the Queen of Burger King

These kids love to go to BK with G'ma Colleen!  It's become one of their favorite things to do with her--and she's so good to spoil them!  The day of my 6-wk appointment, she picked them up from school/ps to have lunch with her.  I met them and had to take their static-hair pictures.  Someday they'll be too old for restaurant play lands…until then, we'll smile, pretend we don't know that someone could've peed up there and left it without anyone knowing, and disinfect upon leaving.  :)

The Third Child Never Has Pictures Taken of Him

Trying to prove this wrong!  :)  We really do like him and take lots of pictures--if only so I don't forget each little stage!  :)

 Jeff re-strung his guitar and played quite a bit this January.  It was so great to have the sound fill our house!

And this was when Micah was trying so hard to smile…it was finally clear at about 7 wks.

Brothers

I walked up from the basement to see this sweet sight:  Joshy had climbed up on the table to retrieve Micah's rogue binky.  Wish I could've taped his "talking-to-a-baby" voice, "There, Bubba.  Here's your binky."

Lazy January Days

I remember this was a day when the only thing I accomplished was cleaning out the dishwasher and making a pot of coffee.  And the highlight was napping with my two sons.  Oh, how I love to nap with my kids!

That night we went to the YMCA where we ran into the VanStickles.  These are post-swim boys in their jams and rain boots.  I could literally eat them up.