JanYOUary

K,

You are becoming so expressive and talkative that I find it hard to recall the funny and thoughtful things you say.  I do know that I hear my name no less than 1,000 times a day and I now understand why my mom used to shout "I'm changing my name to Shafrona Garber" from the other room all the time (the name is sort of a family thing...I'll tell you the story another day).  We basically had an entire week off from school last week and when we asked you, " Do you know what is great about a snow day?" You said, "being together." You melted my heart.



Heading back to school after the holidays was swell. You hardly batted an eye when I dropped you off in your classroom.   I think you were ready to see all your friends again.  You have attended a couple of birthday parties as well and that was delightful to get extra time among your classmates.  You weren't too thrilled at going to Soccer Shots ( I still don't know exactly why you don't like that) but you loved being there for Emmi and by the end you didn't want to leave.  You greatly enjoyed playing in the water at Green Ridge for Amelia's birthday too.  I honestly can't believe you are all turning four.

Beba spent two days with you last week for which we are so grateful.  You actually sent yourself to nap one day, which is mind boggling.  Beba brought me some of my Grandma Pearlie's jewelry and we had fun on Friday night going through it.  I wonder what Pearlie would have thought to see you putting on her beads, dancing around, and calling yourself a rock star.  I think she would have loved it.  Seeing some of her pieces of jewelry brought back memories of my days with her as a child.  I am so thankful that you also get to have time with all four of your grandparents.  My early memories of rocking in her lap on the porch and eating lunch at the bar in her kitchen are precious to me.


We got to spend some time with Grams and Papa as well this month and will see them again tomorrow.  I know you are excited and probably already plotting how you can wrangle another train ride at the mall out of them.  While they were here they got you into singing One Direction and you basically serenaded Daddy with the entire song "What Makes You Beautiful."  It's so adorable.


The weather has been crazy--as I think it always is in Virginia now-- so in a week's time we have played outside in the snow and also at the playground without jackets!

I've been wildly entertained by watching you try to barter and trade with Daddy in order to gain more LEGOs from Daddy's collection--or at least get the ones you want on any given day.  We've also built lots of "pup houses" and a double decker bus out of your magnet blocks frequently.  I can't really fault you for liking to play with tiny toys, I did too as a child.



Favorites:

Food: Chicken Nuggets
Drink: Is there anything other than apple juice?
T.V. Show: Horrid Henry and Trolls
Toy: Well, Panda bear was out for a while (I was so sad!) but I think he's back in.  He needed a new bow but you didn't like it so now he has a cool Paw Patrol shirt (thanks Build-a-Bear). And LEGOs All the LEGOs.
Color: Blue (you only want to wear blue shirts at present)
Game: We've been playing Monster Bowling and I told you if you knock them all down you have to take a victory lap, thus increasing your activity by half and wearing you down more quickly for bed.

It has been a fun few weeks and I am glad you were home mostly with your cold last week so that you could get well. I am nervous about the stomach bugs and flu going around so I hope some time out of school helped all those germs die for folks.  But, I am also delighted that you are back among your peers learning and playing together.

We love you lots and we try to soak up our time with you and remind ourselves these days will not last forever. Even though sometimes the days are long and patience is thin.   So we linger at story time. And sometimes we let you nap in our bed.  We snag snuggles on the couch and bear-traps before bedtime.  We try to let the toy piles slide a little bit and let you think you're sneaking in the cookies as part of a healthy diet.  Your smile and laughter are infectious.  You are precious to us.

Love,
Mama.  Mama!  MAMAAAA!!!! (literally yelling this from your bedroom as I type).