Bits and Pieces: February

Do you know what I miss most about my pre-children working life? (Aside from regular adult interaction, of course.) Sick days. I didn't take many of them, but when I did I was actually able to rest, sleep and you know, be sick. Now I just have to power through. The house is trashed. The kids watch an obscene amount of TV. It is not pretty. We are all recovering from a lovely cough/cold/fever combination that infected all of us last week. Fun times!

We switched Christopher to a twin bed before we all got sick. He sleeps fine in it at night. Naps are another story. He will not stay in his bed. It is preferable to nap here:

Or here:

I tried to explain to him that I wish I could still take naps and he should stop fighting it, but it hasn't worked so far.

When he is not fighting his naps, he is busy playing in the toy kitchen or feeding his baby. He is very nurturing and loving. He is very gentle with Clare's dolls, too, when he manages to get his hands on them. (Which is only when she is at school and or has let her guard down and forgotten to shut her door.)

He has several phrases of which he makes frequent use: "What doing, Mama?" "Wait up" "Are you?" "Snuggle couch" and my personal favorite: "Never!" He employs this one with arms firmly crossed.

He likes to say hello to everyone he sees, which most people find cute. The other day we were at the open gym playtime and he was yelling, "Bye people!" to everyone as they left. (We didn't know any them.)

Clare was happy because she got to celebrate her favorite holiday last month: Valentine's Day. She just loves opening all of those little cards. I am glad her school is not one that has quit celebrating it.

She also had a special day with her grandma - she took her to see "Snowy Day" at the Children's Theater. It was also a special day for me because I drove Clare to the play and then sat at the museum's coffee shop BY MYSELF. WITH A BOOK. It was amazing.

Clare is ready for full-day school. She spends a lot of time in the afternoon saying she is bored. It will help when she can go outside. I think we're all ready for winter to be over.

Clare has her follow-up with her ENT on Friday. Fingers crossed that her hearing has improved!

Happy March.

Catching up on the news at the Cuckoo House.

Snuggles.

Fun at the Aquarium.

Yes, this picture was taken in February. In Minnesota.